A few newbie questions

[brian800000]

I just have been getting into the game, and have to admit it is a bit overwhelming. But still fun!

There are a few questions I have that I was having trouble finding the answers to by searching the forum.

1. Support units (specifically naval and aviation squads): How do I create these and move them around? It seems I have a shortage at my bases, and since I'd like to move my aircraft around to new bases, that shortage seems likely to multiply if I don't figure out how to move them!

2. Level bombers early in the game for the allies: are these good for anything? I'm especially thinking about the Philippines. I don't want to waste my fighters escorting the bombing land bases--if they are escorting bombers I want them going against naval assets. I assume level bombers are next to useless for that.

3. Replacements (pilots and airframes): it seems from reading the forums a lot of people want to turn these off. I can't figure it out. Sure the replacements may be green, but isn't that better than being shorthanded?

4. Convoys: My strategy is to set up a series of major collection hubs throughout the world (eg. San Fransisco - Hawaii - Australia - India). Major convoys would run between these bases to keep their supply very high. Smaller convoys would then run regionally to keep the bases supplied from these hubs. Is this how experience players organize their convoys? Also, I've figured out how to set up computer controlled convoys that go one way (eg. to Hawaii from San Fransicsco with fuel, then back empty). But is there a way to do this two way?

5. How do you know which bases have a shipyard?

6. Is there a way to turn China over to the AI? It seems cheating to be able to coordinate my efforts with China when certainly that wasn't the case historically.

[brian800000]

Sorry, a couple more I forgot (these are big ones for me).

7. CAP percentages: what is the best percentage to use, and to what extent does it interfere with other missions? For example, if I make my primary mission to escort bombers on a naval attack and CAP at 100%, they obviously can't do both. Are my bombers unescorted or my base undefended? Or somewhere in teh middle.

8. What do you consider to be a healthy search team? If I really want to know what is going on out there at a sensitive base, how many planes should I devote to search?

9. Odd FOW results for bases: if I hover over enemy bases on the other side of the world it will display details including the number of aircraft there. How can I be seeing this, or is it just inaccurate?

[witpqs]

Brian,

My answers in bold beneath each question.

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I just have been getting into the game, and have to admit it is a bit overwhelming. But still fun!

There are a few questions I have that I was having trouble finding the answers to by searching the forum.

1. Support units (specifically naval and aviation squads): How do I create these and move them around? It seems I have a shortage at my bases, and since I'd like to move my aircraft around to new bases, that shortage seems likely to multiply if I don't figure out how to move them!

You do not create any units at all. As far as naval and aviation squads go, you just have to look to see what units have them. You will be looking at the various kinds of base forces for aviation support, and some have more than others. Naval support is present primarily in naval base forces. there are also 6 small units with 'detachment' in their names (which start with A, B, C, D, E, F) that the Allied player gets which have a little air and a little naval support in them. They are very useful for helping to get island bases started because they will help you to unload very quickly. Don't leave them anywhere permanently, move them around and use them to help you get unloaded at new places.


2. Level bombers early in the game for the allies: are these good for anything? I'm especially thinking about the Philippines. I don't want to waste my fighters escorting the bombing land bases--if they are escorting bombers I want them going against naval assets. I assume level bombers are next to useless for that.

It depends on the bomber. 4EB are very little use against naval targets, but they can him some (as one very surprised IJN destroyer captain found out IRL in the Solomons when he elected not to take evasive maneuvers when a high-level B-17 raid attacked as he was along side a damaged vessel). Train your pilots and they will be much, much better at whatever they are trained for. See various threads on the forum.


3. Replacements (pilots and airframes): it seems from reading the forums a lot of people want to turn these off. I can't figure it out. Sure the replacements may be green, but isn't that better than being shorthanded?

Replacements are very precious at first. Turning them off by default is very helpful because then you won't have a zillion units all drawing replacements and emptying your replacements pools. You then go around and turn on replacements in just the units you want (air and land). That way, those units that are in critical places will be more combat ready. If your replacement pools get used up by all the units in the rear area you will have problems! Of course, over time replacements will build up and you (likely) will not have that problem, except perhaps with some airplane types. But that will take a while.


4. Convoys: My strategy is to set up a series of major collection hubs throughout the world (eg. San Fransisco - Hawaii - Australia - India). Major convoys would run between these bases to keep their supply very high. Smaller convoys would then run regionally to keep the bases supplied from these hubs. Is this how experience players organize their convoys? Also, I've figured out how to set up computer controlled convoys that go one way (eg. to Hawaii from San Francisco with fuel, then back empty). But is there a way to do this two way?

Pretty much. As time goes on you will refine/change exactly how you do it, but that is the basic way. Be wary of having big convoys getting too close to enemy territory!


5. How do you know which bases have a shipyard?

Look at the base by opening the base display, or do a mouse-over of the base (much faster). There might be a way to list them all, but I don't recall.


6. Is there a way to turn China over to the AI? It seems cheating to be able to coordinate my efforts with China when certainly that wasn't the case historically.

There is now way to turn any areas over to the AI.

Hope this is helpful.

[wdolson]

1) It looks like you're playing Allies.  You will be short of Av support in the early going.  Later on you get a flood of new units with engineers and av support.  You will also get some units with nav support.  Early going for the Allies is generally too little of anything.  Some units start the game smaller than they can be (click the show TOE button to view unit's possible build).  If replacements are on and you are in a base with enough supply, the unit will eventually build up the missing pieces.

2) Again you won't have enough of anything to go around.  There are a lot of different strategies for dealing with the shortages.  Some players throw them at naval attack hoping for the occasional hit (I did cripple the Rhyho once with a B-17 on naval attack in the first days of the war).  Other players pull back their air assets and draw a line in the sand and try to hold on there.

3) The Allies have pretty much set build rates for aircraft and the replacement pilot stream is pretty much set too.  Turning off aircraft factories is for Japanese only.  You should use your units in the US to train up as many pilots as possible.  It will take a while, but if you start on a crash program in Dec 1941, by June 42 you will start to have some decent pilots in the pool with which to fight back with.

4) That's one method of doing convoys.  Against a PBEM player, it may not work very well, but against the AI it is one solution that can work well.

5) There are several ways.  If you click on the industry management button at the top of the screen, you can filter for just the shipyards.

6) The old WitP had a buggy method to turn over regions to the AI, but it didn't work very well.  It had to be removed from AE.

7) If you set CAP to 1005 that's all they will fly regardless of the primary mission.  The percentage is dependent on the situation.  If you are under heavy attack, you probably want 100%.  Other times you might want 50% CAP and some percentage of rest.  It all depends on the situation.  Watch pilot fatigue levels and rest accordingly, if possible.  In the early going, the pilots will probably end up walking dead after a while.  Having more pilots than planes in a unit helps fatigue levels as tired pilots will be auto rested.

8) A lot depends on what you have available.  Early on you probably won't have enough to go around.

9) If FOW is on, it will be more accurate than with FOW off, but there will always be some FOW factor.

Bill

[pws1225]

re: your question 6 - you may want to check out one of the 'quiet china' scenarios. i believe in these scenarios, the ai handles everything in china leaving you free to worry the rest of the world.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I just have been getting into the game, and have to admit it is a bit overwhelming. But still fun!

There are a few questions I have that I was having trouble finding the answers to by searching the forum.

1. Support units (specifically naval and aviation squads): How do I create these and move them around? It seems I have a shortage at my bases, and since I'd like to move my aircraft around to new bases, that shortage seems likely to multiply if I don't figure out how to move them!

Support units will arrive on schedule. You will have a shortage of them for pretty much the entire war. This is the reason why in the real event neither the Allies or Japanese were able to station aircraft at every island outpost, better off to build up a big base and pool your resources.

2. Level bombers early in the game for the allies: are these good for anything? I'm especially thinking about the Philippines. I don't want to waste my fighters escorting the bombing land bases--if they are escorting bombers I want them going against naval assets. I assume level bombers are next to useless for that.

Early war level bombers have about zero chance of hitting a ship. These are better used for training or attacking land targets. The good news for you is that unless A6M2s are about, the Nates and Oscars don't have much chance of stopping them.

3. Replacements (pilots and airframes): it seems from reading the forums a lot of people want to turn these off. I can't figure it out. Sure the replacements may be green, but isn't that better than being shorthanded?

The key to this is controlling which squadrons get what. Which would you prefer? A fully equipped AVG or a fully equipped West Coast restricted squadron. Pilot and airframe management is vital for the Allies early war, and essential for Japan through-out the game.

4. Convoys: My strategy is to set up a series of major collection hubs throughout the world (eg. San Fransisco - Hawaii - Australia - India). Major convoys would run between these bases to keep their supply very high. Smaller convoys would then run regionally to keep the bases supplied from these hubs. Is this how experience players organize their convoys? Also, I've figured out how to set up computer controlled convoys that go one way (eg. to Hawaii from San Fransicsco with fuel, then back empty). But is there a way to do this two way?

You are on the right track.

5. How do you know which bases have a shipyard?

Should be able to check on your industry screen for naval or merchant SYs where they will be listed.

6. Is there a way to turn China over to the AI? It seems cheating to be able to coordinate my efforts with China when certainly that wasn't the case historically.

Yep, give the HQ over to computer control.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

ORIGINAL: brian800000


6. Is there a way to turn China over to the AI? It seems cheating to be able to coordinate my efforts with China when certainly that wasn't the case historically.

Yep, give the HQ over to computer control.

No such thing in AE (assigning HQs/Areas to Computer), it was only in WitP. For "Quiet China" one needs to start specific scenario version with tweaked AI for that.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

Sorry, a couple more I forgot (these are big ones for me).

7. CAP percentages: what is the best percentage to use, and to what extent does it interfere with other missions? For example, if I make my primary mission to escort bombers on a naval attack and CAP at 100%, they obviously can't do both. Are my bombers unescorted or my base undefended? Or somewhere in teh middle.

While there is no one right answer, here is the formula I use the largest percentage of the time: 30-40% Cap, 10% on Rest. 10-30% on training. The training is useful to utilize the time when you aren't attacking or being attacked to improve the pilots, rest is essential for morale maintenance and fatigue reduction. Granted you should have more than one squadron based at a base for this to work.

8. What do you consider to be a healthy search team? If I really want to know what is going on out there at a sensitive base, how many planes should I devote to search?

Again here is formula I use. Minimum 9 plane group for LB, I DO NOT adjust ship based search planes, the AI handles them far better than I do.

Naval Search or ASW 60%, Training 30%, Rest 10%.

9. Odd FOW results for bases: if I hover over enemy bases on the other side of the world it will display details including the number of aircraft there. How can I be seeing this, or is it just inaccurate?

Never trust what you see. Even the combat reports...casualties are inflated for example. Some of it can be attributed to Signals intelligence, but it is still not accurate...safe to say that unless you send a plane to recon the base, the information is a guide at best, misleading most of the time, and completely inaccurate in the worst case. However, if you are getting lots of signals from 'Miri' for example, sending a sub patrol or two to the area might find a convoy there...etc. Its a case of 'use your best judgment'.

[Lomri]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

9. Odd FOW results for bases: if I hover over enemy bases on the other side of the world it will display details including the number of aircraft there. How can I be seeing this, or is it just inaccurate?

This is likely the result of SigInt. Over heard radio chatter that lead to some intel for that far away base. If you use a tool like WitPTracker you can actually track this stuff. Still, as detection levels go - a low detection level like a random SigInt hit is probably going to be chalk full of misleadingness.

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: brian800000
5. How do you know which bases have a shipyard?

ORIGINAL: Shark7
Should be able to check on your industry screen for naval or merchant SYs where they will be listed.

I think he's playing Allies. There are three type of shipyards: naval, merchant, and repair. Naval and merchant are Japanese only (it's where combat or merchant chips are built). Both sides get repair shipyards.

Bill

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

ORIGINAL: brian800000
5. How do you know which bases have a shipyard?

ORIGINAL: Shark7
Should be able to check on your industry screen for naval or merchant SYs where they will be listed.

I think he's playing Allies. There are three type of shipyards: naval, merchant, and repair. Naval and merchant are Japanese only (it's where combat or merchant chips are built). Both sides get repair shipyards.

Bill

good point, since I never play Allies I forget they don't get all the toys I do. [:D]

[mg62]

1. Support units (specifically naval and aviation squads): How do I create these and move them around? It seems I have a shortage at my bases, and since I'd like to move my aircraft around to new bases, that shortage seems likely to multiply if I don't figure out how to move them!

You do not create any units at all. As far as naval and aviation squads go, you just have to look to see what units have them. You will be looking at the various kinds of base forces for aviation support, and some have more than others. Naval support is present primarily in naval base forces. there are also 6 small units with 'detachment' in their names (which start with A, B, C, D, E, F) that the Allied player gets which have a little air and a little naval support in them. They are very useful for helping to get island bases started because they will help you to unload very quickly. Don't leave them anywhere permanently, move them around and use them to help you get unloaded at new places.


These units are very helpful later on in the war when you are island hopping.  After you've taken a small base and don't want to wait to build up a port it can be time comsuming to reload your units.  Landing one of these units (after fighting is done) can help you reload any combat units that have heavy equipment.

[brian800000]

Thanks guys, this is very helpful.

[brian800000]

A few more:

10. Okay, so I have to command China. But do I have to command the USSR? I have to keep track of them the whole game so they can possibly contribute a week before the war ends?

11. Mines: I checked my minefields and they are all in my ports. Why is San Fransisco a minefield? Isn't there a chance I'll bump into those mines?

[KenchiSulla]

10. I think USSR is dorment untill A: Japan attacks USSR or B: It is august 1945

11. I have not seen "friendly fire" in minefields so far. Minefields are useful in port to keep, for example, submarines out of it... or invasion fleets, force opponent to deploy minesweepers... I can think of more uses for mines then we actually get mines for...

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

A few more:

10. Okay, so I have to command China. But do I have to command the USSR? I have to keep track of them the whole game so they can possibly contribute a week before the war ends?

11. Mines: I checked my minefields and they are all in my ports. Why is San Fransisco a minefield? Isn't there a chance I'll bump into those mines?

10. You can leave the USSR alone if you want, but I do a bit of housekeeping first. Right away, I use the LCU menu bar tab, sort to USSR units, and put all infantry, armor, and artillery units on Rest. If some have engineers that could help construct forts I don't care. I put all HQs and Engineers on Combat. I turn on expansion for all ports, airfields, and forts. Even if supplies run short somewhere I don't care. They have years. I then turn on Training at 80% for all air units, and set ranges to zero to keep fatigue and Ops losses low. I don't worry about upgrading planes until 1944.

If you're playing the AI it will never accidetally or on purpose activate the USSR early. A human opponent might.

Depending on how the game goes, you might need to control the USSR from Aug. 1945 to April of 1946. When you get to 1945 I'd pick up the rope and start actively preparing for war. Until then, leave it all alone, unless you want to go sightseeing in Siberia and see how the boyz are doing.

11. Mines are defensive weapons, so they'd be defending your ports. Both the AI and human opponents will sometimes drive a sub into a base hex like SF. Mines discourage that. There is a non-zero chance that you might damage or sink an own-ship in your own minefield. But it's low. Allied COs had safe-transit lanes through minefileds. But mines sometimes get dragged out of position by weather or currents, or were never laid where the charts said due to sloppy mine-laying. Thus the non-zero chance. I wouldn't worry about it in the game. If it happens it happens.

Also, always remember that a hex is 40-miles wide. Just because the label says "San Francisco" doesn't mean the hex is all harbor. Just like Clark AFB's hex has a port. I've been to Clark AFB (before Mt. Pinatubo.) It's nowhere near water. But in a 40-mile hex . . .

[brian800000]

I'll assign a tender to those minefields to keep them going, then.

What does everyone do with their "less useful" ships? I was taking an inventory and there are some gunboats that lack torpedos or depth charges, and obviously don't have a gun large enough to successfully take on anyone in a surface engagement. I was thinking of having them patrol areas as a early warning system in case of an unexpected attack (for example, the area to the north of PH where the Dec. 7 attack came from, and theoretically someone could slip in a carrier and attack shipping off the west coast).

Am I missing some hidden functionality?

[Smeulders]

They are useful in keeping subs from surfacing and they are nice as picket ships, but otherwise not that much use.

[Misconduct]

ORIGINAL: brian800000

I'll assign a tender to those minefields to keep them going, then.

What does everyone do with their "less useful" ships? I was taking an inventory and there are some gunboats that lack torpedos or depth charges, and obviously don't have a gun large enough to successfully take on anyone in a surface engagement. I was thinking of having them patrol areas as a early warning system in case of an unexpected attack (for example, the area to the north of PH where the Dec. 7 attack came from, and theoretically someone could slip in a carrier and attack shipping off the west coast).

Am I missing some hidden functionality?

Most of these ships are used for secondary duties, for example Patrol Crafts have such a lack of range, you generally use those for convoy escort duties early in the war, from West coast to Pearl etc.

Most of the time they are horribly useless in general, but throw a few escorts with a convoy its not totally naked.

[morganbj]

I think I have about 600 YMSs in Astoria helping the salmon industry.



Ugh! That brings back bad memories. My mess sergeant used to make salmon patties that could gag a maggot. We used them for insect repellant. His coffee was worse, until he started using his old bootsocks for filters. A townail here and there, but not too bad.