HawaiiFive-O
Posts: 295
Joined: 12/21/2002
From: USA
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To elaborate, the bases in the shorter scenarios are chock full of supplies, so you won't need to resupply them.
In a longer scenario, things are different. There are two types of supplies, Supplies and Fuel. Fuel is used by Naval vessels, Supplies represent everything else- bullets, rations, bombs, torpedoes, AP shells, you name it.
Bases do not automatically consume supplies, but the units stationed there do. Ships use Fuel constantly, even when docked. If you disband the TF and drop anchor, then they don't use Fuel.
Supplies will travel over land to other bases, provided they are within supply range, and one base is in need and the other base has a surplus. Supplies that travel overland suffer "attrition", for lack of a better word. 1 for each hex over a road, 10 for each hex over a trail, 50 for each hex cross country. For supplies transported from PM to Buna, for instance, they cross 3 "trail" hexes- consequently supplies shipped automatically overland between PM and Buna lose 30% of what was shipped. To Wau, you lose 50% of the supplies sent.
So you'll find that the Australian bases are supplied adequately all the way up to Townsville, via the road network, as each base supplies the next up the coast. Once you hit Cairns/Cooktown, they still get a overland supply, but it's over trails and you start to lose some of it. When attempting to keep PM supplied out of Cairns, I find I need to supplement the overland supply with a routine shipment of additional supplies via sea, or I run short very quickly.
Without supplies, your planes won't fly missions (no avgas, no bombs). Your troops fight at diminished strength. Your ships can't restock their ammo.
Please note that fuel does not travel overland! I didn't realize this the first time through and managed to strand half of my fleet in Townsville before I realized just why I had all these AO/TK in the fleet Pearl sent me.
There is no automatic supply of bases over sea. You have to set up convoys to supply these bases. Yes it's a lot of micromanagement. There are two modes of automating supply over sea. Routine Convoys and Constant Supply convoys.
Routine Convoys are created by forming a new Transport TF. Select Computer Control. Set it's home base to Noumea/Brisbane/Truk. The TF is now on cruise control. It will load supplies from it's home base and then automatically select a base to resupply. If you set it to Retirement Allowed, it will avoid dangerous bases (in range of LBA, I believe). If you set it to Patrol/Do Not Retire, the captain becomes much more daring. In practice, I've found this setting to be random and inefficient. It's more useful to have Constant Supply convoys that make shorter trips.
Constant Supply convoys are created by forming a new Transport TF. Select Computer Control. Set it's home base to the port you want to be sending supplies from. Set the destination to the port you want to send supplies to. The TF will now travel between the two, loading and unloading. I prefer this setting, as you can now create logistical tails. As the Allies, plotting a move against Lunga, you can set up a CS to Luganville. Then a separate CS from Luganville to Irau. You can rapidly build up supplies as the transport ships have less travel time, thus a quicker turn around.
One thing, these ships on cruise control will build up SYS damage, so you need to check them once in awhile.
Also, I have found it best to make these automated convoys to be just one ship. It's less likely to be noticed. And the targeting AI is less likely to launch a strike against a solitary AK or AP, even when it's docked at PM. My transport fleets were getting plastered by Rabaul airstrikes until I went to the "dribs and drabs" method of resupply. Now my ships are ignored as they sneak in one at a time. Be sure to stagger the shipments!
The actual ships themselves:
AK: Cargo vessel. Tends to be slower, but quicker to unload/reload. I like to use the 1500 capacity AKs for my "dribs and drabs" runs. If they do get caught unawares, I'm out one of the cheapest ships I own.
AP: Troop transports. Tends to be quicker, but slower to unload/reload. I'll use them for "dribs and drabs" into Indian Country, they are faster so hopefully they'll be less exposed.
APD: Fast transports. Low capacity and high speeds make these ideal for evacs of troops and night time resupply missions to get in, drop off the goodies, and then get out before the LBA wakes up.
TK: Tanker. Carries fuel, tends to be slower than the AO's. Other cargo vessels can carry fuel, but at 50% capacity, i.e. if it's a 2000 capacity AK it can only carry 1000 fuel.
AO: Fleet Oiler. Carries fuel, tends to be faster than the TK's.
Also, note that the higher the capacity, the longer it takes to unload/load. This is another reason you want to use the 1500 capacity ships for "dribs and drabs" runs. And fuel takes longer than supplies to load, so don't mix your TKs and AOs with your AKs and APs, it's inefficient. Unless there's a heavy sub presence and you are actually using a convoy with DDs included to move your supplies/fuel.
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Supplies and Coral Sea - 
This is exactly what I was looking for too ! - 
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