Transitioning from WITP to AE; GC queries

[wga8888]

Over the years I had played several pbem DOS Pacific War, the several PBEM Uncommon Valor. Last year I completed a PBEM campaign of WITP-Struggle Against Japan (4 years, 1 day per turn) and have another plodding along (year six, now in 11/42 due to opponents slow response rate). Am now starting a PBEM game of AE Guadalcanal scenario as the USN. Some things I have not figured out after playing 20 turns of a test game yesterday. My opponent is waiting on my turn 1. So let me ask.
1) Is Victory just based on VP and/or assessment of situation? I see no Scenario details in other than the startup screen.
2) How much supply does the USN get per day and where does it arrive (assume Noumea, Sydney/Brisbane). I sent supply from Noumea to Efate, Luganville, and newly acquired Lunga, but now all bases on right including Noumea is short supply. Resorted to sending supply from Sydney to Noumea. From manual bases need 20K+ to issue plane replacements. I have not found any answer in the manual.
3) I have under-strength plane groups in Brisbane with 20K+ supply but message is 'Replacements Delayed'. Manual indicates it may take several days to accept replacement. Is there something I am missing?
4) Appears a big sub-system of AE is pilot training. In WITP you could set a group to training for a year and it may only go up one or two points. Combat was the only method to increase assuming increases were not negated by losses/replacements. In AE GC scenario, USN have all but the two KHI and USN pilots at Experience in the 50s, some below 50. Fighting the IJN/IJA at 85+ is showing to be very one-side. Given the scenario is only say 4 months, what if any training is recommended? Seems like many groups should just not play or perhaps be disbanded assuming planes go into replacement pool
5) Many under-strength B17 groups, flying with no escort is generating steady losses and no results. Minimal replacement rate.
6) I found in AE one must put a baseforce into Strategic move to pack before it can be shipped to a new base (say to Lunga). But have had no success loading a SeeBee unit onto a ship, it is never an option even after being packed up. Is there a solution to this riddle?
7) Challenge to USN is fighting on two fronts (New Guinea and Solomons) with one set of CVs vs the IJN with a more central position. The long range Bettys are a constant threat to any TF without sufficient CAP. In my UCV and WITP experience, at this point in the war the IJN CVs are superior to their USN counterparts given better planes with longer range, better pilots, better CV efficiency, and supported by long range Zeros/Bettys. Any CV battle can prove fatal to the USN cause.
8) As in most computer games, the AI is a horrible opponent. It is only a game when playing a human opponent who can adapt, constantly change tactics, operate unpredictably,set up ambushes and out-think you. The only Forte of AI is they do not quit when it is no longer fun for their side.

[GetAssista]

1) VP, mainly from bases (note how much key bases cost in vp). Plus VPs from ships both sunk and damaged. And some of your regular army and planes VPs
2) Noumea +1500 a day, Sydney + 1000 a day, it's shown in the base screen as /X after supply stocks. Plus whatever industry production
3) Airfield size most probably. Send them to Sydney or build up airfield to 7 in Brisbane (or move HQa there AFAIR)
4) You need little training in Guadalcanal, Allies have constant influx of trained pilots.
5) Use all 4E bombers together as a strategic force. Their strength is in numbers delivering one decisive punch, usually to close large and active airfield in support of offensive landings. They can also be so overwhelming on low level Naval attack that many players prohibit this kind of usage.
6) Amphibious TF loads LCUs in combat mode with some additional cargo space requirements and is meant for offensive operations, use that. Transport TF loads in Strat mode but is a poor choice when you go into harms way and unload on the beaches
7) But IJN has to come to you. So you have land based aviation help, as well as your usual defense advantages. And the gap in CV strength is not decisive
8) AI is there as a scripted punching bag that can punch in return

[BBfanboy]

1. Success is based on VPs only - quantified objective "assessment of the situation". You get VPs for capturing bases and destroying enemy devices/units/ships.

2. Look at the base screens to see if they get any automatic daily supply. The manual shows how it is displayed in the upper left section. Australia will have some industrial production too. Calculate the extra from the industries visible.

3. Replacements come from an abstracted "pool" of new or refurbished aircraft. Because it is abstracted, the location of the pool aircraft can be several days away and it will take time to get to the place requiring it. The time required to show up is random. And when it does show up, it will likely have damage from the days of flying to your base, so it will need repair time before becoming operational.

4. I presume that GC means Guadalcanal in this case? GC is usually used to denote the Grand Campaign - a whole war scenario.
Train the pilots for the mission they will fly. Set the unit on training, keep the range at 0 and make the altitude suitable for the mission. From 50 to 60 doesn't take too long, but 60 to 70 does. Fly easy missions where opposition is light to increase experience without heavy losses.

5. You have no control over replacement rates, so use that info as a factor in deciding what/when to strike and if it is worth it.
High losses can happen from several things. Look at the loss reports and assess what is causing the losses. If it is Ops losses, that is usually from flying missions at extreme range or not monitoring pilot and plane fatigue levels. If it is Flak, you are not flying them high enough. If it is Air-to-Air, you need to provide escorts or avoid places where he has heavy CAP. B-17s can duke it out with fighters if the pilot has high levels of experience, air skill and defensive skill. If it is Ground losses, you are not protecting your bases adequately with CAP, AA, or anti-naval bombardment measures.

6. Strategic mode is for long distance transfer of a unit with their equipment crated. It is not appropriate for this scenario- use Amphibious TFs to load units in Combat mode. The capacity of the TF must be at least 20% more than the unit numbers for troops (both combat and support) and equipment. Some equipment like guns and vehicles takes even more space than its load cost so you may need even more ships to handle them. Use the Verify Load button to see if everything will fit and if it does not, use the Back button to go back to the load screen and add ships or stop loading a unit or two.
Heavy things like Engineer Vehicles, Tanks, big Artillery and Radars cannot unload in one turn or not at all if the port+ naval support is too small. See the manual charts for what port size can handle. If a ship does not unload in three days, it likely will not ever so take the ship back to a larger base, unload the equipment and use a smaller ship (that can dock at a small port) or wait until the port capacity is improved enough to take the heavy equipment.

7. The Japanese Carriers are not present for a period of time at the beginning of the scenario. As in RL, use your carriers to protect your invasions and airfields for a while. You have the advantage of being able to look at history to find out when things occurred.

[wga8888]

Thanks for the insight. Will stay amphib for the baseforces. I noted almost all air-groups start scenario damaged. Assume same for IJN

yes the GC was meant as Guadalcanal scenario; Basically Uncommon Valor with AE rules.

I always prefer campaign games but is a multiyear commitment. Life remains uncertain. So many games to play, only so much time.

[wga8888]

Still not clear. I want to move a SeeBee construction battalion from Noumea to Lunga. Do I need to put it in Stategic Move first (for it to crate). Given engineering vehicles, is it better to use AP or AK? Assuming Lunga will be captured before it gets there and there will be a port; should I use Transport TF or Amphib TF?

In my practice game, I got a Baseforce there, but I can never get a SeeBee group to be selectable to load. Have one crated but remains unselectable by eitehr a AK or AP TF.

[Alfred]

Restricted units can't be moved by ship.
 
Alfred

[wga8888]

Ah ha. That makes sense. Now to figure out how a unit is identified as Restricted Unit; (R) discovered

[wga8888]

I note on the Base Display there is a toggle for Stockpiling for Supply, Fuel, Oil, and Resources. But doing a search on the PDF manual, the work Stockpiling does not appear. Any insight?

[RangerJoe]

That just means that product will stay at that base to another base. Units that need supplies will still receive them.

[wga8888]

understood, thanks.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: wga8888

Still not clear. I want to move a SeeBee construction battalion from Noumea to Lunga. Do I need to put it in Stategic Move first (for it to crate). Given engineering vehicles, is it better to use AP or AK? Assuming Lunga will be captured before it gets there and there will be a port; should I use Transport TF or Amphib TF?

In my practice game, I got a Baseforce there, but I can never get a SeeBee group to be selectable to load. Have one crated but remains unselectable by eitehr a AK or AP TF.

You need a good pier to dock a ship and offload heavy items from a transport. Those are in short supply in your scenario. You also lose days of packing and unpacking time for your unit. Load everything but cargo in amphibious mode. It can offload without a dock if the items are not too heavy and if enough naval support is present. Port size still plays a part - the game abstracts the presence of lighters to shuttle stuff from ship to shore. Bigger ports have more lighters and perhaps bigger ones. So you don't really have to crate things in this scenario.

In the full war scenario, sending troops from USA to Oz would be a good situation for a Transport TF. Troops do not fatigue as much in Strategic Mode as they do in Amphibious mode. If the trip takes more than two weeks and the destination is friendly, a Transport TF is a good idea.