Yamato hugger
Posts: 5475
Joined: 10/5/2004
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To load a unit, one of the ways I do it is this (there are 2):
Step 1, I form a TF (amphib in this case) with a single ship, and then dock it (new TFs start undocked). I do this so when I add ships later, I know I wont exceed my docking space at the loading port. You CAN load a TF that isnt docked, but its slllllooooooowwwwwwwww. Then click "load troops" on the right. Note if you are loading a transport TF the ground unit must be in strategic mode and if loading an amphib the ground unit must be in combat mode. If it isnt or if the unit is in a restricted command, it will not show up on the list as choices for loading.
Step 2, select the unit and hit "verify load". You can adjust if you want supplies/fuel loaded as well at this time. Sometimes I turn it off (default is on), but not often. I load 1 unit per TF. If you have more than 1, firstly you need more than 1 ship in the initial TF (you need minimum 1 ship per ground/air unit you are trying to load) and secondly when you get to step 3 bad things can happen as I will explain shortly.
Step 3, Click "add a ship" 1 at a time until you get to 100%. If you want additional supplies you can either exit this screen and add ships to the TF, or you can hit this "add a ship" a time or 2 (depending on how much you want to add). Now if you are loading more than 1 unit at the same time (say a division and a base force for example), the division will need more ships than the base will (like say 9 ships for the division and 2 for the base force. The way this routine works is as you add ships to the TF, it will allocate them to each unit. That is to say the 3rd ship will load part of the division and the 4th will load the base, and the 5th the division and the 6th the base (even though there are already enough ships to load the base already) so what you will end up with in the end is a division on 9 ships and a base unit on 8 or 9 ships. Thats why I load a single unit per TF.
Step 4, hit "accept". Now you will NOT be able to merge 2 amphibs together the first turn of their loading, so dont worry about that. You CAN merge them the 2nd turn. This is so you can go back and undo your move if you want. Note, when you order a TF to load, instead of fully loading like it does in WitP, in AE it only loads 1 squad or device as a placeholder. The actual loading takes place during the turn.
Now, as an alternate method to the above (using the above, you have no control over what ships the computer will add to a TF) you CAN pick all the ships you want (say 5 ships of the same class for example), and load the unit. I often do this. In fact I probably do it more than with the method above. Now the way I do this is pretty much the same initially as above, I pick 1 ship and dock it, and select the unit to load (to see how much space it takes up).
Then (if you look at the 2nd pic) instead of hitting "verify load", I hit the "loading" on the unit to deselect it and hit back (if you dont hit the "loading" and just hit back, it will load the unit. You can go back and reset it if you make an error though (I think I drove Don nuts making this work. He couldnt figure out how I screwed it up so badly  ). After you hit "back" you can add ships as you see fit, hit load troops again, see how much more you need to add, ect. Takes more time, but YOU control what ships get put in the TF.
The computer will make no distinction for speed of the TF or the remaining size of a unit when you hit add ships (I have seen the computer select a large AP for a few squads and I have seen it select a damaged AK when undamaged ships were available. Word to the wise.
After I have the TF the way I want it and loading, I add escorts after. I dont do that right off to insure I have enough port room to load. I can always assign escorts to follow this TF or I can hold it in port for a turn if I feel they have to have their escorts right away and I dont have enough dock space to add them.
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< Message edited by Yamato hugger -- 5/16/2009 6:32:32 AM >
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RE: Tora, Tora, Tora! - 
. An evacuation within range of enemy bombers is, and should be, a hazardous operation. In the game as it stands your ships will be exposed to air attack during the turn on which they arrive in the pick-up port. They can part-load and get away during the following turn. Evidently in AE they must be exposed to two days' air attacks. An unwarranted reduction in your tactical options? 
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