Survey Question - How do you organize/administer/document your war effort?

[mussey]

I'm sure there is a plethora of ways that players use to organize their games. For example for me, I used a simple notebook that listed geographically all my forward bases with LCU's there, and what was in transit to it (typically convoy). I also started to use another section to list all convoys in transit (w/what/where to/approx date of arrival). I started using another section for Intelligence reports but got bogged down w/ too much info. I use to have a section that listed enemy bases with what I thought was located there.

And yet I seem to be underorganized! So my question to y'all is: How do you organize? Any good tips? If a notebook is used, what sections would you report? Does the new AE have any organizational features?[8|]

[TheOx]

I don't do anything right now, and thats a problem. I'm interested to hear other's ideas.

[John Lansford]

Organization?  What's that?  Every time I start another turn I make sure to look over the entire map to refresh what is going on.  Where TF's are and their destination, what they're loaded with, etc.  Then I look over my forward air bases and check disruption/morale/damage and decide if they need to stand down for a few turns.  Subs get the same treatment, checking for damage and/or low on torpedoes.  Check bases for repair status on ships and if new ones should be sent forward, and any transport TF's that need loading with units or cargo.
 
Once that's all done I start looking at the strategic picture to see what my next stepping stone will be and what assets (carriers, assault TF's, warships, LCU's) need to be shifted to support that attack.  Then I set the turn in motion and repeat.

[Panther Bait]

I used to take a ton of hand notes in various notepads/notebooks and some spreadsheets for Japanese production tracking, but I found that keeping them up to date was just not realistic.
 
Now I primarily use WitPTracker to keep track of production and resource/oil shipping.  For the rest, I just try to develop a reliable turn pattern (e.g. always reviewing the map in the same pattern) and keep a mental list of pending operations.  I am sure that it makes me less than 100% organized for things like combat planning, but in some ways that isn't a terrible thing.  Operations take longer to arrange, but on the flip side, I think about them more between initial concept and execution.  I am much more likely to use staging areas now for operations, and send all the various components to some nearby large base (e.g. Truk or Rabaul for So Pac), then when the operation goes out, it's a quick load up and move out as opposed to trying to coordinate troops from 5 different locations to all arrive together at/near then objective.
 
The slow approach has stopped a couple of what would have been mistakes from gaining too much "planning inertia" that might have made me want to press ahead with a bad gamble.  It also typically gives my troops more time to accumulate prep points, rather than my old tendency to rush into attacks unprepared.

[Bladesss]

I will probably paste a list of all bases sorted by region into MS- excel and use it to keep track of what each base and its units are doing, and what it needs more of.

I will probably take the posts from the Allied tips posted here and make a checklist of everything to do on Turn 1 and a smaller checklist of what to check each turn.

Playing solo- I may cheat a little and save the game before processing the turn and check the alerts for bases out of supplies or factorys that need resources ect, fix these kinds of managament tasks and re-run the turn

I will make a chart of distences between bases like (Capetown- Perth, LA-Pearl, Pearl-Sydney ect) so i dont send 3rd rate transports on trips they dont have enought fuel for.

I may need to make a list of all the tasks i need to do that use political points and prioritize them.



Areas i think i need to do better at:

I only just started using witptracker, need to make better use of that, but my machine lags more then i like, switching tasks between witp and witptracker.

It sounds like I need to find some way of identifying all the units that use a device, and sort them by quanity. So when a new device like say (Indian squad 1942) becomes avail. I need to know which unit that needs it has the smallest need. So i can take advantage of how the repalacement system works.

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: John Lansford

Organization?  What's that?  Every time I start another turn I make sure to look over the entire map to refresh what is going on.  Where TF's are and their destination, what they're loaded with, etc.  Then I look over my forward air bases and check disruption/morale/damage and decide if they need to stand down for a few turns.  Subs get the same treatment, checking for damage and/or low on torpedoes.  Check bases for repair status on ships and if new ones should be sent forward, and any transport TF's that need loading with units or cargo.

Once that's all done I start looking at the strategic picture to see what my next stepping stone will be and what assets (carriers, assault TF's, warships, LCU's) need to be shifted to support that attack.  Then I set the turn in motion and repeat.

That approach got me into trouble - especially on Fri/Sat nights when I tried out my new martini concoctions. By the time midnight/2am arrived, I had forgtten what convoys I sent where and with what. Maybe someone needs to start up an AE Temperance Society.

[mussey]

Ignorant question (sorry), but what is 'Tracker' and how do you use it[&:]

[Nomad]

ORIGINAL: mussey

Ignorant question (sorry), but what is 'Tracker' and how do you use it[&:]

Look HERE

[CaptDave]

I have developed several (15, I think) spreadsheets that I use to keep track of things that are also available in Tracker and in the game reports. I do this because that's the way I become aware of things best -- just about the only time I've gone back to review is to the results of previous ground combat (specifically, what was my opponent's strength at the time).

Beyond that, I keep a notebook with a list of all the things to do each turn. This isn't a routine checklist, but rather a list of things I want to do each specific turn. If I don't make a note of something I want to check while I'm reviewing the combat results, I'll forget about it later. This also gives me a list to go back to later to remind myself of what I actually did.

Since my PBEM game is less than one turn per day (a major reason my opponent and I are playing against each other; we both have busy and variable schedules), I do write down outline plans for my major operations, so I won't forget over time what it is I'm planning to do. Doesn't mean I remember to go back and read it, though!

The one thing I don't do, but need to get in the habit of, is recording what my task forces are doing and why. While it's obvious for some of them, it's more nebulous in other cases. For example, I might have a division in Port B that needs to be moved to Port C, but I have no transports in Port B. I form up the TF in the nearest possible location, Port A, and send it off to Port B. But by the time it gets there I'm likely to have forgotten my original plan. This is especially a problem when I'm doing something similar in two different places at the same time (e.g., preparing invasions of Luzon and Mindanao simultaneousy).

Of course, in the end you have to do what benefits you the most. Just as different people learn differently, so do different people remember differently. Whatever you do, I can guarantee you'll end up tweaking it a lot over time (like my spreadsheets, which will need considerable revision for AE, to accommodate additional information that is being presented).

[jeffk3510]

I'm looking forward to naming Task Forces in AE.   If I don't write down what the task force is intended to do (such as a cargo tf) I pull it off and use it elsewhere, really throwing my logistics out the door.
 
So I am looking forward to having task forces "Pearl to Canton" "Frisco to Pearl" and such... so that (pending other issues that come up during the course of the game) I will always know what this task force's purpose is without writing it down.... don't know if it will work any better, but I think it will.

[mussey]

ORIGINAL: CaptDave

I have developed several (15, I think) spreadsheets that I use to keep track of things that are also available in Tracker and in the game reports. I do this because that's the way I become aware of things best -- just about the only time I've gone back to review is to the results of previous ground combat (specifically, what was my opponent's strength at the time).

Beyond that, I keep a notebook with a list of all the things to do each turn. This isn't a routine checklist, but rather a list of things I want to do each specific turn. If I don't make a note of something I want to check while I'm reviewing the combat results, I'll forget about it later. This also gives me a list to go back to later to remind myself of what I actually did.

Since my PBEM game is less than one turn per day (a major reason my opponent and I are playing against each other; we both have busy and variable schedules), I do write down outline plans for my major operations, so I won't forget over time what it is I'm planning to do. Doesn't mean I remember to go back and read it, though!

The one thing I don't do, but need to get in the habit of, is recording what my task forces are doing and why. While it's obvious for some of them, it's more nebulous in other cases. For example, I might have a division in Port B that needs to be moved to Port C, but I have no transports in Port B. I form up the TF in the nearest possible location, Port A, and send it off to Port B. But by the time it gets there I'm likely to have forgotten my original plan. This is especially a problem when I'm doing something similar in two different places at the same time (e.g., preparing invasions of Luzon and Mindanao simultaneousy).

Of course, in the end you have to do what benefits you the most. Just as different people learn differently, so do different people remember differently. Whatever you do, I can guarantee you'll end up tweaking it a lot over time (like my spreadsheets, which will need considerable revision for AE, to accommodate additional information that is being presented).

Capt. Dave, if I may be so bold - what are the spreadsheets that you have used? May be something I want to try as well. [;)] As for the TF's, that occurs frequently with me - not easy to document every one - JeffK mentioned the new feature of naming the TF's which will be a huge help.[&o]

[Wirraway_Ace]

mussey,

in WITP, I used to keep extenstive spreadsheets and notes, but after a couple of PBEM games, I now jot down a note here or there while travelling, but that is it. You get to quickly know your forces and key bases. As others have commented, having a routine by which you work through each major area of operations is key.

I also try not to run two games playing the same side at the same time. That really did cause some trouble trying to keep the games straight.

[Mike Solli]

Spreadsheets! Lots and lots of spreadsheets! The ability to name TFs will be a major plus.

[DivePac88]

I use WitPTracker, excel sheets, several notebooks, but above all I keep an up to date plot-map. Now this is an Intel type plot map, were every bit of info I get on the enemy goes. You would be surprised on how accurate an up to date plot map can be. Ramjet and I recently wound-up our CHS PBEM to restart in AE, and we exchanged passwords. When I compared his exact force structure and deployment with my plot map, I was very surprised to how close the plot map was.

[Yank]

I'm going to use MS Office One Note - it came in the Office bundle I purchased. An extra that I would not have bought otherwise but after poking around in it a bit, it looks good for AE notes.

I have a file with tabs set up according to the US staff system: G-1, 2,3,4,5 and a tab for general notes ready to go for my first game. I'm thinking that will be a good way to organize things. Now if I just had a staff to go with it...I think I may need it to play AE!

[tocaff]

WITPTracker, occasional notes when running a large operation and periodically going through base by base to check on all aspects of my war machine.

[Nomad]

I use WitPTracker for info about my units. I use WitP Utility to correlate my combat reports, intel, and ops. I use an Outliner program to make notes about what I need to do, what I am doing and who is doing it.

[Jaws_slith]

Well I use drawing or even powerpoint. The balls tells me i.e. Yellow is my Logictics priority. Red my Combat effort. Sometimes I bring in more color or numbers. As soon I get new supplies I check these zones.

[Aloid]

My current organization goes something like this...
 
pour beer... drink beer... input turn... drink beer... watch turn... finish beer...
<repeat>
after a while it all becomes very simple.

[Barneyrubb90]

Great discussion thread, just got to my hotel after traveling all day and wanted to check the status now that we have all read the manual once or twice....

Like most tried to keep a combination of notes and Excel spreadsheets going. At various times was tracking major or key LCU (Eng, Seabee, Amphib HQ) for arrival date; major ships and tried to come up with rough time/distance plots. Later as more units showed up tried to maintain list of which units were planning for invasions of which locations and rough times of when they would be most ready.

Lots of thoughts running through my brain as this new one seems so much better and so much more complicated in many good ways.

Anxiously awaiting the 24th, 30th, or whatever day happens to be like my birthday when I get to download AE.