EXP Farming - Thoughts?

[archmache]

What is the consensus on EXP Farming.

Credit to my opponent, JJonesRambo, for using it to great efficacy.

For example, on turn one Japan can move the garrisons out of Amoy and Foochow so that Chinese Partisans spawn there. Up until late 1941, Japan will "strafe" the partisans - taking no damage as the carrier defense of the partisan is 0 (correctly so) - and yielding carriers with large exp amounts (carrier level 13). Additionally, Japan can avoid taking the settlement of Yanku, and farm the fighters exp by strafing it and by training the naval bombers (combined with exp 3 HQ they will take no damage).

Conversely, UK and US can farm exp by bombing Norwegian towns and ports, but even still those ports do do damage back on occasion.

I've found that such experienced carriers provide an insane boost to Japanese naval dominance early in the war - to the degree I really have to sit back and wait for an error or tactical advantage. It may be the case that this is intended since Japan cannot replace the fleet, but the solution I think is that EXP should be capped at 1 for attacking any city / partisan / port except for a strategic bombers.

[petedalby]

Personally I've always found it too tedious to do it myself but I am seeing it more and more. So maybe it's time to get with the programme.

I have no problem with your proposed solution.

[Bavre]

Since both sides can do it, I personally don't really see it as a problem.
However I also wouldn't mind a house rule forbidding it for both sides.

[Platoonist]

Maybe the issue is that experience as given is too generic. Constantly bombing ports, towns and land units might turn your carrier pilots into experts at ground support and hitting stationary targets. But that probably wouldn't automatically translate into making them aces at torpedoing or bombing evasively-maneuvering ships or tangling with enemy fighters. So an experience cap on bombing ground targets might not be a bad idea.

[ElvisJJonesRambo]

Nah, you're forgetting to add, there's actually alot lost to do such things.

1) Your ships positions are given away.
2) Takes time, alot of time
3) Opportunity cost. This is a big deal. Yes, plucking partisans has no risk. But that's an attack which is not on a valid unit.
4) Expense. Elite units are not cheap. One real encounter will negate the time & money invested.
5) Not a game changer, it's actually an option with Pros/Cons.

Never seen a Top 10 player do it, so remember your source doing it.

Don't go Woke on this,
-EJR

[Tanaka]

What is the consensus on EXP Farming.

Credit to my opponent, JJonesRambo, for using it to great efficacy.

For example, on turn one Japan can move the garrisons out of Amoy and Foochow so that Chinese Partisans spawn there. Up until late 1941, Japan will "strafe" the partisans - taking no damage as the carrier defense of the partisan is 0 (correctly so) - and yielding carriers with large exp amounts (carrier level 13). Additionally, Japan can avoid taking the settlement of Yanku, and farm the fighters exp by strafing it and by training the naval bombers (combined with exp 3 HQ they will take no damage).

Conversely, UK and US can farm exp by bombing Norwegian towns and ports, but even still those ports do do damage back on occasion.

I've found that such experienced carriers provide an insane boost to Japanese naval dominance early in the war - to the degree I really have to sit back and wait for an error or tactical advantage. It may be the case that this is intended since Japan cannot replace the fleet, but the solution I think is that EXP should be capped at 1 for attacking any city / partisan / port except for a strategic bombers.

Yeah this is pretty cheesy. I like to gain air experience attacking units from time to time but farming partisans for it wow that's a new one. I think your cap idea is great and very fair.

[petedalby]

I think I have just stumbled on a solution. EJJR is doing this to me in our current game. Just disbanded the Partisans. Free MPPs for China! Hurrah! Bet they don't appear again.

[Tanaka]

I think I have just stumbled on a solution. EJJR is doing this to me in our current game. Just disbanded the Partisans. Free MPPs for China! Hurrah! Bet they don't appear again.

Ha did not know you get free MPPs for disbanding nice!

[ElvisJJonesRambo]

yeah, but you lose national morale

[ThunderLizard11]

I'd think a house rule for this makes sense. I find it tedious to watch replay with opponents exp farming exploits. There's also the one where naval attacks Netherlands ports and ditto for Chinese ports.

[oldAHgamer]

I agree, it's tedious - i think a house rule where both sides agree not to exp farm egregiously (like strafing the same city or bombarding the same city over and over again) would be good. I don't have the patience to constantly do that, but feel compelled to if my opponent is...

Also not a fan of these back door ways to get Japan and the UK fighting without the activation hit of a direct DOW, though i am guilty myself of doing it a few times with the Solomons - though the first time i didn't even realize it put my brits at war with the japanese - imagine my surprise when i lost a few ships! Not sure how easy those are to fix - be nice if we can all just agree to not do any overt manipulations of the game engine that just seem too good to be true.

[ElvisJJonesRambo]

This is comical. Sounds woke. Lets get to the details.

1) I lost the game. Training for Elites didn't help me. The strategy isn't a game breaking winning one. Gives position away of units & underutilizes pieces for the majority of the time.
2) In this particular game (genesis of this thread), the Japanese were training in Northern China upto 1944. Why? The Americans never made a move in the entire Pacific theater. The Chinese were still in the game.

If the Yanks actually entered the Pacific theater, the Japanese Zeroes / Maritime Bombers actually would move. Wasn't going to invade India. Already Had "chunk of Russian" land. Not moving my pieces. Try attacking the Japs.

-EJR

[BillRunacre]

Also not a fan of these back door ways to get Japan and the UK fighting without the activation hit of a direct DOW, though i am guilty myself of doing it a few times with the Solomons - though the first time i didn't even realize it put my brits at war with the japanese - imagine my surprise when i lost a few ships! Not sure how easy those are to fix - be nice if we can all just agree to not do any overt manipulations of the game engine that just seem too good to be true.

Just to clarify here: 1) as Allies you declared war with the UK on the Solomons and 2) Was this beneficial or not?

I'd like to understand if this is really an exploit, or just something ahistorical that can be done?

[oldAHgamer]

Hi Bill, its worked both ways for me - the first time i attacked the Solomons just to grab them, and didn't realize that automatically put the Brits at war with the Japanese. The activation hit for the US in doing that minor DOW was very small (nothing like if the Brits had done a DOW on Japan), but i do not remember the exact hit. But then i realized that doing that DOW was a back door way to get the Brits fighting the Japanese so i could then ambush Jap amphibs. Yes, cheesy, but people do it, just like i guess someone said the Japanese can do the same thing by a DOW on S Africa. As the Axis I've started placing a cruiser or two around the Solomons just in case the Brits try that move, and you just have to be a little more careful with the amphibs, but its all manageable. But is does seem ahistorical...

[BillRunacre]

Thanks for the explanation. Apart from the Solomons and South Africa, are there any other countries where this sort of thing is being carried out?

[oldAHgamer]

Bill, sorry for the delayed reply, no i don't think so, but i am not as well versed with all the scripts as some players, so don't really know.