2WIN -- Allied Naval Units

[murphstein]

I've been playing 2WIN as the Allies vs Elmer, getting ready to play Goliath in a continuation of our learning processes here.

I've noticed something that seems weird to me: if I order an Allied naval unit to provide *direct* arty support for a specific attack (say, 502 Para on one of the fixed CA batteries), *all* my naval units fire in *indirect* support of *all* my attacks.

If I give *none* of the naval units direct support orders, *none* of them fire in indirect support of *any* attack (according to the detailed combat results).

Since there's no equivalent of "D/E/F" or TR/LR deployment for the naval units, how are you _supposed_ to set up your naval units to provide indirect support?

[Silvanski]

Right-clicking on the unit lets you put it on "tactical support", the same goes for zero movement fortress units

[murphstein]

DOH!!! (as Homer Simpson would say)

Actually, right-clicking on a naval unit does NOT (in my game) give me the option of putting the ships on tactical reserver...just loss settings and unit/formation reports...

[Veers]

DOH!!! (as Homer Simpson would say)

Actually, right-clicking on a naval unit does NOT (in my game) give me the option of putting the ships on tactical reserver...just loss settings and unit/formation reports...

Right-click -> Show Unit Info -> Click on mission button, change to Tac Reserve.

[Silvanski]

Or in the formation report panel... The * star button

[murphstein]

Found it...a little late, but better than never... ;-)

Follow-ups to 2WIN: Murphstein vs Goliath in the Allied (and Axis?) private forums.

[Goliath]

Follow-ups to 2WIN: Murphstein vs Goliath in the Allied (and Axis?) private forums.

Yes, I will start the correspondig thread in Axis forum as soon as I have prepared my turn 1 :).

Regarding naval units, I noticed in R2R that when I used the Adriatic Group on direct support, it also gave indirect support to other attacks within range. I thought of naval units as floating artillery assets, but apparently I have missed something :shy:.

[JAMiAM]

I've been playing 2WIN as the Allies vs Elmer, getting ready to play Goliath in a continuation of our learning processes here.

I've noticed something that seems weird to me: if I order an Allied naval unit to provide *direct* arty support for a specific attack (say, 502 Para on one of the fixed CA batteries), *all* my naval units fire in *indirect* support of *all* my attacks.

If I give *none* of the naval units direct support orders, *none* of them fire in indirect support of *any* attack (according to the detailed combat results).

Since there's no equivalent of "D/E/F" or TR/LR deployment for the naval units, how are you _supposed_ to set up your naval units to provide indirect support?

This is a consequence of scenario designers using a different icon background color than the side's ground units use, and then assigning the naval formations a lower cooperation level. See the table on page 66 of the pdf manual. Anything less than Free Support for either the naval formation or the ground formation will result in at best limited cooperation between the two. If the designer has set the support levels at even more restrictive levels, as I believe Brett did with 2WIN, then there will be no cooperation between formations. However, there is a documented catch, or workaround, which you seem to have discovered accidentally. That is the cooperation levels for the battle will be determined by the highest level of cooperation available for the group.

So, any unit with a Free Support will end up boosting the cooperation level to free, among all the participants. Two or more units of the same formation, will end up getting the benefits of free cooperation if one of the formation is set to attack, and the others are pulled in as support units (assuming the comm check is passed). This is what is happening for your naval units. Since they have no cooperation with the land units, they generally need to be directly assigned to attack, in order to bombard in the attack. However, by assigning one, you have now invoked the free cooperation level of the remaining units, when they join in.

Some designers make this choice as a conscious design feature, while others may be unaware of the nuances of the cooperation aspect of the engine. Bob Cross (aka Curtis Lemay) uses this in his Okinawa scenario. I don't know if Brett was aware of it, or not. When I play the Allies in this scenario, I usually concentrate my naval units firepower on specific tough hexes, rather than take dilute them, and take chances with comm checks failing, half support values, etc. You have to be a little more careful in how far you move them in between attacks, if you choose this route.

Your mileage, of course, may vary...

[murphstein]

Wow, thanks for the enlightening answer. Do we have a FAQ somewhere for items like this?

Speaking of moving naval units, is there any way to find out when you're parked in range of enemy shore batteries, other than watching your neighbors sink?

I know I can start up the scenario in hot-seat mode, switch to the German side, and record the hexes that show up as within range with an "i" hot-key view. I guess if the info is available that way, what's the point of NOT showing it to the Allied player?

[General Staff]

I guess if the info is available that way, what's the point of NOT showing it to the Allied player?That'd be too easy and would deny the German player one of the few jollies he might luck into in scenarios with heavy air interdiction.

There's nothing quite like the thrill you get as the German player when after being ceaselessly hounded 24x7 by interdiction, you're rolling along in the dead of night with your last serviceable artillery piece (all the others were shot out from under you) when you spot the lights of an Allied airfield.

Desperately trying to control that nervous tic in your eye/cheek (like Dreyfuss in the Pink Panther) and twitching with anticipation and suppressed glee, you unlimber your last piece and set up that marvel of the TOAW universe- the Airfield Attack.

[Telumar]

That'd be too easy and would deny the German player one of the few jollies he might luck into in scenarios with heavy air interdiction.

There's nothing quite like the thrill you get as the German player when after being ceaselessly hounded 24x7 by interdiction, you're rolling along in the dead of night with your last serviceable artillery piece (all the others were shot out from under you) when you spot the lights of an Allied airfield.

Desperately trying to control that nervous tick in your eye/cheek (like Dreyfuss in the Pink Panther) and twitching with anticipation and suppressed glee, you unlimber your last piece and set up that marvel of the TOAW universe- the Airfield Attack.

LOL :laugh::laugh: There's nothing like shelling airfields with artillery.