ETA South Pacific

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Uncommon Valor - Campaign for the South Pacific >> ETA South Pacific

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ETA South Pacific - 10/13/2002 5:20:48 AM

jive1

Posts: 77
Joined: 3/16/2001
From: UK
Status: offline

Just a quick moan about the intelligence available to me as
CinC Pac. I have just been notified out of the blue that
several carriers will be arriving in the South Pacific in 10 days.
My entire strategy could change as a result of this. Surly I should
have some idea about what will be available to me in the coming months. I need to know well in advance - especially in the case of carriers what I should expect to get - it should not come as a total surprise! Are carriers listed as in Japan always likely to arrive at Truk several days later?
Chris

_____________________________

So drink to the Black Cat PBY, damnedest old plane in all God's sky,
BB-gun for'd and a slingshot aft, Hundred twenty knots when in a forced draft.

Post #: 1

- 10/13/2002 5:48:56 AM

Pawlock

Posts: 1041
Joined: 9/18/2002
From: U.K.
Status: offline

Actually the intelligence you receive from the powers that be is quite good in this game.

Those Cv's that have just been committed have probably been sitting in Pearl for a while.

Thing is, you also have intel from when they are committed to Pearl/Japan via number of days till they arrive at said port.

The only uncertainty in this game is if/when they are committed to theatre, which all depends on committment level ie, High/Mod or Low.

(in reply to jive1)

Post #: 2

- 10/13/2002 6:14:53 AM

jive1

Posts: 77
Joined: 3/16/2001
From: UK
Status: offline

I wouldn't put to sea with 4 carriers if I can have 6 a few days later. I really should know this I think.

In reality if they were needed in another theatre I would be arguing the case of deploying them to mine. If I lost the argument
at least I would know I wouldn't have them. They wouldn't just suddenly turn up.

_____________________________

So drink to the Black Cat PBY, damnedest old plane in all God's sky,
BB-gun for'd and a slingshot aft, Hundred twenty knots when in a forced draft.

(in reply to jive1)

Post #: 3

- 10/13/2002 6:29:39 AM

Pawlock

Posts: 1041
Joined: 9/18/2002
From: U.K.
Status: offline

Anything sitting in Pearl/Japan has a chance of being committed to theatre. Obviously if commitment is High and the commitment levels of scenario have been upped , then there is a very good chance they will be committed.

Personallly, I find myself referring to these screens a lot and can get very a rough idea when something will be committed.

You should be glad its this way round , Im sure people can quote many a case where they can see the ships they need in Pearl/Japan ,but command does'nt commit them.

Again I personally think the system works quite well, mind you I too can get frustrated with it, but normally as I previously stated for reverse reasons ie non commitle.

(in reply to jive1)

Post #: 4

Re: ETA South Pacific - 10/13/2002 6:33:26 AM

angus

Posts: 103
Joined: 9/8/2002
From: Brussels
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jive1
[B]I need to know well in advance - especially in the case of carriers what I should expect to get - it should not come as a total surprise! Are carriers listed as in Japan always likely to arrive at Truk several days later?[/B][/QUOTE]

It's handy to keep an eye on the ship availability screen. It doesn't need checking every turn but maybe once a week unless you have a brilliant memory. If you sort it by status then the ships currently underway to the South Pacific are in green at the bottom of the screen (or top if you click twice ?). Next up/down are the ones currently in Japan or Pearl Harbor. Last are the ones which aren't available yet because they are somewhere else, being built or repaired or you've sent them home and they haven't arrived yet.

There is some logic which decides when ships in Japan or in Pearl Harbor are sent to you. I **guess**, apart from the committment level, that it has to do with how many ships you currently have, how many there are available and how many the enemy has. Even if you aren't told how many enemy ships there are, the wizards at FRUPAC or it's Japanese equivalent probably have a fair idea through codebreaking, traffic analysis, radio fingerprinting and all that sort of clever stuff.

If, to pick an example not quite at random, the enemy has three large aircraft carriers and you have no large carriers, you are almost certain to get sent a real carrier or two as soon as they become available. As far as I can remember it takes three weeks for ships to come from Pearl Harbor to Noumea. I can't remember if it's the same for Japan-Truk (if not it'll be two weeks). It doesn't seem like ships sent back home are always replaced one-for-one, especially if the ones you send back are going to spend months in dock being repaired :-(.

Cheers,

Angus

(in reply to jive1)

Post #: 5

- 10/13/2002 6:52:44 AM

jive1

Posts: 77
Joined: 3/16/2001
From: UK
Status: offline

O god. Angus - I was hoping you didn't see this post :)

(Angus is my pbem oppo)

I may change my strategy again!

I do look at the availability screen, my argument is really about
what offensive strategy I would undertake while in discussion with the Japanese high command. If they agree to give me the carriers I ask for I will go with strategy A, if they don't and send them elswhere I will have to go with strategy B.
What won't happen is for me not to have a clue what they are thinking and just hope I may get a couple of extra carriers at
some point and have to base a strategy with that possibility in mind.

The question I'm really asking is how does the game work? If the
carriers are listed as in Japan will I always get them in a few days? Does it depend on the scenario? commitment? Does it depend on losses I have suffered?

In scenario 7 for instance will I always get extra carriers at a set time? Or is there a random factor? Has anyone played the game often enough to know?
Can Matrix shed any light?

_____________________________

So drink to the Black Cat PBY, damnedest old plane in all God's sky,
BB-gun for'd and a slingshot aft, Hundred twenty knots when in a forced draft.

(in reply to jive1)

Post #: 6

- 10/13/2002 7:12:41 AM

Pawlock

Posts: 1041
Joined: 9/18/2002
From: U.K.
Status: offline

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jive1
[B]O god. Angus - I was hoping you didn't see this post :)

(Angus is my pbem oppo)

I may change my strategy again!

I do look at the availability screen, my argument is really about
what offensive strategy I would undertake while in discussion with the Japanese high command. If they agree to give me the carriers I ask for I will go with strategy A, if they don't and send them elswhere I will have to go with strategy B.
What won't happen is for me not to have a clue what they are thinking and just hope I may get a couple of extra carriers at
some point and have to base a strategy with that possibility in mind.

The question I'm really asking is how does the game work? If the
carriers are listed as in Japan will I always get them in a few days? Does it depend on the scenario? commitment? Does it depend on losses I have suffered?

In scenario 7 for instance will I always get extra carriers at a set time? Or is there a random factor? Has anyone played the game often enough to know?
Can Matrix shed any light? [/B][/QUOTE]

As far as Im aware, there is NO GUARENTEE even if the ships are sitting in Pearl/Japan.
Committment levels High/MOd etc plus I imagine scenario set commitment ie 100%, 200% play a very large part as to if and when the ships are committed.

These are variables, and the game is specifically designed as such. You will never (again as far as Im aware ) get an precise indication of when ships are committed from either Pearl/Japan.

(in reply to jive1)

Post #: 7

but . . . - 10/13/2002 8:40:58 AM

Luskan

Posts: 1897
Joined: 7/11/2002
From: Down Under
Status: offline

you can certainly make your mark on which ships you get as reinforcements. I think the committment level is based on the number of victory points already in theatre. There were CVs I wanted sitting at Pearl (I already had 5) so I packaged off a dozen of my 50 odd destroyers, loads of surplus tankers and oilers, a plethora of auxilliaries and the CVs were dispatched the next day.

I think however it is a % of total available shipping in theatre, not a % of the OOB before the fight (so if you've got half the fleet sunk, you aren't going to get the other half as a replacement -you'll get more like a quarter IIRC.

_____________________________

With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?