The title precludes that I am still not satisfied how the convoy system works. In fact I see no improvements in Aod 1.05 over earlier HoI games, except I understand there is the new concept of drawing supplies from nearest available depot.
However, auto-management of convoys can still - at best - only be described as a "merchant marine mess". I can save considerable ICs by just doing it myself. And not waste oil where not needed, and stock pile adequately where will eventually be needed so convoys can then be cancelled if desired due to enemy activity risking their survival. And at least, I can follow the activity because I always set up my convoys so that they follow the order of listed depots.
IMO, the major incorrect concept still used in convoying operations is that all convoys originate out of a home port. For example, if playing USA, all convoys still start from some port in the continental US. For example, from San Diego to Hawaii, from San Diego to Midway and from San Diego to Manila.
This is not how convoying was done. In real life all convoys to the Pacific would stop at Pearl Harbour - if only to refuel the ships, rest the crews, or assemble with escorts and further merchant ships. While many merchant ships continued with their loads onwards, they did so as new convoys and often proceeded to only the next supply depot (such as Truk when it became available). From there final convoys were assembled with even greater amounts of escorts to run the gauntlet to front line points like the Philippines and Iwo Jima. And the convoys returning resources from the Philippines probably never ran to mainland USA (it was too far and would require seperate escorts) but simply unloaded in Hawaii. Why can't the resource convoy from Hawaii then deliver the extra resources coming to it from the Far East?
It would be much better if AoD permitted for convoying routing to be any way a player wishes (and not be restricted by the drop down box specifying the exact few available supply depotss) and so be able to establish supply bases in Hawaii and elsewhere which other convoys could draw from to disperse the supplies further. It will save total number of convoys and permit more concentrated escorts in the places really needed.
While it may be a while before this change is incorporated (if you think it's a goood suggestion) there is another area in which I think you could easily improve the ability to manage convoys greatly over the currently restricted system. That is to simply provide the ability to be able to move the listing of supply depots up and down (with arrows like used in production queue) and do the same for the convoys.
That would allow for the easy alignment of convoys with supply depots; and also being able to group convoys geographically for better recognition. Importantly, it eliminates the need to cancel all convoys and rebuild them properly every time a new supply depot becomes available upon furthering conquest, and so upsetting the direct relationship that was established by listing one's convoys so they match the arbitrary listing of supply depots.
A final improvement involves the automatic selection of which province in a contiguous land mass will act as the resource depot. If expanding with conquest it will always be the first province amphibed to so establish a new contiguous land mass unconnected to any other land mass already having a resource depot. The idea of all resources in a contiguous area moving to one resource depot is a good one. But the fact that the resource depot is not easily moveable is not good because, as one's conquest expands and adds territory, thereby providing for occupied provinces closer to home, one should be able to EASILY move the resource depot closer to home - and so set up a shorter resource convoy. Of course, resource (and supply) depots can be changed by purposefully cancelling the existing convoys, waiting until the area is fully out of supply, and then land a troop at new province you wish to become the new depot point (the troop lands with some supplies thereby establishing a new depot), and then quickly flooding that new depot with supplies. Usually then the resources will migrate to the new supply depot, and so - eventually give you shorter convoys. But the process can greatly upset the order of displayed resource depots and so require total rebuilding of the whole convoy network to again get listing of supply convoys and resource convoys congruent. If the listings are not congruent I find it impossible to micro-manage the convoys. Hence the need for buttons to move convoys and depots up or down in the list.
Good luck with planned enhancements!
However, auto-management of convoys can still - at best - only be described as a "merchant marine mess". I can save considerable ICs by just doing it myself. And not waste oil where not needed, and stock pile adequately where will eventually be needed so convoys can then be cancelled if desired due to enemy activity risking their survival. And at least, I can follow the activity because I always set up my convoys so that they follow the order of listed depots.
IMO, the major incorrect concept still used in convoying operations is that all convoys originate out of a home port. For example, if playing USA, all convoys still start from some port in the continental US. For example, from San Diego to Hawaii, from San Diego to Midway and from San Diego to Manila.
This is not how convoying was done. In real life all convoys to the Pacific would stop at Pearl Harbour - if only to refuel the ships, rest the crews, or assemble with escorts and further merchant ships. While many merchant ships continued with their loads onwards, they did so as new convoys and often proceeded to only the next supply depot (such as Truk when it became available). From there final convoys were assembled with even greater amounts of escorts to run the gauntlet to front line points like the Philippines and Iwo Jima. And the convoys returning resources from the Philippines probably never ran to mainland USA (it was too far and would require seperate escorts) but simply unloaded in Hawaii. Why can't the resource convoy from Hawaii then deliver the extra resources coming to it from the Far East?
It would be much better if AoD permitted for convoying routing to be any way a player wishes (and not be restricted by the drop down box specifying the exact few available supply depotss) and so be able to establish supply bases in Hawaii and elsewhere which other convoys could draw from to disperse the supplies further. It will save total number of convoys and permit more concentrated escorts in the places really needed.
While it may be a while before this change is incorporated (if you think it's a goood suggestion) there is another area in which I think you could easily improve the ability to manage convoys greatly over the currently restricted system. That is to simply provide the ability to be able to move the listing of supply depots up and down (with arrows like used in production queue) and do the same for the convoys.
That would allow for the easy alignment of convoys with supply depots; and also being able to group convoys geographically for better recognition. Importantly, it eliminates the need to cancel all convoys and rebuild them properly every time a new supply depot becomes available upon furthering conquest, and so upsetting the direct relationship that was established by listing one's convoys so they match the arbitrary listing of supply depots.
A final improvement involves the automatic selection of which province in a contiguous land mass will act as the resource depot. If expanding with conquest it will always be the first province amphibed to so establish a new contiguous land mass unconnected to any other land mass already having a resource depot. The idea of all resources in a contiguous area moving to one resource depot is a good one. But the fact that the resource depot is not easily moveable is not good because, as one's conquest expands and adds territory, thereby providing for occupied provinces closer to home, one should be able to EASILY move the resource depot closer to home - and so set up a shorter resource convoy. Of course, resource (and supply) depots can be changed by purposefully cancelling the existing convoys, waiting until the area is fully out of supply, and then land a troop at new province you wish to become the new depot point (the troop lands with some supplies thereby establishing a new depot), and then quickly flooding that new depot with supplies. Usually then the resources will migrate to the new supply depot, and so - eventually give you shorter convoys. But the process can greatly upset the order of displayed resource depots and so require total rebuilding of the whole convoy network to again get listing of supply convoys and resource convoys congruent. If the listings are not congruent I find it impossible to micro-manage the convoys. Hence the need for buttons to move convoys and depots up or down in the list.
Good luck with planned enhancements!
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