Matrix Games Forums

If you split up the KB as part of turn 0 prep, does that impact the movement bonus or other things for the actual turn 1 turn ?

It doesnt as long as you transfer them over to other task forces with movement bonus , method of doing it
Go to midway bombardement group > switch them to escort > transfer ships you want > switch them to Air combat and you are set!

So if I want to split two slow CV's and some escorts elsewhere I need to transfer them to an existing TF (in the same hex ?)

yes.

ORIGINAL: scout1

So if I want to split two slow CV's and some escorts elsewhere I need to transfer them to an existing TF (in the same hex ?)

There are a limited number of TFs that get the magic move on Turn 1. They are identified by an asterisk, IIRC. You must transfer to one of the other magic move TFs in the same hex. If you transfer to another TF that does not have that designation, the TF will move as a normal TF.

I tried once in the Editor to give the Magic Move to more IJ TFs, but it didn't work. It must be hard-coded in the game and the asterisk is just there to show the player which ones are set that way.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: scout1

So if I want to split two slow CV's and some escorts elsewhere I need to transfer them to an existing TF (in the same hex ?)

There are a limited number of TFs that get the magic move on Turn 1. They are identified by an asterisk, IIRC. You must transfer to one of the other magic move TFs in the same hex. If you transfer to another TF that does not have that designation, the TF will move as a normal TF.

I tried once in the Editor to give the Magic Move to more IJ TFs, but it didn't work. It must be hard-coded in the game and the asterisk is just there to show the player which ones are set that way.

Have never tried this, but was given something of a blank check as to turn 1 and thinking about two troublesome targets which require the magical turn 1 movement .....

ORIGINAL: Evoken

It doesnt as long as you transfer them over to other task forces with movement bonus , method of doing it
Go to midway bombardement group > switch them to escort > transfer ships you want > switch them to Air combat and you are set!

Midway Bombardment TF is NOT listed with an * ..... Sc 2 ....Only 2 TF's with * .... Air Combat and Replenishment ... ????

ORIGINAL: scout1

ORIGINAL: Evoken

It doesnt as long as you transfer them over to other task forces with movement bonus , method of doing it
Go to midway bombardement group > switch them to escort > transfer ships you want > switch them to Air combat and you are set!

Midway Bombardment TF is NOT listed with an * ..... Sc 2 ....Only 2 TF's with * .... Air Combat and Replenishment ... ????

Yes that's true. But actually all the TFs that start at Etorofu have the movement bonus. It fooled me too for a while.

TF1, TF2, TF141 and TF142 all are there IIRC

ORIGINAL: RADM.Yamaguchi

ORIGINAL: scout1

ORIGINAL: Evoken

It doesnt as long as you transfer them over to other task forces with movement bonus , method of doing it
Go to midway bombardement group > switch them to escort > transfer ships you want > switch them to Air combat and you are set!

Midway Bombardment TF is NOT listed with an * ..... Sc 2 ....Only 2 TF's with * .... Air Combat and Replenishment ... ????

Yes that's true. But actually all the TFs that start at Etorofu have the movement bonus. It fooled me too for a while.

TF1, TF2, TF141 and TF142 all are there IIRC

Sweet ..... but would have been clearer had they added the * to ALL appropriate TF's .... Thanks for the heads up ....

ORIGINAL: RADM.Yamaguchi
Yes that's true. But actually all the TFs that start at Etorofu have the movement bonus. It fooled me too for a while.

TF1, TF2, TF141 and TF142 all are there IIRC

Midway replenish and Midway bombardment are actually TF140 and TF141. And also they are the only TFs in stock 1,2 scenarios that have 1st turn bonus without the asterisk in the name. All the other sprinters are properly marked. So don't bother searching for other hidden sprinters

ORIGINAL: scout1

ORIGINAL: RADM.Yamaguchi

ORIGINAL: scout1




Midway Bombardment TF is NOT listed with an * ..... Sc 2 ....Only 2 TF's with * .... Air Combat and Replenishment ... ????

Yes that's true. But actually all the TFs that start at Etorofu have the movement bonus. It fooled me too for a while.

TF1, TF2, TF141 and TF142 all are there IIRC

Sweet ..... but would have been clearer had they added the * to ALL appropriate TF's .... Thanks for the heads up ....

While you're at it - the TFs at Samah are a mess. The regiments of 5 and 18 Divisions are initially tasked with various destinations spread all over Malaya, which make it time consuming to recombine into the divisions. These, too, can be reconfigured and many of them have the bonus move. Also, double check that Singora, Patani, Kota Bharu (and Kuantan and Mersing, if you're going to either) get aviation support and engineers early on.

you should test against the AI... nothing worst than sending a 1st turn that messed up the bonus surprise attack

I've sent KAGA and the 2 KONGOS in KB to the SRA early.....so yes you can do this. Combining KAGA with RYUJO, ZUIHO, HOSHO early gives you a credible Baby KB in the SRA...probably enough to take on anything short of 4 USN CVs early

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

you should test against the AI... nothing worst than sending a 1st turn that messed up the bonus surprise attack

A thousand times this. You should test and re-test your first turn as Japan vs the AI. It can make a world of difference.

As far as recombining the magic move TFs, there are a lot of very interesting things you can do with them - there is a lot to be said for taking your non-magic move TFs and just absorbing into the magic move TFs so the troops all arrive together - and faster - rather than waiting for the regular TFs to make the journey. The Mersing Gambit is of course one option, but you can also go for a first turn Singapore invasion or Bataan invasion by adding enough extra low-value xAKLs to your magic move TFs to help soak naval gunfire. Doing so can cut weeks off your timeline in the Philippines and DEI.

But whatever you do test it, tweak it, and test it again.

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

you should test against the AI... nothing worst than sending a 1st turn that messed up the bonus surprise attack

A thousand times this. You should test and re-test your first turn as Japan vs the AI. It can make a world of difference.

As far as recombining the magic move TFs, there are a lot of very interesting things you can do with them - there is a lot to be said for taking your non-magic move TFs and just absorbing into the magic move TFs so the troops all arrive together - and faster - rather than waiting for the regular TFs to make the journey. The Mersing Gambit is of course one option, but you can also go for a first turn Singapore invasion or Bataan invasion by adding enough extra low-value xAKLs to your magic move TFs to help soak naval gunfire. Doing so can cut weeks off your timeline in the Philippines and DEI.

But whatever you do test it, tweak it, and test it again.

Paradigm - that's some great stuff. I thought i was a bit adventurous about my 1st turn landings but i never even considered bataan or singapore. Wow.

Some people might object to adding additional ships to the magic move task forces. In reality, they would be seen sailing towards their target and then there may have been no surprise.

ORIGINAL: RADM.Yamaguchi

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

you should test against the AI... nothing worst than sending a 1st turn that messed up the bonus surprise attack

A thousand times this. You should test and re-test your first turn as Japan vs the AI. It can make a world of difference.

As far as recombining the magic move TFs, there are a lot of very interesting things you can do with them - there is a lot to be said for taking your non-magic move TFs and just absorbing into the magic move TFs so the troops all arrive together - and faster - rather than waiting for the regular TFs to make the journey. The Mersing Gambit is of course one option, but you can also go for a first turn Singapore invasion or Bataan invasion by adding enough extra low-value xAKLs to your magic move TFs to help soak naval gunfire. Doing so can cut weeks off your timeline in the Philippines and DEI.

But whatever you do test it, tweak it, and test it again.

Paradigm - that's some great stuff. I thought i was a bit adventurous about my 1st turn landings but i never even considered bataan or singapore. Wow.

You have to be able to stomach some serious losses to make the landings work, and not everyone will want to make the sacrifice. But if you are willing to sacrifice ~25 xAKs and xAKLs sunk (and a similar number damaged) on December 7th, you can take Singapore on December 8th. You also may have to forfeit the Pearl strike, because if you go this route you absolutely want air cover.

You can also have Magic move TFs link up with other TFs and "carry them" to a destination... by setting the other TF to "meet" the magic move TF and then "merge" with the magic move TF. This is complex, and the TFs often do not link up, unless the magic move TF routs very near the TF that it is to meet, so it is only helpful for a couple of specific moves. This can be helpful in a stock game, because you have a 2 DD TFs in the home islands that can "carry" your CVLs or BBs or an amphibious TF (such as the one at Okinawa) to a destination near Malaysia or Mindanao.

Also, be careful using waypoints with magic move TFs. They will sometimes stop their magic move at the first waypoint, and then take 1 regular movement phase (3 or 4 hexes) after this first waypoint.

Also, you can load ships in a magic move TF and still get the magic move, but be sure not to load supplies, troops only: otherwise the TF will still be loading once the movement phase begins and miss its magic move. What I do typically is transfer all but one ship out of a magic move TF (so as not to destroy the TF), then dock it (after undocking everything else), fill up this TF with xAKs or xAPs until the docking capacity is reached (especially at Samah and Pescadores) and then load what I want to add to my initial amphibious moves (usually an HQ, naval support, or air support). This TF will then benefit from the magic move after loading troops only and you can get a few additional essential units to couple destinations on turn one.

ORIGINAL: Alamander

Also, you can load ships in a magic move TF and still get the magic move, but be sure not to load supplies, troops only: otherwise the TF will still be loading once the movement phase begins and miss its magic move. What I do typically is transfer all but one ship out of a magic move TF (so as not to destroy the TF), then dock it (after undocking everything else), fill up this TF with xAKs or xAPs until the docking capacity is reached (especially at Samah and Pescadores) and then load what I want to add to my initial amphibious moves (usually an HQ, naval support, or air support). This TF will then benefit from the magic move after loading troops only and you can get a few additional essential units to couple destinations on turn one.

Another great point.

Technically, those magic move TFs were actually sailing already and were not at the port. Adding ships and ground units to them, I would consider that gamey. If I played someone in a PBEM that did that, I would send an e-mail that said "Have a nice life."