Matrix Games Forums

I've been a good little Jap, securing much of the SRA that has resources and oil by mid-January along with a lot of minor bases, recovered all my AK's and TKs in Osaka like good boy and set most everything not out on the front lines into the Auto Convoy system Within a week to 10 days I have dozens of little TF's running around to every little obsure base on the map with 10,000 supplies or so each. Fuel is no problem, more than enough, right now, to go around. But EVERY homeland Japanese base is now < 10,000 supply! Was going to finally upgrade a CVL A5M to A6M2 when it docked in Tokyo only to find out Tokyo has only 7,000 supply points and not enough "supply" to upgrade anything!!! In fact, only Saigon, Khota Bharu, and Truk have more the 20,000 supply on hand!!! The rest of it is all enroute somewhere, afloat on the Pacific Ocean from Sakahlin Is. to Kawejelin....

So once the first wave of auto-supply gets done, do things settle down, supply-wise or have I erred in putting everything except a small handful of frontline bases on auto-supply?

I have also wondered if "auto supply" really works. I don't have a game far enough along to make a determination though.

I hate the auto supply feature. If I run it (yes it is a head ache) I know only the bases i want will get what I want them to have. I will not see a base in the rear requesting 1500 supply getting 10,000. Helps me keep a surplus where I want it to be. It is a bear to micro-manage everything, but otherwise I am liable to throw my computer out the window in frustration when i see some massive auto supply convoy going somewhere.

I refuse to use the auto-convoy. Every time I try it it loads up 3 TFs - one each turn - of the same amount of stuff and sends it to the same base... It seems to do a good job determining what a base needs, but it doesn't seem to be able to track if the target base has any TFs enroute, and keeps sending the same stuff to the same base.

Xargun

I gave up on the "auto-supply" feature, except for small, rear-area bases (as the allies). I load up "super-TFs" with 25 7000 capacity AKs, and 12 18000 capacity TKs to Pearl, Noumea, and Brisbane, with smaller TFs to Sydney and Suva (which I use as a staging area). If the pathing gets fixed, I might consider using this feature again...

but otherwise I am liable to throw my computer out the window in frustration when i see some massive auto supply convoy going somewhere.

Sorry had to link this: [:D]

http://www.servicemagic.com/category.Wi ... int_id=131

http://www.rescuecom.com/index_fla.html

Not having gotten to that point in the game, but just from the real - life war:

The IJ don't have enough of anything. So spreading what (inadequate) supplies you have so every base has the amount the regulation manual says they should have. You should put what you have in those few places that will do the most good. Having people starve on many, small bases so the people on a few, large, key bases are only hungry is likely the best you can do.

ORIGINAL: Xargun

I refuse to use the auto-convoy. Every time I try it it loads up 3 TFs - one each turn - of the same amount of stuff and sends it to the same base... It seems to do a good job determining what a base needs, but it doesn't seem to be able to track if the target base has any TFs enroute, and keeps sending the same stuff to the same base.

Xargun

Yes, I have noticed that, too. That's a definite bug. The algorithm used in auto supply should count TF's enroute as well as on-hand. Otherwise, it seems to make a new request every day until something actually arrives and undloads and turns the red/pnk number white.

ORIGINAL: SunDevil

but otherwise I am liable to throw my computer out the window in frustration when i see some massive auto supply convoy going somewhere.

Sorry had to link this: [:D]

http://www.servicemagic.com/category.Wi ... int_id=131

http://www.rescuecom.com/index_fla.html

HAHAHA. I resist the urge mightly and remind myself that there are kids and a dog around to kick and take out my frustration on.[:D] But usually I just go to a politics style forum and kick those people around instead. Much more enjoyment and less costly.

ORIGINAL: ZOOMIE1980


Yes, I have noticed that, too. That's a definite bug. The algorithm used in auto supply should count TF's enroute as well as on-hand. Otherwise, it seems to make a new request every day until something actually arrives and undloads and turns the red/pnk number white.

I thought that the manual said that auto supply would not send more than 1 or 2 convoys to the same base at the same time?

ORIGINAL: foliveti

ORIGINAL: ZOOMIE1980


Yes, I have noticed that, too. That's a definite bug. The algorithm used in auto supply should count TF's enroute as well as on-hand. Otherwise, it seems to make a new request every day until something actually arrives and undloads and turns the red/pnk number white.

I thought that the manual said that auto supply would not send more than 1 or 2 convoys to the same base at the same time?

It sent FOUR TF's to Khota Bharu last time through the scenario. Now that base has a lot of engineer troops and such poised to move south, but by the time Auto Convoy was done the place had 90,000 supply built up! That happenned to be a good thing, though, that time, though. Took Singapore the next day, and the 25th Army HQ and an Air Div HQ was with them. BOOM, next day, 35,000 supply sitting in Singapore! All sucked down from there.

What i liked was around the 20th of December and the Auto supply sent a convoy to Port Arthur. Now this would normally be fine because it did need supply but the computer also sent tankers and fuel even though Port Arthur already has 240,000 fuel that iwasn't using.

It was kinda funny watching one convoy of tankers dropping fuel while across the bay another convoy was loading fuel. WTF?

Mike

Auto convoy system is stupid and a complete waste of programming hours.

In my game as scenario 9 as the Allies the Auto-Convoy routine seemed completely obsessed with Prince Rupert of all places. I had stripped everything out of there apart from one group of Cats and a base force, but it was still sending masses up to them to the point where it had 80,000 supply and San Fran had just 20,000!

I've given up and turned it off. It's a shame it doesn't really work, it would be a great help to players if it did. I've been singing the 'Who ate all the pies' song to myself, and not knowing who Prince Rupert was, am now convinced that he really was a fat *******. Yeah I know, simple things...

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

Auto convoy system is stupid and a complete waste of programming hours.

If it worked as described I would think it would be very useful for keeping the rear areas supplied? I havnt used it yet myself too much, but this is what i had planned to use it for. It sounds like its not up to even that task though which, if so, would be very dissapointing.

Dawg

One good example, and it can be used in the tutorial is just to have one base engineer unit on an island. Use a transpor TF to take out all the fuel and supply. Then when that is done transport the tf to the homebase,unload it and disband it. Then set both bases to auto-suppy and see how many auto-supply TF's get created and how much supply gets dumped. This could be the base test.

When pLaying as ther allies i used the auto supply on some bases. It was useful i found for the backwater areas. Places with tps were kept supplied and i was free to win the war.

Which is what I thought the whole auto-covey system was for, backwater, behind the lines supplying. I also think it was designed more to help the allies than the Japanese. Just my opinion when you look at the distances involved for the allied player to win this game.

Not only does auto supply act stupidly (we should be allowed to set the request level at each base and the computer should not "Auto' until the level falls below and then ONE TF with a TOTAL REQUEST AMOUNT) BUT they seem to sail right past, heck - almost right into Tokyo Harbor to sight see. I swear the dumbass skippers sail right into threat areas instead of obvious pathfinding around them. Of course even the Human TF's go too close. Why sail next to Japan to get to San Francisco when going by Pearl Harbor is safe?!

I spend a lot of time redirecting fleets WE NEED WAYPOINTS or smarter skippers!

Gary

gdpsnake,

Can you give me an example of when or why a auto-convoy would go by Tokoyo. What is their destination and their origin? Your comment does not sound like you are using auto-convoy to supply behind-the-lines bases. Just curious. But I agree on the wish for waypoints or smarter pathfinding.