Matrix Games Forums

Hi all,

I am trying to use a setup spreadsheet for the allies (I don't recall the author). There are some discrepancies (expected) as ship have been added/removed/changed in DBL. But the one thing that I am struggling with currently is mine laying. There are only about 6-8 minelayers (ACM) in the entire pacific in DBL.

Are there other ships that are capable of laying mines? Or is this because mines were not plentiful and therefor neither were ships to lay them.

I am sure I will be back with more.

ACM are not mine layers. ACM are the minefield tenders. They help to keep existing mine fields at bases from deteriorating.

CM are mine layers, and CMc are coastal mine layers.

If you want up to date spreadsheets, you can always open a scenario and create a save, then use WITP AE Tracker to export a set of spreadsheets for that scenario.

There are not a lot of minelayers in the game to begin with, from memory they are mostly British, Dutch and American.  Apart from the Dutch and British CM and CMc types, the Americans have at least a dozen DMs (destroyer minelayers), while some of the British Destroyers are either able to lay mines or convert to a type that can.

However the problem isn't the lack of minelayers, but rather limited number of mines.  In the original WITP mines were far too commonly used in vast numbers, so the numbers were drastically cut in AE and you only receive a very small number each month, in the stock and Da Babes scenarios.  With only around 50 to 100 mines a month to play with, again from memory, it means you will only be able to reload a few minelayers, before you run out for the month. Not that it is a serious problem and is far preferable to the old system, where every atoll in the pacific had a million mines protecting it.

Don't forget, too:
6.6.1.3.2. SPECIAL MINELAYERS
Special Minelayers are ship classes “not normally configured” to lay mines, but have the capability to do so when called upon. There are two types of Special Minelayers: Sub Minelayers and Auxiliary Minelayers.
6.6.1.3.2.1 SUB MINELAYERS.
‘Special’ mines are implemented for submarines. Special mines must be in the “Special Sub Mine Weapon Slot” (weapon slot # nine), have a mine type specified but no number, mount, or ammo data. Special Mines for submarines are loaded automatically when the submarine is included in a Submarine Minelaying Task Force. The number of mines loaded is based on the number of torpedo tubes and the ammo is set to two. This emulates two mines loaded into each torpedo tube.
6.6.1.3.2.2 AUXILIARY MINELAYERS.
Any ship that does not otherwise carry mines, may be configured to carry mines when assigned to a TF with a minelaying mission. These special mines may be in any weapon slot. They must have a mine type specified and have all the attributes of normal mine slots except for ammo and armor. Ammo is set to zero, to indicate mines are not normally carried, and Armor is set to the ammo value to be used when mines are carried.

A lot of J CLs can carry special mines, a lot pf PBs, ACMs, and others, on both sides. Most sub classes can carry special mines. A complete list is not possible to make. There’s too many possibilities.