Carrier modes question

[CaesarAug]

Posted elsewhere but thought to post in the general forum as well.

I’m curious to know about the criteria for carrier escort missions. In a test, a Japanese escort carrier on mixed mode (CAP on auto), launched an attack on an American fleet carrier in fighter mode (CAP on auto). A nearby Japanese fleet carrier on mixed mode (CAP on auto) provided escort. Why did not the Japanese escort carrier provide its own escort when it could?

[Hubert Cater]

Hi,

Carriers cannot self escort, it is just coded this way, and then after that, it selects the applicable Carrier with the highest readiness to provide escort.

Hubert

[CaesarAug]

Ah, I see. Thank you. So the higher readiness gets the escort mission.
But regarding a carrier not self-escorting, there are exceptions to the general code: I’m pretty certain I have seen it done when on mixed mode (CAP on auto or escort mode) and without any other friendly carrier nearby.

[James Taylor]

This is a prime example of feature creep. SC status as a strategic platform shouldn't navigate down to the air combat officer of individual carrier air groups.

It is a basic understanding that the various squadrons should interact to provide the best strike application possible. Yes, we all know that there was limited coordination in WW2 conditions that allowed very chaotic combat and that should be reflected in the "die role" combat resolution.

Carrier air groups(CAG) should have but one mode, CAP, strikes, and escorts are all inclusive as the dynamic of the air officers decision making not the overall fleet commander.

Conclusion: CAGs get one strike as it used to be with SC's initial mechanics.

[CaesarAug]

Well, I did some play-testing, adjusting carrier combat stats, and disabling intercept and escort missions. That of course does not disable the three carrier modes of Fighter CAP, Bomber, and Mixed, but it sort of "combines", as it were, the three modes, but only somewhat. It does make carrier combat more similar to naval surface combat, though certainly not exactly the same.

The results were interesting but not satisfactory, i.e., a carrier on Fighter CAP mode (WITHOUT intercept missions) being attacked by another carrier on Bomber or Mixed mode, sometimes did cause more damage to enemy carrier air (good) but somehow did not protect the carrier (not good), the attacked carrier getting much more damage it would otherwise have suffered if it had Fighter CAP mode WITH intercept mission capability.

Still, the fundamental idea that CAGs were a combined effort, and given the game's strategic level of play, I might do some more play-testing...