Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Andy_PZ

How do you guys keep track of all the Ship, Plane, Ground Forces in a Grand Campaign?, Is there a uniform way of keeping records?
I had a brief look at the Campaign and found it difficult to remember who was where and doing what?!!

Many Thanks.

"Our lives begin to end the moment we become silent about things that matter". Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
Everything will be quite chaotic: you may have dozens of DDs in one port whilst you need just 3 or 4 in another port... ]

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ORIGINAL: undercovergeek

any reason you 'upgraded' to CHS?

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ORIGINAL: Terminus

Lots of people do it by Excel spreadsheets. I personally take the risk of doing it in my head...

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ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

My system:

The key is organisation. The game is indeed overwhelming: it contains thousands of little "things". All I need is Excel and a doc file.

Excel file/s:

Air Units

in theory every base should have fighters (on CAP) and bombers (on naval attack). Then you need more planes on Patrol and ASW. With air units organisation is easy. You want to know how many units are not being used -- and therefore could be used elsewhere? Just check the units in x Theatre: the units on "Training" (except the ones which are really training: 80% etc.) are the available units in this theatre. I mean, a few clicks, seconds and you have the big picture.

Naval Units

This is a different story. I have used different methods since 2004. And now I think I finally found the most rational one Classic problem: with no organisation at all you probably won't be using all your "power". Everything will be quite chaotic: you may have dozens of DDs in one port whilst you need just 3 or 4 in another port... You have to organize your naval forces: you will need an Excel spreadsheet and one rational method.

My primitive method: the naval forces were organized in divisions, etc. It did not stop the chaos. So this is my new approach: "well, this port needs at least ONE ASW TF". I take 4 DDs (example), this will be the "ASW TF" (data in the excel thing: I mean, these ships will always be assigned to this TF; you can of course make transfers later, etc.). Same thing with a Surface TF (defense of the base) and (if available) an Air Combat TF or TFs. When you are done, you will exactly know (Excel) what naval units are not being used, in other words, you clearly can see your "naval reserve". Now you can use them wisely: you won't be wasting ressources.

NOTE:
in Excel, every tag => a Strategic Theatre. Needless to say, ALL your naval units must be in that file (except the AK's APs, TK's, etc: and I admit maybe the AP's should be included. I don't and there is some chaos, true ).

Land units

just like "naval units". The key, again every base must have a garrison: infantry, artillery, AA, CD, etc. This information will be in your Excel file. When you are done, again you will see there are some (or many) free units and thus you will be able to make your plans rationally.

Conclusion:
it's easy with Air Units => use the game menus and you will have the big picture.
Naval and Land Units => a method is needed: you have to make the difference between the active units and the "reserve". You have to know where your units are, and what are they doing. And of course, you need to keep an eye on the lazy units which want to avoid the front

Doc file/s:

The thousands of units are finally organized. Now you will need a "well, I should send x unit to y. But I am going to forget it. I am going to write this information in a doc file", etc. All you have to do: before you click on "end turn", do read the doc.

I use this system and NEVER forget anything. And I always know what are my "reserves"