'41 Allied start transports

[eskuche]

I just noticed this in the new version, assuming it was added in 1.04. Does anyone else find this a bit... overwhelming? I'm able to move the entire US complement into the solomons into a few turns. Rabaul can even be reinforced by a full strength division turn 1 from AUS.

[eskuche]

Well, hate to double post, but maybe Alvaro will see this. A probably reasonable workaround to the finicky, gamey transporting of low strength units would simply be to have transports cost the max strength of a unit. Aircraft could maybe be halved to represent stowing disassembled frames.

[BJGeary]

It isn't "gamey" to cheaply transport low strength units. Transporting one battalion (1 strength point) of a 9-battalion division, or 1 regiment (3 strength points) of a 3-regiment division doesn't take as many ships as transporting an entire full-strength division.

[eskuche]

ORIGINAL: BJGeary

It isn't "gamey" to cheaply transport low strength units. Transporting one battalion (1 strength point) of a 9-battalion division, or 1 regiment (3 strength points) of a 3-regiment division doesn't take as many ships as transporting an entire full-strength division.

Because replacements of US troops, wherever they might be, from manpower sitting on the mainland does not take transports. Replacements are abstracted and are not bounded by space nor time.

By turn 2 I can have the entire Solomons covered with the 2-5 strength US troops that were ferried over with the starting 40 transports. They then magically grow up to 10 strength without using any more transports, as, obviously, would be the case in real life.

[Remington700]

The transports do offer Allied opportunities to reinforce different islands in the Solomons. Japan's capture of Rabaul can be completed on turn 1 with two invasions - however this should be fixed in the next patch so an invading unit can advance and capture it in one turn - like most other islands. Playing the Axis I have had good luck taking Guadalcanal on the opening turn making the Allies fight for it.

IMO Allied reinforcement of divisions around Rabaul is tough as the Japanese navy is strong enough to easily cut them off. The units will atrit quickly due to lack of supply and will have to be replaced at full cost, rather than the 60% cost for replacements. Or Japan can force ill advised Allied naval attacks which is even better. I think the units are better used to capture the islands around Fiji and New Caledonia to aid with defense of these key ports. They are much easier to supply using night movement supported by land based air. But I play "small fleet" so I cannot speak to how this effects the use of the large fleets.

[eskuche]

ORIGINAL: Remington700

The transports do offer Allied opportunities to reinforce different islands in the Solomons. Japan's capture of Rabaul can be completed on turn 1 with two invasions - however this should be fixed in the next patch so an invading unit can advance and capture it in one turn - like most other islands. Playing the Axis I have had good luck taking Guadalcanal on the opening turn making the Allies fight for it.

IMO Allied reinforcement of divisions around Rabaul is tough as the Japanese navy is strong enough to easily cut them off. The units will atrit quickly due to lack of supply and will have to be replaced at full cost, rather than the 60% cost for replacements. Or Japan can force ill advised Allied naval attacks which is even better. I think the units are better used to capture the islands around Fiji and New Caledonia to aid with defense of these key ports. They are much easier to supply using night movement supported by land based air. But I play "small fleet" so I cannot speak to how this effects the use of the large fleets.

These are fair points. I have not fully explored the ramifications of the new blockade rules, i.e., patrol and transports cannot blockade anymore. Going this route may pre-empt concentration of IJN into India.

[AlvaroSousa]

Note that the Japanese will gladly cut off your garrison and starve it to death by flooding islands with troops.

[eskuche]

ORIGINAL: AlvaroSousa

Note that the Japanese will gladly cut off your garrison and starve it to death by flooding islands with troops.

They could in the past but with naval effectiveness rules and no more blockade with submarine and transports this is very hard to do. I’ll report any egregious findings as I play more, though.

[*Lava*]

With the AI Experience and Effectiveness set at Historical, the Japanese are pretty timid and will not even attack Papua New Guinea.

Crank up the AI Experience and Effectiveness by one level, and they will be swarming all over the place and sending submarines into the South Pacific where they will be poaching your Merchant Marine like crazy.

[eskuche]

ORIGINAL: *Lava*

With the AI Experience and Effectiveness set at Historical, the Japanese are pretty timid and will not even attack Papua New Guinea.

Crank up the AI Experience and Effectiveness by one level, and they will be swarming all over the place and sending submarines into the South Pacific where they will be poaching your Merchant Marine like crazy.

I have no experience with AI games, but I’ll take your word on it. I can’t find any opponents — care to help me test my theories?

[GiveWarAchance]

ORIGINAL: *Lava*

With the AI Experience and Effectiveness set at Historical, the Japanese are pretty timid and will not even attack Papua New Guinea.

Crank up the AI Experience and Effectiveness by one level, and they will be swarming all over the place and sending submarines into the South Pacific where they will be poaching your Merchant Marine like crazy.

I like this advice for us who play against the AI. I will try these settings too.

I am scared of PBEM games but maybe someday might timidly consider it but not for a year or two or more cause usually other players know game-ending tricks that make make it unfun but that may not apply to this game cause it is a quality wargame and not Fortnite or Call of Duty. I dunno.

[AlvaroSousa]

Just take your time on PBEM games. You might get your ass kicked but I guarantee you make realizations about how to better play the next game. Hadros has been kicking my ass for a while as he played way more games than I did. But I am catching up to him. Multiplayer is very fun.

[AllenK]

ORIGINAL: eskuche

ORIGINAL: *Lava*

With the AI Experience and Effectiveness set at Historical, the Japanese are pretty timid and will not even attack Papua New Guinea.

Crank up the AI Experience and Effectiveness by one level, and they will be swarming all over the place and sending submarines into the South Pacific where they will be poaching your Merchant Marine like crazy.

I have no experience with AI games, but I’ll take your word on it. I can’t find any opponents — care to help me test my theories?

I've only got a Warplan game going at the moment. I think I can manage a game of WP Pacific as well.

I've only dabbled with the playing Allies (and not too well) against the AI, so, if I play as Allies, I will perfectly represent the lack of preparedness and general unreadiness of the Allied command at the start of the campaign! PM me if interested.