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automation etc - 1/30/2022 1:18:30 AM

hyperstork67

Posts: 21
Joined: 5/26/2020
Status: offline

Hello, I see this is the main forum for WitP, I had posted in the wrong place. Here goes:

I am considering taking the plunge after watching videos online of how the game tracks individual ships and subs!

Questions:

1) Can I easily automate land forces movement so I can concentrate on the naval game? I just want to follow my subs and ships, maybe my planes as it tracks the pilots as well.

2) is there a way to rename all your ships other than editing the scenario before starting?

3) Can menial tasks like supply/transports be automated?

4) can fog of war be turned on or off?

5) Do ship/sub commanders get medals or get promoted (like to bigger ships, for surface fleet)?

Basically I'm mostly interested in sneaking subs and ships around and harassing enemy shipping, while tracking their damage, etc.

Thanks for any help!

Post #: 1

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 1:57:07 AM

Macquarrie1999

Posts: 57
Joined: 4/29/2021
From: California
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1) You cannot automate land forces
2) You can only rename ships that have a duplicate name to already existing ships ex) HMAS Canberra and USS Canberra.
3)Supply can be automated, but you are missing a massive portion of the game by doing that.
4)You can turn off fog of war, but why would you want to?
5)Commanders do not get medals or promotions

(in reply to hyperstork67)

Post #: 2

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 4:05:22 AM

BBfanboy

Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline

Re: 5, sometimes certain leaders get promoted a level in rank because of their performance in battle. Mostly this happens with ace pilots. The elevation in rank does not make a huge difference - AFAIK the leader has the same skill set as before the promotion.

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Post #: 3

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 8:03:33 AM

Ian R

Posts: 3420
Joined: 8/1/2000
From: Cammeraygal Country
Status: offline

Actually with a bit of work, making your own mod, some of your points can be partly addressed to move the focus of the game in the direction you want.

1. Land forces. Agree the answer is generally 'no', but start with a "quiet China" scenario (and save it to a slot above 25 where edits can be saved). In those scenarios, you can (as allies) disengage the Chinese army from hexes adjacent to IJ units - so they do not react to them per the usual routines - and the front lines will never move. Added to that, there are a few bases which the IJ AI needs to take to stay competitive, and after that it *might* get adventurous and try and land in Noumea or Fiji, or even west Australia or Ceylon or somewhere, giving you lots of scope for naval battles, so probably a plus for your mod. Those bases are:

1. Singapore
2. Manila
3. Clark Field
4. Bataan
5. Palembang
6. Batavia
7. Soerbaja
8. Rangoon
9. Mandalay
10.Rabaul

and you could also let it have:

11. Port Blair
12. Port Moresby
13. Tarawa
14. Shortlands
16. Lunga
17. Akyab.

As the allied player, apart from a few obvious moves to delay things in the PI & Malaya, and fortify on the India/Burma border, you can, with that approach, mostly ignore ground warfare until 1943 (or later).

2. Ship names. The trigger here is not having a repeat name per se. It is whether or not a ship in the reinforcement queue has "II" on the end of its name. E.G. "Yorktown" [followed by a space then] "II". So, if you tack a II onto the names of all the Essex class carriers in your mod, you can rename them as you go along.

notes -

(a) you can only rename them while they are in the reinforcement list, once on map you are stuck with the name on arrival.

(b) you can rename them to X, later change your mind and rename them to Y, as long as they are still in the queue. Once that "II" trigger is set when the scenario is loaded to start the game, it sticks.

(c) if you check the ship replacement code box in the editor, you disable the re-naming ability.

3-Supply there are two methods of automation - (a) is an entirely automated system which you assign cargo carriers, tankers, and escorts to, as well as bases to be serviced. It doesn't work very well anywhere near the front lines, and seems to get limited use in rear areas. (b) is a continuous supply system where individual supply task forces can be set up, and ordered to chug back and forth between say San Francisco and Noumea - and you can set the path with way points etc. You only need to do that once. You do need to check on them now an again to swap out ships needing some yard repairs (including from collisions, etc) but you can automate much of your back area, and move things around as needed from large hubs like Noumea.

4. Yes.

5. See BBFB's response - the leaders have a type (TF leader, air group leader, large ground unit leader etc etc) which never changes. A related question is do leaders' skills improve with experience? It was hinted a long long time ago that might happen, but I've never noticed it actually happen.

< Message edited by Ian R -- 1/30/2022 8:19:30 AM >

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Post #: 4

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 11:28:43 AM

hyperstork67

Posts: 21
Joined: 5/26/2020
Status: offline

Thanks for the responses, folks! Very helpful.

I was hoping to find a way to just concentrate on very detailed ship and sub management. Looking for game that has a great campaign against AI, as hotseat/email are out for me. Many games have a fine skirmish mode where I can make decent missions, but they do take a lot of time per sub. I have many programs that have at least some element of that, but all have flaws.

1) Silent Hunter series. Well of course I have played and loved this one! But too time consuming for simulating a fleet, I play one sub and suddenly it's 5 AM. Crash Dive 2 similar, a little faster-paced but still a lot of work for one sub at a time.

2) Victory at Sea: Pacific has a huge, great world map for moving on, but the enemy DDs always have full info on your subs and charge them wherever they are when a mission begins- a total no-go for me, much as I like the concepts of the game. Also it seemed like there was a "hit point" system in place when attacking larger ships with torpedoes.

3) Atlantic Fleet. Loved this one, love the turn-based play, but set in North Atlantic, campaign not really useful/too limited, and subs have way too easy of a time escaping. Good for surface skirmish missions though.

4) War on the Sea: Sequel to above. Campaign did not work well for me, though I haven't tried any updates in the last year for it. Neat to practically "fly" each plane myself, though very time-consuming. Subs seem a little better in this one. Time-sink too, I fear, for just one sub at a time.

5) Naval Battles Simulator. North Atlantic. Neat to set up detailed sub patrols, but time-sink again, have not tried it in about 10 months to see if any updates. Have tried Rule the Waves 2 as well, liked designing ships, but few battles happen a turn, and battles are a slog.

6) Ultimate Admiral Dreadnaughts. Campaign only has 1890 start so far. Visuals and damage model look good for ship combat, map/encounter system similar to RtWaves 2.

7) Strategic Command World at War. Pacific mod based on the WitP AE map so lots of detail, but no AI programmed for that, and combat is of course rudimentary/hit-pointy. I could play this, then use one of the other games above to design skirmish battles for each fight, but that's also a lot of time involved.

I like the idea of having complete control of where my fleets go/patrol, not abstracted, so hex or open maps are great in the games that have them. But i understand this can be hard to make.

Any others I missed? I know there is a board game that sims the entire US sub force, but very time consuming, and with 4 cats that would love to play with counters, a time-sink that could devolve into a disaster at any time if I played it.

Suggestions welcome. Watching the play videos of WitP:AE I loved the encounters/damage models for navies, but getting through the other elements of this expansive sim might be too much for me.

(in reply to Ian R)

Post #: 5

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 12:01:35 PM

hyperstork67

Posts: 21
Joined: 5/26/2020
Status: offline

I should note that though WitP is also a big time-sink, the actual ship/sub encounters are fairly brief but detailed (from what I have seen), so it's only the actual time having to micromanage every OTHER element like land units that has me hesitant.

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Post #: 6

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 12:14:06 PM

btd64

Posts: 9973
Joined: 1/23/2010
From: Mass. USA. now in Lancaster, OHIO
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This game is not for everyone. You basically control everything from where the bullets go to what bases you are going to take. And you do this for the Allied or Japanese side. It's massive....GP

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Post #: 7

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 12:49:20 PM

Ian R

Posts: 3420
Joined: 8/1/2000
From: Cammeraygal Country
Status: offline

Also, you are a strategic/operational commander, you have very little tactical control. You can tell TFs to go a certain route, giving them some parameters such as react distance and threat tolerance, and choose a leader who you think has the right attributes. You can make sure there is plenty of fuel and replacement aircraft on replenishment CVEs, along with a training program churning out excellent pilots.

But you don't have tactical control during the turn execution. You are not in the Admiral's bridge.

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Post #: 8

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 1:25:40 PM

Platoonist

Posts: 1342
Joined: 5/11/2003
From: Kila Hana
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hyperstork67

Any others I missed? I know there is a board game that sims the entire US sub force, but very time consuming, and with 4 cats that would love to play with counters, a time-sink that could devolve into a disaster at any time if I played it.

If I am guessing correctly, the solitaire board game you are referring to is called Silent War by Compass Games. One option to avoid the depredation by cats would be to download Vassal and then to get the Silent War Module for it. Vassal is a program that allows you to port board games to the computer. So, unless your felines are really computer savvy and know your passwords that would at least keep your map and pieces safe.

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Post #: 9

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 1:32:16 PM

Platoonist

Posts: 1342
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From: Kila Hana
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It looks interesting. I might have to try it sometime. Of course, you'd have to have both the board game (for the rules) and the module to play.

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< Message edited by Platoonist -- 1/30/2022 1:40:50 PM >

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Post #: 10

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 1:58:51 PM

Zovs

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From: United States
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My felines have attempted to hack my PC but they have not yet successfully figured out my password�yet�

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Post #: 11

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 2:07:06 PM

Platoonist

Posts: 1342
Joined: 5/11/2003
From: Kila Hana
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zovs

My felines have attempted to hack my PC but they have not yet successfully figured out my password�yet�

Mine just interferes with visual reception.

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Post #: 12

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 2:10:04 PM

rockmedic109

Posts: 2390
Joined: 5/17/2005
From: Citrus Heights, CA
Status: offline

Mine climbs up my chest and obstructs my view of the screen. She also has a habit of pawing at my hand while I am trying to click that tiny little button that will retreat my fleet from certain doom that sits next to a tiny little button that will send it to certain doom.

I think the AI is paying her.

(in reply to Zovs)

Post #: 13

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 2:24:37 PM

btd64

Posts: 9973
Joined: 1/23/2010
From: Mass. USA. now in Lancaster, OHIO
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zovs

My felines have attempted to hack my PC but they have not yet successfully figured out my password�yet�

It's only a matter of time....GP

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Post #: 14

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 2:27:48 PM

btd64

Posts: 9973
Joined: 1/23/2010
From: Mass. USA. now in Lancaster, OHIO
Status: offline

When a cat wants attention, they know how to get it....GP

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Post #: 15

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 3:09:20 PM

Kull

Posts: 2625
Joined: 7/3/2007
From: El Paso, TX
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Platoonist

Mine just interferes with visual reception.

Spiral Notebook 1.0 - "don't launch game without it"

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Post #: 16

RE: automation etc - 1/30/2022 8:15:07 PM

CTCitadel

Posts: 8
Joined: 11/16/2012
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hyperstork67

Thanks for the responses, folks! Very helpful.

I was hoping to find a way to just concentrate on very detailed ship and sub management. Looking for game that has a great campaign against AI, as hotseat/email are out for me. Many games have a fine skirmish mode where I can make decent missions, but they do take a lot of time per sub. I have many programs that have at least some element of that, but all have flaws.

1) Silent Hunter series. Well of course I have played and loved this one! But too time consuming for simulating a fleet, I play one sub and suddenly it's 5 AM. Crash Dive 2 similar, a little faster-paced but still a lot of work for one sub at a time.

2) Victory at Sea: Pacific has a huge, great world map for moving on, but the enemy DDs always have full info on your subs and charge them wherever they are when a mission begins- a total no-go for me, much as I like the concepts of the game. Also it seemed like there was a "hit point" system in place when attacking larger ships with torpedoes.

3) Atlantic Fleet. Loved this one, love the turn-based play, but set in North Atlantic, campaign not really useful/too limited, and subs have way too easy of a time escaping. Good for surface skirmish missions though.

4) War on the Sea: Sequel to above. Campaign did not work well for me, though I haven't tried any updates in the last year for it. Neat to practically "fly" each plane myself, though very time-consuming. Subs seem a little better in this one. Time-sink too, I fear, for just one sub at a time.

5) Naval Battles Simulator. North Atlantic. Neat to set up detailed sub patrols, but time-sink again, have not tried it in about 10 months to see if any updates. Have tried Rule the Waves 2 as well, liked designing ships, but few battles happen a turn, and battles are a slog.

6) Ultimate Admiral Dreadnaughts. Campaign only has 1890 start so far. Visuals and damage model look good for ship combat, map/encounter system similar to RtWaves 2.

7) Strategic Command World at War. Pacific mod based on the WitP AE map so lots of detail, but no AI programmed for that, and combat is of course rudimentary/hit-pointy. I could play this, then use one of the other games above to design skirmish battles for each fight, but that's also a lot of time involved.

I like the idea of having complete control of where my fleets go/patrol, not abstracted, so hex or open maps are great in the games that have them. But i understand this can be hard to make.

Any others I missed? I know there is a board game that sims the entire US sub force, but very time consuming, and with 4 cats that would love to play with counters, a time-sink that could devolve into a disaster at any time if I played it.

Suggestions welcome. Watching the play videos of WitP:AE I loved the encounters/damage models for navies, but getting through the other elements of this expansive sim might be too much for me.

War Plan Pacific

(in reply to hyperstork67)

Post #: 17

RE: automation etc - 1/31/2022 10:47:35 AM

hyperstork67

Posts: 21
Joined: 5/26/2020
Status: offline

Decided to go for it. Am trying hotseat to learn the game. Pearl only lost the Arizona fully, but the retreating Japanese fleet took out the Indy several other US ships while slowly exiting the area.

Problems so far: endurance! Seems I have some DDs that can't go anywhere useful. I wish there was an option to have fueling be automatic.

Hotkeys for some functions don't seem to work, notably the 4, 5, 6, 7 for pilot records, ship availability, etc. Help? Workarounds? I was really curious how the Japanese pilots were doing after the first two days of combat.

(in reply to CTCitadel)

Post #: 18

RE: automation etc - 1/31/2022 11:42:58 AM

btd64

Posts: 9973
Joined: 1/23/2010
From: Mass. USA. now in Lancaster, OHIO
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hyperstork67

Decided to go for it. Am trying hotseat to learn the game. Pearl only lost the Arizona fully, but the retreating Japanese fleet took out the Indy several other US ships while slowly exiting the area.

Problems so far: endurance! Seems I have some DDs that can't go anywhere useful. I wish there was an option to have fueling be automatic.

Hotkeys for some functions don't seem to work, notably the 4, 5, 6, 7 for pilot records, ship availability, etc. Help? Workarounds? I was really curious how the Japanese pilots were doing after the first two days of combat.

Glad you took the plunge. I would advise you to start with the Guadalcanal scenario first. Play from both sides. Then move on to the Coral Sea scenario and play from both sides.

As far as the destroyers go, they will pull fuel from larger ships. But if it's a long trip, have replenishment ships with the task force (tf)....GP

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Post #: 19

RE: automation etc - 1/31/2022 11:44:49 AM

Platoonist

Posts: 1342
Joined: 5/11/2003
From: Kila Hana
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hyperstork67

I was really curious how the Japanese pilots were doing after the first two days of combat.

You can see how your pilots are doing as a collective whole by going into the intelligence screen. (Hotkey "I") Then click Pilot Replacements, then click Reserve Pool. Set the pool filter to any. Then you can sort them all, whether on active duty or not not by filters for name, experience, kills, status, air group, nationality etc,

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< Message edited by Platoonist -- 1/31/2022 11:57:03 AM >

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Post #: 20

RE: automation etc - 2/3/2022 12:01:02 AM

hyperstork67

Posts: 21
Joined: 5/26/2020
Status: offline

Quite overwhelming, with much to overlook and thus screw up, so for now I ended up just letting the AI play itself. I watch/track all submarine records/tonnage, monitor ace pilots, and to some degree track all Allied warships, comparing all of these to their historical records thanks to wikipedia, etc. It's actually been fun, and few decisions needed from me, so if something is overlooked the AI did it, not me.

I notice sometimes it takes a couple days for a ship to actually sink and listed as such.

Does War in the West or War in the East 2 also track ships/u-boats and individual pilot records, or are the systems a lot different?

(in reply to Platoonist)

Post #: 21

RE: automation etc - 2/3/2022 12:38:13 AM

Platoonist

Posts: 1342
Joined: 5/11/2003
From: Kila Hana
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hyperstork67

Does War in the West or War in the East 2 also track ships/u-boats and individual pilot records, or are the systems a lot different?

Naval warfare in both those titles is very heavily abstracted as compared to WitPAE. Only generic amphibious and cargo vessels are tracked individually. Surface forces and carriers are represented by by generic task force counters. U-Boats, subs, naval aviation, E-boats etc. are represented by naval interdiction points present in each hex which you can reduce with air patrols or the presence of task forces. Ships and the cargo they carry are subject to naval interdiction attrition based on the movement path they follow. So no individual torpedo or air attacks. You just get informed in the combat report that you lost some ships(s)and cargo on your way from point A to point B.

I suppose it's rather understandable given the overwhelming land and air war focus of those games. Those games do track pilots but you don't have the same amount of control over them that you do in WitPAE.

< Message edited by Platoonist -- 2/3/2022 12:50:31 AM >

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Post #: 22

RE: automation etc - 2/3/2022 1:18:46 AM

rockmedic109

Posts: 2390
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From: Citrus Heights, CA
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It is overwhelming at first. I played a couple of months in the full campaign to get the underlying basics down. And over a decade later, I am still finding new stuff. It's a long war. 1174 turns to get to 22 FEB 45. A lot of turns to make up for missing something. It's worth sticking with it.

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Post #: 23

RE: automation etc - 2/3/2022 1:49:45 AM

Tanaka

Posts: 4378
Joined: 4/8/2003
From: USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Platoonist

quote:

ORIGINAL: Zovs

My felines have attempted to hack my PC but they have not yet successfully figured out my password�yet�

Mine just interferes with visual reception.