Axis Production Choices

[WarLover]

Attention,

Just started a PBEM game with fellow Wargamer. I'm Playing the Axis, sooo....
Anyone with Knowledge to answer the following questions or just commet is much appreciated.

If the Axis Player retools the PzII factory in Berlin to Panthers, will it make a difference when they are recieved in frontline units?

If an Aircraft Factory is retooled at start to Me-262 production what is its projected due date?

If human control of factories is initiated, Can i change equipment of frontline units and not worry about Computer AI changing equipment later on without my consent?

Any tips About the air defense of Europe?

Thanks for any and all replies.



Losses first turn:
Squads 285 / 8713
AFV 91 / 3669
Guns 1 / 3435
Aircraft 178 / 6821

Also Soviet General Pavlov was killed in airbase strike.
How often does that happen in a game? New to me.

[Mikser]

Originally posted by WarLover

If the Axis Player retools the PzII factory in Berlin to Panthers, will it make a difference when they are recieved in frontline units?

Probably not as such, but of course you can't retool right away, as it'll take ages for the Panther to reach production status.

If an Aircraft Factory is retooled at start to Me-262 production what is its projected due date?

Its normal appearance date, minus 1 week for every 100 craft of that type your factories 'produce', ie. research. Basically, it's really not worth it, unless you have literally thousands upon thousands of spare craft in the pool and are vastly outproducing your needs, and can thus spare the production for research.

If human control of factories is initiated, Can i change equipment of frontline units and not worry about Computer AI changing equipment later on without my consent?

I'd like to know as well...But it seems that some units are automatically slated to receive equipment changes at certain times(switching to a completely different type of tank, for example), and I think they do this regardless of Computer/Human control of factories...Also, I'm not sure but I think the computer may convert units to another, more plentiful type, if there are shortages of their current equipment, regardless of Computer/Human control.

Any tips About the air defense of Europe?

I assume you already know that units assigned to CAP in certain bases (West Front, OKW, OKH, Italian Front) will have their interception ranges doubled.
Once the time comes, use those FW-190s. The Bf 109 series is quite worthless in that role and will simply suffer excruciating losses due to their low cannon rating; they are altogether better used in the eastern front where their low cannon rating doesn't hamper them so much. I know in reality this should not be so as the FW-190A performs considerably worse at high altitudes than 109-G, but this is not so in the game.
The Bf-110/Me-410 also make excellent bomber destroyers, if you can afford to spare them. At high experience levels they also afford a notable threat to fighters.

Also Soviet General Pavlov was killed in airbase strike.
How often does that happen in a game? New to me.

This is fairly rare, but it does happen, and I suspect it is related to how many bombers are striking against that HQ. Twice I've managed to maim that irritating bugger Zhukov on the first turn! Hehehe.

Terribly sorry if I can't give you any absolute truths, but the manual is very vague and outdated, and I suspect no one has all of the answers to give regarding the internal mechanics, with the exception of Arnaud.

[Ed Cogburn]

Originally posted by WarLover
If the Axis Player retools the PzII factory in Berlin to Panthers, will it make a difference when they are recieved in frontline units?

Yes, the arrival date will slowly fall, but you have to balance that with the loss of all those tanks that factory could have produced in that time. A hard choice that depends on several factors. The Germans really don't have any factories to spare, but the Soviets have enough tank factories (assuming you don't lose too many in '41) that setting one to produce the T34/85 to get that tank in soon makes good sense.

If human control of factories is initiated, Can i change equipment of frontline units and not worry about Computer AI changing equipment later on without my consent?

This has changed recently, maybe with the current version or the current beta, but turning on human control means the computer doesn do anything at all, no automatic upgrades or equipment changes, you have to do it all yourself. It still should make the division changes, like SS Motorized becoming Pz or Pzg. You also have to watch for those new battalions arriving into divisions already on the map.

[Stefdragon]

Originally posted by WarLover
Attention,

Just started a PBEM game with fellow Wargamer. I'm Playing the Axis, sooo....
Anyone with Knowledge to answer the following questions or just commet is much appreciated.

If the Axis Player retools the PzII factory in Berlin to Panthers, will it make a difference when they are recieved in frontline units?

If an Aircraft Factory is retooled at start to Me-262 production what is its projected due date?

If human control of factories is initiated, Can i change equipment of frontline units and not worry about Computer AI changing equipment later on without my consent?

Any tips About the air defense of Europe?

Thanks for any and all replies.



Losses first turn:
Squads 285 / 8713
AFV 91 / 3669
Guns 1 / 3435
Aircraft 178 / 6821

Also Soviet General Pavlov was killed in airbase strike.
How often does that happen in a game? New to me.

Even I should be able to answer some of these questions.

The due dates of any equipment is right in the rulebook, in the equipment tables, last column on the right:

Panthers start production/delivery in 5/43, ME262 in 7/44.

Factory/Upgrade control is either all Human or all Computer.

Good Luck!

I'm playing my first PBEM ever against Davewolf. See the "Red Empire Strikes Back" thread for an AAR.

[RickyB]

Actually the manual is no longer correct for certain equipment. I am not sure about these, but to get a full up to date report, there is a report created by Alt-R that is created in your WIR directory. This report shows certain information including equipment availablity dates.

[BvB]

Each factory you change increases the chance of the arrival of new equipment by a small percentage. Each turn the game rolls a die in effect to see if the arrival date is moved up a week or remains the same. So it's like investing in research. WiR is a very long game. As Ed pointed out, you have to weigh doing this against the loss of the older tanks that would have been produced. So I've always done this sparingly and with shorter term goals than going for the best stuff in the game than doesn't arrive until after most games have been decided. A 1941 game usually shows who's going to win by late 42/early 43 and sometimes sooner. So taking factories out of use to get stuff that doesn't arrive until a year or more from when you switched the factory isn't a good idea. I was training a friend to play this game about ten years ago and still have the notes - which don't consider changes of the better matrix version: Since the replacement pool has a hidden reserve of a large amount of R35 tanks, I'd let any unit with them keep them. Don't take the JpzI's out of production as it's the only TD for those type units until '42. I could see stopping the PzII & Pz38t production in favor of the PzIIIh which you'll need lots of in '41. Maybe consider putting a factory to the next model PzIII due in Jan42, or the PzIVg, but initially, you'll need all the tanks you can get so I wouldn't recommend it. Air, increase the FW190A as much as you can by considering cutting the 110's and maybe an extra bomber.
Also remember that many factories are pre-programed to automatically upgrade to another type and tinkering can affect that. Example, the PzII and JPzI factories I think change to Marder factories in '42.
Look at all your leaders and get rid of anything below 5 and maybe below 6 if you have enough good leaders in the pool.
Well, good luck in your battles gen'ral!