mikel
Posts: 63
Joined: 3/15/2002
From: Pennsylvania
Status: offline
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Although I do not like to distill a complex game like UV down to sterile formulas, I do like to have at least rules of thumb to follow for important decisions. While playing UV I often found myself completely unable to answer 2 important questions. How long will it take this base to reach a certain level of port, airfield, or fortification size? And, how many engineering resources must I commit to a base to expand it to a certain size by a certain time? While waiting for version 1.3, I decided to run some tests involving Allied engineering units in order to get a better handle on base expansions. Below are the results of those tests.
First a DISCLAIMER. Like everything else associated with UV, base expansion appears to be affected by very complex factors. The tests were lengthy, completely isolating individual factors was impossible, my patience limited, and my brain began to overheat so the results should be considered far from “definitive”. However, I have found them to be useful guidelines in the scenario I am now playing.
Engineer squads can expand bases (ports, airfields, and fortifications). The more squads engaged in the expansion, the faster it will go. At full strength, allied Base Forces contain 30 engineering squads. ANZAC Eng Bn’s contain 30 squads plus 10 vehicles. Since an engineering vehicle is worth 5 squads, the ANZAC units contain the equivalent of 80 engineering squads. Seabee Bn’s and EAB’s contain 30 squads and 20 vehicles for an equivalent of 130 engineering squads. Combat Eng units carry a small number of engineering squads.
Expansion efforts at a base are shared equally. If a base is simultaneously expanding its port, airfield, and fortifications then engineering resources will be shared 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. If 2 types of expansions are going on, then the ratio will be ½, ½. If only 1 type of expansion is going on, it will receive 100% of the engineering resources.
The larger the current size, the longer it will take to reach the next size. For example, the Koumac base will take considerably longer to go from airfield size 8 to 9 then it took to go from size 1 to 2.
When an expansion reaches a new size, the “excess” engineering effort is automatically applied to the next size. For example, if you are playing a scenario with 1 day turns and it requires less than 1 day of effort to reach size 7 then the remaining time will automatically be applied towards reaching size 8.
When you stop an expansion before it fully reaches a new size any partial work will be permanently lost. The moment you hit the “Stop Expansion” button all partial work for a size will be lost even if you immediately restart the expansion.
Port or airfield damage will be worked on first. Any excess engineering resources will then be applied towards base expansion.
Each base has a Standard Potential Size (SPS) for its port and airfield. Generally ports and airfields can expand 3 sizes beyond their SPS up to a maximum of size 9. However, additional engineering resources are required to go beyond an SPS. It takes 2 times longer than normal to go 1 size beyond an SPS, 4 times longer to go the 2nd size beyond, and 4 times longer to go the 3rd size beyond.
An airfield with an SPS of 0 is a special case. It takes 20 times longer to go to size 1 than if the SPS was > 0. (The manual says “10 times longer than normal” but I believe they are already considering the 2x penalty of going 1 step beyond the SPS as “normal”.) For an airfield with SPS = 0, it takes 40 times longer to go to size 2 and 40 times longer to go to size 3.
Landlocked hexes with a port SPS of 0 cannot expand. Non-landlocked hexes with a port SPS of 0 can expand up to size 3 with the usual (2x, 4x, 4x) time penalties.
The larger the base (airfield SPS + port SPS) the longer it will take to expand. For example, a base size of 18 (airfield SPS = 9 and port SPS = 9) will take considerably longer to go to fortification level 1 than a base with a size of 0 (airfield SPS = 0 and port SPS = 0).
Obviously engineering units in a fully-supplied, fully-supported, non-disrupted, and non-fatigued base will be more effective than those in an under-supplied, under-supported, disrupted, and fatigued base. The exact nature of the difference is complex but a rule of thumb that appears to reasonably estimate the “penalty” is as follows: the penalty = % disruption x the % disabled engineer squads. For example, if a base force unit with 30 engineering squads had 5% disruption and 3 of 30 engineering squads disabled or destroyed, the penalty would be approximately 1.05 x (1 + 3/30) = 1.155. In other words, it would take 1.155 times longer than under “ideal” conditions. Watch out for disabled squads because they can increase quickly, particularly at the smaller bases.
The test did not look into other factors such as leadership, inspiration, morale, or experience.
The following are the approximate number of DAYS it would require a 0% disrupted engineering unit at full strength to expand (starting from 0% completion) a port (within its SPS) or airfield (within its SPS) if 100% of its resources are directed to that expansion. Under actual game conditions it will take more time because over time some engineering squads will become disabled even under the best of conditions.
(Sorry about the terrible format but I don't seem to be able to add an attachment.)
Ports or Airfields (Days to complete)
BaseForce AnzacBn Seabee/EAB
0 to 1 6.7 2.5 1.5
1 to 2 10.0 3.8 2.3
2 to 3 13.3 5.0 3.1
3 to 4 16.7 6.3 3.8
4 to 5 20.0 7.5 4.6
5 to 6 23.3 8.8 5.4
6 to 7 26.7 10.0 6.2
7 to 8 30.0 11.3 6.9
8 to 9 33.3 12.5 7.7
Total days 180.0 57.5 41.5
Notes:
1) It takes 2 times longer to go 1 size beyond an SPS, 4 times longer to go the 2nd size beyond, and 4 times longer to go the 3rd size beyond.
2) An airfield with an SPS of 0 is a special case. It takes 20 times longer to go to size 1 than an airfield of SPS > 0 and 40 times longer to go to size 2 than an airfield of SPS > 1 and 40 times longer to go to size 3 than an airfield of SPS > 2.
3) Disruption and disabled squads/vehicles will increase the time required proportionately.
Under the same “ideal” conditions, a Base Force (30 engineering squads) can increase fortification levels in the following number of DAYS. (Anzac Eng Bn’s would take 30/80 as long and Seabee/EAB’s 30/130.)
Fortification Level
----------------- Base Size ------------------
0 1 2 3 6 12 18
0 to 1 1.0 3.3 6.7 10.0 20.0 40.0 60.0
1 to 2 5.0 8.3 11.7 15.0 25.0 45.0 65.0
2 to 3 10.0 13.3 16.7 20.0 30.0 50.0 70.0
3 to 4 15.0 18.3 21.7 25.0 35.0 55.0 75.0
4 to 5 20.0 23.3 26.7 30.0 40.0 60.0 80.0
5 to 6 25.0 28.3 31.7 35.0 45.0 65.0 85.0
6 to 7 30.0 33.3 36.7 40.0 50.0 70.0 90.0
7 to 8 35.0 38.3 41.7 45.0 55.0 75.0 95.0
8 to 9 40.0 43.3 46.7 50.0 60.0 80.0 100.0
Total days 181.0 210.0 240.0 270.0 360.0 540.0 720.0
Notes:
1) Other base sizes can be calculated by extrapolating from the above numbers. For example, for a base size = 15 (1/2 of [12 + 18]), it would take 75.0 (1/2 of [65.0 + 85.0]) days to go from fortification level 5 to 6.
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