frustrated newbie seeks answers

[Thufir Hawat]

Hello, everyone out there. As you probably guessed from the title, I just got Pacwar a few days ago (after lurking around here and the WitP boards). Keeping in mind that I apparently don't have a manual with me (the download didn't include one), I have had some problems trying to figure this game out. Specifically:

How do I get an Air Combat TF to react to nearby enemy TFs (or, for that matter, attack enemy TFs at all)?

How do I get a Surface Combat TF to actually, you know, engage an enemy TF that's in the same freaking hex? I've had this problem several times playing against the AI to get the game mechanics down (and because I'm a closet sadist, I decide to play the included Okinawa scenario as the Japanese...had Yamato and some other forces around Iwo Jima when two US bombardment TFs came up supported by at least 2 CV TFs, and they didn't do a damned thing). VAdm Ito is in charge, it's a SC TF, dest Iwo w/home port Tokyo.

Is it possible to tell AFs to go after targets of opportunity while preventing them from flying suicidally after far away targets? I have (in the same scenario, roughly mid-late may 45) 4 air groups at Kendari (1 A6M5, 1 B6N on naval interdiction, 2 G4M on Ohka Attack) and I can't seem to control where they go to attack enemy TFs: I had the G4Ms flying one turn, and they attacked a CV TF, unescorted, all the way up near Leyte, and were predictably slaughtered.

Is there a problem in the game with moving land forces in China? I seem to have difficulty moving divisions between certain bases (for instance, Canton and Nanhsiung), and difficulty moving divisions between unrestricted, full human control HQs (6th Area Army and CEA).

Lastly, are there any pieces of advice for this specific scenario, or more usefully, on how to learn how to play (and then how to play) this game? I love this time period, but the complexity (and my inability to properly control what the hell is going on) could wear me out very fast.

[ancient doctor]

In order for a TF(any type of it)to react it should have a reaction range set by you which should be atleast as much as the enemy TF you wish to hit(dont expect the enemy to be further than your TF reaction range and see movement).2nd it depends on the leader of HQ/TF you have placed.The better he is the more possible to react against an enemy moving within reaction range.However there is also a probability factor that you cant control,you see when at war not everybody goes by the book so sometimes even at the same hex some fleets wont engage.I think also that PP play a role.BTW have you read the manual?

[Thufir Hawat]

I don't have a manual - it didn't come with the download. Obviously this makes trying to learn how to play the game much more difficult. Where is a copy of the manual, anyway? Or at the very least a keyboard chart?

OK, new question. I'm trying to see if I understand how carrier-on-carrier battles occur (though it wouldn't surprise me in the least to be completely wrong). First, if an enemy carrier or surface TF is spotted during the TF move phase, and there is an active CV TF in a friendly port (presumably with some kind of range to react?), then at the end of the turn, during the "Checking Return Paths" phase, the CV TF will react-move to the hex the enemy force is located in (if possible) and launch a strike. If the enemy tf has carriers, and they aren't all sunk or damaged, a counter strike may take place. This process occurs outside of the normal TF move and air combat phases.

Did I get it right (or mostly right)?

The event that brought this about was my moving a carrier TF containing Amagi, Katsuragi, Unryu, 2 CVL and 2 CVE plus escorts to Iwo the turn after a large armada of bombardment, transport, and CV TFs had overrun it and slaughtered the 29th Inf. Div. The TF attacked the airfields at Iwo with only A6M5s (the bombers and torp-bombers being set to NI). Then, in the return phase, I get the message of "TF 58 Reaction Move" and a US 3 or 4 CV TF moves right on top of me from Ulithi, planting a 1000 lb on the Unryu and a 500 on one of the CVLs. A counterstrike occured, but of the 90 planes, only 2 made it through the CAP (with no hits), and after that, the Unryu sank, and my TF retired to Tokyo. This had to have occured outside the normal course of the turn, because I had 3 G4M groups (1 at Nagoya, 2 at Tokyo) set on Ohka Attack and despite having the range to get to Iwo, they didn't go. Just as well, as the CAP would've had them for lunch...

[ancient doctor]

DO NOT i repeat DO NOT EVER put mission on the air units onboard of your CV/CVls because they will automatically engage if combat between CV TFs happen.Instead when you give a mission to the TF you may choose what you want your planes do like hit ground units/installations etc but IF they came within range of a detected enemy TF they will send an air strike which number of planes depend on PP/Leaders rating etc.

There is a manual in PDF format.Make sue you 1st downladed 3.00 version and THEN install above it the latest patch.Reaction range is used only by TFs that stay in their port and when an enemy TF is detected and within reaction range they might attack otherwise for TFs already in mission then if detection happens they will send if the above mentioned parameters exist.

[Capt. Harlock]

Is there a problem in the game with moving land forces in China? I seem to have difficulty moving divisions between certain bases (for instance, Canton and Nanhsiung), and difficulty moving divisions between unrestricted, full human control HQs (6th Area Army and CEA).

Lastly, are there any pieces of advice for this specific scenario, or more usefully, on how to learn how to play (and then how to play) this game? I love this time period, but the complexity (and my inability to properly control what the hell is going on) could wear me out very fast.

As mentioned in the posts above, there is a file, "Manual.pdf" in the V. 3.0 download. I highly recommend getting the file and going through the tutorial. Among other things in the Manual, you will find that each side has three restricted HQ's, whose land units are not allowed to be sent into other zones. (They also cost much more than usual to move in terms of Preparation Points.) Naturally, China is one of the Japanese restricted HQ's, and the Home Islands are under another.

Also have a look at the "Lost Files Thread" in this forum: there are some useful downloads with additional rules and other information.

I generally find that Surface Combat TF's on Reaction Mode are not useful. They do not have as high a probability of reacting as do Carrier TF's, which is realistic when you consider that Battleships are generally slower than Carriers and have to get much closer to do damage. In fact, on many occasions when a Surface Combat TF is sent into an enemy port, it will fail to engage Transport or Cargo TF's, and instead merely deliver a bombardment to the base. Surface Combat TF's are, however, very useful for defending ports from enemy invasion, as long as they have good CAP defending them from airstrikes.

Speaking of airstrikes, range is extremely important in Pacific War. Attacking bombers and fighter-bombers get a 50% range bonus against stationary targets such as airfields and ships in port. Therefore, a TF at a port can be immune from an airstrike from a distant airbase, but the ships anchored inside the port can be hurt badly, especially since they often do not fire AA.

Along these lines, it is a good idea for the Japanese to maintain a few squadrons of A6M2's and not permit them to upgrade to the shorter-range models. These are the fighters you want for G4M escort. Mind you, by the start of the Okinawa scenario, it's probably too late.

For a much more enjoyable learning curve, try the "Rising Sun" Scenario from the main scenario menu. Pay close attention to which bases get bonus points for capturing them: you'll find a list in the Pacific War Data Card file.

[moni kerr]

ORIGINAL: Ancient seaman

DO NOT i repeat DO NOT EVER put mission on the air units onboard of your CV/CVls because they will automatically engage if combat between CV TFs happen.Instead when you give a mission to the TF you may choose what you want your planes do like hit ground units/installations etc but IF they came within range of a detected enemy TF they will send an air strike which number of planes depend on PP/Leaders rating etc.

I disagree. Allied players will find out that CVs with TBM Avengers will go off and attack that Japanese airbase that is beyond Hellcat range no matter what you set your TF target as, and they will get slaughtered if there are fighters on the base. The best way to avoid this is to set them for NI. That way they only attack ships.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Simply edit the TBM range to match the range of the Hellcat.

Btw - nice quote in your sig, moni. Will add it to my collection [:)].

[ancient doctor]

I think that you are as wrong as possible(no offence meant).IF you want your torpedo and dive bombers to be escorted by your fighters(i am talking about CV units ONLY) then when you decide at what range you want your TF to stay from the target while lanching strikes then make sure that this range is within limit of the fighter cover of your CVs which is 1.5 the one printed for stationary targets.
If you only want your TF to fight against enemy TF then give it a reaction range and send it to your base.
The air units in a CV will no matter what strike against enemy TF as far as it is detected and your TF has PP.Putting them in NI and sending the TF to strike enemy bases will give you nothing.

[Thufir Hawat]

I'm still not sure about some things, which I'll list later on, but I think I'm getting somewhat of a hang with task forces, and especially with air forces.

I'm also getting an appreciation for why it is better to play PBEM than against the AI, mainly because even with an overwhelming advantage in all aspects, the only successful operations it's been able to achieve have been the nearly complete elimination of forces in the Philippines, Palau (but only after I had taken the base from them, and only with the starting forces!), and parts of New Guinea, the reduction of Taiwan air power, and a successful landing at Batavia. This, apart from the hordes of bombing runs by nearly every aircraft in the Allied arsenal, and 5 successful Atomic Bomb missions (3 against Osaka), has been the limit of their success.

On the other hand, with the meager resources I've had available to me, I was able to hold Rangoon (though enemy forces are still there, and it's a stalemate--either one of us who attacks does so at only a fraction of our total strength and get slaughtered), push the Chinese back from Kweilen, basically eliminate the British Royal Navy in India, repel an understrength invasion of Okinawa, and inflict significant damage on US forces (almost entirely through air power). As of the week of 11/4/1945:

Carriers (all types) sunk: IJN 3 (Unryu, Junyo, and a CVE), Allies 40 (13 CV, 7 CVL, 20 CVE)
Battleships sunk: Allies 10
Cruisers (all types) sunk: IJN 3 (2 CA, 1 CL), Allies 19 (6 CA, 5 CL, 8 CLAA)
Destroyers and DEs sunk: IJN 25, Allies 92

In fact, despite horrendous losses due to Allied subs, the only categories the Allies lead in sunk vessels are (by default) CDs, subs, and (more problematically) tankers (20 to 3).

All I can say is I'm glad that the Ohka was hardly ever used in reality, as a good half or more of these losses were caused by Ohkas (mainly around Rangoon, where the British stubbornly tried to run supply convoys supported by carrier and bombardment TFs week in and week out...some well placed Betty groups in Bangkok and the Andaman Islands really cut them down to size).

Now, the questions:

How does land combat work? Does activating the unit mean anything if its readiness is below a certain level? Does attacking require not just a ready and activated land unit, but an aggressive leader as well? Additionally, the amount of squads and such shown attacking and defending: are those the actual numbers, or are they adjusted for readiness and morale? (And why don't these numbers match the numbers in the combat summary, either?)

What determines which vessels are used in the convoy phase? For instance, if I leave a destroyer in Nagoya (which seems to be the main collection point for the convoy activities), will it be used as an escort? A CL?

How am I supposed to conduct ASW in this game?

How do I transport resources manually from bases which produce them (and oil, for that matter)? I'm noticing a drop in resources despite the convoys. Of course that could be because of trying to repair damaged factories and shipyards. Still, regular convoy activities are not transporting enough to make up the shortfall.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Some quick answers, wife is nagging that I'm on this "stupid forum" again [8|]...

Land combat: Agressive leader does help a lot, readiness must be above 50 AFAIK.

Routine convoys should use CDs as escorts when available at any port - if you want to use DDs and DEs, you have to put them into Nagoya. You must have MCS and tankers at Nagoya in order for routine convoys being formed.

ASW is best done by hordes of Navy patrol planes and any type of Navy bombers and by Army patrol planes (Army bombers do nothing against subs) put on day missions along the convoy routes. Range is important here, ASW is flown at half the normal range. Best ASW planes are Mavis, Emily, Betty. Dedicated surface ASW only possible by sailing DD, DE, CD, APD or CVE types back and forth across sub-infested waters, hoping a sub is dumb enough to attack so you get a chance to shoot back.

You can ship resources and oil by manual convoys, see load options when. If you see an '*' in the the oil/resource listing that means it has already been picked up by routine convoy this turn. Shouldn#t be necessary if you leave enough MCS and tankers at Nagoya for routine convoys.

[EvilWeevil]

At this rate it would be easier and quicker to rewrite the manual [:'(]

[Capt. Harlock]

I was able to hold Rangoon (though enemy forces are still there, and it's a stalemate--either one of us who attacks does so at only a fraction of our total strength and get slaughtered),

There is an undocumented feature: during March, April and May, there is monsoon in the Burma area, reducing attacker readiness to 1/4. Note: this is NOT the actual monsoon season, but it's what is coded into the game. Also, in order to reliably launch land attacks, the attacker must have a 4:1 advantage over the defenders. If not, a check will be made using the aggressiveness of the leader assigned to the combat. This is most likely to be the base commander, but it can be the leader of the relevant HQ, and sometimes (bogus!) even the HQ Air Leader. For HQ's likely to experience land combat, it is sometimes a good move not to assign an air leader at all.

[Thufir Hawat]

So sorry for bringing this topic back up, but there are a few additional questions I have.

I haven't started a new game (Rising Sun) yet, because I want to play this out to the end. It's now mid-March, 1946, and the Empire is being strangulated to death. Successful invasions were conducted against me in the DEI, at Batavia, and my forces were pushed out of Tjilitjap to Soerbaya; at Amami Oshima, just to the right of Okinawa; Okinawa itself, though I have about 7 divisions worth still fighting there (tried to counterinvade, but I simply don't have the supply or readiness to activate all my forces, so it was for naught); and recently, at Medang. The naval theater has quieted down, though there are some days of action (including a night surface action when my 4-BB SC TF happened upon a US transport TF depositing the 7th Inf. Division). Air losses are quite horrendous for me; I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel of Betties, Ki-45 Hiryus, Hayates, and several other types, which is hampering operations. I've lost God-knows how many cargo ships and tankers to the omnipotent Allied subs, who also credit a CVE and a CL sunk outright and two torps into Yamato. I have single-digits in resources, so my production score is halved, and only the kill-point multiplier is keeping me from an outright defeat.

And yet, I can't seem to stop. This has been a great primer on air and naval operations, though I have yet to figure out a lot about land combat. I just love seeing Ohka's rain down on enemy battleships and carriers, and groan over every tanker lost to sub torps.

I do have some questions as to game mechanics, though.

First, are CEA and Sixth Area Army restricted commands? I can't seem to select training as a mission for any air force in these two commands, no land unit belonging to one wishes to march to a base owned by the other, even though readiness is 99 and no PPs have been previously spent; and any air group stationed on a base owned by one of the two cannot be transfered to another command.

Secondly, is this a bug? Because of a huge wave of new air groups and returning groups that were previously destroyed, I've been farming out groups to outer bases to free room for fighters on the Home Islands. At Truck, I have 2 Ki-48-II groups and 3 Betty groups on Ohka attack. I forgot to set an air target, so they went straight after the chock-full port at Saipan, and were promptly met by over 250 fighters, including over 200 Hellcats. Yet, after that, every attack on a port anywhere on the map is met by the same exact number of Hellcats plus the normal CAP for the base and destroyed, even though the combat summary only says "...intercepted with xx fighters" (where xx is a double-digit number, the normal number of fighters on CAP to intercept). Could this be some sort of overflow that runs over to other battles?

Third, reading the notes on the changes from 3.0-3.2, it seems like it said that if Japanese production dropped below 500, the kill-multiplier would be removed. Is this the case?

Lastly, what land units can build a base up (increased airfield and port sizes in the Base Construction phase of a turn)? Is the Mai 8th Btn. such a unit? I'm trying to increase the AF size of the Marcus I. (currently 1) so I can park some fighter/fighter-bombers to train without clogging up space on the Home Islands.

Sorry if this sounds like a long, rambling post, but this is an interesting game, one which I want to figure out the mechanics so I can enjoy it more and be frustrated less.

[Cmdrcain]

You might find helpful stuff at my Old original Pacwar page and links on it to other pages:

http://hometown.aol.com/pacwar/index.html

http://members.aol.com/Pacwar/orgpacwar.html

Do note the OBC's are for the Original, pre-Matrix
setup and may not properly work in the Matrix updated version
however other stuff like Pwhints11 is still useful because other then some database changes and fix's, the core of the game and so the Hints are basically still same.

I've just never had time to take those original games obcs i made and adjust to use the updated Matrix versions

[Capt. Harlock]

Third, reading the notes on the changes from 3.0-3.2, it seems like it said that if Japanese production dropped below 500, the kill-multiplier would be removed. Is this the case?

Lastly, what land units can build a base up (increased airfield and port sizes in the Base Construction phase of a turn)? Is the Mai 8th Btn. such a unit? I'm trying to increase the AF size of the Marcus I. (currently 1) so I can park some fighter/fighter-bombers to train without clogging up space on the Home Islands.

To answer the first, yes, the Kill Point Multiplier goes away if the Japanese production score goes below 500. I have won more than one game as the Allies this way. Note that if the Japanese National Oil Reserve stays below 4000 units for an extended number of turns, Heavy Industry will slowly collapse from lack of fuel to run the machines.

As for the second, I have to admit that I have lost track of exactly which units have engineering capabilities over the course of all the updates. Units with "Eng." or "SBF" in their names generally can increase the size of ports and airfields. Also look at training: engineer-type units do not train up to the minimum experience levels. If you have a unit with an experience rating of 40 while everything else in the area has trained up to 60, it's a good bet that's your engineer unit.