Newbie lessons learned Guad Scn

[Mac Linehan]

Note: I reposted here and deleted the main forum entry - think that this is the appropriate fourm to continue posting.

Gents:

I am playing the Guad Scn against the Imperialist Expoiter freeboy, and a seperate game against the Allied/AI at the same time. Guad is a good combat learning experience, because it includes all the critical elements (land, air and sea) that are so important to master if the aspiring newbie (that's me) is to survive. Here are some of my thoughts that I shared with my honorable (and considerably more experienced) opponent:

Quote:

I played the Guad Scn against the Allied AI last nite - lots of experimentation in tactics and settings and redoing turns to learn. The AI is very aggressive, he parked his carriers two hexes from Lunga and pounded it (quite effectively).

Here's some of what I have learned:

Detection Levels (especially TF's) really matter. If I want to hit you at night with a SurfCmbt TF I have to stay out of range of your air search (or move around a lot to make the level drop) and keep my DL as low as possible until I can move in at night.

TF commander selection is critical - VAdmiral Razio Tanaka will get the job done - my part is to make sure he is in stealth mode and has the tools before striking.

An undamaged fully functioning CV TF in the contested area is bad news. This is one of the few exceptions where I will commit subs to a well defended US TF - a single torpedo hit could change the balance of power. However, the Flattops eventually DO leave.....

Allied ASW is very powerful (and increasingly so as the war goes on) - especially in shallow water. My subs are well trained - with the best torpedoes of the war; I will go after those fat merchies - who, in the long run are critical for your success. Occasionally there is a high value target (CV's) that are worth the risk...

My Naval Pilots are well trained and top notch - I employ them very careful as replacements (pilots and planes) are few and far between. Reading the forums has taught me a lot about pilot and air management. Your Carrier Pilots are also rapidly gaining experience and are a factor to be recond with. The good new is, that while airfields are unsinkable, carriers are not...

Victory is measured in many ways. I have lost some of my best units due to my inexperience, just like real life. My goal is to squeeze the most out of my forces and make it very costly for you to stay at the canal. Landing troops is but one phase, keeping them supplied and combat effective is another.

If I can't keep it together when dealing with a more numerous enemy in a short scenario, I would never make it thru a full campaign. Never give up - each turn deserves my full attention and thought, as to how I can respond to your moves effectively.

end quote

Detection levels are, I think, one of those subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) design features that a player really needs to keep track of. If I have a TF that has a high detection level, it is well worth moving away from the target for a period of time in order to shake off that little red (in my case) icon my opponent will see during his turn. I remind myself that each turn in one day, be a professional and take the time to do it right.

Carriers: Shortly after the Imperialist freeboy made his initial landings, I sent in an agressive CA TF and mauled one of his transport TF's (night impulse) - and was promptly sunk during the day implulse. While this plan was risky to begin with, I feel, post analysis, that I did not stage close enough to reach him in one impulse, fight, and be four hexes away (ideally) at the end of the turn. On the other hand, his air range settings were such that he probably would have reached me even under ideal execution of the plan. I am still far too new to have a firm grasp of the tactics to use, but you can bet that my wolves (with their good night experience) will wait until the floating flyboys and their hotel leave to refuel.

Submarines: As noted above, USN ASW is good and only gets better. Setting up patrol lines way in the enemy rear (while the action is hot and heavy up front) is not exactly what my silent warriors would like (we are Samurai, after all); however, armed with an outstanding torpedo, my sea hawks will learn to wait patiently (delayed gratification) for the Yankees to show up with those uninspiring (but ever so important) plodding support ships. I have begun to monitor my SS detection levels very closely; I suspect that this will greatly aide in a sucessful (ie undetected) approach and attack.

The more I play, the more I realize that there are many levels of detail and tactics that must be mastered to get the most (not to mention play effectively) AE. And: to the Devs - the AI may not be as smart as a human player; BUT it is darned good. Kudos to you and your team, Andy Mac (with a name like that I liked him right off the bat...!). The AI game allows me to experiment (with the ability to redo a turn) and gain experience. A poster from the original WitP "must read" thread stated that practice and reptition was the key to having it together before facing a real opponent.

And:
With the release of JWE's and Don's "Da Babes" mod (and Andy Mac's "Marianas Scn") things just continue to get better.

Finally:
As others have noted, it is really important to find an email opponent who fits. Freeboy and I have very different schedules (I usually don't play or go on the computer during the work week - am up very early) but as I am on Christmas break, he has kindly given me some of his time to work our way thru an email game - a very good (but sometimes painfull) way to learn quickly against a human opponent.

Mac (His Majety's designated implemeter of the Greater East Asia Co - Prosperity Enterprise)

Edited:
The USN carriers have left, and there has been a significant drop his DL of my subs. Carrier Air Search can be quite a deterent to Surf Cmbt strike ops.

Coast watchers -
Suddenly realized how important (especially in this scn) Allied Coast Watchers are. During the night resolution phase the Coast Watcher Icon popped up a number of times - I now realizing how important this "search" feature is. I think that routing my TF's thru deep water (keeping a hex or so out from the coast) will lower (hopefully) the incidence of coast watcher sightings.

Small and very small ships add a lot of flavor:
Yes, they do, and are very useful too. I am resupplying Buna and other locations that are under the Allied Air umbrella; my favorite method (thus far) is to use a small (xAKL / 170 cap) or APD to get in and get out. I am not sure if a smaller ships are harder to hit... However, as usual, with the Carrier Boys all bets are off. I do my best to stay clear. This experience has given me a new appreciation for all of the smaller (but still important) support ships and cargo vessels. Am begining to understand (I think) how the "Babes" mod could have a subtle, but significant impact on gameplay.



< Message edited by Mac Linehan -- 12/24/2009 5:15:49 AM >

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