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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> n00b questions about transport

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n00b questions about transport - 6/28/2007 1:57:04 AM

char

Posts: 7
Joined: 6/23/2006
Status: offline

I'm playing Green Hell against the computer and I'm having trouble resupplying Port Moresby and protecting and resupplying Lunga. Lunga is obviously difficult because that's where the Japanese are focused but I can't think of anything to do to protect the area other than concentrate a lot of subs and mines. Any kind of transport force or even carrier force or surface force gets smashed when it enters the area. Similarly, for Port Moresby and Gili Gili, I can't figure out how to bring in transport forces without them getting (mostly) sunk in the harbors. I put all my fighters and fighter/bombers on Long Range Cap, and they try to cover the fleets but they don't seem to have much impact.

Post #: 1

RE: n00b questions about transport - 6/28/2007 3:34:40 AM

Ike99

Posts: 1747
Joined: 1/1/2006
From: A Sand Road
Status: offline

quote:

Similarly, for Port Moresby and Gili Gili, I can't figure out how to bring in transport forces without them getting (mostly) sunk in the harbors. I put all my fighters and fighter/bombers on Long Range Cap, and they try to cover the fleets but they don't seem to have much impact.

Hi char, I'll try to help.

Load up a convoy of AK's in Brisbane with a DD escort and send them on there way up to Port Moresby.

While that's going on start bombing Lae with all your 2E's from Port Moresby at 6,000 ft and escorted by one group of fighters.

Once your convoy docks at Port Moresby (while Lae has been being bombed for two or three days. Stop your bombing and set all your fighters in Port Moresby on 90% CAP. This will be much more effective than LRCAP.

As well, start bombing Lae with your B17's while your convoy unloads. Not 100% effort here, it's along way for them to fly, just enough to keep the morale down for the Japanese pilots in Lae.

When your convoy is empty, start your 2E's up again on Lae from Port Moresby and get your convoy out.

This will work because I just did it and never lost a ship.

Oh' how I hate playing against the A.I.

The thing is char it is almost impossible to move forward without a catastrophy unless you can put pressure on where defending bombers are coming from. LRCAP doesn't do it.

Something you can do also is form a carrier TF with 90% CAP and set it to follow a convoy TF. The TF's will stay in the same hex and your carrier CAP will cover all ships in the hex, as well your CAP will not be penalized the same way as LRCAP is.

But be aware, I think carrier CAP is penalizeed in coastal hexes a lot so don't follow the convoy in port or coastal hexes.

Hope that helps.

If I'm wrong about anything or someone else can add more they will.

(in reply to char)

Post #: 2

RE: n00b questions about transport - 6/28/2007 3:52:34 AM

Cpt Sherwood

Posts: 837
Joined: 12/1/2005
From: A Very Nice Place in the USA
Status: offline

To move supplies use 1 or 2 ship TFs. Smaller TFs are harder to spot.

Using CVs to escort troop carring TFs is a good idea. The are penalized in non-ocean
hexes by 50%. Only 1/2 of there aircraft will fly. The CVTF must have patrol/do not
retreat orders set to follow.

Suppressing the airfields is a good idea. LRCAP is not very effective for trying to protect
TFs, it works much better for land hexes.

(in reply to Ike99)

Post #: 3

RE: n00b questions about transport - 6/28/2007 7:51:15 AM

char

Posts: 7
Joined: 6/23/2006
Status: offline

Thanks guys. I'll give it a shot.

Also, how often do you guys generally lose transports/troops enroute to destinations? I'm just curious what typical/acceptable losses are.

(in reply to Cpt Sherwood)

Post #: 4

RE: n00b questions about transport - 6/28/2007 3:00:13 PM

tocaff

Posts: 4781
Joined: 10/12/2006
From: USA now in Brasil
Status: offline

The problem with setting the CAP level to 90% is fatigue most players will set the level at 50-60% to avoid this. Remember that a tired pilot might not fly and if he does your op loses get to a pretty high level. What's PM's and Lunga's port levels? Using the smaller transports allows faster unloading. Bombing out Lae is only part of the problem as Bettys and Nells from Rabul can feast on the unloading ships at both locationsand the Zeros will escort them. The time frame is crucial as the Japanese strength in '42 is tough to deal with and attrition is the name of the game. The KB can run out from Rabul and ruin your day at either location also. Loses are inevitable and what you consider as acceptable won't be for somebody else. Remember to use MSWs with those convoys as Japanese subs can drop mines in your harbor and ruin your day with a couple of hits.

_____________________________

Todd

I never thought that doing an AAR would be so time consuming and difficult.
www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2080768

(in reply to char)

Post #: 5

RE: n00b questions about transport - 6/29/2007 6:41:39 PM

Joe D.

Posts: 4004
Joined: 8/31/2005
From: Stratford, Connecticut
Status: offline

How 'bout trying fast transport; they don't carry as much, but they get in and out fast, usu. @ night.
And if intercepted by sea @ port, they can usu. up a good fight.

(in reply to char)

Post #: 6

RE: n00b questions about transport - 7/14/2007 12:13:32 AM

Sergeant

Posts: 176
Joined: 4/1/2005
From: Arizona
Status: offline

Look at the PDF load chart. If you load your TF for only one day - they'll take less time to unload at destination. If you load them to the hilt - they'll try to sit there for several days until they're finished.

(in reply to Joe D.)

Post #: 7

RE: n00b questions about transport - 1/10/2008 5:14:49 PM

HansBolter

Posts: 7704
Joined: 7/6/2006
From: United States
Status: offline

I have found that's it's smart not to send transports directly to PM with retire orders, but rather to send them to a point one or two hexes SW of PM with a patrol order. At least against the AI, they are almost never even spotted in this "holding pattern" location, let alone bombed. As I have not yet played Japanese, I am not sure if it is out of range of Rabaul or not, but even the scouts usually stop over PM in that flight path and rarely go further to find the transports. Even on the few occasions they have been found they have not been bombed.

I sit in the holding pattern location and wait for either bad weather or the morale of my fighters to climb high enough for them to be able to make a stab at protecting the ships, befroe sending them on in to the port. Transports have such huge endurance they can hold there for just about as long as necessary. As long as the supply situation does not get critical, I bide my time for as long as necessary. Of course the locale needs some anti-sub cover so I usually have some bombers at Cairns or Cooktown flying ASW over the area as well as a destroyer group if one is available.

The same is true for trips to Irau or Lunga, if supplies and time allow, hold in a position out of LBA range and wait for bad weather or the arrival of carrier air LRCAP before heading in to unload. Just don't get complacennt and become a sitting duck for a KB raid.

This technique slows the supply buildup somewhat but greatly helps to conserve your shipping.

(in reply to Sergeant)

Post #: 8

RE: n00b questions about transport - 1/11/2008 2:25:56 AM

ILCK

Posts: 422
Joined: 6/26/2004
Status: offline

The losses can be terrible in both places because if the Betty's get in the transports are lunch.

1. Don't send them to PM/Lunga. Send them 3-4 hexes away. The worst thing is to do is to get close and be stuck in open waters in bomber range. Get close enough so you will get in the next turn. This is more important at Lunga than PM.

2. I usually roll one big convoy in periodically and it will sail in under CV cover - again especially at Lunga. PM has a big enough airbase to cover any fleet although you likely won't stop much if the Japs come. I also, like Hans, will wait for bad weather.

3. Use Fast Transports. You won't get much stuff in but the effect of several of these convoys makes a huge difference.

4. C-47's. Again, not a ton of stuff but the accumulated weight of the vast number of squadrons can keep bases in good stead.

5. Single ship covoys. Especially to PM, this keeps the air strikes away and it appears to be an exploit but I did start doing this in good faith.

Simple fact is that if you corss the line of death into range of Rabaul and the Japs dispatch one of those 100 Zero and 50 Betty strikes I've taken you atre gonna get horrible mauled no matter what you do.

(in reply to HansBolter)

Post #: 9