Minelayers won't lay

[pompack]

Ok, I really don't understand this.

All minecraft have mines on board and "lay mines" commanded.

A CM at Balik was ordered to drop mines and move to Soerabaya. The next morning it was still at Balik with mines on board, no additonal mines at Balik and a current destination of Soerabaya.

Same day, a CM and a ACM in single TF approach Midway from PH. They both lay mines and depart, returning to PH.

A CMc at Palembang is ordered to drop mines and move to Batavia. Don't know what happened because CMc was sunk that turn by submarine (two hexes away from base) but there are no mines at Palembang and the Sunk Ships lists shows the CMc with mines on board.

Is anyone else having problems getting minelayers to lay? Is it something special about the Dutch?

[medicff]

In WITP it used to require "lay mines" set; start in location other than mine laying hex; home base other than mine laying hex; and retire task force allowed (NOT remain on station). All of these were required for laying mines to work. I am not sure about AE requirements but using this same technique I am getting regular success.

Pat

[pompack]

That is probably it. I am running other tests now but that is consistent with my previous results.

It does make it inconvenient to lay a defensive minefield, but it is workable.

[mjk428]

Yes, I had similar problems. It didn't seem to matter what I tried once the TF refused to lay mines, nothing worked. I had to form a new TF and transfer the minelayer, follow the procedure outlined above, and then it worked.

I've run into this behavior all the way back to Uncommon Valor. Sorry to see it's still an issue. My minelayers were just trying to dump their loads, then sit out the rest of the war in Tahiti, since they now have nothing else to do.

[pompack]

ORIGINAL: pompack

That is probably it. I am running other tests now but that is consistent with my previous results.

It does make it inconvenient to lay a defensive minefield, but it is workable.

Ran test for three turns with six mine groups tasked to lay mines each turn in different combinations.

1. Minelayers will only lay if 1) loaded with mines (duh), 2) set to "lay mines" (double duh), 3) are tasked to lay mines in a base not the home base, 4) are tasked to return to the home base, 5) is currently located in a base not the target.

2. In six trials, a minelayer with all those conditions satisfied failed to lay mines only once and that could have been finger trouble on the part of the test operator [:D]

[Don Bowen]

Post that test and I'll check it out.

[pompack]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


Post that test and I'll check it out.

babysitting duty right now [:D]

I'll post this evening

[pompack]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


Post that test and I'll check it out.

Don:
I made a change in the test to increase the number of mine TFs to seven, this was the easiest way to allow four TFs to start from PH and demonstrate all four conditions

Conditions: stock with hotfix, scen 01, Japanese computer, 27dec42 save (file 13, attached)

Rationale - There are basically four initial states: Home Base (HB) and Target (T) the same as current location (CL), HB same/T different from CL, HB different/T same as CL, and HB and T different from CL.

There are four mine TFs labeled Case 00, Case 01, Case 10, and Case 11 at PH tasked for these HB and T combinations with PH and Lahaina as the bases. Each is loaded with 40 mines, has "lay mines" selected. Also each has "do not refuel" selected so it is possible to tell who laid mines and who did not. PH starts with 375 mines and Lahaina with 38. In addition three of the four cases are also set up with a current location at Lahaina (for a total of seven mine TFs)

After executing the turn, Note that of TFs Case00, 01, 10, and 11 only Case 10 (start at PH, HB is PH, T is Lahaina) laid mines. The other three did not.

For supporting data, note that of the three TFs at Lahaina, only one (start at Lahaina, HB Lahaina, T PH) laid mines which is identical with Case 10 except it started at Lahaina and dropped at PH instead of the other way around. Also note that 40 mines were dropped at PH and Lahaina which agrees with the TF status

Conclusion: As stated above
"1. Minelayers will only lay if 1) loaded with mines (duh), 2) set to "lay mines" (double duh), 3) are tasked to lay mines in a base not the home base, 4) are tasked to return to the home base, 5) is currently located in a base not the target."