AK Conversions ?

[KPAX]

Has anyone converted some of the AKs to the other ships ?

The wait of 180 days sounds like a lot, but in a full campaign game, is really nothing.

1. What are you converting to ?

2. It seems that the MLs and the ARs are very important. Do we get enough of these later on in the game ? In particular, the ARs seems to be critical for fast repairs.

3. Any other ships that players have converted to other than ARs and MLs ? Why ?

Thanks .....

[PeteG662]

I have converted some.....MLEs for obvious reasons.....ARs for repairs....ASs for sub help when doing the island hopping later on.....trying to get a PG back to change to the one that helps out PTs.

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: Tallyman662

I have converted some.....MLEs for obvious reasons.....ARs for repairs....ASs for sub help when doing the island hopping later on.....trying to get a PG back to change to the one that helps out PTs.

Players playing Japan DO NOT convert any AKs to MLEs... They are bugged and do not count down. They will sit at 180 days forever.. I do not know if they consume ship construction points or not, but they never count down. Allied players it works fine on...

Xargun

[vonmoltke]

So that means Japan doesn't get minelayer tenders at all until this gets fixed? [:(]

[HawaiiFive-O]

ORIGINAL: Xargun

Players playing Japan DO NOT convert any AKs to MLEs... They are bugged and do not count down. They will sit at 180 days forever.. I do not know if they consume ship construction points or not, but they never count down. Allied players it works fine on...

Xargun

They do not consume ship construction points, thankfully. Annoying bug, tho.

[Oliver Heindorf]

maybe the conversion is not an option for japs ? I dont know why it shouldnt tooo.... if its a bug it needs to be fixed...no scen 15 ( the big one ) makes sense until this is fixed imho, giving the japos a big disadvantage which isnt very funny.

I convert against the AI most to AR ( 60 % ) MLE ( 20% ) AS 10%

I dont like the other ones that much ( I dont see the usage of them )

[HawaiiFive-O]

ORIGINAL: Oliver Heindorf

maybe the conversion is not an option for japs ? I dont know why it shouldnt tooo.... if its a bug it needs to be fixed...no scen 15 ( the big one ) makes sense until this is fixed imho, giving the japos a big disadvantage which isnt very funny.

I believe it's been confirmed as a bug, hopefully it will be fixed in the next big patch. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Oliver Heindorf

I convert against the AI most to AR ( 60 % ) MLE ( 20% ) AS 10%

I dont like the other ones that much ( I dont see the usage of them )

Same here.

[Twotribes]

AD are important for destroyer torpedo reloads and for those cruisers that have them. Unless you only base your ships out of ports size 8 or bigger.

[Chaplain]

[quote].... if its a bug it needs to be fixed [quote]

Yes. Of course.

[quote]...no scen 15 ( the big one ) makes sense until this is fixed imho

[byron13]

I think six ARs - eight at the most, which is almost overkill. I only converted three MLEs as there just aren't that many places you'll deploy mines by the time they arrive. Maybe four in case you lose one to a sub or air attack. A couple of ADs. If the PT tender can be converted, I'd do or two of those. I think there are enough AV's and AS's in the game - assuming you didn't lose too many in the opening months.

[Cmdrcain]

ORIGINAL: Oliver Heindorf

maybe the conversion is not an option for japs ? I dont know why it shouldnt tooo.... if its a bug it needs to be fixed...no scen 15 ( the big one ) makes sense until this is fixed imho, giving the japos a big disadvantage which isnt very funny.

I convert against the AI most to AR ( 60 % ) MLE ( 20% ) AS 10%

I dont like the other ones that much ( I dont see the usage of them )

Put an AV at an non-base atoll and you can support an Seaplane group that lands there if have supply unloaded onto the atoll hex.

Example:

I parked an AV at French Frigate shoal, with supplys on shoal and
landed an PBY group there, their showing now as active instead of "damaged" where without supplies/ without an AV they sit damaged and useless.

Theres several non-base atolls you could park AV's and needed supplies etc at and fly seaplanes out of.

they maybe 0 airbase but I believe that doesn't matter with a seaplane...
at least they are showing as active planes.

[:D]

Later I dropped a fragment of an engineer group on french frigate and got a size 1 airfield built [:D]

[tsimmonds]

ORIGINAL: Xargun

ORIGINAL: Tallyman662

I have converted some.....MLEs for obvious reasons.....ARs for repairs....ASs for sub help when doing the island hopping later on.....trying to get a PG back to change to the one that helps out PTs.

Players playing Japan DO NOT convert any AKs to MLEs... They are bugged and do not count down. They will sit at 180 days forever.. I do not know if they consume ship construction points or not, but they never count down. Allied players it works fine on...

Xargun

Terriffic. Six minutes ago I saved a turn in which I converted 4 of them.

I also converted 11 to AR (you only start with 1), 4 to AE (start with 2), and 2 to AV (you start with 5 plus one building), which I think are extremely useful during the first year or so . You already have 8 AS plus one building; that seems like plenty. And it appears that ADs and PT tenders are not available for Japan.....

[Ron Saueracker]

ORIGINAL: Cmdrcain
Put an AV at an non-base atoll and you can support an Seaplane group that lands there if have supply unloaded onto the atoll hex.

Example:

I parked an AV at French Frigate shoal, with supplys on shoal and
landed an PBY group there, their showing now as active instead of "damaged" where without supplies/ without an AV they sit damaged and useless.

Theres several non-base atolls you could park AV's and needed supplies etc at and fly seaplanes out of.

they maybe 0 airbase but I believe that doesn't matter with a seaplane...
at least they are showing as active planes.

[:D]

Later I dropped a fragment of an engineer group on french frigate and got a size 1 airfield built [:D]

Don't use AVs at undeveloped base hexes, especially vs a human opponent, because they attract the enemy like punkers to a car wash. The fact that planes are there shows up on the map for some reason, giving the presence of the AV away.

A few of us have asked that the "anchor" and "airfield" icons be made invisible until reconed (like LCUs). The enemy should not get this info by default. Not sure if this is being considered.

[le Jason]

Hi there,

can anyone tell me how to change an AK into another type of vessel?
I can´t find it in the manual.

[Kereguelen]

You need to have AK's (the bigger ones) in either Osaka or San Francisco. Then click on AK and you'll see the possible choices for conversion.

[Chris21wen]

Checj out Page 75 of the manual.

[Captain Cruft]

Japanese perspective

I am puzzled as to why you cannot convert any ADs.

MLEs - yes these are useful ships but you can do without. You can get Singapore, Hong Kong, Truk, possibly Manila, and even Rangoon to level 9 within about the same timeframe as the non-building MLEs would appear. Apart from that of course you can send the MLs out long distances from the Home Islands via "home port hopping" and/or TK/AK attachment.

AVs are VERY useful ships (think "instant airbase"), even the ones without organic air groups. You just have to be careful with them in the front line. I usually escort them with the older CLs and any PGs/short-legged DDs that happen to be around.

[tsimmonds]

MLEs - yes these are useful ships but you can do without. You can get Singapore, Hong Kong, Truk, possibly Manila, and even Rangoon to level 9 within about the same timeframe as the non-building MLEs would appear. Apart from that of course you can send the MLs out long distances from the Home Islands via "home port hopping" and/or TK/AK attachment.

While it is certainly possible to live without MLEs, they will enable the tempo of minelaying operations to be increased considerably. Minelayers are so slow, and those potential level 9 ports are more or less remote from those areas that will benefit most from treatment with mines. Just consider as an example the difference between loading mines in Rabaul vs Truk, Kwajalein vs Truk, Kendari vs Manila or Singapore. Just a few of these ships could make a dramatic difference in both the total number of mines you can lay as well as the number of locations that can be kept effectively mined. Remember, they decay over time, so it is never a one-shot deal. Rather like changing your engine oil, remember to re-mine every 120 days or so.....

[KPAX]

Here is a quick summary of what I found for the Allies for a full campaign game:

AD - 4 at start of game / 9 more on tap, with 3 after the first year, 3 after the second year.
Four at first does not sound like quite enough. Being able to get 2 - 4 more within the first 6 months sounds like a positive.

AR - 3 at start of game / 8 more on tap, with 2 after the first year, 3 after the second year.
This sound way short. I read the perfect shipyard repair is with a port size 10 and 4 ARs. The potential major damage done at PH, DEI and damage that will be done in Solomon Islands, I would think that you could have a ton of ARs. You could have at least 4 if not 6 ports with 4 ARs each (W Coast with 1 or 2, PH, Noeuma, 2 in Oz, etc.). This would not include the scattering of other ARs that would be helpful. I could see the need for a build of 16 - 20 right off the bat. This sounds like a ton, but having that many ARs doing repairs would never hurt. A single engage of a Surface TF can cause numerous ships to be damaged. If you spread the ships out in Oz for example you could use an AR or two in each of the E coast Oz ports.

As - 6 at start of game / 11 more on tap, with 3 after the first year, and another right away.
This does not sound too bad. I may think to build 3 more as once the SS start to appear, the torpedoes become better, subs become our friends by mid 43 or so.

MLE - I do not see that you start with any, nor have any in the pipeline.
With this in mind, and as stated above by Irrelevant you have to continually mine. I think that the loss of mines is like 50% in the open sea and 2% in shallow water each turn. Being able to have a close base (i.e., MLE) and not to travel those great distances would be very helpful. Now as the Allies you will begin to go on the offense when these ships come out of the shipyards they certain can be helpful in places around the Solomon with proper air cover. I intend to make like 6 or so.

AGP - zero with a lot in production, the first to come online within 1 1/2 years.
That 1 1/2 years is too long of a wait. PTs seem to be cheap to build, and if they get lucky and get a few hits (from a TF of 4 -6) on some capital ships, even if they get major damage, it seems well worth the cost. Since they have very low loadouts they will constantly being in need of reload. I could see 4 - 6 of these having value early on.

As a side note, here is further info:
ML - 6 at start of game / 11 more on tap. All in DEI
DM - 8 at start of game / 10 more on tap. All in PI.
This maybe important as to how many MLEs you want to build.


In summary, this could require approximately 30 - 40 conversions right off the bat. This could certainly put a crimp on shipping at first. It does appear that will some ships in DEI and OZ this could help with the transports. Also, once the merchant shipyards get cranking, they punch out tons of AKs. I would rather bide my time for a bit with a few less AKs early on and have things start to crank into a higher gear in mid 1942.

Thanks !!
KPAQ

[DrewMatrix]

A few of us have asked that the "anchor" and "airfield" icons be made invisible until reconed (like LCUs).

That sounds like a really good idea!