Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

This game is not for the faint-hearted nor the instant gratification types.It requires micromanagement. Setting-up the first turn of a grand campaign scenario can easily take six hours and more. Some units already have attack orders or move orders, but not necessarily according to your wishes. Maybe you just run a few turns to see which units do move or attack to get an idea and then start over. Some guys here have played the game since the beginning and are still learning by playing and reading the forum (me included, and I am one of the longest-standing forum members). The learning curve of this game is steep, some say it is not a game but a second profession.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Your question is a complicated one because there is no easy answer. There's no "Find" box for the game where you can type in "Which units are idle" and - presto - get the exact info in the exact format you're looking for.

As you become accustomed to the GUI (graphical user interface), you'll find ways to find information that you need, though perhaps not everything you wanted. For instance, with regard to "idle" units for Japan at the start of the game, you can click the Ground Units tab on the main Information Screen. Then you can sort the list of ground units in a variety of ways. One way would be to sort for "Preparation" - which shows you what base the unit is prepping for. You can also sort for "mode." Any unit in "move" mode is "walking" somewhere. Units in "strategic mode" may be aboard ship or embarked on a "train," and units in "combat" mode may simply be sitting at a base or in a terrain hex. Those are the ones I think you are most interested in. So you then, manually but relatively efficiently, check each unit in "combat" mode to see what they're doing and what they're prepping for. Then you can issue new orders for the unit.

You can also narrow the filters to only apply to army units or infantry or engineers or HQ or armor, etc.

So it's not necessarily quick and easy to do what you want to do - the GUI is dated and sometimes a bit cumbersome - but as you become accustomed to it, you'll be able to quickly access the kind of information you need to do things.

quote:

ORIGINAL: pavel01
What I am trying to say, is that it does not help me to separate the Units which actually the Computer has "plans to use" with those which are just sitting there doing nothing which I "could" perhaps give orders to, for example....

quote:

ORIGINAL: pavel01

Thank you so much for the informative reply.

When I press the "Ground" Units Tab (G key), I get the attached gump.

I cannot see there, any "Preparation" filter. There is the "OpMode" filter but aside from the fact that almost all are set on "Combat", that includes also Units simply sitting at a Base and just being set on Combat to defend that base...

Oops, rather than "Preparation," I meant "Target" - the column on the far right.

What I am trying to say, is that it does not help me to separate the Units which actually the Computer has "plans to use" with those which are just sitting there doing nothing which I "could" perhaps give orders to, for example....

If the computer has plans to use a unit, then usually you'll find a "Target" designated. If it says "At Target," that probably means the computer currently has the unit slated to stay there.

The other Filters for the Ground Units that I can see are All Units, All NAtions, IJ Army, IJ Navy. HQ Units, Infantry, Armor, Artillery, Enginners.

Pressing Show Soft rather then Show Hard does not change the Filters but only the Colums Headings....

Can WitPTracker AE help me out with this ?
Is there any of the Tables within it which I could double check to finally be able to tell apart the Units not being given orders by the Computer ?

Thanks again for the help !

(in reply to pavel01)

quote:

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

quote:

ORIGINAL: pavel01
What I am trying to say, is that it does not help me to separate the Units which actually the Computer has "plans to use" with those which are just sitting there doing nothing which I "could" perhaps give orders to, for example....

There is no "Computer" when you are playing Grand Campaigh. All the units answer to you only and will do what you order them to do, with no exceptions bar Autoconvoy system.
Whatever "plans to use" were set by scenario designers as initial orders, TF loadouts and destinations etc. Those starting orders resemble what was there historically on Dec-7/41, both for Allies and Japan.
Getting yourself acquainted woth your OOB is a part of the learning curve. Eventually you would learn what combat and support unints you have available, what come as reinforcements and when, what units are unrestricted so you can move them far. Starting orders for Japan give a good enough outline of the invasion plans. But you can always change them, and experienced players do this a lot

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Your question is a complicated one because there is no easy answer. There's no "Find" box for the game where you can type in "Which units are idle" and - presto - get the exact info in the exact format you're looking for.

As you become accustomed to the GUI (graphical user interface), you'll find ways to find information that you need, though perhaps not everything you wanted. For instance, with regard to "idle" units for Japan at the start of the game, you can click the Ground Units tab on the main Information Screen. Then you can sort the list of ground units in a variety of ways. One way would be to sort for "Preparation" - which shows you what base the unit is prepping for. You can also sort for "mode." Any unit in "move" mode is "walking" somewhere. Units in "strategic mode" may be aboard ship or embarked on a "train," and units in "combat" mode may simply be sitting at a base or in a terrain hex. Those are the ones I think you are most interested in. So you then, manually but relatively efficiently, check each unit in "combat" mode to see what they're doing and what they're prepping for. Then you can issue new orders for the unit.

You can also narrow the filters to only apply to army units or infantry or engineers or HQ or armor, etc.

So it's not necessarily quick and easy to do what you want to do - the GUI is dated and sometimes a bit cumbersome - but as you become accustomed to it, you'll be able to quickly access the kind of information you need to do things.

quote:

ORIGINAL: General Patton

The attack on Pearl is historical. You can have it stay and attack again if you wish.

Also, I would suggest going thru all of the dropdown menus across the top and invest some time looking through them and tinkering with them. One other thing, Don't feel like you have to play the game to the end. Start over and over and over. It gets you familar with the game and you can change settings each time to see what they do. I always keep a notebook on my desk to make notes.....GP

quote:

ORIGINAL: pavel01

quote:

ORIGINAL: General Patton

The attack on Pearl is historical. You can have it stay and attack again if you wish.

Also, I would suggest going thru all of the dropdown menus across the top and invest some time looking through them and tinkering with them. One other thing, Don't feel like you have to play the game to the end. Start over and over and over. It gets you familar with the game and you can change settings each time to see what they do. I always keep a notebook on my desk to make notes.....GP

Thank you for the good advice. I have already restarted it like about 10 times and only went as far as to the 4th turn so far.... I guess then that I am learning it the right way :)

It will take time, I can see that, lots of time.....

quote:

ORIGINAL: pavel01

When I press the "Ground" Units Tab (G key), I get the attached gump.

I cannot see there, any "Preparation" filter. There is the "OpMode" filter but aside from the fact that almost all are set on "Combat", that includes also Units simply sitting at a Base and just being set on Combat to defend that base...

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: pavel01

quote:

ORIGINAL: General Patton

The attack on Pearl is historical. You can have it stay and attack again if you wish.

Also, I would suggest going thru all of the dropdown menus across the top and invest some time looking through them and tinkering with them. One other thing, Don't feel like you have to play the game to the end. Start over and over and over. It gets you familar with the game and you can change settings each time to see what they do. I always keep a notebook on my desk to make notes.....GP

Thank you for the good advice. I have already restarted it like about 10 times and only went as far as to the 4th turn so far.... I guess then that I am learning it the right way :)

It will take time, I can see that, lots of time.....

Hopefully you are not starting from scratch each time. You should be able to use your saved first turn setup and just modify it to try different approaches in subsequent games. Most of the first turn setup is logistics that do not really require changing much. I hope someone referred you to Kull's spreadsheets for the recommended initial setup?

quote:

ORIGINAL: rustysi

Another thing I will suggest here. If you haven't read an AAR it will describe a lot for you and you will get the 'flow' of the game better. I would suggest Mike Solli's since you are playing Japan. Its dead now, but you'll find it on page three of the AAR board. Immense info there that should help newbies' get started, and you'll get a 'real' sense what it takes to tackle this game. Remember its not a 'learning curve' its a 'learning cliff'.

quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Idleness is a relative term.

quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Stop trying to use lists to find your units.

While the lists will tell you their location, they provides no context.
You need to review the units in place on the map to understand the context of what they are doing.

Idleness is a relative term.
A division that is garrisoning an important base to provide sufficient defense against the enemy may appear idle but it's performing a valuable function and it's organic engineers are likely working on the building of forts/airfields/ports or repairs.
The organic AA guns may be firing at attacking planes.
Just because the parent unit has no active order other than defense doesn't mean that devices within the unit are idle.

The BEST way to review what your troops may or may not be doing is to look in on them in place.
Review your force dispositions by sector, by area, by theater in whatever way makes best sense for you.

I start in one location and work my way around the entire map each turn.

This is my SOP:

Turn end returns to Pearl so I start there reviewing what I need to do with all units at Pearl (air, land and naval).
I then jump to the East Coast, from there to the bases at the Panama Canal.
From there I work my way up the west coast ending in the Alaskan theater.
I ten jump over Pearl to the Line Islands, form there to Tahiti.
From Tahiti to Auckland. From Auckland to Pago Pago. From there west to Suva, Noumaea and then on to Australia.
Up the east coast, then diagonal to Perth and up that coast to Darwin.
From Darwin up through the eastern DEI to the PI. back down through Borneo to Java.
Java to Sumatra. Sumatra to Cape Town.
Cape Town to Diego, Diego to Aden, Aden to Abadan.
Abadan to Karachi, Karachi down the west coast to Colombo, Colombo up the east coast to Calcutta.
Calcutta to Chittagong, Chittagong down through Burma and Malaysia.
Malaysia to China.

Figure out what kind of a circuit around the board makes best sense to you and create a routine you can implement that ensures you review everything.

Don't forget to review the OPs report from last turn to see what unit shave taken replacement sand received upgrades.
Review the Information screen to see what reinforcements arrive this turn and over the next few turns.
Check the stocks in your air pools.
Check the losses for both sides.

Context is everything. You can't get it from reviewing lists.

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert

You two kill me sometimes. Historically you have demonstrated some really good chemistry. I still remember CR posting a pic of some 1930s era car that was caught up in a landslide or something and CB said "CR, what happened to your car?" I still giggle about that.

The simple answer to this thread is don't play with anything not being manual. You won't learn much if you let the AI do it. You'll ask "why did it do that?". Why ask that, do it yourself and you'll know.
If it blows up in your face you'll have learned something. How are you going to become an obsessive WitP-AE player if you let the AI do anything? You can't.

quote:

ORIGINAL: geofflambert
After that, if you don't feel ready to face a PBEM opponent, play with yourself. Just don't let your mom see you doing it.