Matrix Games Forums

Hi Noobs,

There are many things to learn about WitPAE, so many that you can't learn them all in one game... or perhaps ever. However as a noob AFB let me share a couple of non-obvious items from a 1942 PBEM. (Your mileage may vary.)

1) If you spend your PP to do logical things like replacing bad leaders and and captains you will not have enough to buy all the units that historically showed up in theater. Spend your PP like a miser spends gold.

2) Don't screw around with the KB. 600 aircraft with highly trained pilots are the 600 lb gorilla of 1942. The KB goes where it wishes - don't be there. Run hard - run early.

2a) Make sure the convoys that are running are not in unload mode. Sigh.

3) Don't piss away your B-17s and B-24s. Pinprick raids do pinprick damage. Train those pilots and use the basic military concepts of surprise and concentration.

4) You don't have the Air Force to go heads up with the IJA in Burma. Eventually your units will have 3 A/C and 25 pilots. Preserve a critical mass of fighters. Ensure that stacks of LCU in clear hexes have AAA units. Unit's in the jungle can fend for themselves.

5) If you have LCU on follow and you change the destination of the lead unit be sure to do a 're-follow'. It's embarrassing when the support units show up at the party and INF DIV is a different hex. Sigh.

Cheers,
Guy

2a) do you mean 'do not unload' mode?

heh, i just had 8 AKs return to Cape Town - loaded at SanFran, sent to Christobal as DNUnload/Remain on Station, sent on to Cape Town at same setting, then on to Perth. somehow i managed to switch them to Retirement Allowed w/o also changing them to Unload Cargo. at least they know the way now.

ORIGINAL: jmalter

2a) do you mean 'do not unload' mode?

heh, i just had 8 AKs return to Cape Town - loaded at SanFran, sent to Christobal as DNUnload/Remain on Station, sent on to Cape Town at same setting, then on to Perth. somehow i managed to switch them to Retirement Allowed w/o also changing them to Unload Cargo. at least they know the way now.

It much better then accidental unload at empty beach.

6) The war will last about 1000 days, dont expect to win it the first time you attack. You will get smashed from time to time, c'est la guerre! Anything that the game engine does bad to you in the first 6 months will happen to the JFB for 2 years, just bide your time.

1) Remember the war lasts a long time. So you lose Port Moresby? So what?

2) Remember the war lasts a long time (quite important, so I'm saying it twice!)

3) Before you start fighting for locations that are going to be hard to hold in early '42, look at your replacement pools of aircraft, and think "if the IJA/IJN really go for this, can I hold it?"

4) Be where the KB isn't, or even the Mini KB

5) Work out a sensible and sustainable way to get fuel to Oz, and stick to it and make protecting that route (either west coast to Sydney, or CT to Perth) your first priority

6) Keep a list of where the IJN and IJA units are on a spreadsheet. If you know where he is coming for, you have a far better chance

7) Not sure if I've mentioned it already, but remember the war last a long time

8) Train your pilots everywhere, every chance you get

9) Final reminder, the war lasts a long time!

One of the most important things to set up is your patrol plane network. If you can detect the IJN before they are within strike range you will not have to lose your precious ships..

Funny thing is, all of this applies to the IJ player as well.  Well, pretty much all.

ORIGINAL: jmalter

2a) do you mean 'do not unload' mode?

heh, i just had 8 AKs return to Cape Town - loaded at SanFran, sent to Christobal as DNUnload/Remain on Station, sent on to Cape Town at same setting, then on to Perth. somehow i managed to switch them to Retirement Allowed w/o also changing them to Unload Cargo. at least they know the way now.

If you are unloading and need to run - then click the "Cancel Unload Cargo Troops" button. It's basic - but put it on your checklist of "Lessons to learn once".

Applies to both sides:

I believe if you send more than one Transport TF (within port capacities) to small (less than 4 maybe?) ports they will not dock automatically. They wait in line, but the player must do the docking, after the previously unloaded TF has departed and freed up dock space. This requires checking active small ports each turn to manage this function. It may seem tedious, but it allows the player to prioritize unloadings. Failing to pay attention to this may put schedules and plans in jeopardy due to lengthy unloading times.

There's a lot more to it and lots of discussion to read if you do a "docking" search, but, for noobs like me, this is just a heads-up....

Regards,
Helldiver

Could someone remind me, how long does this war last?

-Chose what airfields to build carefully, don't make it easy on Japans engineers.

-Get much more supply than you think you'll need in Darwin.

-Build only forts in outposts in the Central Pacific until the risk of invasion ebbs.

-Always read intelligence to try and find KB and note where unrestriced divisions are located.

-As already mentioned set up your patrol plane network for the safest passage possible.

-Make sure valuable troop ships are following a SAG to fend off raiders.

-Use AVD's in SOPAC (or anywhere) in dot bases that haven't been conquered to set up eyes in the sky further out. Especially when an important transport or amphibious convoy is coming in. When the convoy departs pick up and move the AVD and patrol planes.

-Build a large staging base in the South Pacific. I've always preferred Tahiti but there are some other decent options. From the first days it will get a ton of engineers and plenty of troops, supply and fuel will be sent there from the U.S.. Lower value transports will then ferry them to their bases in SOPAC.

ORIGINAL: Encircled

1) Remember the war lasts a long time. So you lose Port Moresby? So what?

2) Remember the war lasts a long time (quite important, so I'm saying it twice!)

3) Before you start fighting for locations that are going to be hard to hold in early '42, look at your replacement pools of aircraft, and think "if the IJA/IJN really go for this, can I hold it?"

4) Be where the KB isn't, or even the Mini KB

5) Work out a sensible and sustainable way to get fuel to Oz, and stick to it and make protecting that route (either west coast to Sydney, or CT to Perth) your first priority

6) Keep a list of where the IJN and IJA units are on a spreadsheet. If you know where he is coming for, you have a far better chance

7) Not sure if I've mentioned it already, but remember the war last a long time

8) Train your pilots everywhere, every chance you get

9) Final reminder, the war lasts a long time!

10) Know your opponent's address. If he quits early, have Rocco's number on speed dial.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Encircled

1) Remember the war lasts a long time. So you lose Port Moresby? So what?

2) Remember the war lasts a long time (quite important, so I'm saying it twice!)

3) Before you start fighting for locations that are going to be hard to hold in early '42, look at your replacement pools of aircraft, and think "if the IJA/IJN really go for this, can I hold it?"

4) Be where the KB isn't, or even the Mini KB

5) Work out a sensible and sustainable way to get fuel to Oz, and stick to it and make protecting that route (either west coast to Sydney, or CT to Perth) your first priority

6) Keep a list of where the IJN and IJA units are on a spreadsheet. If you know where he is coming for, you have a far better chance

7) Not sure if I've mentioned it already, but remember the war last a long time

8) Train your pilots everywhere, every chance you get

9) Final reminder, the war lasts a long time!

10) Know your opponent's address. If he quits early, have Rocco's number on speed dial.

11) Learn Japanese - you know you AFBs are gunna lose - right? [:D][:D]

ORIGINAL: 1EyedJacks

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Encircled

1) Remember the war lasts a long time. So you lose Port Moresby? So what?

2) Remember the war lasts a long time (quite important, so I'm saying it twice!)

3) Before you start fighting for locations that are going to be hard to hold in early '42, look at your replacement pools of aircraft, and think "if the IJA/IJN really go for this, can I hold it?"

4) Be where the KB isn't, or even the Mini KB

5) Work out a sensible and sustainable way to get fuel to Oz, and stick to it and make protecting that route (either west coast to Sydney, or CT to Perth) your first priority

6) Keep a list of where the IJN and IJA units are on a spreadsheet. If you know where he is coming for, you have a far better chance

7) Not sure if I've mentioned it already, but remember the war last a long time

8) Train your pilots everywhere, every chance you get

9) Final reminder, the war lasts a long time!

10) Know your opponent's address. If he quits early, have Rocco's number on speed dial.

11) Learn Japanese - you know you AFBs are gunna lose - right? [:D][:D]

So solly! That ain't gonna happen! But don't worry , we are kindly occuppiers! [:D]

Better off losing the war, the US will dump lots of cash into your economy so you can rebuild!

ol' Dugout had his failings (don't we all?) but as replacement emperor he did OK. not so much a cash-dump, but certainly some hvy supply-point movement into Japan prevented mass starvation in '46.