Not Your Conventional AAR. The Boldness and Inexperience of a new Ensign.

[Grotius]

Ronnie, I've enjoyed your MWiF AARs, and I look forward to seeing you work your magic here. Much as I enjoy WiF, WiTP/AE remains my favorite computer wargame of all time. I've learned a ton from it.

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Kull

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

My intention is to work through the Coral Sea and then Guadalcanal scenarios against the Japanese AI multiple times.

If you haven't done so already, think about updating the "AI files" for both of those scenarios. 1.8.11.26b is an exe update only, and does not account for database improvements, of which there were many between the default 2010 AI files and the new ones Andy released in 2012. Be aware that updating the AI is the ONLY way to get the database improvements (primarily error fixes in the various unit files), short of manually making the changes yourself.

Since you are planning "multiple" play-throughs of each scenario, keep in mind that there is only one variant for Coral Sea, so the AI will do the same thing every time. For Guadalcanal, there are 4 variants, and I would encourage you to manually choose a different variant for each new game (as opposed to it being random, meaning you could get the same one every time), so that you face all four of the AI tactical sets. Guadalcanal also has some database errors that have to be fixed with a second over-write, which is explained in the linked thread.

Good luck with this!

Kull. Thanks! I followed amon15's instruction below (except step 5) when I installed/updated WitP-AE. I believe step 3 captured all the scenario updates, but wanted to confirm it with you/others. I did run each of the AEdateUpdateS*.exe executables individually and had to ensure that their output was directed to the */SCEN folder of my install.

ORIGINAL: amon15

This is where i have my stuff in case i need to reinstall...

1. Ok, from a fresh install, first install the official update:

https://mega.nz/#!XtA2FQoQ!vIYMP95tbSu- ... l_v_QmKni0


2. After you install this, install the Beta update, in the first post click on the "Attachment (1) ". You start the game from a new shortcut on your desktop that says "War in the Pacific - Admiral's Edition (Beta)"

tm.asp?m=3185062

3. After this, install all of the Patch 07 unofficial data scen updates by Andy Mac, those are unofficial but everybody uses them. They are made by one of the devs of the game. Install everything into the SCEN folder, NOT! the default game folder.
https://mega.nz/#!CsInUCgQ!sE_Jr_5_aYTo ... b7x2oi43Pw


4. Now when your game is updated, we can install all the mods.

here are all of the Chemkids maps in a single file, first backup your ART folder (just in case):

https://mega.nz/#!2kwHlSDT!5p9q4xxtR-ut ... _VDl-Vq5BA

5. And for the "Unified Art Mod", also unpack everything in your game folder. If something goes wrong, or you don't like it, just delete the ART folder and copy the backed up back in:

https://mega.nz/#!jhBxXICK!FvcqcgNm1Aiw ... 1wgMRxQkyc

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

The guys in the ordnance department should have been brought up on charges for the manner in which they buried their heads in the sand and refused to accept that there was a problem.

Hollywood's documentation of this issue can be seen in the, typically over dramatized for Hollywood, classic John Wayne movie Operation Pacific.

I have always seen the exec/skipper relationship in that movie as a classic Hollywood take on the Mush Morton/Dick O'Kane relationship.

Which brings to mind another great book I overlooked mentioning: The Bravest Man: Richard O'Kane and the Amazing Adventures of USS Tang.

Absolutely great biography.

O'Kane's, the top sub skipper of the American Fleet, has his sub sunk by his own circling torpedo landing him in a POW camp.

This problem persisted long after they corrected the detonator problem.

Thanks! Will have to give the book a look. Did US torpedoes (sub and plane dropped) ever achieve anything approaching Japanese levels of lethality/effectiveness during the war?

ORIGINAL: Grotius

Ronnie, I've enjoyed your MWiF AARs, and I look forward to seeing you work your magic here. Much as I enjoy WiF, WiTP/AE remains my favorite computer wargame of all time. I've learned a ton from it.

Thanks! I feel so ignorant when it comes to this game, much less playing it's strategy competently/well. I realize it's just going to take time like MWiF did. Though, I don't think I ever passed the "just competent level" in the strategy department with MWiF. [;)]

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: rkr1958
Thanks! I followed amon15's instruction below (except step 5) when I installed/updated WitP-AE. I believe step 3 captured all the scenario updates, but wanted to confirm it with you/others. I did run each of the AEdateUpdateS*.exe executables individually and had to ensure that their output was directed to the */SCEN folder of my install.

Yes, that's the update you need. Keep in mind that you should consider pre-selecting each of the 4 Guad AI files in turn, to ensure that each of your games is different (presuming that you will be playing it multiple times).

Here's how to do that:

- In order to "pre-select" a specific scenario variant when starting a new game (as opposed to relying on random chance):
1) Choose the variant you want to play (we'll illustrate with AI File #4 for Scenario #4)
2) Create a folder called "Hold" in the SCEN directory
3) Copy all the Scen4 AI files into the new "War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition\SCEN\Hold" folder
4) In the SCEN folder, delete the aei004.dat file
5) In the SCEN folder, rename aei004-04.dat to aei004.dat
6) In the SCEN folder, delete all the aei004-xx.dat alternate files
7) When you start a new Guadalcanal, it will use the (renamed) aei004-04.dat scenario variant
8) After launching the new campaign, move all the files in the "Hold" folder back to the "SCEN" folder (and say "yes" to all overwrites)

[rkr1958]

ORIGINAL: Kull

ORIGINAL: rkr1958
Thanks! I followed amon15's instruction below (except step 5) when I installed/updated WitP-AE. I believe step 3 captured all the scenario updates, but wanted to confirm it with you/others. I did run each of the AEdateUpdateS*.exe executables individually and had to ensure that their output was directed to the */SCEN folder of my install.

Yes, that's the update you need. Keep in mind that you should consider pre-selecting each of the 4 Guad AI files in turn, to ensure that each of your games is different (presuming that you will be playing it multiple times).

Here's how to do that:

- In order to "pre-select" a specific scenario variant when starting a new game (as opposed to relying on random chance):
1) Choose the variant you want to play (we'll illustrate with AI File #4 for Scenario #4)
2) Create a folder called "Hold" in the SCEN directory
3) Copy all the Scen4 AI files into the new "War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition\SCEN\Hold" folder
4) In the SCEN folder, delete the aei004.dat file
5) In the SCEN folder, rename aei004-04.dat to aei004.dat
6) In the SCEN folder, delete all the aei004-xx.dat alternate files
7) When you start a new Guadalcanal, it will use the (renamed) aei004-04.dat scenario variant
8) After launching the new campaign, move all the files in the "Hold" folder back to the "SCEN" folder (and say "yes" to all overwrites)

Kull, Thanks for the help! I will play against all 4 AI's before moving on. I consider it my "Naval War College" training ... or maybe that with one or two fleet exercises thrown in. I'm looking forward to becoming competent with this game ... boy, do I have a lot of "homework" to do first though.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

The guys in the ordnance department should have been brought up on charges for the manner in which they buried their heads in the sand and refused to accept that there was a problem.

Hollywood's documentation of this issue can be seen in the, typically over dramatized for Hollywood, classic John Wayne movie Operation Pacific.

I have always seen the exec/skipper relationship in that movie as a classic Hollywood take on the Mush Morton/Dick O'Kane relationship.

Which brings to mind another great book I overlooked mentioning: The Bravest Man: Richard O'Kane and the Amazing Adventures of USS Tang.

Absolutely great biography.

O'Kane's, the top sub skipper of the American Fleet, has his sub sunk by his own circling torpedo landing him in a POW camp.

This problem persisted long after they corrected the detonator problem.

Thanks! Will have to give the book a look. Did US torpedoes (sub and plane dropped) ever achieve anything approaching Japanese levels of lethality/effectiveness during the war?

ORIGINAL: Grotius

Ronnie, I've enjoyed your MWiF AARs, and I look forward to seeing you work your magic here. Much as I enjoy WiF, WiTP/AE remains my favorite computer wargame of all time. I've learned a ton from it.

Thanks! I feel so ignorant when it comes to this game, much less playing it's strategy competently/well. I realize it's just going to take time like MWiF did. Though, I don't think I ever passed the "just competent level" in the strategy department with MWiF. [;)]

Absolutely! US submarines sunk 1,392 naval and merchant sips totalling 5,583,400 tons representing 54.6 percent of all Japanese ships sunk.

[rkr1958]

Completed my first "tabletop" war game assignment, "Coral Sea". Before I give my "report" and "self assigned" grade I do have a question. Where are the carriers of IJN carrier division 5 (i.e., Shokaku, Zuikaku) as of 5/11/42?

The last I heard of either them was in the combat reports for 5/6/42. Below is a summary from those reports.

IJN CV Shokaku
5/6/42. AM. Near Munda (108.138). No hits.
5/6/42. AM. Near Munda (108.138). 2 bomb hits, on fire. Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Shokaku.
5/6/42. PM. Near Munda (108,138). 1 bomb hit, on fire.

IJN CV Zuikaku
5/6/42. AM. Near Munda (108,138). 1 bomb hit, on fire.
5/6/42. AM. Near Munda (108.138). 1 bomb hit, heavy fires. Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Zuikaku.
5/6/42. PM. Near Munda (108,138). on fire. Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Zuikaku.

Neither ship is among the list of ships sunk.

[rkr1958]

They're not on the 5/11/42 list of active ships for the IJN.

[rkr1958]

Nor are they on the 5/11/42 IJN list of ships under going repairs.

It's like the CV's Shokaku and Zuikaku have disappeared. I'm at lost to what happened to them.

[rkr1958]

Using a grading scale where a "C" is equivalent to the historical I'd have to give myself either a D+ or that C depending on whether or not the Lexington could be patched up in time to made the Battle of Midway. If it can, then I think I deserve a C. If not a D+.

Accomplishments.

1. Turned back Japan's planned invasion of Port Moresby.
2. Sunk 14 Japanese transports and inflicted serious losses on their cargo of troops and/or equipment.
3. Heavily damaged (at worse) IJN CV's Shokaku and Zuikaku (not sure what happened to them?).

Liens.

1. Lost the Yorktown.
2. Lexington was heavily damaged, not sure if she can be made ready in time for the Battle of Midway.
3. Lost to capture the bases at Russell Islands, Lihir, Tabar Islands
4. Lost the CA Minneapolis and tanker Tippecanoe. (The tanker Tippecanoe was lost to sheer oversight and should have been safely out of the area).
5. Lost more planes than the Japanese.

[rkr1958]

Air Losses.

[rkr1958]

Allied Pilot Casualties.

More significant than planes lost are pilots casualties.

24 Wound in Action (WIA)
9 Missing in Action (MIA)
11 Killed in Action (KIA)
44 Total Casualties.

[rkr1958]

Allied Pilots. Kills.

Allied pilots manage on 10 confirm kills.

[rkr1958]

Alerts.

[rkr1958]

Allied Ships. Repairs.

How bad is the Lexington? Can she be ready in time for the Battle of Midway?

[rkr1958]

US Bases.

At worse, this was a strategic victory for the allies as they achieved their primary objective of holding on to Port Moresby.

[rkr1958]

IJN. Truk. Rabul.

And what was left of the IJN invasion fleet seems to have turn tailed and run for their bases at Truk and Rabul.

[rkr1958]

Japanese Bases.

Though Japan's influence in the region is still very strong and growing.

Wonder where the allies next might decide to try to check Japanese expansion? [8D]

[Bif1961]

Sorry chiming in late. You may be a WITPAE rookie but by the looks of your Matrix Legion of Merit, you are no neophyte to strategy war gaming. Learning the ins and outs of the rules are always the hardest part and the trade offs between history and playability the quirks of the game. I am sure you will find much to enjoy and some things that annoy you. However, since you are a WWII history buff you already have a firm foundation to base your actions off of. Good luck and pleasant WITPAE journeys.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: rkr1958

Using a grading scale where a "C" is equivalent to the historical I'd have to give myself either a D+ or that C depending on whether or not the Lexington could be patched up in time to made the Battle of Midway. If it can, then I think I deserve a C. If not a D+.

Accomplishments.

1. Turned back Japan's planned invasion of Port Moresby.
2. Sunk 14 Japanese transports and inflicted serious losses on their cargo of troops and/or equipment.
3. Heavily damaged (at worse) IJN CV's Shokaku and Zuikaku (not sure what happened to them?).

Liens.

1. Lost the Yorktown.
2. Lexington was heavily damaged, not sure if she can be made ready in time for the Battle of Midway.
3. Lost to capture the bases at Russell Islands, Lihir, Tabar Islands
4. Lost the CA Minneapolis and tanker Tippecanoe. (The tanker Tippecanoe was lost to sheer oversight and should have been safely out of the area).
5. Lost more planes than the Japanese.

Shokaku and Zuikaku may have sunk but until there is some intel to confirm that they do not go on the sunk ships list. There is an exception to that - any ship that takes a torpedo hit is always put on the other side's sunk ships list, even if it is in no danger of sinking.
There is also a provision in short scenarios that heavily damaged ships can be withdrawn for repairs and they just disappear from the board. For the 2 CVs, I put their odds at about 50/50 sunk or withdrawn.

You are too hard on your grading of your performance. If one of the IJN CVs sank, you get a B+.
BTW, Lex will not be ready for Midway. Even in a shipyard it takes two days to repair one point of major float damage.