Matrix Games Forums

OK,
A couple of questions the more experienced guys may be able to help with...
Supply... I'm swimming in supplies in Australia, even if all ports are empty of merchants, but having a hard time keeping India going...any ideas on how to keep India going???
Tankers... I picked up some oil from Balikpapan but now the tankers cannot unload it anywhere.... is the oil function only for the Japs?? (yes I was playing the allies).If so why is the choice on the menu?? If not how can I reclaim my oil filled tankers??
Locations... Would there be any chance of having a find location function in the game??
Experienced veterans can probably locate every base in an instant but speaking for myself I spent 15 minutes trying to guess where Tarakan was this morning (after Intel told me a Jap division was being transported there) it would be great to be able to input the name into a menu and the program locate it for you.Pie in the sky maybe but it would be a big help.And oh for a scrollable map!!
Anyway, I really would appreciate any input,
I am in love with this game!! is anybody putting together a bit of a strategy/hint
guide for the less experienced??
Regards,
Steve.

Hi Steve,

I think you need to have merchants in the port of India to get routine supply running to the ports in that area (India and Ceylon).
You guessed right that picking up oil is only for the Japanese. I've no idea how you can unload your tankers though.
As for hints there is a document called Pwhints available. Suggest you try this web page http://home.earthlink.net/~tmflood/page2.html for the hints and lots of other goodies.
As for your other questions maybe you can get some answers from the Matrix team but don't hope too much since they are deeply involved in putting together a new game called War in the Pacific, WitP.

Hope this helps a little.

PS. The hints are for the original version of the game so some of them might be out of date due to changes in this new release.

I've had the same problem with the Indian supply. I've had plenty of MS in Trincomalee and nothing EVER supplies into that port. I'm reduced to a very inneficient convoy system of my own doing shuttle runs from Perth. This is slowly working, but I despair of ever doing anyything in the BCI theatre. If the computer was a little more agressive, he could hammer my attempts to run supply and the entire theatre would be perpetually out of supplies.

The simple act of placing the merchants into the ports just does not work.

Steve,

As mentioned in the post from BPRE, the port of India is the key to routine supply in the BCI theatre. This port must have ample MCS and TK in port. As long as it never gets isolated (pray it doesn't!) then routine supply should cover all Allied bases in the theatre.

Mike, It doesn't help to have MCS in other Indian Ocean ports like Trincomalee, India is the key. Hopefully this will solve your supply problems.

Regarding the tanker captain who refuses to unload his oil (only the Japanese can make use of this resource), disband the TF that the TK is in, and create a 'replenishment' TF using the oil laden TK. The ship will now be loaded with fuel, which you will easily be able to unload.

I don't think there'll be anything coming from Matrix regarding easy base identification (they're very busy with WITP), but time will eventually take care of that problem.

Regards,

Rich

Thanks guys!!
Where else could you get such prompt and helpful advise!
Well that errant tanker captain is now behaving himself...THANKS Rich!!
On the supply problem... I followed your advise and kept merchants in India and it does make a big difference (thanks again!!)
On the subject of merchants, I notice that the BCI theatre seems to use mostly 8000 ton merchants and there is always a shortage of these (at least in the current game) while the US uses mostly 10 000 ton and I have plenty of these.
What controls the amount of merchants entering the war?? or is it random. I can understand that the US theatre is building plenty of merchants with all the facilities in the USA, are the Indian and Dutch theatres provided with an initial number and because none are built in theatre you have to rely on a dribble from the mother country??
As for the find location function... hey, I can live without it if it means WITP arrives a day earlier!!
Again thanks a million guys for your help!!
Regards,
Steve