Matrix Games Forums

Ok, maybe its written in the manual but, I would like a clear cut explaination of if, how and how much supply/fuel I transport into Perth from Karachi will distribute to my other Oz bases and approachmently how low does it take for the eastern Australia bases to get the benefits of incoming supplies.

Also, why does it seem that everything regarding game details is so obsure in GG games. Example AS will repair subs faster than normal when in port. Eh how much faster. AD will repair destroyers faster than than normal while in port, etc. tec. etc. Eh how much how do things work. These are not Fog of War items and they are clear in the manual as well as many other items explaining the game. Maybe they are explained but it is difficult to find. It is almost like, trust me these things will happen. I would like to know how the game works in order to plan and I don't need exact numbers just an idea.

Hey and I am not an expert gamer but do remember Pac War when eventually it was the players that ended up trying to explain the details of the game.

If I'm wrong I'm sorry but it is frustrating. OK I am ready to get flamed so take your best shot.

Buck

It's not because we're trying to hide things from players (at least not ususally). It's simply because the formulas are often so complex that they defy easy inclusion in a manual. In WitP that is compounded by the incredible volume of things that are going on that one would like explained. I've spent hours asking Gary questions about the game's formulas in order to try to test or tweak something or get some information in the manual. I often walk away from these conversations shaking my head in amazement about just how complex they are. Often, by the time I get to asking Gary, it's code he hasn't looked at in over a year and it's hard for him to remember what's going on in the code without spending a lot of time going through it. I've tried to get as much into the manuals as I could within reason as I too like to see as much explained in writing as possible. The manual is already 220 pages and there's no fluff in it. There's just so much we can provide given the size and complexity of WitP. I got the formulas for ship repair once from Gary when he described them over the phone to me. At the end of the conversation I had 2 full pages of notes and formulas. I decided that it was just too much to try to get into the manual and decided it was more important to just make sure that players knew generally what could impact repair times and let them discover the details for themselves.

As for your original question about Perth, I don't remember for sure but every 3 days the system will move items over long distances (can't remember if it's up to 37 rail hexes or 45 rail hexes maximum). One of the players or testers may be able to give you a better idea. I'll try to find out the maximum range that items will move when I speak with Gary next (I can't remember now if that was in the manual, but I read a post recently by a tester that seemed to know the answer).

ORIGINAL: Joel Billings

As for your original question about Perth, I don't remember for sure but every 3 days the system will move items over long distances (can't remember if it's up to 37 rail hexes or 45 rail hexes maximum). One of the players or testers may be able to give you a better idea. I'll try to find out the maximum range that items will move when I speak with Gary next (I can't remember now if that was in the manual, but I read a post recently by a tester that seemed to know the answer).

Thanks Joel for your time and effort. I would also appreciate knowing approximately how much supply is moved during the time frame you mentioned? Also does it go first to the higher Hqtrs location for further distribution? One last item (that I can think of now), Is it beneficial to run convoys from the large ports in Australia to further distribute supply build up. Example say from Sydney and Melbourne to Townsville or Carins or Perth to Darwin?

I guess I can appreciate what you say about the lesser issues I previously mentioned (AS, AD, etc), but I would like to know if these type of items are just more than eye candy as far as repairing. Also please give us as much information as you can about supply and it's movement. Like it is stressed in the first paragraph on page 185 in the manual, "managing logistics is the key to victory". You got me convinced.

Again, thanks.

A sub, PT or DD tender may help 2 ships per turn repair (they give a bonus equal to increasing the port size by 2)

From section 13.4 of the manual. There are a few other section in the manual the detail repair etc. Basicly they dont really "repair" ships, they just increase the chance that a damaged ship will regain one sys damage point, which is in culmination with any other bonuses ie Naval Base HQ present etc

Myros

I spoke with Gary and he looked into the code and this is what he found:

For supplies, fuel and resources, once a week they will travel as far as 49 rail hexes (supply path length of up to 99), four times during the week they will travel up to 44 rail hexes (supply path 89) and twice a week they will travel up to 24 rail hexes (supply path 49). For oil, once a week it will travel up to 44 rail hexes (supply path 89) and 6 days a week it will travel 24 rail hexes (supply path 49).

Now how much will travel is very complicated and not something I can even guess at. Items move when there is excess at one base and a need at another base within range. To go from Perth it will have to travel to at least one base before it gets to the east coast. If there is no need at the mid base, the supplies will never move. My guess is that some of it will move to Darwin if needed (at least until the map is changed, if it ever is), and some could move to Adelaide if there is a need there. Otherwise, it will sit in Perth. My guess is that the player is better advised to sail the supplies to Adelaide where it will more quickly move to where it is needed in the east.

On the east coast, the distances are short enough that as bases needs go up, they will tend to get the supplies they need from the other bases as long as there is excess so you should not have to use ships unless you want to stockpile a bunch in a port to use as your main staging port to load supplies to send to the front line out of Australia. That's about all I can tell you other than to tell you to keep your Main HQs (Southwest Pac, South Pac, etc.) in the bases that you want to build up as they will suck overland an extra 25000 supplies if they can find it in other bases.

Thanks again Joel pretty good information (even if I didn't understand all of it). Your support is super.