Newbie questions

This new stand alone release based on the legendary War in the Pacific from 2 by 3 Games adds significant improvements and changes to enhance game play, improve realism, and increase historical accuracy. With dozens of new features, new art, and engine improvements, War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition brings you the most realistic and immersive WWII Pacific Theater wargame ever!

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ParaB
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Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

Since I'm currently (re-) learning how to play this amazing wargame I have some questions:

A squadron of Dauntless dive bombers on board a CV has orders for naval attack and airfield attack. They are also tasked with naval search (20%) to cover a 60° arc. The altitude is set to 10.000ft and the range to 8. Is this the setting for naval search or for naval/airfield attack? Since my F4F-4s only have a max range of 6 I wouldn't want the dive bombers to go for a target at range 8.

Next question: do carrier aircraft only react to sightings of their own air groups? Or will they attack any naval target in range sighted by other carriers' air groups or land based AC?




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HansBolter
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by HansBolter »

The range is for all mission options, so your DBs may fly to a target your fighters can't reach if you don't restrict their range.

Flying Nav attack missions is based on a very complex algorithm that often leaves players stumped as to why their planes didn't fly.

Yes, the carrier squadrons and also LBA squadrons will fly against targets spotted by other squadrons, but my personal experience since the days of Uncommon Valor is that you increase the chanse that a given squadron will fly by having a percentage of that squadron searching.

I typically set my LBA squadrons to 10% search even if I am primarily relying on my naval search planes (PBYs) for the bulk of the search task.

Any target in range of your carrier bombers is also in range of your search aircraft as they are one and the same.

It would not be advisable to not search with your carrier bombers and rely only on LBA search to identify targets for the carrier.
Hans

ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'll reduce the range of the attack planes to match my escorts' range then. And will experiment with all squadrons flying naval search.

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Grfin Zeppelin
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by Grfin Zeppelin »

ORIGINAL: ParaB

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'll reduce the range of the attack planes to match my escorts' range then. And will experiment with all squadrons flying naval search.

Pay also attention to reduced loads. Bombers operating beyond their normal range use a reduced load. You can check this at the aircraft data screen at the left bottom.

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ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

I might be doing something right! Just sank both Shokaku and Zuikaku in the Guadalcanal scenario with combined airstrikes from Henderson field and my CV force (Enterprise, Saratoga, Wasp).

Enterprise got hit in return but I hope I can save her.

[:D]

EDIT:

And another question: when I have two LCUs in a hex defending against enemy units what happens when I switch one of my units to "rest"? Will the unit rest and not get attacked as long as the other successfully defends or do I have to pull back a unit to another hex in order to rest it without the danger of getting into combat?
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by DConn »

I don't think you can put a unit on "rest" in an enemy-occupied hex.
--Dave Conn
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BBfanboy
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by BBfanboy »

Congrats on concentrating your forces for that strike on his carriers. A lot of players get their CVs damaged in the Guadalcanal scenario before Shokaku and Zuikaku even appear.

Your resting troops will not lie in their hooches while the enemy is attacking. They will join the battle but may take some losses because they were not in their foxholes when the attack began. If you want to keep them in the hex but out of the fight, put them in "Reserve" mode. Then they will only join the battle if:

- the enemy is defeating the other unit and may overwhelm the defence (that's what reserves are for)
- your other unit defeats the enemy and their units are fleeing the hex (your unit may pursue to inflict more casualties on them)

There is some risk in the pursuit aspect - sometimes your troops follow into the next hex where there may be some fresh enemy troops that are stronger than your pursuers.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

Thank you, much appreciated.

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HansBolter
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by HansBolter »

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

There is some risk in the pursuit aspect - sometimes your troops follow into the next hex where there may be some fresh enemy troops that are stronger than your pursuers.

Yes, but for the most part units will take more than one turn to complete the move so you just have to remember to cancel the move the next turn.
Only if its tanks/motorized moving down a road that you have a real risk of pursuit running into a buzz saw.
Hans

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BBfanboy
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by BBfanboy »

I think you are right Hans, thanks for adding that![:)]
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
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Revthought
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by Revthought »

While you cannot put units in an occupied bed on rest, you can put them on reserve, which means they won't do much fighting unless absolutely necessary. Also, fun fact, AA units shoot planes with full effectiveness in reserve without being exposed to land combat.
Playing at war is a far better vocation than making people fight in them.
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geofflambert
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by geofflambert »

If there's any question of an encounter with enemy carriers, I advise you search at full range. You can't count on float planes as they will not operate in heavy seas, so the ones on your cruisers and BBs are gravy at best. If you play like me you will set your carrier TF to a react range equal to your search range. Your enemy will probably do likewise. By the time you prep and launch your strike the target may well be in range of your escorts. Dive bombers are not unlikely to be successful even if unescorted. On another matter, I very rarely use carrier planes to attack airfields, especially in the early years through '43. A few potholes are not worth the loss of a single aircrew. Send some ships to bombard and you'll likely get better results anyway.

Oh, and in my view 10% on search is adequate in most cases.

ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

Yeah, I'm still experimenting with the reaction range.

Another thing I'm not sure about: I currently have a couple of Wildcat and Dauntless squadrons stationed at Henderson, plus 2 squadrons of Avengers (from the Enterprise) which I want to move out, but can't since many of the group's aircraft are damaged.

Stacking is 99/100 and 4 of 3 groups. I've shot down some 60 Bettys so far, but on a regular basis small groups of aircraft try to attack my shipping at Lunga. Something like 2-3 Zeros escorting 5 Bettys. Which are always welcomed by a CAP of 10+ Wildcats, flying at 10-15k. And every single time during the last 6 days the Bettys slip through my CAP without getting attacked at all. The Wildcat pilots have decent experience, high morale and little fatigue. Weather varies. Could it be that low AV support is the reason for this?

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geofflambert
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by geofflambert »

At what altitude are the Bettys slipping through? If you have "a couple" of Wildcat sqds try setting each to a different alt., say 8k and 13k perhaps. Being at a lower altitude is a disadvantage, but against Bettys that doesn't amount to much.

ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

I just checked, I had all Wildcats squadrons set to patrol at 15k feet. The last Betty attacks were at 6-7k. I changed CAP to 10k and just wiped out a small strike (3 Zeros, 6 Betty) with no losses.

[:D]

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HansBolter
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by HansBolter »

ORIGINAL: ParaB

I just checked, I had all Wildcats squadrons set to patrol at 15k feet. The last Betty attacks were at 6-7k. I changed CAP to 10k and just wiped out a small strike (3 Zeros, 6 Betty) with no losses.

[:D]


That's the way it's done!

Sound advice form the lizardman.

When your intercepts don't seem to be working always dig into the data to see what altitude mismatch may be the problem.
Hans

ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

The Cactus Airforce just wrecked a Japanese attempt to reinforce Tassafaronga, with a little help from Saratoga. [:D]

I'm still rather horrible when it comes to logistics though but sloooowly I'm starting to understand the basics. Like not getting my carriers run out of fuel in the middle of the Pacific... or landing soldiers without supplies... or establishing an airfield without support personnel... [:o]

If only the Japanese navy wouldn't scare me so much during night engagements... I swear all my captains are either drunk or sound asleep as soon as it's getting dark...

Oh, and we just celebrated the 90th Betty kill.





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HansBolter
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by HansBolter »

ORIGINAL: ParaB

The Cactus Airforce just wrecked a Japanese attempt to reinforce Tassafaronga, with a little help from Saratoga. [:D]

I'm still rather horrible when it comes to logistics though but sloooowly I'm starting to understand the basics. Like not getting my carriers run out of fuel in the middle of the Pacific... or landing soldiers without supplies... or establishing an airfield without support personnel... [:o]

If only the Japanese navy wouldn't scare me so much during night engagements... I swear all my captains are either drunk or sound asleep as soon as it's getting dark...

Oh, and we just celebrated the 90th Betty kill.


It's primarily the lack of nighttime crew experience, but in some cases it will be a ship and/or TF commander with lacking Naval and Aggressiveness skills.

The first problem can only be addressed by getting them into combat, taking your losses and finding the silver lining in the experience gains of the survivors.

The second problem can and should be addressed by combing through your ships and TFs and switching out poor commanders.

Hans

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rustysi
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by rustysi »

Don't get too cocky there ParaB, I take it you are playing the AI.[:D]

Seriously though, you do have to learn somewhere. That being said the real reason for my post...
A squadron of Dauntless dive bombers on board a CV has orders for naval attack and airfield attack. They are also tasked with naval search (20%) to cover a 60° arc.

I don't set search arcs for TF's at sea. I prefer to search 360 degrees as I don't wish to be blindsided from a direction that I'm not looking at, especially with a CV TF. Oh, and in case you're not aware all searches are conducted 360 degrees out to a range of four hexes, provided the A/C has sufficient range, no matter what arc you set.
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ParaB
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RE: Newbie questions

Post by ParaB »

Oh, and in case you're not aware all searches are conducted 360 degrees out to a range of four hexes, provided the A/C has sufficient range, no matter what arc you set.

I don't think I understand... If I set a search arc for a squadron to, say 60°, why would they search in a 360 arc° instead ? And why would AC only search out to 4 hexes when they have a range of 8? The "show search arc" hotkey displays the arcs with various ranges.

Or do you mean that AC not given a search arc automatically search in a 360° arc with a range of 4?

[&:]


EDIT:

And yeah, I play vs the AI. Played the Coral Sea scenario and wanted to take the next step. The complexity certainly increased a lot, feels like I need a staff to play this game. [:D]

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