How to effectively use routine convoy?

frizt · Post by **frizt** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 11:38 pm

I have some difficulties with routine convoy. Usually I will organize several convoys with capacity of 20k-30k, and put them in Brisban or Numea. Those TFs are set to routine convoy. But most times they just sit in port and watch my outposts starve! or send a EMPTY convoy to supply my outpost. It looks like to me that those convoys are only interested in big ports like PM or Cocktown, and ignore completely the smaller bases. Anyone has a clue how to use the routine convoy effectively?

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 12:17 am

Not sure what you are doing wrong. When you form the convoy, set the convoy on computer, set the destination and the convoy automatically starts loading: you set it and forget it although occasionally they may head for some wierd location so you do have to keep an eye on them. I have had no trouble setting routine convoys.

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 1:24 am

I would not trust the computer to routine convoy at all. Setting
comp vs. comp and letting the game run all night, I have woken in
the morning to see every base out of supply and every task
force out of fuel. And I mean every. Supplies are a weapon of
critical importance and should be invigilated.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 3:58 am

Originally posted by Nasrullah
I would not trust the computer to routine convoy at all. Setting
comp vs. comp and letting the game run all night, I have woken in
the morning to see every base out of supply and every task
force out of fuel. And I mean every. Supplies are a weapon of
critical importance and should be invigilated.

Invigilated? That is a new one to me. Please define.

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:02 am

invigilate = to keep vigil over. Keep an eye on the #@$%ers.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:16 am

I knew you were showing off.

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:22 am

You could have looked it up. Or are you trying to impersonate an Australian?

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:24 am

Kidding! Please guys! Don't!

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 4:51 am

Give it to him Aussies!

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 5:01 am

No, really, some of my best friends are antipodean troglodytes.
But to get back on topic, have you noticed that if on turn 1 as
Allies, if you set a convoy on computer control from Brisbane,
it goes directly to Koumac? And then, piling on the folly, it will
take supplies from the now over-stocked Koumac to Townsville?

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 5:17 am

No I haven't noticed. I don't as a rule form routine convoys from Brisbane because they are subject to air attack. I set all convoys to run along the coral reef. I use routine convoys as Japanese and as Allies, Noumea to Luganville or Efate. I have setr routine convoys from Brisbane to Roussel Island or Kiriwina with no problem but maybe being spotted causes the TF to change direction?

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 5:35 am

I have limited experience in this matter (not one game finished, c'mon, guys, get out of bed and send 'em in), but what little I have steered me away from routime convoys: they never did what I expected or perhaps unrealistically hoped. So I just stopped trying. I will do some research and get back to you. Even so, I stand by my earlier comment that supplies are too crucial to the game to leave to mindless management.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 6:39 am

i certainly don't dispute that, but it is nice to dispense with some mundane activities so as to be able to attend to more important duties. routine convoys are more apopro to rear area activity.
But I have been known to put barges on routine convoy to forward bases with some success.

Nasrullah · Post by **Nasrullah** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 6:51 am

We should get up a game sometime. I didn't know there was
such a thing as a "rear area".

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 7:17 am

Originally posted by Nasrullah
We should get up a game sometime. I didn't know there was
such a thing as a "rear area".

Well Nasrullah I'm "game" as in ready to play, or perhaps as victim. the only rear area in UV is between Truk and Rabaul, but Rabaul can be reached from PM. With barges though you can convoy anywhere because their loss is zero points. You just have to send a zillion of them. Noumea is safe until Lunga is taken but Lunga is usually taken early so only Brisbane to Noumea is safe. Who sends convoys from Noumea to brisbane?

Admiral DadMan · Post by **Admiral DadMan** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 7:39 am

Originally posted by Drex
...Who sends convoys from Noumea to brisbane?

When I'm fleeing from the Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man...

Admiral DadMan · Post by **Admiral DadMan** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 7:42 am

Seriously,

I'm in Apr '43 as IJN in PBeM and the only way I'm keeping Lunga/Tulagi supplied is via barges from Shortland. The USN keeps pounding them, but has to expend a bit of effort to do so. 1000 lb GP Bombs are unhealthy for a little IJN AG (barge)...

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Apr 12, 2003 8:05 am

So let him lose morale and fatigue hitting zero point barges? You can build them faster than he can sink them.

LargeSlowTarget · Post by **LargeSlowTarget** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:00 pm

Originally posted by Drex
So let him lose morale and fatigue hitting zero point barges? You can build them faster than he can sink them.

I wish I could. My opponent manages to kill my barges faster than I can build them. He has lots of bombers on naval search and each turn I see several messages that barges are reported hit - which they usually are and of course they usually don't survive those 500-pounders. In addition he has many F/Bs on naval attack strafing the hell out of my barges. I've lost 14 of them in just two days!

Not only the computer-controlled routine (AP/AK) convoys do not work properly, the 'routine barge convoy' via barge hub thing doesn't work either (in my case) - the barges are just sitting in port while bases nearby are almost out of supply. So I'm running all convoys whether APs or barges on human control.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sun Apr 13, 2003 7:09 pm

There is recent thread about problems with routine convoys but I haven't had problems myself. Sometimes I have to chnage the home base to the destination just to make sure it isn't scared away by carriers or air attack. As to losing barges it is a problem. I have broken up my barge TFs into smaller TFs and sent them all out at the same time. this seems to help some get through.