1) It's been a while, but IIRC all you need to do is click on the name and you cn then change it
2) No way to do a one turn sleep, it's until activated.
3) If it's active, hit "S", if inactive, right-click on it and the unit will sleep until activated.
I appreciate you taking the trouble to respond, many thanks.
The advice regarding the sleep mode is fine and works perfectly.
Unfortunately I am still not able to rename because: When I click on a unit to rename, the unit details box appears in the bottom left hand corner including the name. By clicking on the name I can change it by deleting and adding information. However when you move away from it, it defaults back to the original. There must be something else involved.
Possibly you could use your expertise to advise. I'm very much of a novice, both in terms of this game and computers in general, so any help would be terrific.
Brilliant! Thanks again. I can now re-name, which will add a rich additional level of historical content.
I'm sorry to bother you again and promise that I won't bombard you with any more questions, but If it's not too much trouble, can you kindly give me a bit of advice about the CV unit please.
In the manual description it says that a carrier is " A naval unit with air capability. Carriers can dogfight against enemy air AND CAN STRIKE GROUND UNITS FROM A DISTANCE (note: my capital letters).
I understand the dogfight function, but there doesn't seem to be a way to launch (from a distance) air strikes at ground units. Do you know how to do this?
When you select the CV unit, it will show white circles on all targets within range. If you wish to attack one of them, simply click on the unit you wish to attack as normal. If you hover your arrow over the targets, it will give you the projected combat results. It is an air attack, so can be intercepted by enemy FTRs and CVs within range. The range of CV attacks starts at 3 hexes, and increases with Strategic Warfare tech levels (+2 at levels 3 and 5).
A CV can attack without moving or after moving. Like other units, once they attack they cannot make a move afterwards. The exception is attacks against subs. The CV needs to be within range of a visible sub and not move before attacking. CVs will also attack subs if they discover them while moving or making an ASW sweep.
Thank you for your very lucid and enlightening information. I've realized in the light of your comments about range that I was trying to hit land targets that were actually out of range. I'm learning, thanks to your guidance. Just one final piece of clarification would be greatly appreciated:
I'm familiar with the literal term ASW in the context of naval warfare.
a) In respect of subs you say that CVs can also attack subs within visual range but must NOT MOVE before attacking.
b) However in your last sentence you say "CVs will also attack subs if they discover them while MOVING or making a ASW sweep".
Are these are two completely separate actions?
Namely in a) a stationary CV spies a sub and launches an air strike?
And in b) the CV either accidentally "runs into" a sub whilst moving. I assume that within the game there is no actual function "ASW Sweep" and that the player decides to search by moving around an area of sea in the hope of encountering a sub? Would the sub not attack the CV first?
I hope someone will correct me if my understanding of these rules is not accurate.
If a sub becomes visible through some means, such as making an attack, or is discovered by a naval unit friendly to the CV, then the CV may launch air attacks on that sub as long as it does not move beforehand (and of course there is a maximum of two air attacks against any given hex).
The CV itself can discover subs, either by bumping into them when moving, or by doing an ASW sweep after or instead of moving. If the CV finds a sub in one of these fashions, it would then get to make an attack. The attack might even be automatic (not 100% sure of that).
Btw, while perusing the GS manual looking for an answer for you, I discovered that naval units can make ASW sweeps without first moving, by hitting the 'm' key. Many times I've wanted to do that but didn't know how.
I should also mention that most naval units (except subs and convoys) are able to make actual ASW sweeps. After a naval move, your naval unit with be surrounded by targeting circles in all empty adjacent sea hexes. Select one of the hexes. All adjacent hexes will be searched, with a higher chance of success in the hex you selected.
As mentioned above, if the unit does not move, but wishes to check for subs, simply hit 'm', and then select an adjacent hex as your main focus.
Thanks again for the enlightening information in terms of the ability to make ASW sweeps. This adds a whole plethora of options to counter the U-Boat threat. As resources build up dedicated hunter killer destroyer groups can be formed with an accompanying CV as the core unit. This will enable offensive operations to take place, as opposed to defensive convoy screening. The problem, as was the case in WW2 will be lack of escorts. In the real world the Royal Navy neglected in the inter-war years the building of "unglamorous "ASW ships such as sloops, corvettes etc in favour of sleek fleet destroyers which were not really suited to the task. Of course in the game there is only the destroyer. A nice touch would be to have added a corvette type unit, but you can't have everything. These hunter groups could shadow convoys to race in if a sub is encountered by the convoy screen or could scout in likely key areas.
I'm evolving tactics in the light of your information. Incidentally it appears that a Transport can make an ASW sweep, as the sweep symbols appear around it. Not certain whether it would be in it's best interests to actually do this!
The only manual I have is the basic 45 page paper one which is extremely basic. The only "hotkeys" mentioned are page up/down to scroll and how to zoom. Hardly enlightening, to say the least! Your revelations about the M key and the use of enter to name are game changing. I wonder if you know of any other "lost" or "hidden" keys that are crucial to the game. I've learned about the S for sentry function for fighters, but that's all.
Very much appreciate your help in these matters. Obviously a "veteran" of some experience.
The manual is very long, but has a decent enough table of contents, although sometimes specific rules are difficult to locate (for instance, rules for sub warfare are scattered in different sections). Pick and choose what you read. In addition to descriptions of how the game engine runs and the rules work, there are also sections of tactics and strategy, which are a must read for new players.
I am no "veteran" of the game. But in my so far short career of CEAW, I have received a lot of help, advice, and experience from very good players who played against me to help me learn the game. So I like to help out where I am able. Play the AI to learn how the game works, and then play people as soon as you have a decent grasp of the rules. The AI will not challenge you.
Hah! He plays like a veteran. Reading AARs can be very useful for picking up how the rules work in practice. This one is especially good: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=42493&start=20 . Because I wrote most of it . Eg the 20 August entry is helpful on how Sub sweeps work, and on how to use them to best effect, which is a rather different thing.
We sleep peaceably in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf.
Thanks for the link to the manual; I'm sure it will be very helpful.
I see what you mean about the AI's lack of skill! By May '43 the AI Axis had not a single unit in place in the West to repel what turned out to be an easy, uncontested, early Overlord. It even neglected to destroy a French partisan unit which was able to capture one of the Channel ports, enabling the allies to use the port! Most Axis units were compressed into an area several deep, just east of the Pripet Marshes, with a relatively thin screen on the flanks. Able thus to KO Finland and to develop encircling thrusts to capture Bucharest and liberate the Baltic States. Had also captured Syria and removed Axis totally from N. Africa. Packed in at this stage as the result was a foregone conclusion. I was playing with no advantage to either side. Hopefully, with advantages in favour of the AI it will display better strategic sense. If it doesn't then it will be disappointing, to say the least.
One anomaly that I've noticed is that the S key puts units to sleep but also puts a fighter on sentry. Odd.
I am not sure that putting units other than fighters, CV's, and submarines on standby/sleep has any effect on the game.
Subs on standby will not engage in combat when enemy units enter their hex. If an enemy unit ends its movement in the sub's hex, then the sub will get displaced to an adjacent hex, I believe. Subs on standby mode can be discovered by ASW sweeps and then attacked.
Fighters on standby will not fly interceptions, but can be attacked directly by other air units to force a dogfight. CV units are basically fighters on a boat, and they will intercept enemy air missions if they are not on standby.
As far as I know, there is no effect for any other units being put on standby. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Many thanks for the explanation. Another interesting facet learned about the sub not attacking, but being displaced instead.
I've noticed, particularly when playing the Axis that the game crashes periodically(screen goes black and return to desktop). Happened last when clicking on Iraqi partisan and then again a couple of turns later. I am on 3.1 latest version.
As a precaution, I'm saving at the end of each turn, but wonder if you'd experienced this and what I might do? I'm hopelessly "non-technical" as far as computers are concerned, so I couldn't undertake anything complex and indeed wouldn't probably understand the technical terms used. Is there a patch or download that I can click on to help solve the problem?
Any help would be much appreciated.
. Eg the 20 August entry is helpful on how Sub sweeps work, and on how to use them to best effect, which is a rather different thing.