Ask the Dev!

[WPO_FANBOY!]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace
And, FYI, my Birthday is February 8... Ironically, two days after the anniversary of the signing of the Washington Treaty.

I'm curious to know what would've happened if you had been born June 27 (Two days after North Korea invaded the south in 1950) Perhaps War in Korea!! [X(][:D]

[Huguderian]

Hi,

Will be there the japanese Number 13 fast battlecruisers class in the game? 4 of them where to be build, but it was cancelled in 1923. Those babes where to be major problem to the allies! Evem more powerful than Kiis!

[Tankerace]

Unfortuneatly no. I decided when I added in the never weres only to do those ships either laid down, or at the very least named. If I were to add the Number 13s, then for fairness I'd have to add in the Tillman projects, and the various N and G2-3 designs of England. So, I capped it at the Tosas, Amagis, and Kiis; Lexingtons, 16 and 18 inch SoDaks, and Admiral and G3 classes.

[Iridium]

Tankerace, I was wondering, I recall seeing that you said Yamashiro had aircraft capability. By my sources I have March of 1922 for Yamashiro. Fuso had a catapult installed to the roof of her #2 gun in 1924 but had it removed after a short time. Are you working under assumtions like this may have been kept due to war? While I would find it interesting some people may find you playing even more what ifs simply fantasy. On the other hand I think this is a serious possibility. However saying all this, there are probably many other instances in which ships may have had upgrades accelerated due to war, making all of these questions kind of moot.

BTW, does Fuso class have that great pagoda style bridge after its 1925 refit in the game as in RL?...[;)]

[Tankerace]

Yes, Yamashiro starts out with an aircraft capability, but until Japanese seaplanes are built (around the time all Japanese dreadnoughts are rebuilt) she only carries Sopwith Pups or GLoster Sparrowhawks.

According to my sources (I will change if there is evidence to the contrary), in 1924 Fuso had a catapult installed, for testing. I have decided not to include it, but only because Yamashiro's isn't removed in 1923 (hers was only to train future Hosho pilots).

As to Fuso refit, my sources state that she was rebuilt 1927-28 (not 1925), and that she received a heptapodal mast, not unlike Nagato and the projected Tosa and Amagi. The Pagoda would not be built around it until the 1930-33 refit (1930-35 for Yamashiro). Also, the fore funnel was retained in the 1927 refit, but it was in the 1930 refit that it was removed.

Actually, I just looked on the Conway's page, and a photo of Yamashiro in 1928 confirms this. The photo you posted is a post 1930 refit. In her final Warship appearance, Fuso looks the same as commissioning, but with a slightly more cluttered foremast. The Fit you posted is not available in War Plan Orange ( a little too modern [8D])

[Iridium]

Yeah, I wondered about the Fuso refit...I've got great photos of her from my book: Anoatomy of the Ship: The Battleship Fuso by Janusz Skulski but don't have a scanner to post them...[:@]

Well, according to this book in 1924 her forward superstructure gained a certain amount of it's WWII look. Also the forward funnel gained a curved cap, I guess they were concerned about smoke blowing into the tower while stationary...

this book doesn't go into too much detail about the catapult except that it was there.Then they apparently used captive balloons[:D]not that I'm suggesting that they be added...too little gain for the effort.

I guess as a side not to delving into this book I'll ask about the Anti-torpedo net equipment. This wasn't removed till '26-'27, I guess I'd wonder if it was worth even thinking of when concerning the model. My guess is no, never was too sure how effective those things were.

[Iridium]

ORIGINAL: Iridium

Yeah, I wondered about the Fuso refit...I've got great photos of her from my book: Anoatomy of the Ship: The Battleship Fuso by Janusz Skulski but don't have a scanner to post them...[:@]

Well, according to this book in 1924 her forward superstructure gained a certain amount of it's WWII look. Also the forward funnel gained a curved cap, I guess they were concerned about smoke blowing into the tower while stationary...

This book doesn't go into too much detail about the catapult except that it was there.Then they apparently used captive balloons[:D]not that I'm suggesting that they be added...too little gain for the effort.

I guess as a side note to delving into this book I'll ask about the Anti-torpedo net equipment. This wasn't removed till '26-'27, I guess I'd wonder if it was worth even thinking of when concerning the model. My guess is no, never was too sure how effective those things were.

Edit: Bah, spelling...

[:D] Arghh...I've had too much beer, don't mind me...[:'(]

[Tankerace]

Hehehehehe.

Actually, I don't know that much about Japanese Torpedo nets, but in Jutland: The German Perspective it talked several times about large ships (I think Seydlitz in particular) have her nets torn away, and then the ship would have to stop, while in a fight, to have the nets hauled in so they wouldn't foul the propellor. The general consensus was that while they *could* explode a torpedo before it hit the hull, they actually stood a bigger chance of fouling the ship than saving it.

On the Fuso, yeah, its a blend of WW2 and WWI. The foremast is close to its WW2 look, but not quite, and it still has 2 Funnels, plus a tripod mainmast. Of more significant damage, her turrets were increased to a 43 degree elevation, giving a 38,000 yard maximum range.

[Huguderian]

Ok I understand that.

So it will have Kaga and Tosa as battleships; the Amagi, Akagi, Atago, Takao as battlecuisers and from the Kii class the first two planned battleships (Kii, Owari). I am asking if you wont convert Kaga and Akagi to Carriers and assume that Amagi was not wrecked by natural causes.

Thanks

[Tankerace]

None of the BB/BC to CV conversions are in War Plan Orange. WPO assumes that because the Washington Treaty was not signed, the aircraft carrier was not forced on the navies of the world, and thus takes a more leisurely development. The Lexingtons, Kiis, Amagis, Tosas, and Courageous class ships all are in WPO as designed, i.e. in the original roles.

While it is possible that one or more of the battleship hulls may have been converted to a carrier, all actual instances (with the exception of COurageous and Glorious) were the direct result of the Washington Treaty. As such, like everything else related to tghe treaty, it is negated.

As to Amagi, I have lengthened her build time, to where she is one of the later arriving of her class, to assume that although she was wrecked, she is salvagable, especially with a war situation brewing.

The only carriers in WPO are: The Furious, Argus, and Vindictive for the Brits, although in later scenarios Vindictive is a seaplane carrying cruiser; the Hosho class for Japan, consiting of the Hosho and Shokaku (cancelled in 1922), with two additional units built in the later scenarios, and the Langley and Liner conversion class for the US. The US (along with Japan) planned that in the event of war, liners or other large, fast ships would be converted. This is represented by 2 additional Hoshos, and 2 faster Langley's for each side.

[Huguderian]

OK

And the Wakamya? Will be included? I read somewhere that she was a seaplane tender but it might carried some Pups.

Will the balance of power between IJN and RN/USN/other fall to the allies sida to much? Japan will start with some 10 modern BB/BC (in later scenarios will add the 4 Amagis and 2 Kiis) achiving the 8-8 Fleet as planned. But the US have a lot more BBs and joining those will be the British ones. How you plan to balance the forces?

The US will have 16 to 10 BB at the time, so how you will divide the USN in the Pacific Fleet and Atlantic Fleet?

This game is really interresting!

Thanks

[Tankerace]

Thanks for the comment. Yes Wakiyama is in the game. I am not sure of the final spelling, Jane's has 1 spelkling but is notoriously wrong in its spelling [:D]

US and Atlantic fleets are divided by its history. All US ships (sans never weres) will arrive or start in the Pacific based on historical records and the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, with the exception of ships in Red Led Row in Philadelphia may arrive based on a probable date after refitting and recommissioning. The Never were designs will arrive withing a few months of their probable commissioning date. The balance of power in the beginning is fairly equal, but the Japanese must act quickly (if they decide to go on the offensive), because eventually the US Atlantic fleet will arrive, along with the British.

However, the game is set up that it can be played in 2 ways, either Japan is the aggressor, or the US can be the aggressor. At the start, the VPs are nearly the same.

The British dont arrive in force until the last years of the scenarios, and US ships arriving in the Atlantic arrive piecemeal. This gives the Japanese a chance, but (as in probable history), they must whittle down the enemy fleets prior to an engagement, or else the United States' superior numbers will pound the Japanese.

[PJJ]

In the FAQ (which hasn't been updated for some time) you mention that you are somewhat unsure about the American/Allied AI. What's the latest news about this? Can you play WPO as Japan against the Allied AI and expect sensible results?

I'm asking because I like to try games out against the AI before starting PBEM... and I don't always have the time to play against human opponents.

[Tankerace]

So far, it seems to work well. Granted, in the final product with Mike's AI tweaks it will be even better. The Allies will be slow to act at first, but as it consolodates its forces and gathers steam, it is ferocious as in regular WitP. I can better comment on this when the project goes more into its beta testing phase, but as of now all tests are positive.

[jwilkerson]

Years ago, I ( and others ) worked on a "War in the Thirties" scenario for WITP ( SPI edition ) ... this included 2 primary alternate sub-scnearios ... the "Treaty Happened" and the "Treaty Did Not Happen" ... in the "Did Not Happen" version ... you had Akagi/Kaga/etc. and Lex/Sara/Langley ... also Macon/Akron were in either ... the start year was either 32 or 33 ... and the "war" ran for about 18-24 months ... I don't remember all the details off the top of my head .. but I do still have my notes in a box somewhere ... anyway .. question is do you think WPO version of the game would support this scenario ???

[Tankerace]

It would probably support such a scenario. Granted, a little work would need to be done, as the game is primarily set for a 1920's conflict (just some new pilot exp levels would be needed). As for Akron and Macon, while not used in WPO (primarly because they aren't in the date range), I haven't found a suitable method for modeling blimps and airships. I have experimented with several forms, but each has a certain sense of Kludginess to them.

Granted, the scenario would need to be rewritten (naturally), but I see no problems in the game handling them (that is, after some date modifications are made), as the game still retains enough "witp" elements as to be carrier focused, yet has enough of its own elements to render battleships a useful, if not the center, naval element. I would think such a scenario could be done quite easily, and with very little modding by the user (all of the elements are there, just a few new classes and some new plane types would need to be added. That and all "treaty era" ships such as the treaty cruisers.)

[jwilkerson]

I guess the 2 ways I thought of to do Akron/Macon were "as a ship" ... or ... "as a plane" ... either obviously will have issues ...

(1) As a Ship .. in this case it can carry the fighters ... and roam around and scout ... but OMG what about surface battles ! So it would have to have 30 foot thick armor and no weapons in order to ensure that it would survive surface battles with little damage but not inflict any in return ... of course it could be abused as an ammo de-loader .. to unload an enemy battlefleet of it's ammo .. .prior to sending in the real fleet ... that might be a issue !

(2) As a plane .. in this case the F9s would have to be abstracted by baking them into the stats for the airships ... how to balance the right amount of vulnerability with the right amount of survivability would be an issue ... and maybe getting the endurance right would be a problem ...

For my money all the airships were far to susceptible to weather and the only wonder is why it took so long to figure that out ...

But I'd be interested in a sentence or two related to your experiments !

Of course I want to play WPO straight up .. but I know that pile of data sitting in that box will gnaw at me and I'll probably have to have a go at redoing the WITTs !

[Rysyonok]

Are conversion paths for large AKs hardcoded? So are there specific slots in IJN/USN class list that have to be set aside for AS/AR/AE/AK/ML conversion paths? 56, 90, 91, 106, 108 for IJN, correct? And if those are blank, the game picks the next class in the list (e.g. if 91 is empty but 92 is filled, the game picks 92 for the conversion path)?

[Terminus]

Conversion paths are hardcoded. You can assign any class to the slots, and they'll convert to that, but the text in-game won't change, and the program won't go looking for any other class. It is what it is...

[Rysyonok]

Fair enough.

Did I get the Japanese paths correctly?