A few newbie questions

[KenchiSulla]

[/quote]

Edit: LRCAP is a defensive mission and only attacks enemy missions flown to the hex they are protecting, LRCAP does not protect your bombing missions. You can sweep a hex with fighters and they will attack enemy CAP in the hex. But there is no guarantee the sweep will arrive before your bombers arrive.

[/quote]

LRCAP is not a replacement of the escort mission but they do engage enemy fighters CAPping / LRCAPping if they spot them... No guarantees though....

[BillSirKill]

I set up a cargo transort from Adelaide to Los Angeles... Home port Adelaide.. I get this line moves (m/c) 4/3, Fuel - 307/420 (212) Endure 12300..
1. I did not set a load --will this transport come back with supplies, fuel, resources? In this instance pp104 of the manual stated that if no preference is stated it will transport supplies or fuel. Adelaide is in need of fuel. If I check LOAD FUEL at the port of adelaide -- will it not take fuel from adelaide and send it to LA? (BTW I am using KULL's AE SET-UP as a learning tool - which I have found to be a wonderful tool)

2. The TF is ~150 hexes to Los Angeles - The 307/420 is in red and the (212) is in green on the same line.. Endurance is red at 12300. I interpret this as: Maximum speed = 307 hexes/Cruise speed = 420 What is the GREEN (212)? If the endurance is 12300 at 40 mi/hex = ~307 hexes .. why is it red when LA is only 150 hexes away and Fuel Refuel is on?

3. Would you set the mission on CS:Los Angeles or Leave it on Human Control Remain on station -- Aren't these the same? Under Computer control it states Retirement allowed,,,, does this mean only one round trip?

I've scoured the manual - I appreciate any advice

Thanks.. Bill

[alimentary]

The 307/420 means 307 hex max range at the currently selected speed setting (mission/cruise) out of a 420 hex trip to the destination (Los Angeles) and back to base (Adelaide). This is in red because there is not enough fuel to complete the round trip.

As the task force continues on its voyage, the 307 figure will tick down as fuel is used and the 420 will also tick down as the remaining distance to the destination and back decreases. (212) is the range to the destination (Los Angeles). It is green because there is enough fuel to get there without refueling. As the voyage continues, this number will tick down as well.

Yes, if you "load fuel" at Adelaide, it would be carrying fuel to the U.S. Exactly the opposite of what you want to be doing. If it were me, I would give the TF a home base of either Los Angeles or San Francisco -- possibly after forming up into a better escorted TF.

Note that the default routing for this task force takes it through areas under Japanese control. You would be wise to set way points to keep your TF far away from Roi-Namur.

[KenchiSulla]

Example

[zuluhour]

Herr Canon Fodder, all due respect, I LRCAP bomber missions all the time to great effect. True some packages will arrive unprotected, but most are well defended and the fighters score like a sweep mission.

as an example: right now I fly P47 missions short range LRCAP from Imphal which interdicts IJA LRCAP at the time of the strike from bombers at Ledo etc. I try to keep 46-92mi min shorter range for the fighters than the bombers. I guess this helps with time to climb etc.. as I LRCAP them at 32 thousand feet, our house alt rule.

[BillSirKill]

Ali and Can: Thanks.. so I guess if I put refuel the TF will get enough fuel at LA for the return trip or do I need to stop and dock it there?.. Unrelated: would you use AUTO Convoy? - I did set a safe Waypoint.
The auto convoy system still has me baffled.. for instance... according to Kull one should build fortifications or airfieds in quite remote areas - Ie: central OZ.. won't that deplete supplies in the long run that will cause a decrease in VPs..No? So, if I set up auto convoy to some of these remote areas - won't I lose these supplies for areas never to be affected by the IJ?

[zuluhour]

You have to get fuel and supply to Australia, New Zealand, and forward areas you intend to occupy.
 1) Australia: You have tankers to make the haul direct and back without refueling, but in the early months, not enough. You also deplete the tankers fuel if flank speed becomes necessary to avoid any IJN assets, ergo  a relay depot can be helpful somewhere deep in SoPac, unattractive to Japan. As USN support squads are needed and a decent port size, I like at least (5) it becomes worth defending with ASW, Search, and LCUs. To what extent depends on your opponent. You will be able to shuttle fuel with TFs from US to said base and unload without refueling and return while other tanker TFs supply the forward areas from there.
2) Auto convoy works best when sea lanes become more "secure" and bases built up. Now would be the time to employ some if you prefer that method.
3) Japan can hit you anywhere they want early and hard so keep the convoys either small or well escorted, which is difficult in '42,  keeping in mind if carriers are employed in your seal lanes you will lose alot of assets.
4) IJN subs do not seem to attack single ship convoys as often, small single tankers can ply waters deep in the south Pacific without as much risk.
***just some thoughts***
In my first two PBMs I lost two total tankers in my sea lanes from the west coast to Australia. Single tankers left the west coast almost daily to my secret depot. two and three tanker convoys delivered the fuel the rest of the way under small escort. I used some Canadian KVs and older four stackers. They were not so good at sinking subs, but they did react and prevent multiple losses.
 

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: BillSirKill

Ali and Can: Thanks.. so I guess if I put refuel the TF will get enough fuel at LA for the return trip or do I need to stop and dock it there?.. Unrelated: would you use AUTO Convoy? - I did set a safe Waypoint.
The auto convoy system still has me baffled.. for instance... according to Kull one should build fortifications or airfieds in quite remote areas - Ie: central OZ.. won't that deplete supplies in the long run that will cause a decrease in VPs..No? So, if I set up auto convoy to some of these remote areas - won't I lose these supplies for areas never to be affected by the IJ?

Both Cannonfodder and Alimentary have given direct answers but they have avoided the real advice which is:

[center]this is a waste of time and a very suboptimal decision[/center]

There are many reasons why you should not pursue this idea of CS convoys Adelaide-Los Angeles. You should do forum searches on these keywords

• supply
• logistics
• Australian industry
• oil movement
• fuel requests
• auto convoy

look for posts from the devs, Bullwinkle58 and myself to develop an understanding of what works and what doesn't.

As a starting point I direct you to my post in this thread

tm.asp?m=3697364

which details how required fuel at a base is determined.

In summary the weakness of your approach is

• there are far better Australian ports than Adelaide to dump fuel, and they are more economical
• what fuel you dump in Adelaide will not stay there unless you know how supply/fuel moves overland
• CS is not demand driven so you will see spoilage if you manage to keep the fuel in Adelaide
• the wear and tear on such a long route will result in constant micromanagement. That rather defeats the purpose of having a CS route. Note how Cannonfodder's CS exemplar has a total distance of 23 hexes only, not the 420 your route has
• your route will be interdicted by the enemy so you need escorts, which in turn will exacerbate your fuel consumption problems

Alfred

[BillSirKill]

Thanks for the replies... as a serious newbie - I wish to lay the foundation of the GC in such a manner that after putting in many many hours of playtime only to find out...ooops - I misunderstood.. doesn't happen. I have read post after post to ad nauseum. I'm not looking for someone to play the game for me - just want to get pointed in the right direction.

Alfred: Prior to your reply I read your Ship repair 101 guide.. Great!! I am on day 2 of the GC.. so I want to get it straight - as there is major damage at PH. Now I'm reading your Logistics 101.
Zuluhour: I see what you are saying regarding the depots.

WITP AE has over 500,000 posts!! Scouring the posts leads to more scouring - which leads to confusion. So, thanks for your patience!!

Bill

[zuluhour]

It's no use trying to get it all, it's to easy to forget. I just have fun learning along the way.[8D]

[KenchiSulla]

ORIGINAL: BillSirKill

Thanks for the replies... as a serious newbie - I wish to lay the foundation of the GC in such a manner that after putting in many many hours of playtime only to find out...ooops - I misunderstood.. doesn't happen.

Sir, you can forget about that... Probably even Alfred has had that moment...

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

Edit: LRCAP is a defensive mission and only attacks enemy missions flown to the hex they are protecting, LRCAP does not protect your bombing missions. You can sweep a hex with fighters and they will attack enemy CAP in the hex. But there is no guarantee the sweep will arrive before your bombers arrive.

[/quote]

LRCAP is not a replacement of the escort mission but they do engage enemy fighters CAPping / LRCAPping if they spot them... No guarantees though....

[/quote]

No, I use LRCAP almost exclusively to cover my bombers and rarely escort. Sometimes the CAP is not there but rarely if the leader and pilots are experienced do they not show up. And they will show up and fight with most all packets that arrive. For the trade off of very high fatigue at the end of the mission, you bombers are well protected and you do not have a bunch of escorting fighters slaughtered. I usually try to lead with a sweep as the LRCAP wil generally assist with the sweep as well. Done correctly, most opposition will be gone before your bombers arrive. I have been using this method for six years of game play and find it just dandy.

[wneumann]

4. Convoys: My strategy is to set up a series of major collection hubs throughout the world (eg. San Francisco - Hawaii - Australia - India). Major convoys would run between these bases to keep their supply very high. Smaller convoys would then run regionally to keep the bases supplied from these hubs. Is this how experience players organize their convoys? Also, I've figured out how to set up computer controlled convoys that go one way (eg. to Hawaii from San Francisco with fuel, then back empty). But is there a way to do this two way?

Transport convoy system should be manual, especially vs a human opponent. The key points to doing this manually are you decide how your transport ships are allocated and used, what cargoes to be carried, destinations and transit routes, timing of departures and arrivals, etc. You also need to be able to adjust transport movements to enemy actions and changes in your general situation. No knock on the AI... but you have a better idea of what you need or want to do than the AI does.

Wdolson stated it quite well - the Allies start out having to do more with less and not getting to do much at all. It's the (Allied) tortoise and the (Japanese) hare.

[JayTac]

I'm a new player and currently running some of the smaller scenarios to learn the game. One issue I keep running into is the AI counter-attacking Japanese CV's with inefficient forces. For example, sending one Wildcat and 4 Dauntless' to counter-attack a fresh CV just to meet 20+ Zero's in the process. Needless to say these type of attacks are never successful and end up wasting men and resources. Is there something I'm doing wrong that's allowing this to happen? Any way I can stop the AI from coordinating its own attacks without my order?

thanks.

[SilentHunter]

I joined the noob club recently as well and have a couple general questions;

1) Is there a way or option to speed up the time in between turns?

2) Anyway to set all aircraft on a task force regardless of type on the same mission, such as search? I see you can set aircraft of the same type on missions but not all in a task force at the same time unless I'm missing it. Thanks

[jakla1027]

As to number 1, you can get combat reporter to views the results/actions of your previous turn, then after getting that 3rd party program just reduce all your message delays in the game settings & disable the combat screens. Then you can sail through turns while still getting all the important information about the turn. (and more info for that matter zusinf combat reporter) if I get more time later today I'll try and post the link to combat reporter.

Oh and there's some stuff you can do to use more of your quad cores.

Somebody will probably come along and give more info than I can give right now

[SilentHunter]

ORIGINAL: jakla1027

As to number 1, you can get combat reporter to views the results/actions of your previous turn, then after getting that 3rd party program just reduce all your message delays in the game settings & disable the combat screens. Then you can sail through turns while still getting all the important information about the turn. (and more info for that matter zusinf combat reporter) if I get more time later today I'll try and post the link to combat reporter.

Oh and there's some stuff you can do to use more of your quad cores.

Somebody will probably come along and give more info than I can give right now

Thanks Jakla removed the message delay in preferences and turned off combat report, yes much faster. I found the combat report mod so will try that out, thanks for the tips.

[Trugrit]

Tracker will let you view your air groups on any task force.
You will have to make any changes in game.

[jakla1027]

SilentHunter,
This link might help a little as well, has some info about multi core processors setup in the .exe command line

tm.asp?m=3826292

[SilentHunter]

^ Thanks all , game runs much faster for me with all the delays set to 0 and combat report off, turns over in 20 seconds at the longest. Trying to get the combat reporter working as there's a lot of info I would assume needs to to be reviewed after a turn so as to get the picture.