Pacific War TIPS

Major Tom · Post by **Major Tom** » Tue Feb 12, 2002 4:38 am

Just thought you might want some tips as to play Pacific War effectively. Here is one tip.

TF Reaction.

How do you get your TF's to react?

First off, create your TF, at maximum, 15 hexes from the target area. For example, if you are battling around the Solomans, find a base fairly close to the island groups, but not too close (as to attack TF's out of the desired area.

How can you make Reaction TF's to react?

Air Zone of Control can REALLY affect the ability for TF's to react.

Positive Air Zones can be made through Patrol Groups (PBY, H6K, etc...)and Navy Bombers (SBF, D4Y, etc...). For reaction moves, the more Positive Air Zones within 5 hexes of the targetted area (the larger the hex range of aircraft the better, but for all aircraft, less than 5 hexes, or less than the aircraft maximum is best). If you have a high number of these aircraft in the desired zone, then the chances of intercepting an enemy TF increases. So if you want to have your TF's react, set up a bunch of PBY/H6K groups nearby.

If you do not want enemy groups to react to your TF's within a certain region, then what you are supposed to do is the following.

1. Put up a bunch of Fighter Groups in the area. Fighter AZOC's nullify, or combat Recon AZOC's.

2. Make your TF's Small. The smaller the group of ships you have in a TF, the less chance that it gets spotted by enemy AZOC's.

3. Make your TF's Fast. The faster the group of ships you have in the TF, the less chance that it gets caught by the enemy Reaction TF.

So, if you are the US and you want to catch Japanese forces reinforcing the Solomans what you have to do is to put as many NAVY aircraft on any island in the Solomans that the US commands (this is why capturing Guadalcanal is very important). Put a bunch of PBY groups at controlled bases directly in the Solomans, as well as nearby. Check enemy AZOC's. The more you knock down enemy fighter cover, the better off your PBY squadrons will be in spotting enemy forces. Even if enemy AZOC's are strong, you can always nullify them out by placing A LOT of Patrol and other Navy units in the area.

The base that you start your Reaction TF is very important, along with its reaction range. Figure out the furthest distance you want to go into enemy territory (you do not want to go too far, or else you will get into enemy bomber range!). Set the range so that you can cover the desired bases, but not going too far into enemy territory (remember, reactions go 360 degrees, so beware about enemy movements to the North, South, East and West of you). Give your TF a good Naval Leader (if a surface TF), Air leader (if a carrier TF) and have high aggressiveness. The faster the TF the better.

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Wed Feb 20, 2002 10:54 pm

What impact, if any, do PPs, TF Leader Rating, Fuel/Supply, and port size have on reaction moves by a TF? I'm playing a game now as the Allied commander. It's April 1942 and I still hold Palembang, all of Java, 1/2 of New Guinea, Rabaul, and the Solomons. Palembang and Java are loaded with tactical bombers and B-17s. Sigint reveals that the IJN has it's eye on the oil of Palembang (I'll bet they're reserves are getting mighty low). I send a BB TF under Doorman from Batavia to Palembang three weeks in a row. Between my TF and the bombers, the IJN takes a beating. Then the IJN ups the stakes and sends a surface fleet, led by the Yamato, to clear the sea lanes. Doorman surprises the IJN and sinks the Yamato, losing only 1 CA and a DD in the process. The bombers on Palembang and Batavia hammer a transport fleet as well. Then when it looks like I've thwarted another assault, a Jap transport fleet drops troops on the beaches, without coming under air or naval attack and overuns the token Dutch force there. What happened? The allied fleet should have slaughtered the transports, after roughly handling the IJN surface fleet. At the very least, the bombers should have had a field day. Instead, the Japs get the oil and destroy over 100 seasoned aviators! <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

The only consolation is that I easily recaptured Palembang the following week with two british divisions from Batavia. The Japs lose 60-80 planes and an amphibious bde. Now, I'm short on bomber groups, even though there are plenty of planes in reserve.

[ February 21, 2002: Message edited by: Captain Akira Sogi ]</p>

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Wed Feb 20, 2002 11:02 pm

Another problem I've been having is getting my beloved B-17s to attack enemy bases. They're great at spotting enemy TFs, but when it comes time to drop some ordinance on Truk or any other local bases, they just sit on the airstrips. I've got Gen. Brererton as the air leader for the SW Pacific HQ, stationed at Port Moresby. The B-17s are located on Bougainville and Rabaul. Both are SW Pacific bases with heavy fighter cover and plenty of supply. I've also tried unsuccesfully to bomb Takao with B-17s based in Canton, which the Chinese troops easily captured. By the way, have you noticed that the Chinese can't march to Hong Kong from Canton, but the Brits could retreat from Hong Kong to Canton?

It's been one helluva battle for Rabaul. The IJN dropped a battalion on the beaches in February 1942. In March 1942, the IJN tried to break my grip on the island by sending the Hiryu, Soryu, & two CVLs. Between my LBA and my carrier TF (Lexington & Enterprise), the IJN lost all those carriers and I survived intact. Next, I launched an airstrike at Ponape, the home base of the Combined Fleet. The IJN got caught with their pants down and several BBs and CAs were crippled. I tried again the following week, with the Yorktown and another CV (since Lady Lex and Big E got some minor damage from LBA). Yorktown was sunk, but so were the Zuikaku and Akagi.

IJN losses: 4 CV, 3 CVL, 1 CVE, 1 BB (Yamato), 2 CA, 3 CL, & 23 DD. Allied losses: 1 CV (Yorktown), 3 BB, 2 CA, 5 CL, & 17 DD.

[ February 20, 2002: Message edited by: Captain Akira Sogi ] <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[ February 20, 2002: Message edited by: Captain Akira Sogi ]</p>

sw30 · Post by **sw30** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 2:24 am

The reason why The Chinese can't march from Canton to Hong Kong is because Hong Kong is under SEAC control. Other than the 2 (3?) Chinese armies under the Burma Army, no Chinese army may enter non Japanese/non KMT controlled bases. Change HK to KMT, and you can march in and slaughter the JA troops there. (who seems unable to take HK for whatever reason.

Jeff

crusher · Post by **crusher** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 4:28 am

i always have to reinforce HK to capture it then move the men back out to fight in the PI.

daniel123 · Post by **daniel123** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 5:41 am

Another problem I've been having is getting my beloved B-17s to attack enemy bases

sometimes the best way to get B-17's to attack is not to assgn a base to be attacked. If you have already selected a air attack target, just select air attack on the base menu and the info on the bottom left will tell you how to cancel a base target. the bombers sometimes go for the richest target at a very great range.

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 10:28 pm

Originally posted by sw30:
The reason why The Chinese can't march from Canton to Hong Kong is because Hong Kong is under SEAC control. Other than the 2 (3?) Chinese armies under the Burma Army, no Chinese army may enter non Japanese/non KMT controlled bases. Change HK to KMT, and you can march in and slaughter the JA troops there. (who seems unable to take HK for whatever reason.

Jeff

It's January 1941 and the beleaguered Brits in Hong Kong are in desperate need of reinforcements. 6 or 7 well supplied Chinese (KMT) armies are in Canton, which was overrun in December. The KMT troops can't march to the rescue of Hong Kong and the Brits can't march to Canton. Finally the Japs overrun the Brits, who promptly retreat to Canton. After resupplying the Brits, I try to send them back to Hong Kong along with the KMT troops. Even the Brits can't march back. What's that all about and why is there a prohibition on KMT troops marching to a city in their own country? <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 10:42 pm

Originally posted by Captain Akira Sogi:
What impact, if any, do PPs, TF Leader Rating, Fuel/Supply, and port size have on reaction moves by a TF? I'm playing a game now as the Allied commander. It's April 1942 and I still hold Palembang, all of Java, 1/2 of New Guinea, Rabaul, and the Solomons. Palembang and Java are loaded with tactical bombers and B-17s. Sigint reveals that the IJN has it's eye on the oil of Palembang (I'll bet they're reserves are getting mighty low). I send a BB TF under Doorman from Batavia to Palembang three weeks in a row. Between my TF and the bombers, the IJN takes a beating. Then the IJN ups the stakes and sends a surface fleet, led by the Yamato, to clear the sea lanes. Doorman surprises the IJN and sinks the Yamato, losing only 1 CA and a DD in the process. The bombers on Palembang and Batavia hammer a transport fleet as well. Then when it looks like I've thwarted another assault, a Jap transport fleet drops troops on the beaches, without coming under air or naval attack and overuns the token Dutch force there. What happened? The allied fleet should have slaughtered the transports, after roughly handling the IJN surface fleet. At the very least, the bombers should have had a field day. Instead, the Japs get the oil and destroy over 100 seasoned aviators! <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

The only consolation is that I easily recaptured Palembang the following week with two british divisions from Batavia. The Japs lose 60-80 planes and an amphibious bde. Now, I'm short on bomber groups, even though there are plenty of planes in reserve.

[ February 21, 2002: Message edited by: Captain Akira Sogi ]

I've got two divisions of Brits in Palembang and a BB TF, under Phillips (who now has a naval rating of 7 or 8 after sinking the Yamato without losses to his own fleet), in Batavia destined for Palembang, which along with Java is loaded with fighters and tactical bombers (B-25s). Phillips surprises a transport TF and turns it into a fish condo. Here's the astounding part: An IJN BB TF then arrives and bombards the hell out of my airfield at Palembang (in the same hex as my BB TF) and then an IJN transport fleet drops a division of troops without any interference. Phillips follows up by bombarding the Japs on Palembang and succeeds in killing the Allied general (way to go). Another IJN transport TF arrives and offloads another division without intervention. Phillips goes back to Batavia (as scheduled) and the Brits now have to contend with several divisions of Japs. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

My bombers seem to attack sporadically, but why isn't Phillips and his TF intercepting more than one TF (the first that arrives), especially when they're in the same hex and within about 5 different bomber AZOCs?

Jeff Norton · Post by **Jeff Norton** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 10:47 pm

My bombers seem to attack sporadically, but why isn't Phillips and his TF intercepting more than one TF (the first that arrives), especially when they're in the same hex and within about 5 different bomber AZOCs?

PP's and the leadership of your HQ's Air Leader for the air part. Guess the same for the higher HQ who has Phillips TF attached.

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 11:11 pm

What's really got me irritated is that Phillips has been a great TF commander. He almost always surprises the IJN at Palembang and then promptly shoots them to pieces, but after all that the IJN transports still get through. I've got total control of the air and sea around Palembang, but the IJN is undaunted by Phillips' BB fleet at essentially point blank range. Also, why is it that TFs never engage in more than two rounds of combat? Could someone please explain to me how a crippled transport fleet can escape total destruction by my air and naval forces? I think this is a major flaw in the programming and should be modified.

Don't misunderstand me, though. I am ecstatic that this game exists and that you folks have spent so much effort trying to improve it over the years. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Fri Feb 22, 2002 11:14 pm

Originally posted by sw30:
The reason why The Chinese can't march from Canton to Hong Kong is because Hong Kong is under SEAC control. Other than the 2 (3?) Chinese armies under the Burma Army, no Chinese army may enter non Japanese/non KMT controlled bases. Change HK to KMT, and you can march in and slaughter the JA troops there. (who seems unable to take HK for whatever reason.

Jeff

I disagree. No one can march to Hong Kong. Not the KMT or the Chinese attached to the Burma HQ, nor the Brits who just retreated from there. It doesn't matter if Hong Kong is controlled by SEAC, KMT, or the Japs. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Ranger-75 · Post by **Ranger-75** » Sat Feb 23, 2002 2:01 am

There's a march path between Hong Kong and Canton.
I like how the Japanese unit in HK is already at entrench level 3 when they just just mover in overnight (The Japanese snuck across the causeway before the fighting started everywhere else).

One possible reason why the British can't move back is maybe there were Japanese units at both bases and if there are enemy units in a base, your own units must have like 100:1 odds against them in order for you to move to another base with enemy in it. If there were no Japanese units in either base, then if both bases were Nationalist (or KMT or whatever Jeremy calls it now) then The Chinese can ove between them. Any British units should be able to move regardless as long as their readiness is 50% or higher.

So, where there any Japanese units in both bases?? That would be your answer.

Mika Väliviita · Post by **Mika Väliviita** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 3:32 pm

The path is one way only. You can move out of Hong Kong but not back (except by ship).

Mika

Soji · Post by **Soji** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 11:19 pm

Thanks, Mika, for the definitve word on travel between Canton and Hong Kong. I don't like this, but I think I may have found a way to use it to the advantage of the Allies. If I can con the japanese troops in to recapturing Canton with the troops in Hong Kong, they will be trapped and I can overrun them with the KMT.

Much thanks and praise are also due to the Matrix Team that has done such a good job of upgrading this game. I find it much more difficult to overwhelm the AI. In particular, the addition of the Allied defense battalions and the apparent increase in abiility of the NGU make invasions much more difficult. In the past, I would overrun Johnston Island with troops from Kwajalein Is. (no more). Also, the SBF (now NGU) troops were not very effective at preventing invasions. In my current game, two NGU units at Kwajelein Is. have slaughtered two invading American divisions. After I dumped the third division, the NGU troops surrendered with haste.

Has anyone had problems with Cargo TFs? I periodically load them with aircraft and send them to Fiji, but they always seem to end up near Kwajalein, a japanese AZOC. I thought Cargo TFs are supposed to avoid enemy AZOCs.

CynicAl · Post by **CynicAl** » Tue Feb 26, 2002 12:10 am

Originally posted by Captain Akira Sogi:
Has anyone had problems with Cargo TFs? I periodically load them with aircraft and send them to Fiji, but they always seem to end up near Kwajalein, a japanese AZOC. I thought Cargo TFs are supposed to avoid enemy AZOCs.

I had that problem a lot the first few times I played the game (including losing a brand-new fast battleship to LBA from Kwajalein), until I started routing all SoPac traffic through American Samoa. MCS won't quite get there from the West Coast in one turn, but that's OK - after one turn, they're far enough south that you can safely change their destination to Fiji, Espiritu Santo or Noumea amd still avoid the LBA.