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Wow, great nugget, Don! [8D]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


Barges that carry fuel can refuel other barges (in the same TF) at sea. If you order a barge TF to load supplies and set the destination before loading takes place, and the barges do not have enough range to make it to that destination, 1/4th of the barges will load fuel instead of supply for refueling in route.

For a troop TF you must create a separate barge TF, load it with fuel, and merge it with the barge TF carrying troops.

Before you ask, the extra steps for a troop barge TF were intentional. If you keep troops at sea in barges long enough for the barges to run short of fuel the troops disruption will soar.

thanks for this info Don. Have noticed this long ago and wondered if this was working as designed or some flaw in the loading routine. As it didn't really affect me I haven't put more thought in it though.

ORIGINAL: CV 2

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

ORIGINAL: AirGriff

Isn't it a little gamey to send any kind of ship out knowing it will run out of fuel long before it reaches its destination? I don't think they (commanders on either or any side) would have done that as a routine tactic. No doubt there are extreme examples in forlorn hopes and the like, but I doubt it was done as a "normal" SOP. Having flung the proverbial grenade, I will calmly leave the room and close the door

That's why you add xAK or something so they can refuel from it....depicts very well how they were transported anyway.

Kinda defeats the point of using barges in the first place.

Barges can only be attacked at 100' height. Add another ship in there, an AK or a PB and you turn it from a barge TF which cant be bombed into a transport TF that can be.

Personally IMHO, a true "barge" TF is kinda pointless and a waste of VPs. And if you have to add other type ships to get them there, then why even bother?

don't know how it looks like for the Japanese but for the Allied, barge TF are great. Use them a lot with 23 LCT and 2 PT in each TF. Such a TF carries roughly 3500 tons out to 17 hexes. Perfect in areas like the SRA while being under enemy air threat.

I will use a chain of Dot bases to extend the range of my barges. For example, after Guadalcanal is cut off by air, but before it falls, I run supplies in by barge from Shortlands. My first barges run fuel to Munda (55 gallon drums or their equivalent). Once Munda has an adequate supply, I use it to refuel barge TFs enroute to the Russell Islands and repeat the process. From the Russell Islands, barge TFs can reach Lunga if need be. A lot of work, to be sure, but if you pre-stage fuel at these islands...

Im not saying they cant be used. Im not saying I dont know how to use them. Im saying it isnt worth it.

Barges have to be micro-managed. That is to say, you cant create a CS (or should I say you COULDNT, I dont know if thats still the case) with a barge TF and just have them ferry fuel/supply. When Im dealing with such insignificant amounts, it isnt something I want to have to take the time to check every day. Easier to just load up a TF of smaller AKs, put 400 CAP on, and have them zip in and unload in a night.