Longtime lurker with Noob Questions

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I did come across an issue with VMSB-232 (I think it was 232...) last night. They were on Enterprise, I transferred them to Sydney since the ship was docked and I thought the 1 damaged plane would make it off... It didn't, and now the air unit appears to be permanently split into 17/1. I'm kind of annoyed - I guess I'm doing to disband the 1 pilot unit and see if I can reinforce the 17 man unit with a pilot/plane from the pool.

Thanks for your help!

The transfer mission will only transfer ready planes. However, if you give it a day the damaged/maintenance plane will likely be repaired/readied and fly off on it's own to join it's parent.

As long as the parent is still within transfer range when a damaged fragment becomes readied the tactical AI will attempt to rejoin the fragment to the parent.

Or if it fails to do so automatically, you can manually transfer the readied fragment to the parent's location and either manually disband the fragment into the parent or wait for the next turn resolution when the tactical AI will join them automatically at the beginning of the night phase.

[Lokasenna]

I waited 2 days [&:]. I have noticed that damaged/maintenance planes will rejoin the parent unit when transferring between land bases, but it didn't do this this time. The plane became ready on the Enterprise (again, still in dock at Sydney) and didn't move to Sydney on its own. I want to say that I waited another day and it didn't go automatically, but I can't be sure as I had to repeat 2 days of action last night due to a power surge [:(].

I haven't done the next day's resolution yet, so hopefully it automatically combines during the night phase. I just know that when I clicked "Disband" it didn't give me the usual option to put the plane/pilot in a unit with the same plane type - merely asked me if I wanted to send the pilot/plane to the pool, and I clicked no as I wasn't sure what to do yet.

Thanks for the suggestion, I was thinking I was screwed "out" of a pilot...at least for the immediate future.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I waited 2 days [&:]. I have noticed that damaged/maintenance planes will rejoin the parent unit when transferring between land bases, but it didn't do this this time. The plane became ready on the Enterprise (again, still in dock at Sydney) and didn't move to Sydney on its own. I want to say that I waited another day and it didn't go automatically, but I can't be sure as I had to repeat 2 days of action last night due to a power surge [:(].

I haven't done the next day's resolution yet, so hopefully it automatically combines during the night phase. I just know that when I clicked "Disband" it didn't give me the usual option to put the plane/pilot in a unit with the same plane type - merely asked me if I wanted to send the pilot/plane to the pool, and I clicked no as I wasn't sure what to do yet.

Thanks for the suggestion, I was thinking I was screwed "out" of a pilot...at least for the immediate future.

If you clicked disband while they were not stationed at the same base then the only option you would be given would be to send planes and pilots to pools. However, when you disband a fragment in the same base as it's parent it will automatically disband into the parent with no options presented.

[Lokasenna]

That's the thing, they -were- at the same base (Sydney). I was very conscious about keeping them in the same hex while all this was happening, because it was odd. I got the "send pilots/planes to pools?" disband message despite that. I probably mucked it up by mistakenly transferring off the CV when 1 plane was still damaged.

They ended up recombining during the night phase the next day. So all is good and right with the world.

[Lokasenna]

Another question I can't find in the manual.

I have a base force and was trying to unload it at Luganville. Everything is unloaded...except for a radar sub-unit. It says it can't be unloaded there - I assume it's a port size issue? How big of a port do I need?

[Alfred]

Use an amphibious TF, and if necessary increase the naval support at Luganville.

Alfred

[oldman45]

You will have to build the port up to get that off or find some naval support and off load it there so it can get the radar off. There are no barges around that the ships crane can lower the radar on. [;)]

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Another question I can't find in the manual.

I have a base force and was trying to unload it at Luganville. Everything is unloaded...except for a radar sub-unit. It says it can't be unloaded there - I assume it's a port size issue? How big of a port do I need?

Alberts answer is good but a bit vague. Amphib TFs are best for unloading anything, even supply, at a size 1 or smaller port. Even large guns like 155s will unload over the beaches from an amphib TF, although I believe the radar will not. The radar should unload once the port reaches level 2, IIRC. The addition of naval support increases the unloading capacity of any size port, the more nav support the better. The US has several very small dedicated nav support units (can't recall the exact names right now but they are identified by letter codes...A, B, C, D, E). These are invaluable units for unloading at level 0 or 1 ports to get your operations going there. Try to plan the inclusion of these for any operations aimed at dot bases or level 0 or 1 ports.

Nav support also increases the rearming capability of ports. There is a table in the manual (20.1.2.2)that shows the port size and port size + min nav support necessary to rearm various size armaments. You need a min size 4 port for 5" guns, min size 5 port to rearm 6" guns and a min size 6 port to rearm 8" guns. Nav support lowers the port size requirement for these.

[Blackhorse]

HB is exactly correct. Your "little friends" are the USN Port Svc Det -- US Navy Port Service Detachments, which are easy to amphibiously unload onto dot bases, and have enough naval support to ease the unloading of larger devices. The PSDs also include a little aviation support.

Don't leave home without them! [:)]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Another question I can't find in the manual.

I have a base force and was trying to unload it at Luganville. Everything is unloaded...except for a radar sub-unit. It says it can't be unloaded there - I assume it's a port size issue? How big of a port do I need?

Alberts answer is good but a bit vague. Amphib TFs are best for unloading anything, even supply, at a size 1 or smaller port. Even large guns like 155s will unload over the beaches from an amphib TF, although I believe the radar will not. The radar should unload once the port reaches level 2, IIRC. The addition of naval support increases the unloading capacity of any size port, the more nav support the better. The US has several very small dedicated nav support units (can't recall the exact names right now but they are identified by letter codes...A, B, C, D, E). These are invaluable units for unloading at level 0 or 1 ports to get your operations going there. Try to plan the inclusion of these for any operations aimed at dot bases or level 0 or 1 ports.

Nav support also increases the rearming capability of ports. There is a table in the manual (20.1.2.2)that shows the port size and port size + min nav support necessary to rearm various size armaments. You need a min size 4 port for 5" guns, min size 5 port to rearm 6" guns and a min size 6 port to rearm 8" guns. Nav support lowers the port size requirement for these.

[ny59giants]

HB is exactly correct. Your "little friends" are the USN Port Svc Det -- US Navy Port Service Detachments, which are easy to amphibiously unload onto dot bases, and have enough naval support to ease the unloading of larger devices. The PSDs also include a little aviation support.

Don't leave home without them! [:)]

+1000

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Another question I can't find in the manual.

I have a base force and was trying to unload it at Luganville. Everything is unloaded...except for a radar sub-unit. It says it can't be unloaded there - I assume it's a port size issue? How big of a port do I need?

Alberts answer is good but a bit vague. Amphib TFs are best for unloading anything, even supply, at a size 1 or smaller port. Even large guns like 155s will unload over the beaches from an amphib TF, although I believe the radar will not. The radar should unload once the port reaches level 2, IIRC. The addition of naval support increases the unloading capacity of any size port, the more nav support the better. The US has several very small dedicated nav support units (can't recall the exact names right now but they are identified by letter codes...A, B, C, D, E). These are invaluable units for unloading at level 0 or 1 ports to get your operations going there. Try to plan the inclusion of these for any operations aimed at dot bases or level 0 or 1 ports.

Nav support also increases the rearming capability of ports. There is a table in the manual (20.1.2.2)that shows the port size and port size + min nav support necessary to rearm various size armaments. You need a min size 4 port for 5" guns, min size 5 port to rearm 6" guns and a min size 6 port to rearm 8" guns. Nav support lowers the port size requirement for these.

You answered my next question too! I find myself using Amphib TFs almost exclusively as I go about building up some defenses, as typically I am transporting to bases that have port size 1 or 2... Is there a reference somewhere for how much "stuff" an Amphib TF will unload? The reference sheets thread has a table that lists how much cargo/fuel/supplies/etc. will be unloaded by each size of port.

And oh yes - the Port Service units (I think I have A-F...) are already all helping me out. I love them .

Thanks guys! These forums rock.

[Lokasenna]

Got another one.

I keep having a problem with my TFs - they like to turn right back around and go back to port, automatically disbanding. They say in red "returning to port to replenish". Except here's why I don't understand WTF this is happening: they JUST refueled and rearmed (have full ammo, full or at least green endure). Their destinations and patrol areas are well within their range.

WHY do they turn right around and go back into port and disband? I just don't get it. What am I missing? Clearly something. Highly frustrating - this has delayed my plans for 2 days so far. I shouldn't have to set "remain on station" should I?

And every time this happens it costs me PP to reassign a good surface fleet commander... [:@]

[jmalter]

any TF, you give it a mission (destination hex), it goes there, does its thing, then RTB. unless you set it to 'remain on station'. even then, some missions (say, Bombardment) once it uses all its ammo, it'll RTB.

then if the TF is set to 'auto-disband', when it gets back to base, the TF disbands, all the ships dock & the TF commander disappears, bad cess for you.

i'm guessing, but i don't think you've got a good handle on TF orders yet.

you can set a TF to a destination, but if you don't tell it to 'remain on station', it'll go home. but if you've set it to 'remain', it'll still use some fuel, but will reach a tipping-point where it needs a minimal amount of fuel to get back to its home-port, when it hits that point it'll go back to base.

you can set a TF to a multi-hex patrol-zone, it'll follow the zone-path until it runs out of gas, then it'll go home.

sounds like you've got TFs operating way far away from home, they use a lot of fuel to get to the assigned hex, but don't have enough to stay. have you got fleet oilers (Replenishment TF) serving them? or have you neglected your logistics?

what, you didn't set the TF to 'remain on station' ? oops, you messed that up. what, you neglected to de-select 'auto-disband' ? oops again. pay the PP price, and learn from your mistakes.

[Lokasenna]

But see here's the thing...

I know all those things. I know how auto-disband works and I'm not using destination but patrol. I'm not using oilers to refuel them, but they're able to stay out on patrol long enough without them and my patrols are close enough to my bases with fuel that I don't mind. They tend to run out of ammo first. I wanted them to leave Brisbane and go patrol over northwest of Darwin. And the very day they left Brisbane, they turned around. The fuel required for the mission was just over 100 (102 or 104), and the fuel the TF had was 162 or 163. They definitely didn't sail all the way around Australia and get to their patrol zone first. It's like in the first naval movement phase they sailed away, and then decided to turn around in the second phase - I found them one hex outside of port this last time.

And they were certainly NOT on auto-disband, not even after I said "Fine, you can return to port and fix whatever stupid problem you're having" - they just had the red "returning to port to replenish" showing, and then they disbanded anyway. Also, "No Auto-Disband" is the default. So why are they doing that? What causes the TF to decide it needs to go back to port to replenish even though it has plenty of fuel and is full on ammo?

[Disco Duck]

delete

[Lokasenna]

Alright, have played a couple more months and am back with more questions!

How long does it take the Allied airframe production to speed up? I'm at May 21, 1942 and am finding the production rate of F4F-4s and SBD-3s to be agonizingly slow.

Likewise, I do not quite understand how air unit upgrades work. The F4F unit on Enterprise is down to a meager 4 planes (I'm not really sure how they ate all of the casualties and the planes from the other 3 CVs went untouched...). They're in F4F-3A airframes, and it says they can upgrade to F4F-3. However, I have none of those available... I do have 14 F4F-4 airframes available, but I can't seem to "skip" the F4F-3 upgrade. When I click on the upgrade path line in the air unit info screen, it says that future upgrades include the F4F-4, but there is no date next to the F4F-4 like there is for the others on the upgrade list. Any help on this topic would be very much appreciated.

I used my 4th Australian Division to take back Makassar. It seems to have suffered a lot of casualties, as it's down to 107 AV! I noticed in the unit/device pools screen that CMF Militia Squads are no longer available (as of 42/03). How can I tell whether this LCU ever ugprades? I guess I'm ok with it either way, I just want to figure out whether the division will ever be useful again.

Is it beneficial to use lots of ships in Amphibious TFs to get a unit unloaded faster? Say I can fit a unit on 2 APs... However, would the unit be fully disembarked faster if I used say, 8 APs? What effect does this have on disruption? I am looking to become more efficient and less haphazard in my amphibious ops.

Many thanks for all the help available in this community.

[Puhis]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Alright, have played a couple more months and am back with more questions!

How long does it take the Allied airframe production to speed up? I'm at May 21, 1942 and am finding the production rate of F4F-4s and SBD-3s to be agonizingly slow.

Allied production is fixed, you pretty much get what they historically had. It's not possible to speed up production. 1942 is hard time for allies, but you'll get more planes later.

[Lokasenna]

I'm just anxious, is all. I know I can't mess with production... I just haven't seen the production rates increase at all since March (rate of 21 for SBD-3, for example). I just want to know how long it takes before I start getting about a plane a day, or whatever.

Also, I've noticed that the production rate for my F4F-4 is listed as 0, but I am slowly accruing them so it must be greater than 0 but less than 1?

[pompack]

In general, no Allied a/c ever INCREASES produciton. Instead the a/c model is replaced with a more (supposedly) advanced model with different (usually higher) production rates

[Lokasenna]

Ah, that's informative. If somewhat disappointing.

So I could look through the availability/production list and that rate should show up, but will be greyed out because it's not available yet...right?

Sounds like VF-6 might be boned for a while then.