A few newbie questions

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58


...Also note that not all Allied bases let you form PT or barge TFs, and not all let you disband. I don't recall offhand what limits that, but nationality is part of it.

The only Allied PTs which can be warehoused in a pool are USN. Hence it makes logical sense that only where the USN had a large presence, could these warehoused PTs be summonsed out of the ether and onto the map. That translates to a player being able to draw down from the warehouse these PTs at American and Australian bases, and out of American supply convoys.

Alfred

[brian800000]

How do you guys protect against mines in your key ports? Do you keep minesweepers on continuous sweep missions (I've read there are problems with this)? Are coastal minesweepers effective enough (I'd like to use most of my AMs and DMSs in ASW early on)?

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

How do you guys protect against mines in your key ports? Do you keep minesweepers on continuous sweep missions (I've read there are problems with this)? Are coastal minesweepers effective enough (I'd like to use most of my AMs and DMSs in ASW early on)?

AMc's are perfect for base local mine sweeping, make sure its the home port and you have fuel and you'll know the turn mines are dropped, use small legged AM's to patrol the path/s used by shipping. early the DEI has a ton of these vessels make sure you get most of them out as they are also valuable for pickets as well although they run out of fuel no damage is incurred if they stay in the same hex but I do send out AKs to refuel them to keep from gaming the system.

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

ORIGINAL: brian800000

How do you guys protect against mines in your key ports? Do you keep minesweepers on continuous sweep missions (I've read there are problems with this)? Are coastal minesweepers effective enough (I'd like to use most of my AMs and DMSs in ASW early on)?

AMc's are perfect for base local mine sweeping, make sure its the home port and you have fuel and you'll know the turn mines are dropped, use small legged AM's to patrol the path/s used by shipping. early the DEI has a ton of these vessels make sure you get most of them out as they are also valuable for pickets as well although they run out of fuel no damage is incurred if they stay in the same hex but I do send out AKs to refuel them to keep from gaming the system.

Thanks for the answer, this thread is a huge help.

Another question: how do you know if a ship is safe to move? My repair yard in PH is full, and I have ships there with a lot of damage. Are there thresholds beyond which I know it would be safe to move the ships (and until those are met, I guess they have to sit there until repair spots open?)?

[Bradley7735]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Another question: how do you know if a ship is safe to move? My repair yard in PH is full, and I have ships there with a lot of damage. Are there thresholds beyond which I know it would be safe to move the ships (and until those are met, I guess they have to sit there until repair spots open?)?

The more damage a ship has, the more likely it will sink at sea. Only Float damage will sink a ship, assuming it's not attacked again.

A good rule of thumb when moving damaged ships is to repair all the Sys damage via pier side (you can have as many ships as you want repairing Sys damage at the pier. And get Float to less than 50. If a ship is zero sys and <50 float, she probably won't sink en route to another ship yard. I have seen ships jump from 50 to 60 or 70 and give me stress. Fortunately, they're headed to PH from the front lines and generally have a base nearby they can go to to get it back to 50. I'd get my ships to 40 float at PH if sending to the states. there's no rest stop on the way if flooding increases suddenly. Escort them heavily because any sub can easily sink a damaged ship.

If PH is full of damaged ships, try to get some ARD's there. A ship can slowly repair Float damage using an ARD.

[Alfred]

Make sure that any ship being moved with flotation damage is on the "Cruise" speed setting.

Alfred

[brian800000]

Everybody--thanks again for your help.

But I have another question: say I'm trying to load a unit with 600 Troops and 5000 cargo. I want to use 2 ships to do this. I'm not sure what to do: I've made a fleet with an AP for the troops and an AK for the cargo, but I still get the message that the unit won't completely load.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Everybody--thanks again for your help.

But I have another question: say I'm trying to load a unit with 600 Troops and 5000 cargo. I want to use 2 ships to do this. I'm not sure what to do: I've made a fleet with an AP for the troops and an AK for the cargo, but I still get the message that the unit won't completely load.

If it is an Amphibious TF, you need an additional 20% capacity to that listed because the unit is "combat loaded".

Alfred

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Everybody--thanks again for your help.

But I have another question: say I'm trying to load a unit with 600 Troops and 5000 cargo. I want to use 2 ships to do this. I'm not sure what to do: I've made a fleet with an AP for the troops and an AK for the cargo, but I still get the message that the unit won't completely load.

If it is an Amphibious TF, you need an additional 20% capacity to that listed because the unit is "combat loaded".

Alfred

Thanks--who knows how long that would have taken to figure out!

[brian800000]

I've read on the forum that the AI gets a cheat for extra planes. Does anyone know the mechanics of how it works?

The reason I'm asking is that I'd like to know if it is really productive to shoot down their planes early in the war. If the cheat just keeps them with a minimum number of planes, then it probably would be. If the cheat just replaces a certain percentage of their losses, it may be less useful.

[Alpha77]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I've read on the forum that the AI gets a cheat for extra planes. Does anyone know the mechanics of how it works?

The reason I'm asking is that I'd like to know if it is really productive to shoot down their planes early in the war. If the cheat just keeps them with a minimum number of planes, then it probably would be. If the cheat just replaces a certain percentage of their losses, it may be less useful.

I foundf out, that Jap plane production in game (means vs.AI in the normal scens with so called "historic" level) is more than twice than in reality - it should help the Jap in the middle of the game to not run out of planes. Sadly this cheat (among others) was also implemented in the historic level of the game - so it isn´t historic at all [:(] You can just load the Jap side in your game and take a look (but don´t look up his carrier positions).[:-]

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: Alpha77

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I've read on the forum that the AI gets a cheat for extra planes. Does anyone know the mechanics of how it works?

The reason I'm asking is that I'd like to know if it is really productive to shoot down their planes early in the war. If the cheat just keeps them with a minimum number of planes, then it probably would be. If the cheat just replaces a certain percentage of their losses, it may be less useful.

I foundf out, that Jap plane production in game (means vs.AI in the normal scens with so called "historic" level) is more than twice than in reality - it should help the Jap in the middle of the game to not run out of planes. Sadly this cheat (among others) was also implemented in the historic level of the game - so it isn´t historic at all [:(] You can just load the Jap side in your game and take a look (but don´t look up his carrier positions).[:-]

I think that may actually be good to hear--double production means that shooting down planes is still very important. I was afraid the cheat would be along the lines: "shoot down 15 Japanese planes, Japan gets 15 new planes." In theory at least, you could still decimate their air force.

[brian800000]

Questions on the use of the mega xAPs--some of these have cruise speeds of 28. I think that speed is their best defense--and leaves them rather invulnerable to everything save carriers. So I'm thinking of running them unescorted from LA to Sydney to move troops.

Is this the way experienced players use them? It seems unhistorical to move large LCUs unescorted, but from a gameplay perspective it seems counterproductive to stick them with a bunch of escorts that slow them down to 14 and make them accessible targets to subs and surface raiders. I'm torn on this.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Questions on the use of the mega xAPs--some of these have cruise speeds of 28. I think that speed is their best defense--and leaves them rather invulnerable to everything save carriers. So I'm thinking of running them unescorted from LA to Sydney to move troops.

Is this the way experienced players use them? It seems unhistorical to move large LCUs unescorted, but from a gameplay perspective it seems counterproductive to stick them with a bunch of escorts that slow them down to 14 and make them accessible targets to subs and surface raiders. I'm torn on this.

Both the Queen Mary and Queen Elisabeth made high speed unescorted runs throughout the war. The gameplay is therefore consistent with the historical record.

Alfred

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Questions on the use of the mega xAPs--some of these have cruise speeds of 28. I think that speed is their best defense--and leaves them rather invulnerable to everything save carriers. So I'm thinking of running them unescorted from LA to Sydney to move troops.

Is this the way experienced players use them? It seems unhistorical to move large LCUs unescorted, but from a gameplay perspective it seems counterproductive to stick them with a bunch of escorts that slow them down to 14 and make them accessible targets to subs and surface raiders. I'm torn on this.

Both the Queen Mary and Queen Elisabeth made high speed unescorted runs throughout the war. The gameplay is therefore consistent with the historical record.

Alfred

What other forum would someone know this! [&o]

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Is this the way experienced players use them? It seems unhistorical to move large LCUs unescorted, but from a gameplay perspective it seems counterproductive to stick them with a bunch of escorts that slow them down to 14 and make them accessible targets to subs and surface raiders. I'm torn on this.

A high (cruise) speed is an excellent defense against sub attacks. I run the large liners without escorts, which would slow them down considerably.

So far only once a liner was attacked by a sub in my PBEMs - the torpedoes missed.

[cmdrsam]

I havnt played this in about a month. Found it to be overwhelming. But after not touching it, and skiming through some articles, and rebooting a campaign. Some items have finnally sunk in my thick skull. Ship loses for me, way down, ship losses for enemy up. So I think I am on right track. My question is this. I am having trouble with understanding airbases. Port sizes matter as far as tonnage able to dock. Does airbases effect the same? There is a list for port sizes. Is there a list for airbases? I guess in a round about way I am asking is this.

Size one base is able to store X amount of planes, but at what size? As the base size increases what kind of planes can be used at them? Looking for info like this, I'll give the port sizes and my understanding.

Port size one is able to have 6,000 tonnage docked
port size 2 is able to have 9,000 tonnage docked
port size 3 is able to have 12,00 tonnage docked.

Looking for info like above.

[VSWG]

Airfield size has many effects. It is easier to
damage and destroy aircraft on the ground at
smaller airfields (less dispersion). It is also more
likely that planes will suffer operational losses
when landing at smaller airfields.
Level bombers require an airfield equal to size 4
+ (bomb load / 6500) rounded down. So, a B29 requires a size 7 airfield to avoid the penalties.
Light bombers require a starting airfield of 2 rather than 4.

Penalties include:
»» Increased operational losses on takeoff.
»» A reduction in their range as air units cannot fly combat
Missions at greater than their normal range.
»» A diminished (extended range) bomb load.

If a base has less Aviation Support than is required, level bomber offensive missions are
reduced by 25%.
If an Airfield has too many aircraft (physical space) or groups (administrative) present, then the
airfield is deemed overstacked. And is indicated by an ‘*’ next to the airfield.
An overstacked airfield affects how many aircraft can be launched, casualties from attacks
and aircraft repairs.

A 9+ airfield does not suffer from overstacking.

An airfield can operate 50 single engine (or 25 two engine, or 12 four engine) planes per AF size
or 1 group per AF size. The best Air HQ of the same command as the base which is within range
can add its command radius to the number of groups that can be administrated, or if not in the
same command, the nearest HQ will add ½ its command radius to the number of groups.
In addition, groups at rest or in training only count as 1/3 for the purposes of counting aircraft
at the base, and don’t count at all against the number of groups. Split groups only count as
individual groups if they are attached to different HQs.

[cmdrsam]

Thank you.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Questions on the use of the mega xAPs--some of these have cruise speeds of 28. I think that speed is their best defense--and leaves them rather invulnerable to everything save carriers. So I'm thinking of running them unescorted from LA to Sydney to move troops.

Is this the way experienced players use them? It seems unhistorical to move large LCUs unescorted, but from a gameplay perspective it seems counterproductive to stick them with a bunch of escorts that slow them down to 14 and make them accessible targets to subs and surface raiders. I'm torn on this.

Brian:

If you are speaking of the Queens in 1942, be aware of the hard lesson Andy Mac's AI scripts taught me in my first game. They can't outrun carrier aircraft, and they SURE can't outrun 8-in shells from a heavy cruiser. Route them safely, for you never know what you may run into in the vast wastes of the Pacific . . .