A few newbie questions

[wdolson]

If FOW is off, the reports will be accurate.  If it's on, the ships sunk list will update over time.  The Ops report will give you most of this information.  At the beginning of a turn, I check the Ops report, then the Combat Report.

Bill

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

ORIGINAL: AZ Gung Ho

I'm also wondering about battle damage reports. I assume they are often wildly inaccurate?  Because otherwise I see no way those Japanese ships could still be a float!

Ships rarely sink during the air attack itself. That doesn't mean that ships still afloat after the attack will survive the day.

You'll notice the same thing with sub attacks. AE does have a nasty habit of letting you know though...after the sub attack takes place, you will hear the 'sinking ship'sound if the ship actually sinks. It really should remain a mystery.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

You'll notice the same thing with sub attacks. AE does have a nasty habit of letting you know though...after the sub attack takes place, you will hear the 'sinking ship'sound if the ship actually sinks. It really should remain a mystery.

Breaking up noises are RL. Very easy for even a rookie sonarman to hear and distinguish. This part of the game is good to go IMO.

[brian800000]

I'm trying to form an ASW fleet with some HDMLs parked in Rangoon, and I'm not getting the option of an ASW fleet. Can these ships not form ASW fleets, or am I doing something wrong?

[ckammp]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I'm trying to form an ASW fleet with some HDMLs parked in Rangoon, and I'm not getting the option of an ASW fleet. Can these ships not form ASW fleets, or am I doing something wrong?

You can not put HDMLs in an ASW fleet.

In the manual, appendix 20.1.2.1 (pages 280-284) lists all TFs by ship class.

[Lifer]

Reading the later part of the thread has me wondering...  Am I missing a lot if I'm playing with sound off.  My computer is in the same room with the TV so computer sound is off and TV sound is on.  I tend to make a few assumptions and usually err on the side of the target survived.  One torpedo probably survived, two is sunk if a noncombatant.  Bombs pretty much the same.

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: ckammp

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I'm trying to form an ASW fleet with some HDMLs parked in Rangoon, and I'm not getting the option of an ASW fleet. Can these ships not form ASW fleets, or am I doing something wrong?

You can not put HDMLs in an ASW fleet.

In the manual, appendix 20.1.2.1 (pages 280-284) lists all TFs by ship class.

Thanks, good to know. It seems odd though that the manual says they are variations of the YP, which can form ASW fleets. I'm not sure what to do with very small craft with depth charges, but I guess I'll find something.

[bradfordkay]

The only important sound you are missing is the infamous "We've spotted enemy carriers" report that comes up when a carrier TF is sighted (yours or an enemy). So if you regularly check every sighting on your operations report this isn't that important, but if you don't do that you might be missing something truly important. 

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: brian800000


I'm sure I'm completely missing something, but I didn't think you got oil in Abadan or Capetown. At least neither shows refinery or oil industries. Does oil appear as a part of out of game industries?

Be careful. Move FUEL to OZ, never oil. Don't move oil anywhere as the Allies. Fuel organically appears in Abadan; it comes to CT either because you bring it from the US East Coast, or in the CD auto-convoys that can also bring supplies and devices for the pools. (Look in the LCU arrival queue to see when and where the CD convoys arrive.)
Supply Perth with fuel from CT and/or Abadan. Supply Sydney, Brisbane, etc. from either the US west coast, or Perth. Supply Darwin from Perth or Sydney/Brisbane.

Don't move oil. After the DEI falls, about the only source you have is Los Angeles, and it needs what it has to make fuel. As the Allies, forget oil even exists. It's one of the few simplifying rules for the Allies.

Moose -

I am playing my first DBB GC game as the Allies (the dark side...?). There was an earlier post months ago (IIRC) that explained the why and what to do with the CT device convoys. To my embarrassment, I have searched and been unable to find that post. Could I trouble you to give a rundown on what should be done with these convoys?

Thank You for your help!

A not so sure in Denver Mac

[Smeulders]

Basically, they arrive, withdraw a couple of days later (no player intervention required) and dump all the devices they have in the pool. Tanker and Merchant devices drop supplies or fuel at their location when they withdraw.

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

...Don't move oil. After the DEI falls, about the only source you have is Los Angeles, and it needs what it has to make fuel. As the Allies, forget oil even exists. It's one of the few simplifying rules for the Allies.

Bullwinkle58,

As a general rule of thumb, a new player would be well served if they adopted this approach. However, in the interests of full disclosure[;)] I would just remind that it is not quite 100% accurate.

After the fall of the DEI, assuming the Japanese do not advance beyond the historical conquests, there is exactly 100% equilibrium between the Allied demand and supply of oil. Both India and USA have 100% equilibrium and therefore there is no oil surplus available for export. Australia suffers an oil deficit but ... surprise ... surprise ...(imagine my best Gomer Pyle voiceover) that exact deficit is made up by the auto oil generated at Abadan. So an Allied player who wants to maintain the Australian refineries operating at 100% can do so by importing the oil feedstock from Abadan.

Alfred

Alfred -

Just when I thought it was safe to back into the water, you teach me something new......

Very different take on oil. It has been hard as a JFB playing his first Imperialist Exploiter of the Asian Masses (Allied) game not to be immediately concerned about oil. Moose's reply to your post is illuminative also; I may just ship oil to Oz cause it's in my blood.....

Thank you for the info,

Mac

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

ORIGINAL: Alfred
As a general rule of thumb, a new player would be well served if they adopted this approach. However, in the interests of full disclosure[;)] I would just remind that it is not quite 100% accurate.

After the fall of the DEI, assuming the Japanese do not advance beyond the historical conquests, there is exactly 100% equilibrium between the Allied demand and supply of oil. Both India and USA have 100% equilibrium and therefore there is no oil surplus available for export. Australia suffers an oil deficit but ... surprise ... surprise ...(imagine my best Gomer Pyle voiceover) that exact deficit is made up by the auto oil generated at Abadan. So an Allied player who wants to maintain the Australian refineries operating at 100% can do so by importing the oil feedstock from Abadan.

Alfred

The refinery at Sydney is so small that you can keep it going for more than a year with a couple of tankers full of oil from the DEI before it collapses. However, it isn't really worth it. What you can move from Adaban and Los Angeles completely eclipses the tiny bit of fuel you can make at Sydney.
Bill

wdolson -

This does help give me a clearer picture; should I choose to ship oil to fuel Sydney's small HI base, it would be more for the "historical feel" than in the interests of necessity or efficiency.

Thank You, Sir -

Mac

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

I have a quick newbie question; submarine tenders. How do they work? Do I just park them in a harbor and that helps with sub repair/resupply or? At game start (I'm playing a short scenario) I have an AS as IJ and it's already loaded with supplies, I assume to give to the sub.

I checked the manual but it doesn't say much on this.

EDIT: remembered another one; why can't I add a midget sub to a midget sub carrier? I get an error message saying that kind of TF needs a sub and a midget sub. I have an SS and an SSX in the TF but it doesn't want to form. What am I doing wrong?

Wikingus -

Here are my notes on Japanese Midget submarines:

Only the Type C1 subs can launch Midgets, and they loose this ability following their upgrade in 08/44.

To build SSx: Base at least port size of one and w / 10000 (or more) supply
Subs in this class are;

I-16
I-18
I-20
I-22
I-24

And, IIRC, you need to choose the "Midget Sub Carrier" TF.

Hope this helps,

Mac

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

All of the auxiliary ships that have a cargo capacity need to be loaded with supply to work.  So AG, AD, AS, etc. all need cargo loaded.

Bill

wdolson -

I missed the AG inclusion in this requirement, Thanks!

Mac

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: AZ Gung Ho

I'm one of the guys who bought during the recent sale. And as recommended I'm playing Coral Sea.  I played it once and got a draw, in my second game now. Unless I'm totally missing something, there doesn't seem to be a way for me to plan and launch air strikes at the enemy. In both games my carriers attacked the Japanese and I knew nothing about it till the attack was actually in progress!

It seems strange to me that in a game famous for detail and micro-management, I seem to have zero control of how, when and where I attack the enemy! Is this true or have I, like a true green horn, completely missed something here? This seems to be the case for surface warfare as well, I put my guys in the way of the Japanese and they did clash, I did very well, but again no real control over what happened.
I'm also wondering about battle damage reports. I assume they are often wildly inaccurate?  Because otherwise I see no way those Japanese ships could still be a float!

AZ Gung Ho -

Initially, I too, could not understand this design approach - the inability to target a specific Task Force. But, as time went on and I became more experienced and familiar with the game mechanics (and read posts on the forums), it became clear that there were a multitude of factors and settings (plus a healthy element of chance) that affect whether or not a TF was sighted, confirmed, air units readied, bombed up (another whole area of logistics and HQ control) and launched. Not to mention current pilot morale, supply available at the bases, airfield size and numerous other checks that have to be passed before the decision was made to launch. As you read the manual (yes - it is well written and informative) and peruse the forums, all of this will become clearer and understandable. AE is very complex, with more info, factors and realism crammed in than you could possibly imagine.

The majority of the players love AE's complexity and realism - not to mention the sheer thrill of crushing your opponent (I have been spanked hard a number of times; freeboy comes to mind...)!
But - it will grow on you, and eventually you will find that you are having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have...

Welcome Aboard!

Mac

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I'm trying to form an ASW fleet with some HDMLs parked in Rangoon, and I'm not getting the option of an ASW fleet. Can these ships not form ASW fleets, or am I doing something wrong?

ckammp's answer is the check and the game process. If you want to know the reason it works that way, look at the device lists for each type of vessel. They can change over upgrade cycles, but there needs to be some kind of ASW weapon onboard. DCs of various models, Mousetrap, Hedgehog, or others I can't think of right now.

If you want to get really fancy, play around in the editor. There are places where device ASW capability is turned on.

[Mac Linehan]

ORIGINAL: Smeulders

Basically, they arrive, withdraw a couple of days later (no player intervention required) and dump all the devices they have in the pool. Tanker and Merchant devices drop supplies or fuel at their location when they withdraw.

Smeulders -

As always, an informative reply.

Thank You, Sir -

Mac

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Mac Linehan


Moose -

I am playing my first DBB GC game as the Allies (the dark side...?). There was an earlier post months ago (IIRC) that explained the why and what to do with the CT device convoys. To my embarrassment, I have searched and been unable to find that post. Could I trouble you to give a rundown on what should be done with these convoys?

As has been said, the devices dump into the pools when the CD convoy auto-withdraws a few days after arriving. The supplies and fuel they bring dump into the base's total. You need to have hulls available there to haul it to where you want it. Looking ahead in the queue for the CD dates can alert you to get a mess of tankers and xAKs moving toward CT or Aden or whereever. (Port Stanley CD convoys I don't manage further.)

[AZKGungHo]

Thanks Mac!

I managed to win a decisive victory in my second outing in Coral Sea, even tho I lost the Yorktown in this one. My experience so far mirrors one thing that's true about war, lots of tedium followed by moments of sheer terror as the air strikes slam home or the surface fleets fight!

I guess I try Guadalcanal next and see how it goes.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Lifer

Reading the later part of the thread has me wondering...  Am I missing a lot if I'm playing with sound off.  My computer is in the same room with the TV so computer sound is off and TV sound is on.  I tend to make a few assumptions and usually err on the side of the target survived.  One torpedo probably survived, two is sunk if a noncombatant.  Bombs pretty much the same.

The breaking-up-noises sound effect has been very reliable for me in determining when a torpedoed ship has actually sunk. Besides being satisfying, it can, in some cases, prevent you routing a second sub onto the TF track for a second kick at the cat.