Reasons for stockpiling devices

[Arkham]

Hey folks. Was looking at naval mines per another conversation under the devices list and i saw an option to stockpile these devices.

Why would I want to do that, both for mines in specific and stockpile other devices in general rather than have them available for my troops?

[Platoonist]

Basically, it's to reserve devices for the units that you want to prioritize receiving them. Otherwise, it's easy with so many units in the game for another unit to get them delivered first without your realizing it. Minelayers routinely load mines as ammo when they refuel and it's easy to overlook who drained the mine pool recently if you weren't paying attention. Maybe you wanted those mines loaded elsewhere.

By selective use of the upgrade switch stockpiling can also be used to reserve new front-line equipment for the units that you want to receive them first. Not the unit that's about to withdraw.

[RangerJoe]

Hey folks. Was looking at naval mines per another conversation under the devices list and i saw an option to stockpile these devices.

Why would I want to do that, both for mines in specific and stockpile other devices in general rather than have them available for my troops?

Ummmmm . . .

Maybe so you can control which units get the mines and other devices? Units in training and in garrison don't need the latest and greatest toys. Once your units in combat take losses, you will need to have replacement devices for them if you want them to be the most effective in combat.

[Yaab]

You have the ENTIRE Chinese army clamoring for field arty/ mortars/ AT guns/ MMG squads replacemnets, plus field arty upgrades, while you arty/mortar/AT gun production is almost NON-EXISTANT. So you want to give those devices to a handful of selected corps with best exp/flehsed out TOEs.

Other scarce Allied devices: Commonwealth tanks, radars, US heavy AA guns at start.

[Arkham]

Ok, I can see the case for minelayers specifically, I don't want my MLs reloading in Seattle when I can actually use the mines in the Solomons, but other devices wouldn't it just be easier to control (and not forget to turn back on) simply by disabling all replacements/upgrades for all units by default and turning it back on for the ones you want reinforced?

[Platoonist]

Ok, I can see the case for minelayers specifically, I don't want my MLs reloading in Seattle when I can actually use the mines in the Solomons, but other devices wouldn't it just be easier to control (and not forget to turn back on) simply by disabling all replacements/upgrades for all units by default and turning it back on for the ones you want reinforced?

Units need a wide variety of equipment upgrades and stockpiling always you to be selective about TO&E. As a very rough example maybe I want an Army unit that includes tanks to upgrade to 155mm guns but not to accidently dip into the pool for the M4 Shermans that I want to reserve for my Marine assault units. So, I have my Shermans set for stockpile. The marines are guaranteed to get first crack at them in the future and the army unit can get their Long Toms now.

[RangerJoe]

Ok, I can see the case for minelayers specifically, I don't want my MLs reloading in Seattle when I can actually use the mines in the Solomons, but other devices wouldn't it just be easier to control (and not forget to turn back on) simply by disabling all replacements/upgrades for all units by default and turning it back on for the ones you want reinforced?

Yes, it is advised to turn off the replacements and upgrades right away. But you still have to be very selective about which units that need the replacements get them. Many Indian divisions come in understrength and undertrained. Those units will suck up other common devices so until they are actually trained up, I don't let them have replacements.

Many American AAA units don't have the 40mm and 90mm AA guns, those that are in the front lines need them much more so than the rear echelon. Some of those older AAA weapons do go to the Chinese as well.

For the Chinese, until I can get convoys of supplies to China, there are only a few units that get replacements. Then the other units will only get the support squads since they are in dire need of those to repair the other devices. But then they only get replacements if they are engineers, base forces, HQs, artillery, or trained above 50 experience.

[Jellicoe]

Commonwealth Units especially require careful husbanding of resources - if you are not careful you can find precious armour being sucked up by New Zealand mounted units when you really need it to fit out Indian armour. 25 pounders and 6 pounders are also in great demand and you will need to husband these and allocate carefully to frontline divisions that you have paid the political points for or are already in flexible commands. Note that the Dutch also like 25 pounders and will happily half inch British stocks if you aren't careful! Bofors guns, armoured cars, British infantry, Australian Infantry, New Zealand infantry, the list goes on.......

A final thought when breaking down a unit to upgrade in turn make sure you have everything you need otherwise you can get stuck for ages without being able to rebuild back to a division

[Chris21wen]

Hey folks. Was looking at naval mines per another conversation under the devices list and i saw an option to stockpile these devices.

Why would I want to do that, both for mines in specific and stockpile other devices in general rather than have them available for my troops?

What others have said.

Note it's only the Allies that need to worry about devices. The Japanese use a different system and will replace and upgrade if there's enough supply available. For upgrade that usually means being in a base.

[RangerJoe]

Hey folks. Was looking at naval mines per another conversation under the devices list and i saw an option to stockpile these devices.

Why would I want to do that, both for mines in specific and stockpile other devices in general rather than have them available for my troops?

What others have said.

Note it's only the Allies that need to worry about devices. The Japanese use a different system and will replace and upgrade if there's enough supply available. For upgrade that usually means being in a base.

But to save some Japanese supplies along with vehicles points, and/or armament points, consider having some units in combat not upgrade so the older devices in the stockpiles can be utilized unless there will be units coming in later that need the old devices.

[Chris21wen]

What you say is true about using supply but the Japanese have far fewer upgrades to squads and devices than the Allies and I've never noticed any significant affect on upgrading them as and when. Keeping them up to TOE level however can be a problem.

[Nihonmachi]

What about disbanded units? Will the equipment go to the same pools? The infantry squads?

[Chris21wen]

What about disbanded units? Will the equipment go to the same pools? The infantry squads?

Yes! It's covered on p179 of the latest manual. However it is unclear as to what happens to scheduled withdrawn ground units. I've never checked but I assume they take their equipment with them as most were heading elsewhere e.g. Europe.

[Sardaukar]

One thing to do in China is to turn off replacements and upgrades from other than frontline units.

[LargeSlowTarget]

There is an option in the editor which governs whether squads and devices disappear or get dumped in the pools when a unit withdraws or disbands. I think as a general rule units that withdraw usually take the stuff with them and units that disband drop the stuff into the pools, but there might be exceptions.Note that you cannot disband units that do withdraw, in other words you cannot dump stuff into the pools that the unit is supposed to take with it when it withdraws.

[Sardaukar]

There is an option in the editor which governs whether squads and devices disappear or get dumped in the pools when a unit withdraws or disbands. I think as a general rule units that withdraw usually take the stuff with them and units that disband drop the stuff into the pools, but there might be exceptions.Note that you cannot disband units that do withdraw, in other words you cannot dump stuff into the pools that the unit is supposed to take with it when it withdraws.

Actually with Air Withdrawal it is opposite. You see "Planes and pilots into pool". Since those units usually come back.

[btd64]

There is an option in the editor which governs whether squads and devices disappear or get dumped in the pools when a unit withdraws or disbands. I think as a general rule units that withdraw usually take the stuff with them and units that disband drop the stuff into the pools, but there might be exceptions.Note that you cannot disband units that do withdraw, in other words you cannot dump stuff into the pools that the unit is supposed to take with it when it withdraws.

Actually with Air Withdrawal it is opposite. You see "Planes and pilots into pool". Since those units usually come back.

Actually there are some air units that you lose everything. Although I usually pull out the trained pilots....GP

[Sardaukar]

There is an option in the editor which governs whether squads and devices disappear or get dumped in the pools when a unit withdraws or disbands. I think as a general rule units that withdraw usually take the stuff with them and units that disband drop the stuff into the pools, but there might be exceptions.Note that you cannot disband units that do withdraw, in other words you cannot dump stuff into the pools that the unit is supposed to take with it when it withdraws.

Actually with Air Withdrawal it is opposite. You see "Planes and pilots into pool". Since those units usually come back.

Actually there are some air units that you lose everything. Although I usually pull out the trained pilots....GP

Those are ones needing to be Disbanded. These are units going to Europe. It's wise move to empty them from pilots, planes they take with them.

[btd64]

Actually with Air Withdrawal it is opposite. You see "Planes and pilots into pool". Since those units usually come back.

Actually there are some air units that you lose everything. Although I usually pull out the trained pilots....GP

Those are ones needing to be Disbanded. These are units going to Europe. It's wise move to empty them from pilots, planes they take with them.

Right....GP

[Nihonmachi]

There is an option in the editor which governs whether squads and devices disappear or get dumped in the pools when a unit withdraws or disbands. I think as a general rule units that withdraw usually take the stuff with them and units that disband drop the stuff into the pools, but there might be exceptions.Note that you cannot disband units that do withdraw, in other words you cannot dump stuff into the pools that the unit is supposed to take with it when it withdraws.

Actually with Air Withdrawal it is opposite. You see "Planes and pilots into pool". Since those units usually come back.

Actually there are some air units that you lose everything. Although I usually pull out the trained pilots....GP

I think I just lost a lot of planes and pilots as Japan like this.

EDIT. Found the pilots at least, on their way to the pools.