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WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap)

 
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WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 4:27:38 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Welcome to an AAR on a late BETA version of WITP AE, starting early Feb 2009.

This will be a joint AAR with Cathartes so that we can show you the new features and issues with running AE.

A bit of background on me, I’ve been BETA testing AE for about 7 months now, a mix of both PBEM via humans and testing against the AI. I’m an Australia ex Army Intelligence officer, and my day job is looking after the development of Simulations for the Australia Army. So my main area of expertise is in the land domain, but have read fairly widely on both air and sea domains, and played UV, WITP and now AE.

We are waiting for the next build of AE as the art in it should be the final version. The code is still changing and there are a number of known issues yet to be solved, and hopefully this AAR will identify more issues, the more that get found now the better!

I’ve just finished a game against Joe where we got into late 1942 to test production and supply. I learned a lot during that game and I intend to indentify lessons I learned, to help people get into the game quicker.

As this will be a full game, whereas the previous AAR have been smaller scenario’s, I intend to spend a few days putting up pics of the maps and talking about the Japanese start, so that when the next build is ready to go we can step off quickly.

Feel free to ask questions, I’m sure members of the team will jump in to help answer them.


On to the initial discussion, ask for screen shots and we will try to provide!

Normally I’m a fairly historical player, but in this game we want to push the boundaries a bit, in part to show how the changes in AE have slowed the game down to more realistic levels.

As part of this process I’d ask people to nominate things they would like to see, invasion of Fiji, Noumea, India on day two and I’ll try to oblige (If it even has a small chance of success).

You won't know though until Cathartes does though!

Cheers

Rob
Post #: 1
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 4:50:08 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		The first thing that strikes you with AE is the map, it is Huge!

There are lots of new bases, and old favorites have changed. You need to spend time reviewing the map, as assumptions from stock are not valid!

So lets look at some of the key theatres, starting with Malaya.

Malaya hasn't changed too much from stock from a Japanese invasion perspective. You have three points where you can land that are allied controlled. And you have several bases that you control at start.

Lets look at those you control.

First ports are now MUCH more important than stock, although the Japanese do get some unloading bonus's early war to represent the prepartion and planing they had done.

Second for airbases you now have limits based on the size of the airfields. Overstack and you will pay for it!

Third torpedoes can only be used where a base has an AirHQ with torpedoes, otherwise they drop bombs. This means that detachments of torpedoe aircraft need an AirHQ, limiting their Uberness.

Japanese Controlled Bases
Singora is your main point of entry. It is a level 2 port (the best on the east coast), and it is on the railline, which you need to conduct strategic movement later. This is where your followon forces should head to get them into the battle as quickly as possible as the battle moves south.

Patani is a Lvl 1 Port and 3 Airfield. It starts off with minimal airsupport and a Mavis unit. With more airsupport (plenty in Vietnam) it makes a useful base early on for level bombers.

To really get moving you need a level 3-4 airfield (4 preferred). The only ones available are allied controlled... which leads to...

The Invasion Targets

You have three options, Kota Bharu, Kuantan or Mersing.

As the Japanese in PBEM against humans I've landed at all three, although my landings in Mersing resulted in some changes. Kota Bharu and Kuantan are both Lvl 1 ports and 4 airfields. You are securing them mainly so that you can base airpower to start supressing Singapore.

Mersing is a Lvl 1 port and 0 airfield, with a potential for 6. So you could land, and build it up... but you will pay a large price. The benefit is you will cut off most of the northern Allied units, and focus the Allies in the south leving the nth less molested.

The further south you land, the easier it is to supress Singapore, but the greater the risk from the Allies, from the air and from the sea. All bases will fall if you get the initial assualt ashore.

Of coarse the main game involves moving down the much better rail and road network on the West Coast... but you can never have too many decent airfields now (4 and above is decent) due to the stacking restrictions.

Last game I was happy landing at Kuantan, although I did loose more ships than they did historically, it is viable just... Mersing I don't consider viable, you need CV support, and you will many more ships...






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 5:04:03 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Next theatre is Borneo.

The goodies stored here will keep the Japanese economy moving for a while. You can survive until the end of 1942 with just Borneo... so taking this allows you some freedom to be a bit different than history.

Miri is now a small port that can't be expanded much, with a small airfield that can be expanded. It also has the oil and refinery for the nth coast of Borneo. It is the jewel oilwise.

Brunei is a Lvl 3 port, 0 airfield with only 10 oil.

Kuching is a lvl 2 port, lvl 2 airfield.

Singawang is a lvl 1 port lvl 3 airfield (the best on the nth coast).



On the south coast key bases are

Tarakan is 3 port, 3 air and has 90 Oil, 90 refinery. It is fairly well defended.

Balikpapan is 4 port, 4 airfield 300 oil 400 refinery, and also fairly well defended.

Samarinda is 2 port, 3 airfield, 100 oil.






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 5:16:11 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Quick interlude on production changes.

Oil is now a raw commodity, that needs to be refined to produce supply (representing air and land petroleum products) and fuel (naval petroleum products).

Heavy industry now uses fuel, not oil, and resources to produce heavy industry points and supply. So refineries are required to process the oil to fuel for industry.

You have excees refining capacity in Japan, so you need to ship oil there. Several other areas also have small refineries (but not Australia) that you need to ship oil too. You also eventually need to ship fuel to Japan as well as the fuel produced by the Japanese refineries will not be enough.

The critical path though for Japan is resources. These are used by light and heavy industry to produce supply. I will look at that a bit later when we set up the convoys onec the game commences. there are a lot of resources around, so again you can survive to the end of 42 whith what you have available at start, but you really need more (from Malaya in particular).

The operational effect of this is that you need Malaya nd ayou need at least Borneo by mid 42 to have any chance of surviving longer that the end of 42. And you need to protect these areas from Allied bombing, and it is that that really drives you forward!

Cheers

Rob

< Message edited by jrcar -- 2/1/2009 5:36:58 AM >

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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 5:25:19 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		AE now comes with WITPDecoder as part of the install, in the "Tools" directory.

As the Japanese player you can't survive without this wonderful utility!

Below is the first screen you see when you load the tool.

The top 10 or so lines is similar to what you get ingame, and shows the Empire wide totals.

The important part here is the engines, which when you click on the tabe "produced in" will tell you where the engines are being produced on a daily basis.

The tab "used for" will tell you what is consuming the engines (this also works for heavy industry too,k you can see what is using your precious HI!).

But those top totals are deceptive... as I found out in a recent game!








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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 5:35:50 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		WITPDecoder Part 2

Now this is the really important screen...

The top part lists the "clusters" Within each cluster oil, resources, fuel, and supply move around pretty good without a lot of player intervention.

But stuff won't move between clusters without you sending it by ship!

As you conquer the extra clusters will appear.

As you can see the main Japanese islands have enough oil for about 300 days for the refineries... but only 46 days of resources on hand, and fuel will be reached in 800 days (these is needed for industry remember, in additiuon to your ships).

Hokkaido, Sakahlin, Taiwan and Indo-china are all generating a large excess of resources (and some oil) beyond what industry is there. So from day one you need to start moving those resources to the main Japanes islands... I'll cover that later in the first turn.

I leave China alone to start with, depending on how you go you will need to ship stuff in or out.

Note that even with what you have now in Siam/Malaya you need to be shipping oil and resources there.

This screen is essential for you to operate the economy!






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 6:39:11 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Back to the map - Luzon.

There are no decent ports on the nth coast, so a number of locations will be required to bring the forces ashore and supply them, although the initial bonus will help, it will still take several days to get them unloaded.

Aparii is port 1(1) afld 1(7)
Loag is port 1(1) afld 1(7)
Vigan is port 1(1) afld 1(5)
San Fernando port 1(1) afld 1(5)
Ibais port 2(0) afld 1(5)

In the south Naga is a goodish port 2(3).

Naval support (available in baseforces, and Naval HQS, and port operating units) will significantly help with unloading, so get some over quickly to help the reinforcements, provided you actually intend to invade!







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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 6:46:31 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Mindanao.

Davao port 3(3) airfield 2(5)
Cagayan port 2(2) airfield 4(5)
Butaan port 3(1) airfield 1(6)

Davao is a very useful port in the area!






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 6:58:02 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Celebes- Moluccas

Manado port 2(2) afld 3(7)
Ternate port 3(2) afld 1(3)
Kendari port 3(2) afld 4(5)
Ambon port 2(1) afld 4(3)
Sorong port 1(2) afld 0(5)
Makassar port 4(2) afld 3(6)

I usually go Manado or Ambon as they offer the best port/airfield mix. Kendari and Makassar are the jewels.

Kolaka has 50 resources (that move to Kendari).
Boela has 20 resorces, 25 oil.
Makassar has 2 Manpower and 20 resources.
Babo 20 oil.

You need a Naval HQ and and airHQ as part of your force mix as you move through this area. You may end up want 2 of each so you can handle Darwin and Sorebaya simultaneously.

Airbourne troops are also useful.







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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 7:08:44 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		SWPAC

Rabaul is the jewel here, as you would expect. It is better afld wise than Truk, and the same port capacity. But you will need either naval support (HQ and baseforces) and/or support ships (AD, AE, AKE) to support CA's and above. even loading torpedoes on DD's will require some support.

Tulagi is more useful than it was in stock, and with enough engineering you can make it the key base in the south.

Rabaul port 3(4) afld 3(6)
Shortlands port 1(3) afld 0(4)
Tulagi port 1(3) afld 0(2)
Lunga port 0(1) afld 0(5)

Finschafen port 1(2) afld 1(3)
Lae port 2(0) afld 1(4)
Port Moresby port 1(2) afld 3(6)








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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 7:20:57 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Ok first of the Centpac screen shots... it covers a large area!

First note that some names are in white, most in yellow.

The white indicates the base can have an unrestricted garrison (ie it is a big island, not an atoll).

The ywllow text indicates an atoll, that can have from 6,000 to 30,000 troops on them before you suffer significant wastage (plus a little bit).

This change is going to completely reshape the CentPac battles on both sides!

Large islands with decent ports/aflds are rare, atools often have reasonable port/afld levels... but no room for the troops!

This not only impacts on the defender, the attacker also suffers!

For the Japanese 6000 troops is a baseforce, an airsupport battalion and a Naval guard unit.

Atolls can only build to level 6 defences too.

Tarawa with port 1(0) afld 0(2) but a size for 30,000 troops becomes a key location... it is the Jewel!

I'm still exploring the tactical implcations of all this, and don't have much advice to offer yet!

I should also mention that all the base sizes mentioned so far are still not final, a couple have been tweaked since my last game, and some will change before we go gold.

Cheers

Rob






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 8:48:03 AM   
DrewBlack


Posts: 828
Joined: 7/3/2004
From: North Wales, UK
Status: offline 		Alll I can say is THANK YOU!!!
Drew

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Post #: 12
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 9:15:40 AM   
fabertong


Posts: 4546
Joined: 2/25/2004
From: Bristol, England, U.K.
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: DrewBlack

Alll I can say is THANK YOU!!!
Drew

What he said...........

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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 9:20:35 AM   
Rapunzel


Posts: 141
Joined: 4/20/2005
From: Germany
Status: offline 		Thankyou!

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Post #: 14
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 9:27:35 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Thanks guys, someone is reading it after all

I'm taking requests.

Cheers

Rob

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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:21:28 AM   
Monter_Trismegistos

 

Posts: 1359
Joined: 2/1/2005
From: Gdansk
Status: offline 		Hi, I was always smaller naval units fanboy. Could you take some screenshot for a naval vessels in port, for example Truk, but excluding all AKs and warships bigger than a destroyer, just to show how many escorts and littorial ships are awvailable?

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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:37:45 AM   
langleyCV1

 

Posts: 61
Joined: 9/6/2008
From: Berkshire UK
Status: offline 		Outstanding, the more I see of AE the more I look forward to its release.
Good Job keep it coming!

MJT 

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Post #: 17
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:39:00 AM   
cantona2


Posts: 3749
Joined: 5/21/2007
From: Gibraltar
Status: offline 		Thank you very much, eagerly awaiting updates!

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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:44:53 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Monter_Trismegistos

Hi, I was always smaller naval units fanboy. Could you take some screenshot for a naval vessels in port, for example Truk, but excluding all AKs and warships bigger than a destroyer, just to show how many escorts and littorial ships are awvailable?



Certainly, here is the mouseover information you get when you place the mouse on the "anchor" icon:






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< Message edited by jrcar -- 2/1/2009 10:46:34 AM >

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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:45:52 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Monter_Trismegistos

Hi, I was always smaller naval units fanboy. Could you take some screenshot for a naval vessels in port, for example Truk, but excluding all AKs and warships bigger than a destroyer, just to show how many escorts and littorial ships are awvailable?


Here is the detail.




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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:50:59 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Here is the Gilberts, a full screen below the previous CentPac picture... lots of sea out there!






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:53:48 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		The Ellice Islands, the top if the Fijian chain in the bottom left. so that is about 3.5 screens from Kwaljelon!

Like I said the map is huge!






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:54:01 AM   
wild_Willie2


Posts: 2934
Joined: 10/8/2004
From: Arnhem (holland) yes a bridge to far...
Status: offline 		Drool........

Well done!!

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In vinum illic est sapientia , in matera illic est vires , in aqua illic es bacteria.

In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there are bacteria.

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Post #: 23
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:54:51 AM   
cantona2


Posts: 3749
Joined: 5/21/2007
From: Gibraltar
Status: offline 		Loving the new unit symbols! Is Carth going to be posting a similar synopsis for us AFB's? Thanks again jrcar! 

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Post #: 24
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:57:02 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		And here is Fiji, As a kid I spent a year living in the centre of the main island. Played shooting firecrackers through the fortifications at Suva, and visited the gun positions near Nadi.

Maybe I shall visit again this game :)




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Post #: 25
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 10:59:58 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		And my first thing to report, there is no second "n" in Nadi (You say Nandi, but it is spelt Nadi!).

The TF symbols were modified about a month ago, they look fantastic and help you to understand what things are.

The next build will have the latest artwork, so I'm avoiding showing that just yet.

cheers

Rob

(in reply to jrcar)
Post #: 26
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 11:05:02 AM   
cantona2


Posts: 3749
Joined: 5/21/2007
From: Gibraltar
Status: offline 		Major map changes!

_____________________________

1966 was a great year for English Football...Eric was born


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Post #: 27
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 11:07:11 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Now for Japan.

One really nice change (of many!) is when you mouseover a base, in this case Tokyo. Makes finding that engine factory or armaments plant really easy.

Lots of subtle changes to Japan, one of the big issues to overcome is unlearning stuff from stock... and that is one of the purposes of this AAR.






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RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 11:10:36 AM   
Akos Gergely

 

Posts: 733
Joined: 4/8/2004
From: Hungary, Bp.
Status: offline 		Verrry nice and a big thanks for the effort!

I'd say go for Fiji-Samoa invasion, would be interesting.

Hoping for more to come!


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My blog: https://warshipprojects.com/

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Post #: 29
RE: WITP AE AAR Feb 09 Cathartes-JRCAR (Jap) - 2/1/2009 11:12:02 AM   
jrcar

 

Posts: 3613
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Seymour, Australia
Status: offline 		Here is Hawaii, juicy pickings here... maybe!






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