Advanced Base Changes?

[AirborneTD]

I've been playing into late 44 now with the Balao, and I've noticed the advanced bases springing up all over. Initially, most were the stripped anchor kind only allowing refits. However, now I've noticed some anchors turning a solid blue--seemingly meaning a permanant base. Is this possible?

I know Dutch Harbor has been modded in, but are other advanced bases usable as a base to start/end from? (Guam, Saipan, Majuro, Midway, etc)

[amurph182]

I don't know for sure but I think the striped anchors denote submarine tenders while the solid blue anchors show full port facilities, not necesarily that they are available "bases" for you to transfer to.

Example: Midway is a solid blue anchor throughout the game but you can't be based there.

[AVGWarhawk]

182 is correct. Stripped anchors are tenders only. Solid anchors regular bases but you still have a home port somewhere. I imagine and hope as the war progresses you would be able to hopscotch the base toward Japan. I do not know as I'm still chugging around in my S class in the early war.

[AirborneTD]

Thanks for the replies. That's what I was hoping to do--move forward to a closer base but it doesn't seem like you can. I stopped off at Saipan but was only offered a refit. Once back at Pearl, I was not able to transfer to any of them, either. Shame.

[Go4It]

I'm at Feb 2 1945, stationed at FreeMantle, in port, Guam an Saipan have full blue anchors but I'm only offered Hawaii for transfer.

[AVGWarhawk]

From the reading I have done, the major ports are Fremantle and HI. Mostly there were tenders in the forward areas. I suspect we will only get these ports to actually end patrols. The others just for refit.

[AirborneTD]

Yeah AVG, like I said. I tried ending a patrol at a forward (Solid Anchor) base but it wouldn't let me. No start/end, no transfers to. Would be nice.....Has anyone successfully done either??

[amurph182]

Yeah AVG, like I said. I tried ending a patrol at a forward (Solid Anchor) base but it wouldn't let me. No start/end, no transfers to. Would be nice.....Has anyone successfully done either??

no, because you can't. You can only end a patrol at your assigned base. And you can't be assigned to one of the forward bases. Unless its moddable?

I just finished re-reading Fluckey's Thunder Below, and while Barb was based out of Pearl, they completed and began patrols from Midway and Saipan. If it could be modded, then that would be great but having one assigned base where you can actually end the patrol is probably hard coded. So it's probably possible to be able to have your base in Saipan, for example, but not to be based in Pearl and then end/begin a patrol there.

What I do to simulate real life within the constraints of the game is complete a patrol objective, sail to a forward base for a refit and then send in a mission report when I leave the base so that I get a new objective. The stats record it as one patrol but it adds a bit of realism for me. I usually only do this once per patrol since the boys need their R&R in Honolulu (and I don't want to have single patrols with crazy unrealistic tonnage). Unless I've taken anything more than light damage, of course, in which case I refuel and head for Pearl.