The Intelligence Report and Hex Numbers

[derhexer]

I hope I'm not wasting your time w/this question. I've tried to find the answer by searching but can't.

I am having trouble finding out what the hex numbers are on the map. Specifically, when I get an intelligence report that coastwatchers sighted 4 ships at (for example) 59,63, how can I find that hex on the map?

As the computer resolves movement, sightings, etc., after the order phases end displays pop up on the screen along with a message, but these blink on and off too quickly for me to make note of the location or message.

Thanks!!

[USSAmerica]

Check the main WitP forum for the "must read threads" thread.  In there, there is a link to Bhodi's WitP Utility.  One of the things it does best is organize the intel reports by hex on a game map.  It's one of the major reasons I use the WitPUtility, and well worth getting it installed. 

[wwengr]

It is a fairly tedious process, but you can click on a hex and then look in the upper right on the information bar.  It gives the coordinates there.

[saj42]

Don't worry too much about making notes during the replay. All those details should appear in the 'Operations Report' accessible from a button at the top of the screen.

Re hex coordinates, as wwengr said, its a matter of clicking on the map, noting the coordinate given top right and clicking until you find it. For info, the first figure is the column, the second is the row. After a year you will have a good idea where most hexes are [;)]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: derhexer

I hope I'm not wasting your time w/this question. I've tried to find the answer by searching but can't.

I am having trouble finding out what the hex numbers are on the map. Specifically, when I get an intelligence report that coastwatchers sighted 4 ships at (for example) 59,63, how can I find that hex on the map?

You will soon learn the approximate locations of hexes... in the meantime you can just try trial and error (x,y = 0,0 at the upper left corner)... or you can look at your bases (see your base list at the top of the screen - it has a star on the box to click if you are Allies) - you can get a feel for the approximate location based on this. Clicking on the location in this list will "flash" the location on the map.

As the computer resolves movement, sightings, etc., after the order phases end displays pop up on the screen along with a message, but these blink on and off too quickly for me to make note of the location or message.

Thanks!!

Set the message delays to more time using your preferences screens. Not ALL messages are displayed in the OPS report, unfortunately, although most are.

[wwengr]

I have found that between Combat Reports, Operations Reports, SigInt Reports, and a scan of sighted ships/bases/units on the map, I get a pretty comprehensive view of the available information.  I suggest setting the message delays from the preference screen to one that allows you to read, if you want.  During execution of the turn, you can always press the Q key to eliminate the delays temporarily if you get overloaded with info and just want to move on.
 
The reports have an over-abundance of information.  In time you will learn what is really important.  For instance, SigInt reports that say Radio transmissions detected at Tokyo or Saipan Base Force is located at Saipan are of no value.  In comparison, one that says 25th Army is planning for an Attack on Medan tells something of real value.
 
If you are a real stickler for processing intelligence, you will find four text files in in the subdirectory /War In The Pacific/Save.  These files contain the most recent reports.  You can copy and paste these into another file to keep a running list.
 
Of course this amounts to information overload for most players.  My estimate is that if you really want to play the game effectively as the allies, you need to have a set of staff officers and commanders play the game together.  Here is the suggested team: (this is all tongue in cheek for those that think I am seriious)

• Supreme Commander - to keep all of the players working together and assign resources
• India Burma Commader
• China Commander - This guy can keep track of what's happening on the TV series that you are missing
• Russia Commander - This guy can make all of the pizza and beer runs
• North Pacific Commander - This guy can stand behind and second guess everyone else becuase any foray into his AO is completely pointless
• Pacific Island Campaign Commander
• MacArthur - This guy can make pompous statements and coordinate pointless landings in New Guinea
• G1 - Keep track of what pilots and leaders are alive/available/dead
• G2 - Keep the battle map plottied and perform analysis all of the SigInt and Sightings reports
• G3 - Keep the battle map plotted with all of the Ops reports and explain to all of the sub-commanders what the supreme commander really meant when he said "Attack, Attack, Attack!"
• G4 - Coordinate the movement of materials around the map
• G5 - Tell everyone why it was really necessary to set 100's of 1000's of Japanese civilians on fire
• G6 - Keep the radio tuned to stations that everone likes (I know, there was no G6 in WWII, so what?)
• Headquarters Commandant - determine sleeping arrangements when everyone discovers tha they played until 2 AM and drank too much beer
• Adjutant General - Keep track of what the Supreme Commander said
• Finance Officer - Make sure that everyone pitches in for Beer and Pizza
• Cheif of Staff - Tells all of the Staff officers to shut and and take tunrs speaking
• Deception Officer - Tells lies to the Japanese Player
• Hitorian - Keeps a record of play as if someone will care someday
• Aide-De-Camp - Ensures that the supreme commander always has a fresh beer
• Command Sergeant Major - Shouts profanities at everyone and resfuses to listen to the staff officers
• Inspector General - Writes reports to the supreme commander identifying who isn't bathing resulting in the foul odor in the room
• Public Affairs Officer - Tells lies to the wives in a lame attempt to convince them that you ar all doing something important
• Provost Marshal - Break up physical altercations
• Staff Judge Advocate - Make judgemental statements about everyone's misbehaviors (especially the ones that the supreme commander does not like)
• Chaplain - berates everyone for playing Witp on Sunday morning and takes himself entirely too seriously
• Transportation Officer - arranges rides for the players that have drank too much
• Special Operations Officer - This position is reserved for the wierdest guy in the room that has little grasp on reality and thinks he really is a warrior
• Chemical Officer - makes sure that the beer is beer and not NA beer

[USSAmerica]

Sounds like the makings of a fun weekend.  [:D]

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: wwengr

If you are a real stickler for processing intelligence, you will find four text files in in the subdirectory /War In The Pacific/Save. These files contain the most recent reports. You can copy and paste these into another file to keep a running list.

... OR you can accept USS America's advice and use Bodhi's utility, which does just that automatically - and much more! [;)]

tm.asp?m=1274014

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

ORIGINAL: wwengr

If you are a real stickler for processing intelligence, you will find four text files in in the subdirectory /War In The Pacific/Save. These files contain the most recent reports. You can copy and paste these into another file to keep a running list.

... OR you can accept USS America's advice and use Bodhi's utility, which does just that automatically - and much more! [;)]

tm.asp?m=1274014

If you can get it to install... (the worst crash i had in many years happened when trying to install Bodhi's utility... scared the heck out of me!! [X(] [:(] i DIDN'T try installing it a second time.)

[USSAmerica]

Bob, try a test install on a system or partition that isn't critical, so you can see it work.  You really don't know what you're missing!  The Intel reports actually become useful!  [:)]

[VSWG]

[&:]

You do have the .Net Framework installed, right?

[derhexer]

OK, I've downloaded Bhodi's witp utility. But, I read a post that the utility caused a major system crash. I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'd like to know if this utility is safe before I unzip it and install.

[bobogoboom]

I have used bhodi's utility for 8 months and have never had a system crash witp + chs has crashed my system(3) and witp has crashed my system(2) but never bhodi.

[USSAmerica]

Used it for a year now, and installed it 3 times, with no system crashes. 

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: USS America

Used it for a year now, and installed it 3 times, with no system crashes. 

Yes, well different people have different experiences with different programs.

The crash i had trying to install the Bodhi util was really frightening... i thought it had wiped out my system entirely... it took my some time and a lot of effort to recover from it.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: VSWG

[&:]

You do have the .Net Framework installed, right?

Yep.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

ORIGINAL: USS America

Used it for a year now, and installed it 3 times, with no system crashes.

Yes, well different people have different experiences with different programs.

The crash i had trying to install the Bodhi util was really frightening... i thought it had wiped out my system entirely... it took my some time and a lot of effort to recover from it.

[X(]

I never had any problems.

[Bodhi]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso


Yes, well different people have different experiences with different programs.

The crash i had trying to install the Bodhi util was really frightening... i thought it had wiped out my system entirely... it took my some time and a lot of effort to recover from it.

This is the first time I've heard of any problems of this kind. The installer is a standard Microsoft .NET installer: all it does is check that you have .NET installed and then adds the files to your hard drive and adds a registry entry.

What problems did you encounter? Were they registry related? Was there a possibility that your registrry was corrupted before you started the install?

It'd be a pity if someone didn't try it simply because of this isolated bad experience, which may be a rare and unusual case.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Bodhi

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso


Yes, well different people have different experiences with different programs.

The crash i had trying to install the Bodhi util was really frightening... i thought it had wiped out my system entirely... it took my some time and a lot of effort to recover from it.

This is the first time I've heard of any problems of this kind. The installer is a standard Microsoft .NET installer: all it does is check that you have .NET installed and then adds the files to your hard drive and adds a registry entry.

What problems did you encounter? Were they registry related? Was there a possibility that your registrry was corrupted before you started the install?

It'd be a pity if someone didn't try it simply because of this isolated bad experience, which may be a rare and unusual case.

Ooh... it's been some months ago (at least 6)... i normally have an automaintenance program set up to check things routinely so i don't think anything was wrong with the registry... but then again, it IS Windows (xp SP2 in this case).

Trying to remember all that happened... after installing it (as in immediately after) everything locked up and the screen went black... i couldn't reboot.

After diddling around a while (a couple hours iirc, but it might have just seemed that long - i forget all that i tried to get it back up), i finally managed to get it to boot into safe mode, and then i did a roll-back to the previous stable version and it worked fine.

i am not sure what went wrong, but it did scare me sufficiently that i never tried it again... i think if/when i get a new computer, i might try again, but not until then.