Matrix Games Forums

1. I know this worked back in WITP but wondering if it still does in WITP:AE ... if you put ships in a task force and have them do donut cruises will that help them train up to the max non-combat level?

2. I was trying to put some better air commanders in my Marine Air HQs but, at 1942-02-08, there's only about 5 or 6 and the best air rating is about 40. I'm hoping that reinforcement officers eventually arrive that I can choose from? The ones that are available I can't find in the editor so I'm wondering if they are just random creations?

3. I noticed that all the squadrons assigned to my carriers say "Independent" for their Air HQ. Should I leave that alone or is there an Air HQ they should be assigned to?

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Yes.

In fact, you don't need to make a cruise. Just create a shakedown TF (empty ships without any load) and park it in some port hex undocked. For extra protection, I like to park such TFs en masse in San Francisco Bay and Adelaide Bay.

HOWEVER, at game's start, they code will create some ships that already have above-max experience, so cruising with them makes no sense.
For example, normally, Allied xAK/xAP ships exp max at 15 day/15 night exp. Yet, on turn 2, you will see you haves several ships with exp 16-24.

https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 3#p4751503

1. Yes ships in TF train faster how much faster I do not know.

2. Not sure what scenario your in but in 28b there's only one USMC Air HQ anf that doesn't arrive until Aug 42. Is it the USN Air HQ because at the start they are not very good air leaders. Generally as the came progresses better leaders appear across the board, plus some do train and become better. It's possible but more likely they are pilots that have been given command, this usually happens when you divide a group. A pic of one will help. Use tracker and you'll see all leaders and pilots in the game.

3. All groups assigned to ships become independant and no you do not and should not re-assign them. Air combat from ships does not need Air HQ, it is the TF commander that matters. Plus the rules for reinforcement, replacement and other stuff are diffrent for ship boune ac thhan shore based.

Pro tip:

Put ships into Surface Combat or ASW TF. Let them sit there to get more exp.

55/55 for some, 45/45 to smaller ones.

I recall Alfred posting that ships had a greater chance of gaining experience if it is moving. My observations of single hex vs hex pattern TFs bear that out. So I have all the small fry needing a lot of training doing triangular patterns with the home port as one of the patrol points (for refueling and repair). The patrol pattern should be long enough to ensure the ships are moving at night as well as day. I set a one day loiter at home port for minor repairs and oil changes. Small ships that are already near their max non-combat experience can be in a static patrol of their own port.
I tried to see if setting a reaction range of 1 would make any difference and my impression is that it makes no difference.

If the ships get minor System damage, I put them in port but not pierside. The crew seem to gain experience repairing damage and pierside/shipyard would be repairs by port personnel.
Ships that have been in a battle and had to deal with major flood and fire damage definitely gain experience (if there are not crew personnel casualties).

Sardaukar wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 4:48 pm Pro tip:

Put ships into Surface Combat or ASW TF. Let them sit there to get more exp.

55/55 for some, 45/45 to smaller ones.

Will this also work for xAP and xAK?

Dereck wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 11:36 pm

Sardaukar wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 4:48 pm Pro tip:

Put ships into Surface Combat or ASW TF. Let them sit there to get more exp.

55/55 for some, 45/45 to smaller ones.

Will this also work for xAP and xAK?

Yes, but the maxes are much lower depending upon nation.

PaxMondo wrote: Tue Oct 07, 2025 4:11 am

Dereck wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 11:36 pm

Sardaukar wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 4:48 pm Pro tip:

Put ships into Surface Combat or ASW TF. Let them sit there to get more exp.

55/55 for some, 45/45 to smaller ones.

Will this also work for xAP and xAK?

Yes, but the maxes are much lower depending upon nation.

Is there a list of the maxes? I was able to find the LCU max in my manual but nothing about naval maxes.

Editor manual p.22

The above table is to determine starting EXP, not training max.

As table has been published....

But warships don't get into more than 55/55 with what back in day great Gary G. himself called "shakedown cruises".

To elaborate and expand to other areas too, Exp and Naval skill of TF CO/ship CO also helps to avoid collisions in TF.

If they patrol,

Experience keeps increasing until it reaches:
⦁ 25 for civilian ships (TK, AK, AP, etc.),
⦁ 35 for non-combat ships (AV,AR, etc.),
⦁ 45 for semi-combat ships (APD, SC, PC, PG etc.),
⦁ 55 for combat ships (DD, CA, BB, CV etc.)

It is cheap way to build up exp, put them into TF in base and undock them.