Guadalcanal scenario: took Lunga & Tulagi, what now?

[Ian R]

Logistics.

Mmm.

[Ambassador]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

Logistics.

Mmm.

[RhinoDad]

Mr. Stead
Looks like I fumbled the keyboard again and got that strike through

[S] is cross out [/S] is end cross out (Lower case s though)
[s] is cross out [/s] is end cross out (Lower case s though)

[Randy Stead]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Ambassador

Auckland also has a size 15 Repair Shipyard, while Perth has a size 3 RSY perfect for submarines.

But do those show up in the Guadalcanal Scenario?

BTW Randy, I recall being surprised when the Guadalcanal Scenario ended on March 1, 1943. I was misled by the presence of reinforcement ships or LCUs showing for the scenario arriving much later. It's possible the end date was changed in the newest official patch, but checking the scenario end date in the Editor will confirm one way or another. IRL, Guadalcanal was declared secured at the end of Feb. 1943, which is a good reason for the scenario to end there.

I suppose the version I played is different to the version you played. My game ended April 2nd, 1943. The scenario notes say August 4 1942 to Feb 7 1943 but my game ran from Aug 6 1942 to Apr 2 1943. The scenario I played is the stock Guadalcanal scenario in the scenarios list supplied with game version 1.8.11.26b Sep-17-2016 17:03:37. I have the stock map and scenario list that are supplied with that version.

I do wish to play with a prettier map; I do like the look of the Paifica Bellum Kamikaze map [hope I quoted the name correctly but I am sure you know the map to which I refer] but I am under the impression that there are a few hexes in that map that appear playable or unplayable but are in fact the opposite. I do hope I am wrong in this but whichever map I eventually choose to use, I desire that all hexes be playable or unplayable as they appear. I heard that there is a hex near Manila that appears unnavigable but which in fact the AI will use.

After some reflection upon my previous post about what to do next after completing the Guadalcanal scenario I have decided that in spite of my "intimidation" I will proceed with the full 12-8-41 historical campaign as Allies vs AI Japan. I don't feel quite ready to take on any of the more challenging versions produce by scenario designers. Before doing so, however, I plan to engage in a period of study, rereading the manual and other game documents in an attempt to have a more solid grasp of the "simple" fundamentals that are required for a masterful play of this game. In particular I need to comprehend the intricacies of ship repair; how best to pair up the tenders and repair ships with their respective clients in order to be able to refuel, rearm and repair them without recourse to voyages to shipyards for issues that I should be able to cope with locally. An example of this was during my Guadalcanal scenario play I had vessels with minor levels of flotation and/or engine damage that could not be removed with normal readiness or pierside repair. I did not figure out how best to use the tenders in play and of course I eventually did receive an AR but to be honest did not know how best to employ it. Same with the small carriers. Some of this mishandling or underemployment was simply due to lack of resources to undertake larger operations, but some was due to lack of knowledge.

Therefore, a period of study is required, just as I did to prepare myself to play the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal scenarios. That seems to be my game learning style; study and preparation followed by trial, followed up with post-play contemplation and review. When I begin my long campaign I do not wish to do any re-dos of muffed turns. Errors of judgment I can live with, but I find it frustrating reloading because I goofed up simply due to poor preparation caused by lack of knowledge. For the next few days I will be poring over the manual, the forum squeeze and various documents I have accumulated in The Binder, and of course more forum study.

[Randy Stead]

To add to my previous post... I wish to find a map that will be "for keeps" as well as investigate the AI updates I have heard about. In other words, I wish to take this game beyond its out of the box condition and tweak/mod it to my satisfaction as I have done with other games over the years, such as Silent Hunter 3, another favourite of mine, once I remedied the stock version into something playable and enjoyable once the bugs and ugliness were eliminated, reduced, enhanced. And then there the other tools available which I have not even touched yet, such as trackers; don't know what they do or how to use them or even if I have the ability and inclination to make it worthwhile using them. It's already challenging enough just learning the game itself.

One last question or two: is there a key you use to pull up where all of your shipyards are? Can you pull up a list of the initial and SPS of all the bases and dots in the game, aside from compiling all this data manually? At its core this game is a compilation of databases so perhaps there is an easier way to access this information without visiting every hex in the game?

[RangerJoe]

The AR can reduce the major damage at 5 points or less. Read Alfred's very excellent repair guide [&o] as well as the tenders guide.

Play the Japanese side in this scenario before the campaign game.

But load up the campaign game and look at what the buttons on the top provide in the details that you are looking for.

[RhinoDad]

In this thread is an comment you might find interesting from Kull Kull on Guadalcanal scenario

Here is another post from Kull Allied Setup Spreadsheet

You might find these to be of good read.

I would suggest that you save your first turn or two as they can take upwards of a day to complete. That way when you start over again you will have a very short time to spend, unless you are going for whole new strategy, to get your game going. As Ambassador stated, some will recommend that you make lots of saves and lots of restarts. I am not much of a mulligan taker and tend to live with my mistakes.

I have started a number of games over the years and so it is handy to just recall a saved game and make any adjustments before firing off a turn. I would suggest saving one copy down the list a bit as well as one for your daily use. The one down the list can be used as suggested as a restart even if it is a couple years down the road. It then gets you ready for Dec 8th. I prefer the Dec 7th start. Either way it saves may hours of initial turn set up.

Personally I would not be so quick with the moves as Ambassador but I agree I would not worry so much about getting it correct. But as I age I do not hold as much info in the head, for instant recall, and find myself referring repeatedly to notes and looking up bases, TFs, etc., so he is probably much quicker. It is just those first to 8 - 10 hour turns that I do not want to do repeatedly; so I save them. The large scenarios are more forgiving as you have more time to undo your oopses.

[RhinoDad]

And then there the other tools available which I have not even touched yet, such as trackers; don't know what they do or how to use them or even if I have the ability and inclination to make it worthwhile using them. It's already challenging enough just learning the game itself.

One last question or two: is there a key you use to pull up where all of your shipyards are? Can you pull up a list of the initial and SPS of all the bases and dots in the game, aside from compiling all this data manually? At its core this game is a compilation of databases so perhaps there is an easier way to access this information without visiting every hex in the game?

Tracker Tracker 1.1 is very easy to use. I use no where near what it is capable of, but it is up and running in 15 min or less. At least what I use it for, it is rather intuitive.

With a click or two will be all your bases, a click more and all bases that need garrison and what is currently garrisoned there; resources, oil, shipyards, etc. It is a quick way to look at/print game data tables for future reference.

For this reason I would suggest that you give it a go.

It is also a quick way to sort your intel, etc. reports for quick review.

But then you will have to load each turn.

I am sure I am only using a small portion of its potential but it is a tool that simplifies data mining of game data tables. If you want you can export files and then manipulate them further in excel or other spreadsheet.

Although you can update it every turn my use is mostly to organize game data tables for reference. I updated the regions of bases in excel to better fit my geography and marry that to the game tables for my quick reference.

Believe Kull posted some work on forum with base geographic area but her(?) set up sheet has them as well.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: RhinoDad

And then there the other tools available which I have not even touched yet, such as trackers; don't know what they do or how to use them or even if I have the ability and inclination to make it worthwhile using them. It's already challenging enough just learning the game itself.

One last question or two: is there a key you use to pull up where all of your shipyards are? Can you pull up a list of the initial and SPS of all the bases and dots in the game, aside from compiling all this data manually? At its core this game is a compilation of databases so perhaps there is an easier way to access this information without visiting every hex in the game?

Tracker Tracker 1.1 is very easy to use. I use no where near what it is capable of, but it is up and running in 15 min or less. At least what I use it for, it is rather intuitive.

With a click or two will be all your bases, a click more and all bases that need garrison and what is currently garrisoned there; resources, oil, shipyards, etc. It is a quick way to look at/print game data tables for future reference.

For this reason I would suggest that you give it a go.

It is also a quick way to sort your intel, etc. reports for quick review.

But then you will have to load each turn.

I am sure I am only using a small portion of its potential but it is a tool that simplifies data mining of game data tables. If you want you can export files and then manipulate them further in excel or other spreadsheet.

Although you can update it every turn my use is mostly to organize game data tables for reference. I updated the regions of bases in excel to better fit my geography and marry that to the game tables for my quick reference.

Believe Kull posted some work on forum with base geographic area but her(?) set up sheet has them as well.

I do believe that you are using the wrong gender pronoun for Kull:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/show ... emid=25668

[RhinoDad]

I do believe that you are using the wrong gender pronoun for Kull:

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/show ... emid=25668

Probably so,[X(] thank you. Can never tell from avatar.

Although the avatar is a spitting image of a good friend of mine have known since we were both very young. Although now much older. Now we are in two far away places; brings back good memories.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Randy Stead

To add to my previous post... I wish to find a map that will be "for keeps" as well as investigate the AI updates I have heard about. In other words, I wish to take this game beyond its out of the box condition and tweak/mod it to my satisfaction as I have done with other games over the years, such as Silent Hunter 3, another favourite of mine, once I remedied the stock version into something playable and enjoyable once the bugs and ugliness were eliminated, reduced, enhanced. And then there the other tools available which I have not even touched yet, such as trackers; don't know what they do or how to use them or even if I have the ability and inclination to make it worthwhile using them. It's already challenging enough just learning the game itself.

One last question or two: is there a key you use to pull up where all of your shipyards are? Can you pull up a list of the initial and SPS of all the bases and dots in the game, aside from compiling all this data manually? At its core this game is a compilation of databases so perhaps there is an easier way to access this information without visiting every hex in the game?

There is a button at the top of the map (blue and white star for the Allies, probably red on white dot for the IJ) that lists all the bases for your side. It does not show the SPS IIRC, but the hex coordinates should be there. You can click on the bases to see everything about them.

But that will leave you looking at too many bases that will never see action. Better I think to look at the map and draw a mental circle around the key areas you will want for defence and vectors for your comeback attacks. Then just roll the cursor over the bases to see the SPS and industry that may be useful. You should end up with a list of 30-40 bases that will be the best suited and positioned for defence, offence or logistics hub.

Note that your offence will be guided by what the enemy is doing so you may well have started developing some bases only to find they are not needed. This is not a big problem for the Allies to abandon some vectors in order to push harder elsewhere.

[Randy Stead]

All good advice, gents, and thank you for it. I will have to look at that Tracker tool; thanks, Rhino. I get all glaze eyed when I see "Excel" as I don't know anywhere near what I should to use it. I've got the whole Office 365 suite but only use Word on any regular basis and use Excel very rarely and only then for the simplest things. I feel like a guy who owns a Ferrari and only drives it a mile to the grocery store once a week. Which kind of was me for a while when I owned a '14 Dodge Challenger R/T and a Ram 1500 w/HEMI and they sat there after my brain fart and I wasn't able to drive for a while.

Are there more buttons on the top row in a long game than in a scenario? I was wondering if there was a quick way to pull up really important assets like ship yards, but perhaps not. After posting this I am going to load up the 12-8-41 turn and have a poke around, not to play but simply to explore.

RhinoDad, I guess since you load the 12-7 turn the IJN do different damage than historic? I did that once just to see what happens and they only sank one BB, but of course mauled the rest. I think just for historical reasons I will start with the 12-8 game and then perhaps having survived the war will try it from 12-7. But since this game takes so long to play that is a very long "if."

[RangerJoe]

Look at the industry screen for shipyards.

Try the 7 December start but move Force Z to Batavia. It really was not attacked on 7 December since Admiral Philips was in Manila trying to coordinate actions with the US Asiatic Fleet.

[Randy Stead]

Thanks for the tip, Joe.

[Randy Stead]

I am going to open a new line of inquiry. I thought of starting a new thread, but since the people who respond most to my questions are following this thread I ask it here, with apologies if it is an etiquette breach...

When my LCUs under South Pacific HQ took Lunga, Tulagi, etc. when the U.S. flag [Hip hooray x 3, love that sound effect] went up with the base under new management it showed as a base under SoPac HQ. On the other hand, when my LCUs on New Guinea took Buna and Salamaua, an Australian flag went up on each base and they were designated as Australia Command. This meant I had LCUs of SW Pac [Doug] in bases under AusComm. I cannot understand whey the conquests were handled differently, and secondly, what is the importance of the HQ assignment of a base?

[RangerJoe]

When it comes to base administration plus what you can do at the base. Not much difference for those two for active units but you can NOT get US PT Boats at a British, Chinese, nor an ABDA base directly from supplies at the base. Any restricted units can't go to a base outside of their area nor can they load on a ship.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Look at the industry screen for shipyards.

Try the 7 December start but move Force Z to Batavia. It really was not attacked on 7 December since Admiral Philips was in Manila trying to coordinate actions with the US Asiatic Fleet.

Or that's what he said he went there for. There were other things to do in Manila, even back then ...[;)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Randy Stead

I am going to open a new line of inquiry. I thought of starting a new thread, but since the people who respond most to my questions are following this thread I ask it here, with apologies if it is an etiquette breach...

When my LCUs under South Pacific HQ took Lunga, Tulagi, etc. when the U.S. flag [Hip hooray x 3, love that sound effect] went up with the base under new management it showed as a base under SoPac HQ. On the other hand, when my LCUs on New Guinea took Buna and Salamaua, an Australian flag went up on each base and they were designated as Australia Command. This meant I had LCUs of SW Pac [Doug] in bases under AusComm. I cannot understand whey the conquests were handled differently, and secondly, what is the importance of the HQ assignment of a base?

Opening a new subject should be a new thread for the sole reason that anyone in the future looking for that sort of info using thread titles will only be able to find it if it is in a new thread (5 X 2-letter words in a row! Never saw that before - call Guiness!),

The ownership of the base has no effect on the LCUs therein. It does matter for air units.
The HQ of the first LCU in a conquering stack determines which HQ will control a base.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Look at the industry screen for shipyards.

Try the 7 December start but move Force Z to Batavia. It really was not attacked on 7 December since Admiral Philips was in Manila trying to coordinate actions with the US Asiatic Fleet.

Or that's what he said he went there for. There were other things to do in Manila, even back then ...[;)]

Oh yes, I am fully aware of that.

I was told by a guy that there were some US Navy Seals who heated a coin with a lighter, then threw it for the woman to pick up [:-] - she did not use her fingers. [X(][X(] She pulled out a knife and used some sort of bird language, that is fowl language.[;)]

[Randy Stead]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Randy Stead

I am going to open a new line of inquiry. I thought of starting a new thread, but since the people who respond most to my questions are following this thread I ask it here, with apologies if it is an etiquette breach...

When my LCUs under South Pacific HQ took Lunga, Tulagi, etc. when the U.S. flag [Hip hooray x 3, love that sound effect] went up with the base under new management it showed as a base under SoPac HQ. On the other hand, when my LCUs on New Guinea took Buna and Salamaua, an Australian flag went up on each base and they were designated as Australia Command. This meant I had LCUs of SW Pac [Doug] in bases under AusComm. I cannot understand whey the conquests were handled differently, and secondly, what is the importance of the HQ assignment of a base?

Opening a new subject should be a new thread for the sole reason that anyone in the future looking for that sort of info using thread titles will only be able to find it if it is in a new thread (5 X 2-letter words in a row! Never saw that before - call Guiness!),

The ownership of the base has no effect on the LCUs therein. It does matter for air units.
The HQ of the first LCU in a conquering stack determines which HQ will control a base.

Is this for the long game only? I've gone back into my saved files for my Guadalcanal scenario play and every LCU [except for a few flak and base units] on New Guinea is assigned to SW-Pac, MacArthur. They are all Australian infantry and cavalry units which conquered Buna and Salamaua and were assigned to SW-Pac at the time of conquest, yet the bases still went to AusComm. Can't figure that one out. Some of the units that participated in the conquest were at scenario beginning attached to AusComm and I bought them out for SW-Pac with political points in order to ship them to New Guinea. Might their original assignment in the scenario be the reason why the base went to a different HQ rather than their HQ at moment of capture?

My longer term plans were to build up the airfields in those liberated bases in order to get my fighters closer to Rabaul. If I understand you correctly, only air units assigned to AusComm would've been able to transfer to those bases? This assignment of air units to particular HQs is something I will have to learn about for my long campaign.

Now, with respect to the more junior HQs like Corps, does it make sense to assign land units directly to them? In the scenario I had a few Corps HQ units and a couple of air HQs come in as reinforcements. I really didn't do much with them. I got a Marine air HQ over to Lunga and the I Corps and 1st Australian Corps over to Port Moresby. Do units have to be attached to a particular corps HQ to get the combat bonuses, or any HQ in range will do?

In my sense of ordnung [I think in spite of my English/Welsh heritage I have some Teutonic DNA in my genepool] I see particular divisions and other assets like flak and artillery regiments, engineers and such being Corps assets that remain with the Corps until reassigned, whereas the independent assets which are attached to a higher HQ are "loaned" to a lower command for a while. In my mind, I see this as a means of organizing my forces and developing their experience and esprit de "corps" [pardon the unintentional pun]. Does it work out like this in the long game? Because when I load the first turn I am seeing various LCUs attached to certain HQs but in the Guadalcanal scenario some of these same HQs start the scenario devoid of subordinate units.

I see another learning period of exploration within the manual, binder and game ahead for me. I like to organize it visually, so I figure I will use paper and my whiteboard collection to visually organize flow charts and organizational structure charts. It may not be the way other players do it, but I think each person should organize their information in the way which best suits them and their style of play. Even though I know all of this information is available in the game via databases, I can't keep all of that information sorted out mentally. Structure and flow charts help me organize and visualize it. I struggled for a bit when I was learning computer stuff, then one day it hit that if I visualized the "flow" of electricity and data within the physical architecture of a CPU and component boards of a computer it would make more sense to me, and it did.