Matrix Games Forums

All,
I've been away for (checks calendar...years apparently) playing other games, dealing with real life stuff, etc. I've just reinstalled AE and am getting myself reacquainted with this gem. Looking over China, I'm trying to figure out my best approach. I've started listing all units, then I'm going to make a list of all bases with garrison requirements and try to match them up. What I'm wondering is whether anyone else has an easier way to free up combat power for offensive operations? I've tried searching a bit, but the search feature isn't as intuitive as I'd like. Apologies if this has been answered before.

Many people find it difficult to use the search feature, but some say you can do it using Google. I will try and find the post.

In general, the Chinese do not have enough mobility or firepower to engage in a war of maneuver with the Japanese (who have tanks and armoured cars). All the Chinese have is overwhelming numbers and they need to be in good terrain to protect them from bombing and shelling.

They can set up a huge reserve force that can go to hot spots or hit the Japanese where they have thin lines. The key to this is to keep open the roads and railroads that give the Chinese interior lines of communication so they can move fast enough that the IJA cannot react in time on poor lines of communication.
So you need road/rail blocks in good terrain (wooded rough or mountainous or heavy urban) with a reserve within a few days travel.

Alfred wrote a very good post on this - I will try to find that too.

Ok, here is that search advice courtesy of member witpqs:

Use Google. Preface your search with

site:matrixgames.com

and include

+"War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition"

or whatever sub-forum you want to search. Note at the top of the very page you are reading now they have:

All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> searching the posts on this forum? Erroneous retrieval...

To search just the Tech Support sub-forum make sure to include this:
+"War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> Tech Support"

So if you wanted to find posts in Tech Support with the word "crash" in them, Google this:

site:matrixgames.com +"War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> Tech Support" crash

Don't bother with the built-in search. Using Google works better. Hope this helps.

Which side are you playing? PBEM or AI?

Since I haven't played in years, I was going to start up a Scen 1 campaign as Japan against the Allies. I used to always play the Allies and thought I'd give the other side a try. Eventually I want to get back into PBEM assuming there are still opponents out there!

This is incredibly helpful, thank you!

Since I haven't played in years, I was going to start up a Scen 1 campaign as Japan

Tough nut considering the economics involved. It'd probably be easier to play the Allies again.

assuming there are still opponents out there!

I'd say the answer is, yes.

Advice versus AI may be largely irrelevant. I have nearly 10 PBEMs under belt but only 1 as evil empire. As Japan you need to decide early on how far you want to go in China. I am greedy and plan on disposing of my back door problem as early as possible. Step 1 I believe is closing the Burma Rd with it's supplies. Taking the back door airbases that can receive air supply is useful also but not nearly as important as Burma Rd. I believe the next step is to figure how to maximize available ground forces in China. You will want to access as many restricted units as you can ASAP. You will have to buy out as many as you can. In my case I ended up moving many units back to china after Philippines and Malaya. You need to move as quick as possible before the scattered Chinese units can organize and fortify. I find encircling and staged destruction is useful. If you haven't encircled then they will lose, retreat, and remain to plague you later. Mass you shitty twin engine bombers and make full use of them to soften the encirclements. Avoid attacking stacks in x3 terrain and if you must encircle and pound the hell out of them. Make sure you have at least 2 axis of advance towards Chungking since I think it's too easy for Chinese super stack to block you for months if you give up a second or even 3rd route. Beware that if you go "all in" in China you will need a constant stream of supply...for this I like the inland ports on their big rivers. I'm still not at the prize so consider this a continued story.

Against AI I doubt any of this matters....Mr. AI is a cheater!!

WRT garrison reqs - divide units into A/B/C and juggle, put understrength ones to rest planning ahead on where they would go with fully repaired AV. This all can take several months

Other than that
- put pressure on Chinese supply (bomb the indistry, deliberately attack on the secondary lines of advance too)
- move from the east towards Sian, it is hard for Chinese to relocate and defend that approach, plus terrain is good for offense
- try to encircle Chinese units, cut hex sides and keep them this way for a year+, they won't revive in Chung King this way

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Don't bother with the built-in search. Using Google works better. Hope this helps.[/b]

Heresy!

The built in search function is quite functional...there are some great pre-made links for search (I think Chemkid did them?)

There are some great pointers on using the forum search by Alfred, in fact using the filter by users is great for digging up facts fast.

I always wondered if Chinese units that surrendered did not re-spawn at Chungking.

ORIGINAL: Skyros
I always wondered if Chinese units that surrendered did not re-spawn at Chungking.

Land units can only be defeated by being wiped out. Does not matter which flavor text is there at the moment. As soon as a particular Chinese LCU is wiped from the map the revival timer starts ticking.

How long does it take for a destroyed Chinese unit to re spawn?

I am thinking 30 days.

Yep, just found it. 30 days and it applies only to infantry units.

Check out the links in my post. You can filter either spreadsheet by the "China" location.

Edit: And since you are going up against the AI, be sure to update your AI files.

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Yep, just found it. 30 days and it applies only to infantry units.

HQs respawn just fine here. Don’t remember specifically about the artillery but I do not see any reason why it would not respawn too

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli
Yep, just found it. 30 days and it applies only to infantry units.

HQs respawn just fine here. Don’t remember specifically about the artillery but I do not see any reason why it would not respawn too

I think they are respawning (in my game); only the infantry type squads are coming back (which includes support) so no artillery pieces, etc.

Disclaimer : AFB - and I have little or no Experience in playing the Empire:

More generally speaking... simply from being an avid AAR reader.

I 'sense the trend is to:

Close the Burma road and ...

1) Buyout and load up ARM ART and DIV but especially the former rather than the latter in a large cluster.

<< the note on early returnees from the Philippines interesting (new to me but I don't know the OOB well) but I "also note" some JFBs are delaying the capture of the Philippines rather consistently - perhaps likely using those troops in China and or Deep Australian / Deep South Pacific penetrations - simply blockading PI and allowing the Allied Commander the nutty temptation to "try to resupply" >>

2) March up through Sian

3) Take the high ground and the good roads...

4) Turn the corner "west - south west" into the 'Capital Territory plain'

5) Eliminate the re-spawn locale

6) Dig in on all paths leading to the plains perhaps lighter on the North East as the Allied Commander will have a hard time landing and moving from that direction.

The Allied commander may airlift light British Anti-tank ART and Indian / British units to block you.

Avoid the usual slog with dug in units though the forest lands south / south east / of Chunking.

Depending on your house rules regarding paying PP's to move restricted LCU's across borders, I would say your strategy will change.

If playing with no such house rule, the all out China plan has a good chance to succeed and you can at least push the Chinese back to Chengtu and Chungking. The benefit though of doing this will be debated until the end of time as it takes a lot of supplies, LCU's, effort, time, and commitment when the Empire is stretched thin as is. Not to mention the only things you really gain is the reduction of a front (granted this is valuable as you can shift troops out of China and into other theatres) and industry, which you will be putting a lot of supply into fixing up. Another perk is the capture of potential B-29 bases that the Allies will stage out of in '44.

If playing with the HR, I suggest try to capture a few bases that have industry and then dig in and go all defense for the rest of the war. The Chinese LCU's don't have much offensive capability until late war and on defense, when used properly (in my opinion this means not spread out, but concentrated) they will bleed the IJA white. Use your ARM units as much as possible, the Chinese have horrible AT capability and your ARM units aren't much good anywhere else after the first 6 or so months.

Primarily though use China as a training ground for bomber pilots, especially with using the many light bombers that Japan has. Stage them in the numerous small airfields in China and bomb and Chinese LCU that doesn't have air cover.

This is advice for PBEM's. As for AI I cannot comment on those games as I don't play them.

Have fun with the game, believe me it is worth every second of time it takes to learn it.