AE as Replenishers

[101Man]

Awhile back Hans let me know in another thread that if you invade Indochina after Dec 31, 1943, no militias are created.

Now, with the AE class, the manual says "later in the war" they can replenish ammunition at sea much like an AO with fuel...does anyone know when this takes place? I am in late August 1943.

[Anachro]

I don't remember the specific date, but not until 1944 I believe.

[Anachro]

I was wrong. 1945.

AE – Ammunition Ship
Rearms ships while underway, however, underway rearming is only available in 1945 – until then AEs function as AKE.

Use #1 – Provide underway rearming (1945).
Use #2: Provide rearming at base with small port, including bases with a port size 0.
Low priority uses: transport cargo.

Note: Rearming consumes supplies. Therefore, an AE must have supply onboard to rearm ships.
Note: If you want to rearm from an AE in port, disband (i.e., anchor) an AE in port with supply cargo and then select “Replenish at Sea” on the TF you want to rearm [forum Don Bowen 11/18/2009].

Note: If an AE with supply cargo is disbanded in a port and a rearming TF selects “Replenish from Port”, the rearming TF will only draw on the AE’s supplies if the port does not have sufficient supplies to complete the rearming [forum Don Bowen 11/18/2009].
Note: AEs cannot rearm mines or 46cm/45 T94, and can only rearm weapons with a Weapon Rearm Cost less than or equal to the AE’s cargo capacity [20.1.2.2]. For example, the US AE Pyro Class ships have a cargo capacity of 3600 and therefore cannot arm weapons larger than 14in/45 Mk VII.
Note: AEs cannot enhance or augment a port’s capability to rearm weapons [forum Don Bowen 4/28/2010].
Note: AEs can rearm at a base and do not require a port (e.g., a friendly colored dot base with a port size of 0) [forum Don Bowen 9/6/2009].
Note: AEs can rearm carrier sorties, including carrier torpedo sorties [20.1.2.2].

[Bullwinkle58]

It's January 1, 1945.

[bradfordkay]

"If you want to rearm from an AE in port, disband (i.e., anchor) an AE in port with supply cargo and then select “Replenish at Sea” on the TF you want to rearm [forum Don Bowen 11/18/2009]. "

I just had Yorktown and Saratoga re-arm in a level 1 port from a Replenishment TF that included an AE. It was not disbanded in the port, just happened to be in the port hex with the TFs that had the carriers. This is a game that is only in Jan '42, DBB scenario 29.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"If you want to rearm from an AE in port, disband (i.e., anchor) an AE in port with supply cargo and then select “Replenish at Sea” on the TF you want to rearm [forum Don Bowen 11/18/2009]. "

I just had Yorktown and Saratoga re-arm in a level 1 port from a Replenishment TF that included an AE. It was not disbanded in the port, just happened to be in the port hex with the TFs that had the carriers. This is a game that is only in Jan '42, DBB scenario 29.

This is like tankers which cannot replenish from their main tanks at sea (they can from the ship's own bunkers), but once their TF is in port things are calm enough for other ships to come alongside and fuel.

I have been playing this game for years and knew from experience that support ships of all kinds in port can provide support whether they are disbanded or still in a TF. The developer's statement must have been the original intention for how it would work but somewhere along the line it got changed to just check that the support ship was in port, not whether it was disbanded or no.

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"If you want to rearm from an AE in port, disband (i.e., anchor) an AE in port with supply cargo and then select “Replenish at Sea” on the TF you want to rearm [forum Don Bowen 11/18/2009]. "

I just had Yorktown and Saratoga re-arm in a level 1 port from a Replenishment TF that included an AE. It was not disbanded in the port, just happened to be in the port hex with the TFs that had the carriers. This is a game that is only in Jan '42, DBB scenario 29.

This is like tankers which cannot replenish from their main tanks at sea (they can from the ship's own bunkers), but once their TF is in port things are calm enough for other ships to come alongside and fuel.

I have been playing this game for years and knew from experience that support ships of all kinds in port can provide support whether they are disbanded or still in a TF. The developer's statement must have been the original intention for how it would work but somewhere along the line it got changed to just check that the support ship was in port, not whether it was disbanded or no.

This is my experience, too. It is also my experience that if you ask for refuelling/rearming from the "anchored
ships list" not all ships may be serviced in one round but it may take several days to accomplish this if the
list is long enough.

This is good to know as otherwise you may believe some parameter is not satisfied and start looking for remedies.
Has happened to me several times.

Fred

Question: Is there a way to convert ships to AE's during the game.

[geofflambert]

Many times I have used xAKs to refuel carrier groups at sea.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: Leandros


Question: Is there a way to convert ships to AE's during the game.

Found a couple

[Leandros]

Thank you! So, one has to look for them...ship by ship?

Fred

[Yaab]

No, by capacity. The two above have 3733 capacity each. Search for all xAK with this capacity and all should have the option to convert to AE class.

[geofflambert]

I don't know if there are more ships in the C2 class or ones that arrive later. I checked quite a few by class. I did find some AGs that can convert to AKEs. I would totally do it as there are a lot of xAKs that can convert to AGs.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

No, by capacity. The two above have 3733 capacity each. Search for all xAK with this capacity and all should have the option to convert to AE class.

By the way, the easiest way for me to ID class is by range, which appears in the active ships screen.

[Leandros]

OK, guys - thanks for the effort, I'm at it....[:)]

Fred

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

No, by capacity. The two above have 3733 capacity each. Search for all xAK with this capacity and all should have the option to convert to AE class.

"Search for" - meaning...?

Fred

[geofflambert]

Just found some more:

[Yaab]

Use "All Ships" button (the top bar on the game screen) or Ship Arrival button in the Information Screen. Both have lists of ships. Select only xAKs and list them by their capacity.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

There are also several others than can convert to AKE, which is until 1945 the exact same.
I remember some big AGs that convert too, this is for me a no brainer as AKEs are a lot more useful,
Tracker is your friend for finding good conversions

For Japan, "Lima class" is the best AKE as it is big enough to rearm pretty much everything

[geofflambert]

Yes, go by cargo, the AKs here with the same range will not convert.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

No, by capacity. The two above have 3733 capacity each. Search for all xAK with this capacity and all should have the option to convert to AE class.

In the stock game those ships are 6200+ capacity, and US ownership. The convert to 5400 ton capacity AEs which are the only ones able to handle the 16"/50 ammo of the Iowa class BBs. (curious, because the 16"/45 of the S. Dakota and N. Carolina classes fired the same ammo).

There are lots of ships that can convert to AKEs, but the ones that are biggest are needed for BB replenishment.
In stock the next biggest ships are US 5600 tonners that convert to AKEs of about 4950 ton capacity. There are some British 5600 tonners that do not covert to anything.

The 5250 ton ships convert to AKEs of around 4400 capacity - still large enough to handle ammo for 14" and 15" guns.

I think 4900 tonners convert to 4200 ton capacity AKEs, but with the bigger ships converted you should not need them until much later in the game.


EDIT: as others have shown the xAKs are grouped in the ALL SHIPS list by class so if you find one you have all the rest of them nearby.