Figuring out convoys

[PanzerMike]

Just trying to grasp the supply/resource convoys system here. Please correct me if I am wrong, but this is how I think it works in a nutshell (have the game for 2 days now):

Port supply:
Ports provide supply. For a port to be able to do that, you need TRANSPORTS that bring the supplies to the port. These TRANSPORTS can also be used to naval move units by the way. TRANSPORTS are a support type that can be purchased.
They are returned to the pool after use, you do not see them on the map.

Enemy ships within 4 hexes, or enemy planes within 8 hexes, can interfere with the supply stockpile of a port. Port supplies can be affected by enemy naval and air forces in the area with at least 1 operation point at the end of the turn. The closer the interdicting force is to the port, the higher the chance of success. Friendly naval and air forces within those ranges will protect the incoming supply transport. Their range is irrelevant to the protection level they provide. This means for example that an Allied air unit in Malta will interdict the port of Tripoli, since Malta is 8 hexes from Tripoli.

Succesful Port supply interdiction by enemy Naval units within 4 hexes of a port can lead to the loss of TRANSPORTS (albeit a small chance). I am not sure if this is also true for enemy air units that succesfully interdict.

There is no visual representation of supply convoys going from source to destination port on the map (like there is for resource convoys). Just position your units correctly near a port and the interdiction happens automatically during turn resolution. The combat log contains an entry afterwards if port interdiction has occurred and how succesful it was.

Convoys and Escorts/Merchant Marine:
As opposed to supply convoys, resource convoys (steel, oil) ARE represented on the map. Use the "Trade convoy" toggle to view them.

Land convoys (eg Ploesti oil from Rumania to Germany) are shown with a land route. You can look up details of a land convoy by looking at the Convoys and Escorts screen.

Resource Convoys by sea follow the predetermined lanes shown on the map. By hovering over a lane you can see how many resources pass through that particular lane. For transporting the resources you need MERCHANT MARINE units. This is a type of support unit that can be purchased (like TRANSPORTS that would need for port supply). ESCORTS protect convoys from submarine units attacking them. ESCORTS have no effect on non-submarine naval fleets nor can they be affected by them. ESCORTS can be purchased as a support type unit and exist in a pool. They are never shown on the map. The can be assigned to a seabound resource convoy route by using the convoys and escorts screen.

Remark:
I was somewhat dumbfounded by the "Trade convoys" button. It did not show anything. The button is a little buggy. Not sure how to reproduce this error reliably. When you press the button and the convoys show while playing a game, the button seems to continue working fine during your session. Ending a game and restarting it, can sometimes cause the error. But not consistently it seems.

[AlvaroSousa]

Not following what you mean gimme a sequence of actions.

As for supply. There are no indicators because all ports use supply

[MOS96B2P]

I think you generally have most things correct.

You do need merchant marine for trade (convoys) that go through ocean hexagons. Also you should have escorts assigned to ocean trade routes (convoys).

[James Taylor]

What I would really like to see is a player controlled feature to set up convoys using either or both the merchant marine or transports build functions.

The AI could figure the best routes, we just set point A to point B, allotting the appropriate amount of transports to carry the logistics/resources along with the escorts.

The Convoy screen is already set up for player management of the routes we just need the "pathing" function.

[PanzerMike]

@Alvaro:
I had the trade convoys sometimes not showing up after pressing the "Trade convoys" button. However, I can not reliably reproduce the bug by repeating a certain sequence of events. It just sometimes happens it seems. Sorry to not be of much help. Maybe after playing some more I can find out how to reproduce it consistently.

@JamesTaylor:
I had to wrap my head around the distinction between transports and merchant marine. The difference between cargo vessels/ troop transport ships on the one hand and purpose built landing ships (LCT, LVT, LCM, Higgins, etc.) is clear in real life. In game they are represented by 3 different support types however: Merchant/Transport/Landing.

But the distinction between merchant vessels and transport vessels seems a bit contrived. Maybe it would be enough to just have Landing ships and Merchant vessels in the game. The latter representing both cargo ships and troop transport ships. All in my humble opinion of course.

[Twotribes]

Landing ships are not transports, you need transports to move units across the oceans you need landing ships to move troops from Transports at an Invasion spot to the beach. Landing ships are used up when used Transports are not.

[AlvaroSousa]

At the start of a scenario the 2nd player to move has not had his convoys traced yet so it won't show on the 1st turn. Only on the second.