RE: Focus Pacific Beta (Full Version)

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CaptBeefheart -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/15/2015 5:45:36 AM)

How would you break it up in 2x2?

Cheers,
CC



cdnice -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/15/2015 5:10:34 PM)

Pacific/Australia and Far East/China/Philippines? Kind of like Cap Mandrake and Lord Admiral Sprior



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/21/2015 10:48:47 AM)

Had an interesting glitch over the weekend.

I'm in mid March '42. Early in the month I sent all of my CLVs in for their flak upgrade (not conversion to CVL which isn.t available yet).

The first to come out of refit, the Wellington, came out with air groups upgraded to F4F4s and TBFs even though I don't start getting TBFs for two more month and have none in the pool to replace losses.

To boot both squadrons resized to fit the converted to CVL ship size.

I've reset them to "Resize to Fit Ship" in hopes they will downsize and allow flight ops.

Apparently the air upgrade for the CVL conversion kicked in during the flak upgrade that is available before the conversion.

paradigmblue MIA?



nate25 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/25/2015 6:05:13 PM)

@HansBolter: Did you get the French DDs out of Kwangchowan?

Just curious.

Thanks,
Nate



paradigmblue -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/25/2015 6:21:11 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Had an interesting glitch over the weekend.

I'm in mid March '42. Early in the month I sent all of my CLVs in for their flak upgrade (not conversion to CVL which isn.t available yet).

The first to come out of refit, the Wellington, came out with air groups upgraded to F4F4s and TBFs even though I don't start getting TBFs for two more month and have none in the pool to replace losses.

To boot both squadrons resized to fit the converted to CVL ship size.

I've reset them to "Resize to Fit Ship" in hopes they will downsize and allow flight ops.

Apparently the air upgrade for the CVL conversion kicked in during the flak upgrade that is available before the conversion.

paradigmblue MIA?


I'll take a look at the upgrade dates this weekend.



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/25/2015 6:50:38 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: nate25

@HansBolter: Did you get the French DDs out of Kwangchowan?

Just curious.

Thanks,
Nate


Heck no!

On December 8th I used the transports at HK to amphibiously transport out as much of the British garrison as possible to Kwang along with the British air and have added Chinese LCUs to turn Kwang into a fortress the AI can't deal with.

The French and Brit DDs have been making regular runs on HK and Canton and have the highest crew experience in all my navies as a result.



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/25/2015 6:51:58 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue


quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Had an interesting glitch over the weekend.

I'm in mid March '42. Early in the month I sent all of my CLVs in for their flak upgrade (not conversion to CVL which isn.t available yet).

The first to come out of refit, the Wellington, came out with air groups upgraded to F4F4s and TBFs even though I don't start getting TBFs for two more month and have none in the pool to replace losses.

To boot both squadrons resized to fit the converted to CVL ship size.

I've reset them to "Resize to Fit Ship" in hopes they will downsize and allow flight ops.

Apparently the air upgrade for the CVL conversion kicked in during the flak upgrade that is available before the conversion.

paradigmblue MIA?


I'll take a look at the upgrade dates this weekend.



None of the others have come out of refit yet, but I think a couple are only a few days out.



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (9/28/2015 11:30:12 AM)

Melbourne had the same problem as Wellington. Resizing air squadrons again.

Savannah came through without any problems.
Charlotte lost it's air group completely. Just vanished. Canabalizing marine squadrons to get her operational again.

All the British hyrids came through their flak upgrade OK.



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/9/2015 10:45:20 AM)

Bump.

This thread is slipping.

The mod is interesting, but if it's not going to get support I will have to start a new game of another scenario.

Have invested considerable time in this....



nate25 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/9/2015 12:47:00 PM)

@Hans Bolter -

I had a VF and VB 104 show up at Cristobal after my CLV conversions, sizes 12 and 8 respectively.

Wonder if this is my Charlotte air group.

Thanks,
Nate



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/9/2015 1:54:53 PM)

Air groups for conversions do sem to appear automatically in the ports where the conversion is taking place.

This happened for me at San Diego where I am converting Pokomoke to a CVE.

However, Charlotte was not converting, but upgrading and she already had an air component that vanished after the upgrade.

I've since gone ahead and put her in for conversion so I can fit decent sized marine squads on her afterward.

I guess I shouldn't be so quick to consider jumping ship.

Perhaps paradigm blue just has some RL issues keeping him away.

I am enjoying the game even though it won't last into '43.

I have the AI completely stymied in early April '42.

III Indian Corps and the enhanced Dutch have turned Sumatra into an unassailable fortress.

I Australian Corps and the enhanced Dutch have done the same for Java.

Brits are holding at the river line between Moulmein and Pegu.

Chinese are clearing the Japs out of their country..Hankow will fall very soon.

The Ruskis are overrunning Manchuria beating at the doors of Mukden.



nate25 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/9/2015 3:53:36 PM)

I'm having almost the exact game here, but I haven't pushed the Russian front yet. Mid March '42, Singers still hanging on.

Palembang, Batavia and Soerabaja are hedgehogs with no foreign reinforcements. The Dutch air force has made all the difference.

I'm pretty sure the AI is broke now, it's sending 1 or 2 carrier TF out with only 5/10 bombers left.

Philippines remain strong, at least in the north. Don't see them falling before game end.

Australia/ Port Moresby fast becoming impenetrable, along with Noumea. CENTPAC secure.

China has stabilized, and I'm planning the first offensive in the southwest corner of China. Enhanced AVG has done wonders here.

I believe I have an impenetrable line along the axis Akyab-Kalemyo-Imphal-Ledo and those bases. CATF already lifting into China with the few squadrons of transports I have.

So it's been fun, but I think Russia is the crusher.

Thanks,
Nate



btd64 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/11/2015 4:10:43 PM)

Hans/Nate, Thanks for the input. Sorry for the lack of support lately. Para, I know has been very busy at work as I have been as well. But we are discussing some additions to the Soviet navy/Base forces/AAA, (these additions are just to support the current airforce and naval units in the theater, Non of them are offensive in nature) and I am thinking about talking to Para about a reduction in Dutch air/ground reinforcements/replacements as well. Also possibly removing the airgroup purchase system because the production system is much more enhanced and I personally don't need it. Do you guys feel it is needed? My reason for this is in our PBEM, we are at jan 21st 1942 and I have a Major victory already. That shouldn't be the case. I also think with these changes your AI games may go further. Any thoughts? Ideas?....GP



nate25 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/11/2015 11:30:09 PM)

Here are a few observations.

The Russian front really hurts the AI. As the Sovs, you have more than adequate forces to stem the AI offensive here if you set up your defensive line starting on Day 1. After I kicked the Japanese back over the border in two hexes, I'm sure I could have steamrolled Manchukuo fairly quickly.

The air war over Russia quickly saps Japanese strength, even with the slight tech edge they have over Russia.

I found the Russian sub fleet was pretty devastating until running out of fuel in safe ports.

The number of subs the Allies can bring to bear from Day 1 may be a bit much. US, Dutch, Canadian, French,... The Home Islands area became a shooting gallery very quickly.

The Dutch can build some pretty impressive hedgehogs early on even without foreign aid. Throw the enhanced Dutch air force on top of this and, wow. Maybe a bit much.

All these things hurt the Jap time table too much, IMHO.

Overall, it's great fun. I like all the what-ifs.

I haven't tried it from the Jap side yet. I'm barely able to run the economy in a Scenario 1 type situation.

I greatly appreciate all the effort from you guys. Keep em coming!

Thanks,
Nate





btd64 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/11/2015 11:46:08 PM)

Nate, thanks for the input. I feel the same about the subs. Maybe to many. The air war over Russia may also be an issue. I need to talk to Para about our PBEM to figure that out. Maybe Manchukuo needs a stronger "Garrison Requirement" and a more of the Soviet forces set as reinforcements. The Japanese time table is where I think the problem may be. The toys are fun, but maybe some of them should show up as reinforcements. hummm. I talk to Para. It's his mod....GP



paradigmblue -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/12/2015 6:47:15 AM)

Sorry all, I've been behind on both the mod support and my PBEMs due to work.

There is a lot of work to do. The Soviet Union is too unprepared for a 1941 invasion, and while I don't want to give them too much in the way of reinforcements, there are a lot of quality of life improvements that need to be made.

As far as the Japanese forces go, I've found that they are incredibly front-loaded. I think that many of the LCUs and surface combatants need to be space out a bit more instead of being available on December 7th.



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/12/2015 12:01:13 PM)

Agree completely with nate25's observations.

Plane purchase system is unneeded. I have never been so flush with so many airframe types in any game as Allies.

Next game I'll try without Russia active. They have been great fun to play, but it is just too much for the AI to handle.

Agree with toning down the number of Dutch regiments, but it is really the ability to concentrate fighters that allow the Allies to create early Bastions.

By mid February I had 150-200 fighters in each of the following bases:

Rangoon, Kwangchowan, Palembang, Oosthaven, Batavia, Soerbaja, Koepang, Darwin, Brisbane.



paradigmblue -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/12/2015 9:04:28 PM)

The difficulty is that balancing for vs AI play does not allow for good PBEM balance.

Vs a decent Japanese opponent, all those extra subs and planes for the allies - while they do make a difference - are much better balanced vs an opponent that can bring the might of the expanded Japanese war machine to bear. The biggest difference is that they AI does not employ fighter sweeps. Against a human opponent, those Dutch bastions where you have hundreds of fighters can be swatted away in a few turns by mid to high altitude Zero sweeps, which vs the outmatched Allied airframes will achieve 3-1 to 5-1 ratios in the air.

Also, with the early sub chasers that the Japanese get, the early Soviet subs are a nuisance, but not a serious threat around the home islands. However, we all know that the AI does not utilize ASW patrols well, nor does it always adequately escort convoys.

I'd love to fix these issues for vs AI play, but the fact is that I have no idea how the AI scripting works, or even the first clue of how to start changing it in the editor. If someone has more experience with this, let me know and I'll try to dig into the guts of it a little.



HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/12/2015 9:13:46 PM)

Understand the limitations.

You were searching about recently for some one who can edit a pwhexe file.

I heard that Chemkid had done that for the custom maps he created for the RHS mod.

Might want to reach out to him for an explanation.



Mac Linehan -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/13/2015 2:40:41 AM)

paradigmblue and Team-

I am very impressed with what you have and are doing. Am on fall break this week and playing a campaign game; have not taken the time to view this thread, but am very glad I did so.

Awesome stuff guys, love all the toys and "what if's".

Chemkid, your maps are, as always, absolutely beautiful.

Will follow with interest and download to take a look.

Gent, my respect to you all.

Mac



PaxMondo -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/13/2015 4:00:30 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue

The difficulty is that balancing for vs AI play does not allow for good PBEM balance.

Vs a decent Japanese opponent, all those extra subs and planes for the allies - while they do make a difference - are much better balanced vs an opponent that can bring the might of the expanded Japanese war machine to bear. The biggest difference is that they AI does not employ fighter sweeps. Against a human opponent, those Dutch bastions where you have hundreds of fighters can be swatted away in a few turns by mid to high altitude Zero sweeps, which vs the outmatched Allied airframes will achieve 3-1 to 5-1 ratios in the air.

Also, with the early sub chasers that the Japanese get, the early Soviet subs are a nuisance, but not a serious threat around the home islands. However, we all know that the AI does not utilize ASW patrols well, nor does it always adequately escort convoys.

I'd love to fix these issues for vs AI play, but the fact is that I have no idea how the AI scripting works, or even the first clue of how to start changing it in the editor. If someone has more experience with this, let me know and I'll try to dig into the guts of it a little.

The sweeping, I don't think it is scriptable. That would take Michael to fix in the AI.
ASW TF's can be scripted, just really tedious to setup and maintain. Not sure that ASW missions for air groups can be scripted though ... again, like sweeps would take Michael's intervention.




PaxMondo -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/13/2015 4:11:53 AM)

Scripting,

Andy Mac posted a thread some time back about this. Conceptually, it is really straightforward. In practice, it is really tedious and difficult.

Essentially, start with the entire inventory for the AI side with arrival dates. Now create a grand plan. Now, unit by unit script out that plan right through the end of the war. Naval units are about the only ones that can be referenced by class, air and land are done by specific unit. So an essential part of your grand plan are back up plans for when units are lost, to counter attack opponent attacks, etc.

Here's the kicker: there are almost no tools and you can't download the scripts in a current AI file. You have to manually decode what's there or erase it all and start from scratch building it using your own map.

I'm pretty sure that Andy Mac uses spreadsheets to keep track of units as he assigns them to scripts, but he has never confirmed that, nor I suspect can he share them due to the NDA.



CaptBeefheart -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/14/2015 6:55:36 AM)

It seems like Russian activation is a net positive for the AFBs, at least playing against the AI. Does that hold true in PBEM? I was thinking if I start a new PBEM of this it would be with a quiet Russian front.

I do like Juan's aircraft purchase system a lot. Although my game against Lowpe didn't go too far, he had near absolute air superiority.

EDIT: If you play against the AI, it might be best to ignore the aircraft purchase system.

Cheers,
CC



Lowpe -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/14/2015 10:26:26 PM)

With the addition of active Russia, it makes for a really long first turn. I know, I was one of the people asking for active Russia, and there are a ton of troops in Manchuko so I think that Japan can do much better in a PBEM.

I was going to start another game with CC, but then came Jockes drop and I couldn't resist.[:(]

I suspect the game is better currently for pbem than stand alone...I really want to get back to it, I love the new Japanese planes!!!




paradigmblue -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/17/2015 7:43:26 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

It seems like Russian activation is a net positive for the AFBs, at least playing against the AI. Does that hold true in PBEM? I was thinking if I start a new PBEM of this it would be with a quiet Russian front.

I do like Juan's aircraft purchase system a lot. Although my game against Lowpe didn't go too far, he had near absolute air superiority.

EDIT: If you play against the AI, it might be best to ignore the aircraft purchase system.

Cheers,
CC


My experience so far is that an active Soviet Union is a mixed bag for the allies. The Soviet Union simply can't compete in the air, which means that its ships an industry are vulnerable. I'm in a PBEM vs a Japanese opponent currently that is bombing my Soviet aircraft factories and refineries with impunity. On land, the Soviet Union's border forts, while strong, won't stand up to a concentrated push, so it's relatively easy for the Japanese player to cut off Vladivostok. Just like any other part of the map in 1941, if the Japanese player wants it in 1942, they can take it, and there isn't anything the allied player can do to change that.

All that being said, active Soviets do tie up Japanese forces, and it opens up a theater that is new to most of us, so I'm probably going to keep it in the mod, but I do need to do some tweaking. In all, while having active Soviets is a net positive for the allied player, it doesn't offset the Japanese advantage, and it doesn't necessarily change the accumulation of VPs either way - the Japanese player can choose to amass VPs by using their Manchurian forces in the Soviet Union, or they can use them in China.

As the game goes on, having an active Soviet Union will begin to be more of a factor as more Soviet reinforcements begin to arrive, but it's not until June of 42 that the first batch hits, and by then it's entirely possible that the Japanese player would have already taken the strategically important targets in the Soviet Union and eliminated most of its ground forces.


The stock game really isn't designed for the Soviet Union having to defend itself in 1941/1942, so there is room for improvement in the Soviet OOB.

*Tweak Soviet Union base forces to have enough Aviation support to handle the number of planes at each base.
*Add additional air-power to the Soviets - probably by adding a few Yak-1 squadrons.
*Take a hard look at fortifications and airfield build levels for Soviet bases near the front.

Meanwhile, in this theater, the Japanese also need a few tweaks, primarily in the form of more engineering units and additional aviation support.




HansBolter -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/19/2015 11:06:33 AM)

Found a new bug over the weekend.

The aircraft factory in Tahiti that produces the "something or other 70" upgrades to a 700B and then downgrades again to a 700 and upgrades again to a 700B and goes on and on.

After it upgrades to a 700B it re-enables an upgrade downward to the 700 and keeps this up in a looping manner.

You have to turn off the upgrade after it hits 700B to stop it from downgrading.

Not sure if there is a third model in the series that it will never get to.



paradigmblue -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/20/2015 8:50:09 AM)

Yes - it looks like it's missing the 700C-2 upgrade path.

Patton and I have worked on quite a few changes and bug fixes, I should have a new version out soon.



ny59giants -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/20/2015 12:55:47 PM)

Soviet Union - Cut back on production of American P-39s at start and give them to Russia (earlier Lend Lease). A slight increase of at start pilot experience for those air groups.



btd64 -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/21/2015 12:21:14 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Soviet Union - Cut back on production of American P-39s at start and give them to Russia (earlier Lend Lease). A slight increase of at start pilot experience for those air groups.


That is a great idea. I believe the U.S. sent P-40B's too, correct?....GP



paradigmblue -> RE: Focus Pacific Beta (10/21/2015 1:45:10 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: General Patton


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Soviet Union - Cut back on production of American P-39s at start and give them to Russia (earlier Lend Lease). A slight increase of at start pilot experience for those air groups.


That is a great idea. I believe the U.S. sent P-40B's too, correct?....GP


P-39s began to arrive in the Soviet Union in early 42 as far as I can tell, so it's definitely doable to add them at that time. I'm thinking that they should arrive in replacement squadrons in Fairbanks, Alaska at Ladd Field, one of the main hubs of the ALSID (ALaskan-SIBerian air-road) where they then will have to be flown to the Soviet Union. Importantly, Fairbanks was where the planes were picked up by the Soviet aircrews. I'm going to have to test the ranges to ensure that is possible with the current airfields, but historically this is the route that hundreds of aircraft took to the Soviet Union.

I'll probably have to add more aviation support to Marks Airfield at Nome, as well as possibly adding Gambell Army Airfield on St. Lawrence Island.

Because Fairbanks isn't built up as a base, these squadrons won't be able to withdraw there, but instead will need to be flown to the Soviet Union and either put into service there or disbanded to add the aircraft to the pools. This should add an interesting dynamic to the game.

In any case, I'll only be adding a fraction of lend-lease planes, as most of the aircraft went to the Eastern front.

As to the P-40s: While not many P-40Cs (Tomahawk IIBs) were transferred to the Soviets, many P-40Es and later models were. In 1942 the Soviets received 487 and in 1943 939 P-40Es, Ks and Ns. I may add some Soviet replacement squadrons of P-40s arriving in Fairbanks as well. If anyone has plane art for P-40s with the characteristic red star, let me know.

NY59Giants: I've already slightly boosted Soviet starting pilot experience, as well as added the Yak-1 to the game - this will add a second front-line fighter to the Soviets on Dec. 7th. Both these changes will be in the next patch.

Let me know what everything thinks!



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