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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> Supply suggestions...

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Supply suggestions... - 6/26/2002 7:52:16 AM

Arith

Posts: 17
Joined: 5/25/2002
From: Just outside Chicago IL USA
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Hi guys. Im new the game and have a problem. I am having problems keeping my forward bases supplied and the computer controlled supply convoys dont seem to go to the ones that desparetly need the supplies. Can you guys give me some ideas on how to keep up supply. Do you spend a while supplying forward bases before you start to transfer units and ships? I was thinking of putting out a defensive screen on PT's, Subs and Subchasers slong with some air patrols and keep the rest at base until i build up a good surplus of supplied. Any ideas on how to solve this problem would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys! :D

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Post #: 1

- 6/26/2002 8:28:39 AM

Fred98

Posts: 4430
Joined: 1/5/2001
From: Wollondilly, Sydney
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The transports have to load the supplies and then sail to their destination and then unload the supplies.

When I first started the game I assumed this would all be done in one turn. But the whole journey takes 2, 3 or 4 days. So if you set the turn length to 2,3 or 4 days you will see the whole procedure take place in one turn.

At the beginning of each turn, check each task force and ensure that they are still operating under the correct orders. If not, issue new orders.

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Post #: 2

Supply by barges - 6/26/2002 5:28:11 PM

entemedor

Posts: 65
Joined: 6/14/2002
From: Barcelona (Spain)
Status: offline

Barge convoys are also a pain, they have so short autonomy they always finish out of fuel. I don't understand why they arrive at the destination base, unload their cargo and then start the return journey without refuelling; so barely a few hexes on the return trip they stop for lack of fuel.
As I'm employing barges to supply Lae and Salamaua, so not risking big ships to Port Moresby aircraft, it's ridiculous having to risk sending a refuelling tanker to dangerous waters. The alternative is to leave the barges five or six turns under air threat.
Another strange thing is that in a convoy, the barges loaded with fuel instead of supplies (one in five) usually reach 0 autonomy while the other barges have still fuel; it looks like the one with fuel gives it to the others when in need, leaving herself to reach zero level. The thing to do then is leave that oen out of the convoy as a sitting duck.
And if barges are left to the computer control in a barge hub base they mostly sit doing nothing; they only get moving when a base is actually out of supply.
I know, I know, barges are not so important, but managing them is taking a too big part of my turns.

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Post #: 3

Suppling those foward bases - 6/26/2002 8:05:16 PM

Gabby

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Joined: 4/26/2002
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The AI generaly will not send routine convoys to bases that are can be easily threatened, but there is a way to automaite the foward bases supply.

Create a transport TF and set it to computer control / routine convoy. Then assign it a destination of the base you want to supply. The control will then change to CS:baseName. The TF will then sail from it's home port to the base, dropping off supply.

But even using CS and sending your own convoys, getting supplies built up at a foward base can take a while. The problem is as you drop the supplies off, the forces at the base(Enginners, Ari Groups, PT boats ect.) are using them. Evently with effort you can get to a point where the surplus starts to build, but it may seem to take a while for thing to reach critical mass. One you get over the hump, supplies can build up.

Problem is if you devote you attention somewhere for a while, you can find that normal operations can use up yopur surplus, Espically if you are using heavy bombers.

Combine that with the normal attrition from enemy action, and wear and tear, and you can find that you seem to not have enough transport, to supply all those foward bases, and conduct other operations.

The lesson here is, in those long scienrios don't take your AK's, and AP's lightly. It may only seem like one ship, but assumming three round trips a month, over 6 months that one 3000 point AP could deliver over 50000 points in supply.

Sorry I didn't mean for this response to become a UV logistics primer, but maybe someone will find this useful.

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Post #: 4

- 6/26/2002 10:35:03 PM

Arith

Posts: 17
Joined: 5/25/2002
From: Just outside Chicago IL USA
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Thanks, I needed a primer :) It made some things clearer and i appreciate it.

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Post #: 5

- 6/26/2002 11:22:32 PM

juliet7bravo

Posts: 894
Joined: 5/30/2001
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The game/AI seems to have serious problems with handling fuel. The bases don't require fuel, so it doesn't seem to bother transporting it for ship use very often. If you play against the AI, and stop periodically and open up the other side...you'll often find TF's all over the place floating out of fuel. This, IMO, is one area that causes the AI no end of problems, and really needs looked at. I don't think it recognizes low/no fuel at bases to be a problem, so the AI rarely loads it up or delivers it...thus totally hamstringing itself.

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Post #: 6

noch mal - 6/26/2002 11:38:19 PM

corbulo

Posts: 213
Joined: 2/28/2002
From: rigel 5
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Once again I must chip in and say that keeping supplies going to the forward areas is diffucult, time consuming, and frustrating. I have tried the cs:basename convoy - these seem to work as long as there is only 1 going to 1 destination - btw, if you throw tks and aks together in a cs:basename convoy, will it fuel the tankers and load supplies on the aks? I think it does, but I am not sure.

The barges are just diffcult, I have never gotten them to do what I wish. One consoling thought though, Logistics is not an adjunct to this game, it is THE GAME!!!:D

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Post #: 7

- 6/27/2002 12:06:35 AM

juliet7bravo

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Nope, I've found you have to have the tankers separate from the supply ships, even in CS convoys. I run tanker convoys manually, as they seem to glitch the CS convoys, and since bases don't need fuel, the routine convoys with tankers included always return to base. You can load fuel onto AP/AK, but you have to do it manually, and in separate TF's from supply TF's. Pretty much found routine convoys to be a total waste of time. Also, tankers/AO's take FOREVER to unload...putting them into supply TF's will slow them down badly, and the TF's will often get bored and leave before they unload completely anyway.

CS convoys are great. Pick out a forward support base, one east, one west, and start a CS convoy going to each non-stop. I usually make them each 4 AK's and 2 SC's. Supply/transportation is always going to be your greatest bottleneck. You can alleviate this a bit by using your spare DD's/AV's/DMS ect. (since ASW is a pathetic joke) as troop transports using "fast transport" TF's. I use them alot to "rotate" troops out of malaria zones and to replace them with "fresh" troops.

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Post #: 8

Supply - 6/27/2002 12:08:26 AM

mogami

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From: You can't get here from there
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Greetings, You have correctly ID'd the soul of the game (and of war I believe) It is not enough to have men or aircraft or ships in numbers required you must keep them supplied. Indeed supply will decide what the numbers should be.
If you start every game ordering every group to fly every turn, every ship to put to sea and building bases as fast as possible supply will put an end to your efforts with out the enemy ever needing to do a thing.

The first step I take in any scenario is learn the amount of time needed to turn around 1 supply convoy to each base.

Then I check supply use at each base. mulitply supply use by number of days for turn around add 25 percent to allow future expansion/increase in activity or loss in route and you know size of TF required. Try to match speed amound transports. Use larger transports for rear/safer bases and smaller ones for forward bases (they unload faster and count fewer VP.

As well as supply convoys ASW TF should be established to run routes in advance (also include a few misesweepers in ASW and Transport groups) ASW groups do not need to be surface combat
(since the subs will attack it) This allows a ship like AV class for Jap[an to be include in TF. (serves two purpose it flys ASW search and refuels smaller ASW ships in TF) (Allied AV only refuel and may be more important at bases then as tanker) (But allies have no stretch as long as the slot to patrol)

Use the fast APD's wisely. Barges are best used for very short (less then 6 hexes) runs. (Shortland supplys Buka and Buin and Munda) Next base down the line (Russell I)supplied by APD with barges there suppling Lunga and Tulagi (examples only to show need for bases every 5-6 hexs)

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Post #: 9

- 6/27/2002 1:07:26 AM

Wilhammer

Posts: 449
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From: Out in the Sticks of Rockingham County, North Caro
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Have you noticed that you can put a TK unit on a replenishment mission in Port, but once at sea, it is not a choice?

Sounds minor, but my thinking is that transport TKs will deliver supplies and unload them at ports, while replenishment will not auto-unload in a port.

Sometimes I like to switch that role; I might find a TF nearby that needs fueling at sea, but once it is done, I want it to go to a forward base and unoad, and switch it some more if need be.

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Post #: 10

Re: Supply - 6/27/2002 1:11:23 AM

panda124c

Posts: 1692
Joined: 5/23/2000
From: Houston, TX, USA
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If you check the base window it tells you about how many supplies are needed. If you make convoys larger than this number the base will build up its supplies. Remember this number changes due to air missions, number of troops, etc.

As for mixed convoys, I have no problem with APs and AOs being in the same convoy. Tell the convoy to load supplies, the AOs can not carry supplies so they will load fuel. Set to Routine Convoy they will unload their fuel when the supplies are unloaded. Ususally if your destination base is in LBA range you can not allocate Routine Convoys.

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Post #: 11

Re: Supply - 6/27/2002 1:14:34 AM

panda124c

Posts: 1692
Joined: 5/23/2000
From: Houston, TX, USA
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mogami
[B]Greetings, You have correctly ID'd the soul of the game (and of war I believe) It is not enough to have men or aircraft or ships in numbers required you must keep them supplied. Indeed supply will decide what the numbers should be.[/B][/QUOTE]

Yea, forget those carriers concentrate on the transports, no transports, no supplies, no supplies, no base, no air, no ships, no problem - invade.:D

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Post #: 12

Re: Re: Supply - 6/27/2002 2:31:47 AM

Sonny

Posts: 2008
Joined: 4/3/2002
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by pbear
[B]

Yea, forget those carriers concentrate on the transports, no transports, no supplies, no supplies, no base, no air, no ships, no problem - invade.:D [/B][/QUOTE]

You might want to add to the beginning of your list - no carriers no protection for transports.:D

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Post #: 13

Re: Re: Re: Supply - 6/28/2002 7:02:26 AM

panda124c

Posts: 1692
Joined: 5/23/2000
From: Houston, TX, USA
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sonny
[B]

You might want to add to the beginning of your list - no carriers no protection for transports.:D [/B][/QUOTE]
Ah yes, but there are never enough carriers to go around. :D

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Post #: 14