AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

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peskpesk
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by peskpesk »

Germany can put its entire fleet in one of the Atlantic ports

If this is the case (some too unhistorical scenario setup for my taste) the Germany navy can sortie late in the turn with devastating effect to the CW convoy lines. I say some where around 8+ reserve CP is needed to be survive and help better come soon…
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Extraneous »

24.4.2 Lebensraum ~ Germany moves east: May/Jun 1941 ~ Jul/Aug 1945
France lies prostrate. The Commonwealth is bloodied but unbowed. Germany is ready to unleash Operation Barbarossa against the unsuspecting Soviets. This game starts with the second phase of Germany’s offensive ~ the attack on the USSR.
First turn: May/Jun, 1941
No. of turns: 26
Maps used: All
Initiative: Axis +1 box. The Axis starts with the initiative.
Last weather modifier: Nil.
War status:
The USA and the USSR are neutral.
China and Japan are at war with each other.
The Commonwealth and Free France are at war with Germany and Italy.
Vichy France is at war with (but not hostile to) the Commonwealth and Free France.
The USSR and Germany have a neutrality pact made in 1939.
The USSR and Japan have a neutrality pact made in 1941.

Control: As specified on the map except that:
Japan has conquered China (east of the 1941 start line) and is aligned with French Indo-China, Korea and Manchuria;
Communist China controls Lan Chow and Sian;
The USSR has conquered Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland (east of the partition line) and controls the Finnish borderlands and Bessarabia;
The Commonwealth has liberated Ethiopia, conquered Italian Somaliland and Tobruk (AfA option 1: and Eritrea) and is aligned with Belgian Congo, Crete, Greenland, Iceland and the Netherlands East Indies;
Free France is aligned with French Equatorial Africa and all French territories on the Pacific map;
Vichy France controls Metropolitan France (south of the Vichy border), and is aligned with Corsica, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, French West Africa, Madagascar and all French territories on the Asian and American maps;
Germany has conquered France (north of the Vichy border), Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Poland (west of the partition line), Yugoslavia, and Greece (except Crete) and is aligned with Czechoslovakia, Iraq, Bulgaria and Rumania;
Italy is aligned with Albania; and Transylvania is part of Hungary and South Dobruja is part of Bulgaria.

5.1 Trade agreements

Netherlands East Indies (NEI)
The Netherlands must supply Japan with 2 oil resources a turn. This continues until Japan is at war with either the Netherlands or the Commonwealth, or the US embargoes oil sales to Japan (see 13.3.2 US entry options, entry option 31 Oil embargo).

A neutral Netherlands must supply the CW with all its remaining oil.

Persia
A neutral Persia must supply the Commonwealth with 1 of its oil resources each turn.

Venezuela
A neutral Venezuela must supply the CW with half its oil and the USA with its remaining oil each turn.



Oil and Resources
Africa
1x resource in N'dola, North Rhodesia (CW)
1x resource in Belgium Congo
2x resources in South Africa (CW)

Asia
1x oil in Burma (CW)

Australia
1x resource in Newcastle, Australia (CW)
2x resources in Australia (CW)

Canada
Canada (CW) (1x oil, 5x resources)

England
Cardiff, England (CW) (1x resource)
Coventry, England (CW) (1x resource)

India
4x resources in India (CW)

Malaya
2x resources in Malaya (CW)

Mediterranean
1x resource in Cyprus (CW)

Pacific
1x resource in New Caledonia, Free France

South America
1x resource in Georgetown, British Guyana (CW)


Factories
Australia
Melbourne, Australia (Red Factory)

Canada
Canada, Montreal (CW) (Red Factory)
Canada, Toronto (CW) (Blue Factory)

India
Calcutta, India (Red Factory)
Bombay, India (Blue Factory)

Great Britain

Northern Ireland
Belfast, Northern Ireland (CW) (Blue Factory)

England
Birmingham, England (CW) (Red Factory)
Birmingham, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Coventry, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Hull, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Leeds, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Liverpool, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
London, England (CW) (Red Factory)
London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Manchester, England (CW) (Red Factory)
Manchester, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Newcastle, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Sheffield, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Southampton, England (CW) (Blue Factory)


Scotland
Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Red Factory)
Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Blue Factory)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to submit the following Commonwealth CP setup and outline.

I have chosen to include Option 29 Food in Flames and 22.4.19 Convoys in Flames (CoiF option 76) ~ Tankers .

I did this because any setup provided for the game should cover the optional rules (even if not used) not exclude them.


Note: this setup assumes a strong CW presence in the Mediterranean.

The closer the resources are to your factory the shorter the convoy line will be. Therefore when setting up the CW convoy lines it just makes sense that you start with the closest resources first.


These will require no convoy lines.
Coventry, England (CW) (1x resource) - Coventry, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Cardiff, England (CW) (1x resource) - by rail to Liverpool, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Any resource in Australia - by rail to Melbourne, Australia (Red Factory)
1x resource in India (CW) by rail to Calcutta, India (Red Factory)
1x resource in India (CW) by rail to Bombay, India (Blue Factory)


Next closest are in Venezuela and Port of Spain that will use the convoy line: Caribbean Sea

Venezuela’s 2x oil start on the Coast of Venezuela, enter the convoy line, and then exit in the USA ports of Mobile, New Orleans, and/or Saint Louis and then rail to Canada (2x stored oil) 2x Tankers

Venezuela’s 1x oil starts on the Coast of Venezuela - Caribbean Sea - East Coast – North Atlantic – Bay of Biscay - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Blue Factory) 4x Tankers

Port of Spain enters the convoy line and then exits in the USA port of Mobile, New Orleans, or Saint Louis and then rail to Toronto, Canada (CW) (Blue Factory) 1x Tanker

7x Tankers

Next closest are in Canada that will use the convoy line: East Coast – North Atlantic – Bay of Biscay

They leave using the Port of Quebec or the Port of Halifax – 4x resources, 1x oil

3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Birmingham, England (CW) (Red Factory)
3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Birmingham, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Manchester, England (CW) (Red Factory)
3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Manchester, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
3x Tanker 1x oil to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Hull, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

12x CP 3x Tanker


Next closest are in Africa, Cyprus, and South America

Africa will use the convoy line: Gulf of Guinea - Cape Verde Basin – Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay

N'dola, North Rhodesia (CW) by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo
Belgium Congo by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo
South Africa (CW) by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo
South Africa (CW) by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo

Then using the convoy line to…

4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to Southampton, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to London, England (CW) (Red Factory)
4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

16x CP


Cyprus will use the convoy line: Eastern Mediterranean Sea - Western Mediterranean Sea - Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay

Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to Leeds, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

4x CP


South America will use the convoy line: Mouths of the Amazon - Cape Verde Basin – Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay

4x Tankers 1x oil Port of Plymouth, England - by rail to Leeds, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

4x Tankers (4x CP if you don’t use Tankers)



There that’s the easy part now the hard part.




Oil, and Resources
Asia
1x oil in Burma (CW) - Bay if Bengal – Port of Calcutta, India - by rail to Bombay, India (1x stored oil) 1x Tanker
2x oil in Palembang, Sumatra (NEI) - South China Sea – Bay if Bengal – Port of Calcutta, India (1x stored oil) 4x Tankers

5x Tankers

Australia (no linked forum map shows all the sea zone names for these two convoy lines)
1x resource in Australia (CW) - Tasmanian Sea -> East to -> Gulf of Panama - Puerto San Jose, Guatemala – by rail to Canada, Montreal (CW) (Red Factory) 6x CP
1x resource in Australia (CW) - Tasmanian Sea -> East to -> Gulf of Panama - Caribbean Sea - East Coast – North Atlantic – Bay of Biscay - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Red Factory)

16x CP

India
The convoy line to England takes 6x CP (Arabian Sea – Red Sea - Eastern Mediterranean Sea - Western Mediterranean Sea - Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay)
1x resource - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Newcastle, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
1x resource - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Sheffield, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

12x CP

Malaya
2x resource in Malaya (CW) (Not used)

Persia 1x oil from Persian Coast - Persian Gulf - Arabian Sea - by rail to Deli, India (1x stored oil) 2x Tankers

Pacific
1x resource in New Caledonia, Free France (Not used)


Canada (2x stored oil)
Bombay, India (1x stored oil)
Calcutta, India (1x stored oil)
Deli, India (1x stored oil)


Africa, Cyprus, and South America 20x CP, 4x Tankers
Asia 5x Tankers
Australia 16x CP
Canada 12x CP, 3x Tankers
India 12x CP
Persia 2x Tankers
Venezuela and Port of Spain 7x Tankers
TOTAL 60x CP, 21x Tankers


We started with 82x CP (82 - 81 = 1)

13.6.1 Resources
Transporting resources by sea

A side can only ship 5 resources a turn into, and/or out of, each minor port.

Option 29: (Food in Flames) For each of Australia, Canada, India and South Africa where no resources are transported to a factory in Great Britain this turn, reduce the number of resources that did reach a useable factory in Great Britain this turn by two (minimum 0). The Commonwealth player chooses which resources are lost.
22.4.19 Convoys in Flames (CoiF option 76) ~ Tankers
Oil-carrying tankers are a special kind of convoy. They are treated as convoy points for all purposes unless otherwise indicated below. Only tankers can transport oil resources overseas and only convoys may transport non-oil resources or build points overseas.

24.1.6 Setting up Up to half the convoys specified to be set up in each location may be tankers. For example instead of setting up 7 convoy points in Italy, you could set up 0 to 3 tanker points in any ports there with the remainder being convoy points.

If not playing with this option, tankers are just considered more convoy points.
Transporting resources by rail
You transport a resource to a factory in the production step by railing it from its hex to a usable factory. It must move along railway lines (roads count as railways for this purpose). It can also cross a straits hexside from one railway hex to another. Each resource cannot cross more than 1 straits hexsides. This move does not count as a rail move and the resource does not have to start its move at a station.
The move can only pass through:
• hexes you control;
• hexes in neutral minor countries; and
• hexes controlled by another major power, but only if it allows you.
Allied major powers (except the USSR) may only trace resources through
Soviet controlled hexes while the USSR is at war with Germany.
Saved oil resources (AfA option 31)
You can save oil resources you used neither in production nor to reorganize units. A major power can only save oil if it was transported to a city or port it controls. Put an oil resource marker on that city or port to indicate how many oil resources you are saving there.

You may save only 1 oil marker (of any value) in each city or port (cumulative) you control and double these limits in your major power’s capital (e.g. The Commonwealth can save 16 oil (4 x 4) in London). You can’t save other resources. This is in addition to saved build points (see 13.6.8 Saving build points (AfA option 31)).

You can use saved oil resources either to reorganise units or as resources for production. Treat them exactly like printed oil resources.

You transport oil like any other resource (see 13.6.1) except that they may be transported to cities and ports that are not factories. Of course, it still has to get to a factory to be used for production.

Neutral major powers can only save one oil per turn (in addition to their previously saved oil).

If one of your land units enters a hex containing saved enemy oil resources, they become your oil resources.

University of Science Music and Culture (USMC) class of 71 and 72 ~ Extraneous (AKA Mziln)
Ur_Vile_WEdge
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

Some thoughts:


I'm going to start off by saying that I don't play Lebensraum all that often, usually just sticking to the Global War scenario, so if I leave something out, or suggest something impossible, please forgive me.


As I understand, your CW production breaks down as follows

Rail:
2 in UK
2 in India
2 in Canada
1 in Australia.

Shipping to UK:
4 from Canada
3 from Venezuela
2 from British Guyana
3 from South Africa
1 from India.
1 from Cyprus
1 from Belgian Congo.


I'm not crazy about your ability to keep the cyprus resource moving along, and I join my voice with some of the others, I'm too chicken to put convoy points in the bay of Biscay.


What I like to do is the following.


Ship 2 resources from Australia to Canada, which takes 10 CP (2 each in Tasman, New Zealand Coast, Polynesia, Clarion, Mexican Coast)

This allows you to ship 6 from Canada to the UK, which takes 18 CP (6 each in east coast, north Atlantic, Faeroes Gap)

3 are shipped in from Venezuela, for 12 CP (3 each in Caribbean, East coast, North Atlantic, Faeroes Gap)

2 from Br Guyana, for 8 CP. (2 each in Mouths of the Amazon, central Atlantic, north Atlantic, Faeroes Gap.)

Ship 3 from South Africa+1 from Belgian Congo for 20 CP (4 each in Gulf of Guinea, Cape Verde Basin, Cape St Vincent, North Atlantic, Faeroes Gap.)

This gives full production for 68 CP, more than your own setup, but I think it's safer, without leaving so many CP out in the bay of Biscay. You can start freeing up convoys by attacking Portugal, which both gives a resource that's easy to transport, as well as giving a resource that's easy to transport. Another good assault is to go after Dakar. Once you have those, you can drop the Australian convoy line and ship those, railing the Canadian resources to Canadian factories.

As for your secondary obligations, I like to ship the 2 oil from the NEI to India, and have 2 CP each in the Arabian Sea and the Persian gulf, ready to ship BP to the Soviet Union. You'll want 9 CP on hand to ship 3 BP in from the UK. Go hit Syria ASAP to rail the Persian oil down to Egypt.



Actually, this isn't great. I'm used to having the French CP to lean on, as well as having more presence in atlantic land bases. [:(] (Hit Portugal, hit portugal!) About the closest I can think of is if you play with reflag the merchant ships, scream to the U.S. to give you 15 of theirs. You also won't be able to do much LL to the Soviets until the U.S. does their options, and since there's an 80% chance that Resources to the U.S.S.R. will preclude the full Lend Lease option, you don't need the convoys *right* away, which gives you time to hit Dakar/Portugal and free up some convoy points for the lend lease barbeque.


Anyway, hope it isn't too useless,

Best wishes,
Ur_Vile_Wedge.
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When in deadly doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout."
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by composer99 »

Ur_Vile_Wedge reminds me: do the Free French have cp that can be used, either in convoy lines or in reserve?

Also, in MWiF there is a resource in Dutch Guyana (off the Mouths of the Amazon sea area) that can be used.

I don't think I'll have a chance to look at this in more depth until Thursday Feb 10.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

According to my (old) setup charts, all Free france has in Lebensraum are the battleships Paris and Courbet, as well as 1 inf division and 1 Terr in Europe. (They also have some ships in the construction and repair pools, but that's not immediately relevant.) No convoys :(


One thing does occur to me though, Looking up further, Dakar starts undefended. FF can lend 1 resource to the CW, since it starts with a res in New Caledonia. You then take Dakar on the first turn, probably with a British cruiser ferrying the FF inf div and throwing the invasion that way.

Actually, if you're playing with the Africa map I'm looking up, it's a mere 4 hex stroll from Bathhurst to Dakar, obviating the need for an invasion at all. Once you have Senegal, it only takes 4 CP to transport that resource. That's as long as the Cyprus one, and considerably safer.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Shannon V. OKeets »

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

According to my (old) setup charts, all Free france has in Lebensraum are the battleships Paris and Courbet, as well as 1 inf division and 1 Terr in Europe. (They also have some ships in the construction and repair pools, but that's not immediately relevant.) No convoys :(


One thing does occur to me though, Looking up further, Dakar starts undefended. FF can lend 1 resource to the CW, since it starts with a res in New Caledonia. You then take Dakar on the first turn, probably with a British cruiser ferrying the FF inf div and throwing the invasion that way.

Actually, if you're playing with the Africa map I'm looking up, it's a mere 4 hex stroll from Bathhurst to Dakar, obviating the need for an invasion at all. Once you have Senegal, it only takes 4 CP to transport that resource. That's as long as the Cyprus one, and considerably safer.
For this discussion. All the French flags here are Vichy.

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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by brian brian »

resource transportation comes before conquest, so to use the resource the turn you take Dakar, you would have to take the resource hex and every connecting rail hex also. otherwise the hexes don't change control until the conquest phase and you can't use it until the next turn...
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

You're right. I knew there was something wrong with that analysis *Mutters obscenities*
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by composer99 »

Two impulses for a 4-move land unit to take Dakar and all hexes on the rail line. No worries.

What does the Vichy French set up say for Territorials or unit set-ups in 'Europe' (which includes Africa)? That could scupper a quick grab of Senegal.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

Vichy France's set up is under Germany's heading.

They have

2 inf in Vichy France.

1 Mtn in Algeria, Morocco, or Tunisia.

1 inf in Syria.


Nothing else.

Although, Germany gets to put an Arm division in "Europe" (Except Romanian and Mediterranian ports) which I suppose, in theory, could hold up an invasion. Would be a bit weird though for the Germans to put an Armdiv somewhere where it'll never be in supply though.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Orm »

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

Although, Germany gets to put an Arm division in "Europe" (Except Romanian and Mediterranian ports) which I suppose, in theory, could hold up an invasion. Would be a bit weird though for the Germans to put an Armdiv somewhere where it'll never be in supply though.
Germany would need a HQ in the area to put the armored division there because Vichy France is active but not yet hostile.


Cut from RAW: 17.4 Running Vichy France
....
While Vichy France is active, only units belonging to the major power which installed
Vichy France may enter Vichy controlled administration groups, and even then must satisfy the foreign troop
commitment rules (see 18.2) to enter each administration group.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Shannon V. OKeets »

ORIGINAL: composer99

Two impulses for a 4-move land unit to take Dakar and all hexes on the rail line. No worries.

What does the Vichy French set up say for Territorials or unit set-ups in 'Europe' (which includes Africa)? That could scupper a quick grab of Senegal.
Not really. It is 5 hexes to the resource and from Bathhurst and 6 from the resource to Dakar. But a couple of 3 movers could take care of this in 2 impulses. You know how the CW loves to do Combines.[;)]
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

Although, Germany gets to put an Arm division in "Europe" (Except Romanian and Mediterranian ports) which I suppose, in theory, could hold up an invasion. Would be a bit weird though for the Germans to put an Armdiv somewhere where it'll never be in supply though.
Germany would need a HQ in the area to put the armored division there because Vichy France is active but not yet hostile.


Cut from RAW: 17.4 Running Vichy France
....
While Vichy France is active, only units belonging to the major power which installed
Vichy France may enter Vichy controlled administration groups, and even then must satisfy the foreign troop
commitment rules (see 18.2) to enter each administration group.



Are you sure? I'm not doubting you per se, but the FAQ on ADG says on question 13.3-11

"Q1, does setting up count as enter?
Q2, what about reinforcements?", and both are answered as "no". That always lead me to play with the idea that just because you couldn't legally enter a site, doesn't mean you couldn't set up on it. I
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When in deadly doubt,
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Orm »

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

Although, Germany gets to put an Arm division in "Europe" (Except Romanian and Mediterranian ports) which I suppose, in theory, could hold up an invasion. Would be a bit weird though for the Germans to put an Armdiv somewhere where it'll never be in supply though.
Germany would need a HQ in the area to put the armored division there because Vichy France is active but not yet hostile.


Cut from RAW: 17.4 Running Vichy France
....
While Vichy France is active, only units belonging to the major power which installed
Vichy France may enter Vichy controlled administration groups, and even then must satisfy the foreign troop
commitment rules (see 18.2) to enter each administration group.



Are you sure? I'm not doubting you per se, but the FAQ on ADG says on question 13.3-11

"Q1, does setting up count as enter?
Q2, what about reinforcements?", and both are answered as "no". That always lead me to play with the idea that just because you couldn't legally enter a site, doesn't mean you couldn't set up on it. I
That question is in regards of US entry. Some claimed that MacArthur was not allowed to set up in the Phillipines and the answer is in this regard.

But I do agree that the answer is vague but I would not read it as you are allowed to set up a unit wherever you like. Rather that the answer is limited to the US entry options mentioned. Namely Options 36, 40, 41, 43.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by brian brian »

with Gambia in the North Monsoon zone and the scenario starting in May/Jun 41, taking all of the hexes you need for the resource would be difficult. It would be a good play to be sure, but one should really count on it being a two turn operation.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

Just one thing to be careful of if you're taking two turns, might want to just aim for Dakar and pick up the resource on the second turn. Vichy France is at war with you guys, and if the German player lends out some resources or BP, she can build the mils. There's a 50-50 chance of drawing the Dakar Mil on one build, and it's a sure thing if he's willing to shell out 4 BP. Prying a 5 strength mil where he can't be knocked out of supply is certainly doable, but I imagine that the CW would want to deploy the force needed to do that somewhere else.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by paulderynck »

But if Dakar is occupied on the first turn, the country is then conquered and the resource will be transportable in the second turn anyway.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Ur_Vile_WEdge »

Sorry, misunderstood what you meant by a "two turn operation". I thought you were suggesting that with the bad weather and limitations on your actions, it might take 2 turns to conquer Senegal.
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RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Orm »

ORIGINAL: Orm
ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

ORIGINAL: Orm



Germany would need a HQ in the area to put the armored division there because Vichy France is active but not yet hostile.


Cut from RAW: 17.4 Running Vichy France
....
While Vichy France is active, only units belonging to the major power which installed
Vichy France may enter Vichy controlled administration groups, and even then must satisfy the foreign troop
commitment rules (see 18.2) to enter each administration group.



Are you sure? I'm not doubting you per se, but the FAQ on ADG says on question 13.3-11

"Q1, does setting up count as enter?
Q2, what about reinforcements?", and both are answered as "no". That always lead me to play with the idea that just because you couldn't legally enter a site, doesn't mean you couldn't set up on it. I
That question is in regards of US entry. Some claimed that MacArthur was not allowed to set up in the Phillipines and the answer is in this regard.

But I do agree that the answer is vague but I would not read it as you are allowed to set up a unit wherever you like. Rather that the answer is limited to the US entry options mentioned. Namely Options 36, 40, 41, 43.
This have had me annoyed for a few days now. At last I was able to locate the relevant rule. How come I always forget that the Scenaria Booklet exist? [:(]

And a note to the rule is that Vichy France do not co-operate with anyone.

24.1.6 Setting up
.....
If the set up gives you some latitude (e.g. “Europe” or “Burma”), you
can set up the unit in any hex you or a co-operating major power
controls in that place.
A neutral major power can only set up in hexes it controls.
Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb -- they're often students, for heaven's sake. - Terry Pratchett

A government is a body of people; usually, notably, ungoverned. - Quote from Firefly
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Orm
Posts: 30521
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 7:53 pm
Location: Sweden

RE: AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

Post by Orm »

ORIGINAL: Extraneous
24.4.2 Lebensraum ~ Germany moves east: May/Jun 1941 ~ Jul/Aug 1945
France lies prostrate. The Commonwealth is bloodied but unbowed. Germany is ready to unleash Operation Barbarossa against the unsuspecting Soviets. This game starts with the second phase of Germany’s offensive ~ the attack on the USSR.
First turn: May/Jun, 1941
No. of turns: 26
Maps used: All
Initiative: Axis +1 box. The Axis starts with the initiative.
Last weather modifier: Nil.
War status:
The USA and the USSR are neutral.
China and Japan are at war with each other.
The Commonwealth and Free France are at war with Germany and Italy.
Vichy France is at war with (but not hostile to) the Commonwealth and Free France.
The USSR and Germany have a neutrality pact made in 1939.
The USSR and Japan have a neutrality pact made in 1941.

Control: As specified on the map except that:
Japan has conquered China (east of the 1941 start line) and is aligned with French Indo-China, Korea and Manchuria;
Communist China controls Lan Chow and Sian;
The USSR has conquered Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland (east of the partition line) and controls the Finnish borderlands and Bessarabia;
The Commonwealth has liberated Ethiopia, conquered Italian Somaliland and Tobruk (AfA option 1: and Eritrea) and is aligned with Belgian Congo, Crete, Greenland, Iceland and the Netherlands East Indies;
Free France is aligned with French Equatorial Africa and all French territories on the Pacific map;
Vichy France controls Metropolitan France (south of the Vichy border), and is aligned with Corsica, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, French West Africa, Madagascar and all French territories on the Asian and American maps;
Germany has conquered France (north of the Vichy border), Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Poland (west of the partition line), Yugoslavia, and Greece (except Crete) and is aligned with Czechoslovakia, Iraq, Bulgaria and Rumania;
Italy is aligned with Albania; and Transylvania is part of Hungary and South Dobruja is part of Bulgaria.

5.1 Trade agreements

Netherlands East Indies (NEI)
The Netherlands must supply Japan with 2 oil resources a turn. This continues until Japan is at war with either the Netherlands or the Commonwealth, or the US embargoes oil sales to Japan (see 13.3.2 US entry options, entry option 31 Oil embargo).

A neutral Netherlands must supply the CW with all its remaining oil.

Persia
A neutral Persia must supply the Commonwealth with 1 of its oil resources each turn.

Venezuela
A neutral Venezuela must supply the CW with half its oil and the USA with its remaining oil each turn.



Oil and Resources
Africa
1x resource in N'dola, North Rhodesia (CW)
1x resource in Belgium Congo
2x resources in South Africa (CW)

Asia
1x oil in Burma (CW)

Australia
1x resource in Newcastle, Australia (CW)
2x resources in Australia (CW)

Canada
Canada (CW) (1x oil, 5x resources)

England
Cardiff, England (CW) (1x resource)
Coventry, England (CW) (1x resource)

India
4x resources in India (CW)

Malaya
2x resources in Malaya (CW)

Mediterranean
1x resource in Cyprus (CW)

Pacific
1x resource in New Caledonia, Free France

South America
1x resource in Georgetown, British Guyana (CW)


Factories
Australia
Melbourne, Australia (Red Factory)

Canada
Canada, Montreal (CW) (Red Factory)
Canada, Toronto (CW) (Blue Factory)

India
Calcutta, India (Red Factory)
Bombay, India (Blue Factory)

Great Britain

Northern Ireland
Belfast, Northern Ireland (CW) (Blue Factory)

England
Birmingham, England (CW) (Red Factory)
Birmingham, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Coventry, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Hull, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Leeds, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Liverpool, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
London, England (CW) (Red Factory)
London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Manchester, England (CW) (Red Factory)
Manchester, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Newcastle, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Sheffield, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Southampton, England (CW) (Blue Factory)


Scotland
Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Red Factory)
Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Blue Factory)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to submit the following Commonwealth CP setup and outline.

I have chosen to include Option 29 Food in Flames and 22.4.19 Convoys in Flames (CoiF option 76) ~ Tankers .

I did this because any setup provided for the game should cover the optional rules (even if not used) not exclude them.


Note: this setup assumes a strong CW presence in the Mediterranean.

The closer the resources are to your factory the shorter the convoy line will be. Therefore when setting up the CW convoy lines it just makes sense that you start with the closest resources first.


These will require no convoy lines.
Coventry, England (CW) (1x resource) - Coventry, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Cardiff, England (CW) (1x resource) - by rail to Liverpool, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
Any resource in Australia - by rail to Melbourne, Australia (Red Factory)
1x resource in India (CW) by rail to Calcutta, India (Red Factory)
1x resource in India (CW) by rail to Bombay, India (Blue Factory)


Next closest are in Venezuela and Port of Spain that will use the convoy line: Caribbean Sea

Venezuela’s 2x oil start on the Coast of Venezuela, enter the convoy line, and then exit in the USA ports of Mobile, New Orleans, and/or Saint Louis and then rail to Canada (2x stored oil) 2x Tankers

Venezuela’s 1x oil starts on the Coast of Venezuela - Caribbean Sea - East Coast – North Atlantic – Bay of Biscay - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Blue Factory) 4x Tankers

Port of Spain enters the convoy line and then exits in the USA port of Mobile, New Orleans, or Saint Louis and then rail to Toronto, Canada (CW) (Blue Factory) 1x Tanker

7x Tankers

Next closest are in Canada that will use the convoy line: East Coast – North Atlantic – Bay of Biscay

They leave using the Port of Quebec or the Port of Halifax – 4x resources, 1x oil

3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Birmingham, England (CW) (Red Factory)
3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Birmingham, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Manchester, England (CW) (Red Factory)
3x CP 1x resource to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Manchester, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
3x Tanker 1x oil to Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Hull, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

12x CP 3x Tanker


Next closest are in Africa, Cyprus, and South America

Africa will use the convoy line: Gulf of Guinea - Cape Verde Basin – Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay

N'dola, North Rhodesia (CW) by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo
Belgium Congo by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo
South Africa (CW) by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo
South Africa (CW) by rail to Boma, Belgium Congo

Then using the convoy line to…

4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to Southampton, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to London, England (CW) (Red Factory)
4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
4x CP 1x resource to Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to London, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

16x CP


Cyprus will use the convoy line: Eastern Mediterranean Sea - Western Mediterranean Sea - Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay

Port of Plymouth, England – by rail to Leeds, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

4x CP


South America will use the convoy line: Mouths of the Amazon - Cape Verde Basin – Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay

4x Tankers 1x oil Port of Plymouth, England - by rail to Leeds, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

4x Tankers (4x CP if you don’t use Tankers)



There that’s the easy part now the hard part.




Oil, and Resources
Asia
1x oil in Burma (CW) - Bay if Bengal – Port of Calcutta, India - by rail to Bombay, India (1x stored oil) 1x Tanker
2x oil in Palembang, Sumatra (NEI) - South China Sea – Bay if Bengal – Port of Calcutta, India (1x stored oil) 4x Tankers

5x Tankers

Australia (no linked forum map shows all the sea zone names for these two convoy lines)
1x resource in Australia (CW) - Tasmanian Sea -> East to -> Gulf of Panama - Puerto San Jose, Guatemala – by rail to Canada, Montreal (CW) (Red Factory) 6x CP
1x resource in Australia (CW) - Tasmanian Sea -> East to -> Gulf of Panama - Caribbean Sea - East Coast – North Atlantic – Bay of Biscay - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Glasgow, Scotland (CW) (Red Factory)

16x CP

India
The convoy line to England takes 6x CP (Arabian Sea – Red Sea - Eastern Mediterranean Sea - Western Mediterranean Sea - Cape St. Vincent - Bay of Biscay)
1x resource - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Newcastle, England (CW) (Blue Factory)
1x resource - Port of Liverpool, England - by rail to Sheffield, England (CW) (Blue Factory)

12x CP

Malaya
2x resource in Malaya (CW) (Not used)

Persia 1x oil from Persian Coast - Persian Gulf - Arabian Sea - by rail to Deli, India (1x stored oil) 2x Tankers

Pacific
1x resource in New Caledonia, Free France (Not used)


Canada (2x stored oil)
Bombay, India (1x stored oil)
Calcutta, India (1x stored oil)
Deli, India (1x stored oil)


Africa, Cyprus, and South America 20x CP, 4x Tankers
Asia 5x Tankers
Australia 16x CP
Canada 12x CP, 3x Tankers
India 12x CP
Persia 2x Tankers
Venezuela and Port of Spain 7x Tankers
TOTAL 60x CP, 21x Tankers


We started with 82x CP (82 - 81 = 1)

13.6.1 Resources
Transporting resources by sea

A side can only ship 5 resources a turn into, and/or out of, each minor port.

Option 29: (Food in Flames) For each of Australia, Canada, India and South Africa where no resources are transported to a factory in Great Britain this turn, reduce the number of resources that did reach a useable factory in Great Britain this turn by two (minimum 0). The Commonwealth player chooses which resources are lost.
22.4.19 Convoys in Flames (CoiF option 76) ~ Tankers
Oil-carrying tankers are a special kind of convoy. They are treated as convoy points for all purposes unless otherwise indicated below. Only tankers can transport oil resources overseas and only convoys may transport non-oil resources or build points overseas.

24.1.6 Setting up Up to half the convoys specified to be set up in each location may be tankers. For example instead of setting up 7 convoy points in Italy, you could set up 0 to 3 tanker points in any ports there with the remainder being convoy points.

If not playing with this option, tankers are just considered more convoy points.
Transporting resources by rail
You transport a resource to a factory in the production step by railing it from its hex to a usable factory. It must move along railway lines (roads count as railways for this purpose). It can also cross a straits hexside from one railway hex to another. Each resource cannot cross more than 1 straits hexsides. This move does not count as a rail move and the resource does not have to start its move at a station.
The move can only pass through:
• hexes you control;
• hexes in neutral minor countries; and
• hexes controlled by another major power, but only if it allows you.
Allied major powers (except the USSR) may only trace resources through
Soviet controlled hexes while the USSR is at war with Germany.
Saved oil resources (AfA option 31)
You can save oil resources you used neither in production nor to reorganize units. A major power can only save oil if it was transported to a city or port it controls. Put an oil resource marker on that city or port to indicate how many oil resources you are saving there.

You may save only 1 oil marker (of any value) in each city or port (cumulative) you control and double these limits in your major power’s capital (e.g. The Commonwealth can save 16 oil (4 x 4) in London). You can’t save other resources. This is in addition to saved build points (see 13.6.8 Saving build points (AfA option 31)).

You can use saved oil resources either to reorganise units or as resources for production. Treat them exactly like printed oil resources.

You transport oil like any other resource (see 13.6.1) except that they may be transported to cities and ports that are not factories. Of course, it still has to get to a factory to be used for production.

Neutral major powers can only save one oil per turn (in addition to their previously saved oil).

If one of your land units enters a hex containing saved enemy oil resources, they become your oil resources.

Thank you for the effort. I appreciate it.

I think I placed the convoys as you suggested in this picture. I made the picture larger so we can see the names (some of the names are in short form) for all the sea areas.

All comments are welcome, thank you.

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Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb -- they're often students, for heaven's sake. - Terry Pratchett

A government is a body of people; usually, notably, ungoverned. - Quote from Firefly
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