Kull's Setup File?

[actrade]

First let me say that as a new player, Kull's allied setup spreadsheet has been invaluable in learning how/why to give orders and getting a feel for the game. I am about 1/3rd of the way done and plan on doing the entire set up. However, my eyes at 57 aren't what they used to be and I am catching myself making mistakes far too often. I'm assuming that somewhere on the forums (believe me I searched and looked to no avail) someone has at some point posted their set up save file? Again, not being lazy here, but when I'm done I will likely what to use someone younger's file that has been vetted by other players than my own. Cheers.

[Trugrit]

You know you don’t have to try for perfection.
This is just a game although for a select few of us it is a way of life.

I like Kull, he is great all round in very many areas and I’m sure his setup
is fantastic like all things Kull but I’ve never used it for two reasons.

1) I did not buy the game to have Kull or anyone else set it up or play it for me.
2) I reserve the right to screw up the game setup and campaign all by myself.
I have done it many times. A rite of passage.

The campaign game is a long marathon not a sprint.

I’m sure you will be fine if you just advance the turn button.
Trust me, the Allied war effort will not collapse overnight.

[Sardaukar]

You'll actually learn lot more about game when setting up things yourself.

Of course there are general guidelines, but ultimately decision is yours.

[RangerJoe]

If you are a new player, I suggest playing the Coral Sea scenario first a few times while trying both sides, then do the same for the Guadalcanal scenario.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

If you are a new player, I suggest playing the Coral Sea scenario first a few times while trying both sides, then do the same for the Guadalcanal scenario.

+1 with this. Those are great to learn lot about game mechanics.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

You'll actually learn lot more about game when setting up things yourself.

Of course there are general guidelines, but ultimately decision is yours.

+1 and I couldn't agree more with Trugrit.


Simply copying what someone else has done teaches you nothing about why they did it.


There is no substitute for learning by doing.

[Trugrit]

I do think rote learning is fine up to a point. I’ve learned some things by repetition over the years
and Kull did not write the spreadsheet for a screwball like me. He wrote it for new players and
I’m sure it has helped many of them. I’ve looked it over and it is very good.
Especially good for new players that are scared of the complexity.

When I started there was not a single good spreadsheet available.

Back in the day there were, and still are, walk throughs and AAR’s available.
I’ve never really used any of them with the exception of the setups done for Japan.
I studied those very closely for obvious reasons. The complexity of the Japan economy.

Even there I don’t always color inside the lines.

I guess I’m an exception in that as a new player I started with Scenario 1, the main campaign
playing as the Allies because I recognized right away the complexity of Japan.

I jumped right in and began to mouse over and push every button I could find.
If I could not understand something I searched the manual and the Forum.
As a shy only child I’ve been an avid reader since childhood.

I think I bought the game in April of 2011 and I did not join the forum until 2014.
I did not play any of the short scenarios for the first two years that I had the game.

I’m a screwball for sure.

[RangerJoe]

I started with Coral Sea and then Guadalcanal. Then I went into the campaign game and still did not understand all of the concepts but I learned well enough to get the japanese to surrender the first chance that they had. Dropping a 100k+ in supplies into Hong Kong to help the Chinese in the summer of 1942 really helped their offensives . . .

[Platoonist]

ORIGINAL: actrade

I am about 1/3rd of the way done and plan on doing the entire set up.

There's no law saying you have to complete the entire spreadsheet on the first turn of the game, especially against the AI. I often just start with directly attacked areas like Hawaii, the Philippines and Malaya/Hong Kong and slowly work my way out on the succeeding turns. It seems more realistic to me that way. I"m pretty sure that in the initial chaos of the war, every far-flung ship, plane and infantryman from one end of the hemisphere to the other didn't get their marching orders on day one. A good historical example is the that the US submarines based at Pearl Harbor didn't leave for their first war patrols until December 11th. But most players probably feel compelled to rush them out on the 8th.

Pace yourself. As others have said, its a marathon not a sprint.

[actrade]

Thanks for the playing tips as they're much appreciated. However, that's not what I asked. I just wondered whether or not this file or a thread linking to it were on the forums. I thought I was pretty clear that I was going to run the spreadsheet and thereby learn what I can as well. In the mean time, I am playing Coral Sea and will do both sides and then move onto Guadalcanal.

[actrade]

Thanks for the playing tips as they're much appreciated. However, that's not what I asked. I just wondered whether or not this file or a thread linking to it were on the forums. I thought I was pretty clear that I was going to run the spreadsheet and thereby learn what I can as well. In the mean time, I am playing Coral Sea and will do both sides and then move onto Guadalcanal.

[actrade]

Thanks for the playing tips as they're much appreciated. However, that's not what I asked. I just wondered whether or not this file or a thread linking to it were on the forums. I thought I was pretty clear that I was going to run the spreadsheet and thereby learn what I can as well. In the mean time, I am playing Coral Sea and will do both sides and then move onto Guadalcanal.

[RangerJoe]

There are threads about the spreadsheet. Here is a bit of advice from someone . . .

If the waypoint is a hex with a base, you can bring up the Base list (short cut key "B") and sort by hex coordinates. Even if the waypoint is not a base hex, you will know what are the closest bases to the waypoint.

Alfred

[pbiggar]

Hello and welcome actrade,

I agree that Kull’s set up sheet are very useful in helping a new player to learn lessons from a very experienced player. It is like having a mentor with you for the first few turns as you work to understand game mechanics and implement foundational strategy that will serve you for the first weeks or months of the game. While ever turn does not need to be perfect, it is better to start from a good place and then start making mistakes. [;)]

I agree with you that it would be helpful to have a saved files available with the everything input to make the game more accessible. When I was playing Japan the first time I looked for one as well but was not able to get one from the forum either. A real shame as the Japanese set up is very complex and can be a barrier to someone giving Japan a try.

I propose that when you get Kull’s Allied set up done that you share it with the forum. I will complete Kull’s Japan set up and make it available in the future as well.

[actrade]

Sounds like a plan. I figure it is going to take me at least 12 hours to complete (probably longer). If I wasn't already a huge GG game fan, I doubt I'd put that much time. Like I said, I'm 57 and have 6 kids who are all gamers, but none of them are into strategy games like this. I guess the point I'm making is we have to have alternatives to assist new players as not many are going to put in the time and will feel overwhelmed by games such as these and their depth. If we want a future of good strategy games, we have to acknowledged that the younger generation perhaps is used to things being right at their fingertips.

[Ian R]

If you want to get onto the grand campaign ...

I would suggest you read post #2 in Sardaukar's AAR here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4977360 and use it as a roadmap for working through a grand campaign turn. I actually think you should do that before taking up Kull's spreadsheet and running through the turn using that, because you'll have some more insight into why certain things are being done.

Sardauker also did an AAR for new players a while back, where he pointed out that you don't have to spend 8 real world hours on day 1. Re-directing a few TFs at sea, Moving some land units around in the PI and Burma/Malaya, sortieing the subs from Manila and Sorebaya, sending all the shipping in the PI and Hong Kong south in single ship TFs (they attract less attention), "scuttling for cover like a bunch of cockroaches when the light is turned on". (May not be an exact quote.)

[Chris21wen]

When learning don't do anything, just play. That way you'll know what is wrong, what can be done better, etc. By all means read some of the guides here as they do help but ultimately they mean nothing if you don't know why.

[boxof4]

ORIGINAL: Platoonist

ORIGINAL: actrade

I am about 1/3rd of the way done and plan on doing the entire set up.

I agree with Platoonist.