A few newbie questions

[Wikingus]

How to move LBs over large distances?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

How to move LBs over large distances?

Define LBs please.

[Wikingus]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

How to move LBs over large distances?

Define LBs please.

Let's say I have some landing barges that I built in a port from supplies there. On their own they can't go far, so I was wondering if there are any ships that can carry them or are they only useful for short distances?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

How to move LBs over large distances?

Define LBs please.

Let's say I have some landing barges that I built in a port from supplies there. On their own they can't go far, so I was wondering if there are any ships that can carry them or are they only useful for short distances?

OK, landing barges. I assume you're talking Japanese Daihatsu LBs? I don't play the Japanese, but I don't know of any way you can carry LBs on a cargo ship elsewhere. (Same as PT boats.) The Allies have similar craft, and you can disband them back into the pool and re-use them elsewhere after a 30-day waiting period (or maybe 60-days; don't recall.) Maybe the Japanese system works the same way. A Japanese player can tell you better.

[Wikingus]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58




Define LBs please.

Let's say I have some landing barges that I built in a port from supplies there. On their own they can't go far, so I was wondering if there are any ships that can carry them or are they only useful for short distances?

OK, landing barges. I assume you're talking Japanese Daihatsu LBs? I don't play the Japanese, but I don't know of any way you can carry LBs on a cargo ship elsewhere. (Same as PT boats.) The Allies have similar craft, and you can disband them back into the pool and re-use them elsewhere after a 30-day waiting period (or maybe 60-days; don't recall.) Maybe the Japanese system works the same way. A Japanese player can tell you better.

Yeah, it was the Daihatsu LBs. As far as the Allied ones go - you disband them in one port, and after the waiting period is over, you can make them appear in another port, thus "transporting" them there?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

Yeah, it was the Daihatsu LBs. As far as the Allied ones go - you disband them in one port, and after the waiting period is over, you can make them appear in another port, thus "transporting" them there?

Yep. PT boats too. Only some of the Allied "L" craft work this way. Some are sea-going, and have to be moved on map. The code will not allow you to cheat either way. If the craft won't disband, you have to move it. Sometimes this necessitates including a refueling source in the moved Tf.

Also note that not all Allied bases let you form PT or barge TFs, and not all let you disband. I don't recall offhand what limits that, but nationality is part of it.

[John Lansford]

You can also put them in a TF with a larger ship, and it will refuel them along the way.  It will take a while to reach your destination but they'll get there.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: John Lansford

You can also put them in a TF with a larger ship, and it will refuel them along the way.  It will take a while to reach your destination but they'll get there.

Yes, you can do that refueling-wise, but won't the damage accumulate too fast to make it very far? Imagine taking a Higgin's boat 1000 miles across open sea. Even if it didn't swamp, it was never designed to do that. I'd have to look at the durability rating (or whatever it's called in the editor) for the USN's barge-type craft. I don't guess it's very high.

[Wikingus]

Thanks!

Is there a good thread with basic tips for pilot management? It's giving me a headache... what's the difference between group reserve and general reserve, TRACOM, how do I set up training units, etc. etc. This is one aspect of the game I would gladly do without.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

Thanks!

Is there a good thread with basic tips for pilot management? It's giving me a headache... what's the difference between group reserve and general reserve, TRACOM, how do I set up training units, etc. etc. This is one aspect of the game I would gladly do without.

There are lots. Just use the Search function. There have been some in the past month for sure.

Group reserve is the reserve for that group. IOW, pilots stationed with the group/planes, who are off the flying list. They can be put back on without a travel delay. General reserve is a pool from which any air unit can draw fully-trained (out of school) pilots. It has a Fighter, Bomber, Patrol section, but nothing stops you from putting a fighter pilot in a bomber group. There is a trvel delay to pull these pilots into an operational group. Sometimes this is a few days, sometimes several weeks. TRACOM is Training Command. These are pilots with 81 or higher experience (their names are in yellow) who have been sent to the rear to help train pilots in the school pipeline. If you have enough of them there they can speed up the rate pilots move through the schools, by a bit. This is really not of much use to the Allies. It can be useful to the Japanese, sometimes.

There aren't any training units per se, only units you treat that way. Mostly for the Allies they'll be the permanently restricted units on the West Coast. You just load them up with as many Replacement-grade pilots as they'll take, and set them on Training, either a specific skill or General. Set their range, altitude, etc. and check on them from time to time. When the pilots have reached whatever level of whatever skill you want, skim them off into General Reserve for use at the front. There's more to it than that, but the threads you find will fill in the gaps.

[Wikingus]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

Thanks!

Is there a good thread with basic tips for pilot management? It's giving me a headache... what's the difference between group reserve and general reserve, TRACOM, how do I set up training units, etc. etc. This is one aspect of the game I would gladly do without.

There are lots. Just use the Search function. There have been some in the past month for sure.

Group reserve is the reserve for that group. IOW, pilots stationed with the group/planes, who are off the flying list. They can be put back on without a travel delay. General reserve is a pool from which any air unit can draw fully-trained (out of school) pilots. It has a Fighter, Bomber, Patrol section, but nothing stops you from putting a fighter pilot in a bomber group. There is a trvel delay to pull these pilots into an operational group. Sometimes this is a few days, sometimes several weeks. TRACOM is Training Command. These are pilots with 81 or higher experience (their names are in yellow) who have been sent to the rear to help train pilots in the school pipeline. If you have enough of them there they can speed up the rate pilots move through the schools, by a bit. This is really not of much use to the Allies. It can be useful to the Japanese, sometimes.

There aren't any training units per se, only units you treat that way. Mostly for the Allies they'll be the permanently restricted units on the West Coast. You just load them up with as many Replacement-grade pilots as they'll take, and set them on Training, either a specific skill or General. Set their range, altitude, etc. and check on them from time to time. When the pilots have reached whatever level of whatever skill you want, skim them off into General Reserve for use at the front. There's more to it than that, but the threads you find will fill in the gaps.

Thanks again! I'll give Search a whirl, just one more thing if you still have the patience to answer: how do I move pilots to General Reserve? [:)]

[brian800000]

I've decided to make a few transport mega-convoys rather than just haphazardly throwing together ships that are lying around. Reading the manual there is a lot of info on load and unload times, but if I make sure the convoy is small enough to dock can I assume I'll be okay (ie, if I send a convoy to Brisbane, any convoy that can dock there isn't going to take forever to unload)?

Also, is there something out there that shows the ships that can convert? Or do I need to click on each one?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

Thanks again! I'll give Search a whirl, just one more thing if you still have the patience to answer: how do I move pilots to General Reserve? [:)]

Open up the Pilots hotpoint on the air unit screen. Click on the man's name once. Click or press "y" to send him to Group Reserve. Click his name again, click "y" again, and he goes to General Reserve. If you have a lot to do at once, use both hands, one on mouse, one on "Y" key.

Note that if the number of pilots drops below the group's minimum limit, instead of General Reserve the second step will offer a chance to send him back to Active Duty with the group. To avoid this when moving many pilots in one harvest, go back out to the group screen, and pull in the max number of Replacement-level pilots you are allowed, then go back and rotate the rest of the vets into Reserve.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I've decided to make a few transport mega-convoys rather than just haphazardly throwing together ships that are lying around. Reading the manual there is a lot of info on load and unload times, but if I make sure the convoy is small enough to dock can I assume I'll be okay (ie, if I send a convoy to Brisbane, any convoy that can dock there isn't going to take forever to unload)?

Also, is there something out there that shows the ships that can convert? Or do I need to click on each one?

It depends on what else is trying to unload, or load, at Brisbane at the same time. Bigger ports have bigger limits, and there are LCUs that can help (at least for the Allies), but no port has infinite capacity.

Conversions can be seen and planned easily in Tracker. There's no way in the game to see all conversions in one place. There is for upgrades, but not conversions.

[DOCUP]

Thanks bull I was going to ask the question about this myself. Got to love this forum and its timing

doc

[Wikingus]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Wikingus

Thanks again! I'll give Search a whirl, just one more thing if you still have the patience to answer: how do I move pilots to General Reserve? [:)]

Open up the Pilots hotpoint on the air unit screen. Click on the man's name once. Click or press "y" to send him to Group Reserve. Click his name again, click "y" again, and he goes to General Reserve. If you have a lot to do at once, use both hands, one on mouse, one on "Y" key.

Note that if the number of pilots drops below the group's minimum limit, instead of General Reserve the second step will offer a chance to send him back to Active Duty with the group. To avoid this when moving many pilots in one harvest, go back out to the group screen, and pull in the max number of Replacement-level pilots you are allowed, then go back and rotate the rest of the vets into Reserve.

Thanks a lot, I think I have the general idea now! [:)]

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

It depends on what else is trying to unload, or load, at Brisbane at the same time. Bigger ports have bigger limits, and there are LCUs that can help (at least for the Allies), but no port has infinite capacity.

I guess what I was asking was along the lines of 1 fleet in 1 day. If only 1 fleet is going in, and is just under the docking limit, is there a need to worry that the unloading may take a long time if the convoy is loaded with supplies?

I've only checked a few places, and it seems I'm okay, assuming I understand the unloading algorithem correctly.

[John Lansford]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: John Lansford

You can also put them in a TF with a larger ship, and it will refuel them along the way.  It will take a while to reach your destination but they'll get there.

Yes, you can do that refueling-wise, but won't the damage accumulate too fast to make it very far? Imagine taking a Higgin's boat 1000 miles across open sea. Even if it didn't swamp, it was never designed to do that. I'd have to look at the durability rating (or whatever it's called in the editor) for the USN's barge-type craft. I don't guess it's very high.

Since the small craft would be refueled before they ran out of fuel, the durability factor would never come into play. The only time I've seen damage accrue on a ship was after it ran out of fuel (subs, LCT's, etc).

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

It depends on what else is trying to unload, or load, at Brisbane at the same time. Bigger ports have bigger limits, and there are LCUs that can help (at least for the Allies), but no port has infinite capacity.

I guess what I was asking was along the lines of 1 fleet in 1 day. If only 1 fleet is going in, and is just under the docking limit, is there a need to worry that the unloading may take a long time if the convoy is loaded with supplies?

I've only checked a few places, and it seems I'm okay, assuming I understand the unloading algorithem correctly.

Your complete answer should be found in the manual, in the table in section 6.3.1.1, page 109 of the printed version (and probably the PDF too.) Make sure you read footnotes 1 and 2, especially that amphib TFs are treated differently.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: John Lansford


Since the small craft would be refueled before they ran out of fuel, the durability factor would never come into play. The only time I've seen damage accrue on a ship was after it ran out of fuel (subs, LCT's, etc).

Floatation maybe, but system damage accumulates on every at-sea day, depending on speed and other factors. I'm unsure of the exact interrelation between very high system damage and an inception of float damage. There ought to be some in RL, as bilge pumps would be part of system damage. Never studied it in the game.

Edit: Section 6.5.1 talks about transit damage. System damage does accumulate as I thought, and existing float or engine damage can get worse (or better.) There's no discussion of any correlation between high system damage and floatation damage coming off zero if there is none pre-existing. However, there is an added chance of major damage (which would have to be engine or float since system doesnt' have major/minor that I know of) occuring when system damage is high. this makes sense to me. also, with system damage comes speed reduction. I suppose that Higgin's boat transiting the Pacific could be at 99 system dame, making one knot, and not have any float damage, and (someday) making port. But it seems like a bad tie-up of the refueler to do that.

What's the farthest anyone has ever sent a barge in the game?