Loading rate for LCU's

[RocketMan]

Can somebody give me the loading speed for LCU's? Is it dependent on port size? Type of ship (i.e. AK vs. AP)?

I have found the info for loading and unloading supplies and fuel but have not had any luck locating a similar formula for LCU's.

[Feinder]

Unfortunately, it -is- quite complex.
 
It varies depending on:
 
a. Shiptype (AP, AK, LST, whatever).
b. Port size
c. LCU "device" type (squad, support, gun, tank, etc).
 
Basic rules of thumb:
a.  Larger ports are better than smaller.  You can unload 400 + (1000 x PortSize) per turn : which is good to know that each ship can only unload 400 supplies per turn on a hostile beach.   Loading troops at a friendly port is much faster (something like 1000 x [PortSize + 1]).
b.  Squads/support/engineers load and unload faster from AP/LCI/LCM/LCVP.
c.  Guns/Tanks/Supplies load and unload faster from AK/LCT.  Basically, your armored and artillery units pack and unpack better on AKs.
d.  Your LSTs and LSDs are golden.  Everybody loves riding on them (except that it means they're about to hit a hostile beach!).
e.  You can usually unload about 700 - 1000 points per turn, depending on the unit and ship type.  Generally, LSTs will unload in a turn (keep all your L-type ships for assaulting atolls).  AKs and APs will unload about 700 per turn, give or take.  So if you want everybody to jump off in a turn, you've got to load only about 700/per ship, regardless of its max capacity (it'll just take several turns to unload).
f.  Don't forget to have a few ships loaded with supplies only: generally your ships unload troops first, then supplies.  So you can get a situation where your guys are stuck on the beach with no bullets becuase they're all stacked up behind the guy who won't get out of the doorway.  A few ships with supplies only, will begin unloading with your assault troops (instead of waiting until they're all ashore).
 
-F-

[RocketMan]

Thanks for the information Feinder.

A little background. I played UV years ago and purchased WitP when it first came out but never actually played it. I decided to actually give it a try a week or so ago and have been trying to get my mind around it since then.

So the reason I was looking for the information was to see how fast I could load an LCU to essentially evacuate it. Specifically, British base forces in Malaya. I wanted to know if I could load in just a couple of days with one AP or would it take a week or more. Should I send more than one AP to speed up the loading? Can I get them out at one of the size 2 or 3 ports or should I try to get them out at Singapore?

I have read all the information I can find about the game (Manual, "must read threads", WIKI, forum searches) So I know the tactic of evacuating cadres, air evacuation and fast transport evacuations. But the information on loading LCUs was seriously lacking. I guess I will just have to try it for myself and see how it goes.

After all, I am only playing the AI and at this point I am just trying to learn the game basics and flow. With AE coming out soon, enough things will change that details like this will have to be relearned anyway.

[Oldguard1970]

Don't send a boy to do a man's job.  If you want to evacuate a unit, send plenty of ships.  That way you load fast and get out of dodge fast.  In addition, you will spread your LCU among several vessels, which minimizes the number of troops lost when a single ship goes down.
 
Welcome to a grand game!
 
 

[RocketMan]

Thanks for the welcome OldGuard1970!

My concern with sending a large TF to do the job was detection levels. The more ships, the better chance they have of being attacked. I was hoping to sneak in a small TF and evacuate some of the base forces as the Japanese advanced. I plan on fighting for Malaya as best I can with the forces in the area and then evacuating some of the base forces and all the planes I can get out.

I have read how some players evacuate everything as soon as possible and just leave the SRA, the PI and Malaya to the advancing Japanese but I thought it would be more fun to fight the AI for every inch of ground where possible. Of course I don't want to sacrifice units needlessly so I wanted to know how close the Japanese could get before I needed to evacuate some of the base forces.

I guess I will just try it out and see how it goes.

[Feinder]

Loading from Sing is going to load pretty quickly (it's a size 8).  It'll be slower due to any port damage, but you're not really going to have a problem getting guys on your ships.  Keeping your ships afloat, is another matter entirely.
 
A good rule of thumb is 1x AK or AP per 1000 load points for quickly load/unload (if your LCU is 12,000 load for AK, use 12x AKs.  If that same LCU is 7,000 load for APs, use 7x APs).
A suggestion that a little gamey, but if you're playing against the AI : who cares.  The targeting routines of WitP all but ignore single-ship TFs, and will is far less likely to attack them.  You could run in single-ship TFs to pick up your guys. 
 
Or if you're in PBEM, or simply want to give the AI a chance to defend itself, use several TFs of 2 - 3 transports: these will get targeted; but if plenty of them, you'll end up saturating the LBA threat.
Pulling everything back is folks call "Sir Robin" btw.  The AI tries to play a relatively historical game.  If you want a "fun" game vs. AI, it's better to dig in an try to hold Sing (without going bug-nutts).  If you're PBEM, then whatever your early strategy works for you.
 
-F-

[Oldguard1970]

Listen to Feinder...
 
Also, please recognize most of us quickly learn what the AI will do.  As a result, we can win with ease.  That's no fun!  So, while you are still on the learning curve, I suggest you try very hard to avoid the temptation of restarting.  You can louse things up horribly as the allies and still recover.