Auto Convoy

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Ostwindflak
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Auto Convoy

Post by Ostwindflak »

Hello folks,

I am playing as the Allies and have a question. If I set my bases with units in them to Auto-Convoy, without setting "yes" for stock piling of supplies and fuel, will the computer use available Cargo ships and Tankers to transport supplies and fuel to those units to keep them stocked for operations?

I just realized I posted this in Tech....I did not mean to do that. Very sorry for this.

-Jason

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btd64
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by btd64 »

Hello Ostwindflak, First, the base in question needs to have auto convoy turned on. of course you need to turn on the auto convoy for the ships you are going to use. Keep in mind that the ships will take the short route, even if it brings them close to enemy air units. So you want to select bases that can be easily supplied with out coming to close to the bad guys. Then you want to set the supply and/or fuel level to the amount you want at that base. Remember that if you set say the supply to 2k you will over time accumulate around 6k. If you set the base to stock pile I believe it will try to keep its level at 3x the number you set. ie 2k. If you don't set to stock pile, I believe the game will resupple up to the 6k when you get close to the 2k. If this is not the case, someone will correct me. These are my observations using this system.....GP
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Ostwindflak
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by Ostwindflak »

Thanks for the answer GP. I believe I understand it now. So it is not enough to just turn the Auto-Convoy on for the base, I will still need to select either individual ships or put together a TF of Cargo/Tankers and turn Auto-Convoy on for them too.

So once that it is completed the ships which are set to Auto-Convoy will then pick up supplies/fuel from their selected home port and then transport the goods around to any base that has Auto-Convoy turned on.

That makes sense. Given how that could play out I am thinking it may be worth while for me to pick a couple of forward bases with large ports and airfields and pump a bunch of supplies into those and then manually ship supplies around to the critical areas so I don't have a lot of ships roaming around the Pacific on automation. Seems like an easy way to lose track of and also get ships sunk.

-Jason
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btd64
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by btd64 »

The game will setup the convoy for you. Also you can setup a "CS" convoy also which you can setup to go from one base to another over and over again. A dedicated run if you will. The auto convoy system only moves from San Francisco or Columbo to bases in its part of the world. There is an icon at the top of the screen...GP
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Disco Duck
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by Disco Duck »

Don't put Victoria on Auto Convoy. I got this from an old thread. For some reason it fouls up the algorithm. I just run xAKL from Seattle on CS to keep it auto supply. Another issue I have run into, if your base doesn't have enough supply but has enough fuel auto convoy won't send supplies.

I use it at the beginning of the game for Alaska and Canada and out of the way bases like Bora Bora and Tahiti. You don't have enough tankers to put them in auto convoy. Those need to be directed and well escorted.

You will find that Japanese subs love auto convoy. AC doesn't always use escorts and the AI puts the subs right on the normal trade routes.[:@]
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RogerJNeilson
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by RogerJNeilson »

I have never ever ever used autoconvoy......

Roger
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Bullwinkle58
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by Bullwinkle58 »

ORIGINAL: Ostwindflak

Thanks for the answer GP. I believe I understand it now. So it is not enough to just turn the Auto-Convoy on for the base, I will still need to select either individual ships or put together a TF of Cargo/Tankers and turn Auto-Convoy on for them too.

So once that it is completed the ships which are set to Auto-Convoy will then pick up supplies/fuel from their selected home port and then transport the goods around to any base that has Auto-Convoy turned on.

That makes sense. Given how that could play out I am thinking it may be worth while for me to pick a couple of forward bases with large ports and airfields and pump a bunch of supplies into those and then manually ship supplies around to the critical areas so I don't have a lot of ships roaming around the Pacific on automation. Seems like an easy way to lose track of and also get ships sunk.

-Jason

There is an auto-convoy management tab on the tool bar. That makes central management of ships and bases easy. Only two bases dispatch auto-convoys. A ship designated for AC will show in red letters on the ship list for the port.

Escorts can also be "put in the pool" in the management console. Not all AC TFs get escorts. I tend to only put in less-useful classes such as AMs and some SCs. Don't tie up your DDs there.

AC is useful, despite many players proudly swearing they never use it. The key is to use it for what it's designed for, which is behind-the-lines everyday maintenance supply and fuel. AC does not build piles or dumps. You have to do that. It is also point-to-point. Origination base to destination. It is not hub & spoke.

But a big advantage is that the AC system has built-in demand regulators. It looks at needs of the base with AC "ON" and only sends enough to meet the ongoing inventory levels. If you've ever worked in supply chain management you know how that works. It sends enough, then stops. If you set up a CS TF, which is the other way to go in automatic supply, that TF keeps running until you tell it to stop. It's possible to vastly overstock a forward base if you forget to monitor the TF, and lose a lot of supply and fuel to the spoilage rules. If you manage each of your TFs every turn this doesn't happen. If you're like most players you do lose track of some sometimes.

I use AC for Canada, the Yukon, Alaska, and a few other places. I tend not to use them in Asia. The management console will tell you, for each base, which origination base is the source for itself. Until very late-war as the Allies much of Asia is not safe enough to auto-route through. But near CONUS you can AC pretty early and save some mouse clicks.
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Ostwindflak
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RE: Auto Convoy

Post by Ostwindflak »

Thanks for the answers and insight gents!

While playing last night I decided to turn off the AC for the far flung islands and did pretty much what Bullwinkle58 stated. I have been managing my own supply TF's to the islands. The only CS I have going is from the West Coast to Pearl Harbor as it is the only route I feel safe letaving a supply TF on CS with three DD's escorting it at the moment.

Still trying to repair my BB's, CA's, and CL's at Pearl after the Dec. 7th strike. I am into Dec. 13, 1941 right now.

-Jason
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