ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
Does this make you reconsider your extensive use of 'picket' xAKL and xAKs? I'd consider that the other pea in this pod, were I in John's position. Not identical, but comparable.
No, for reasons already explained. First, I've made limited use of xAKs and clear them out once they've served their purpose. I think it's historical, in keeping with what the Allied would have done had they needed to, and is necessary to avoid things that would be egregiously non historical (as stated in length earlier).
An example. I currently have six or eight ships on picket duty west of Sumatra. These include a mix of DDs and xAKs. John has used a three-DD patrol to sink several of the xAK and at least one of the DD. Then, last turn, a carrier force turned up and devoted a handful of Kates to dispose of an xAK. Knowing that the enemy was present, I dispersed the rest of my fleet. John probably used up 1% of his sortie capability. It has had absoltuley no deletorious affect on his ability to wage war, but it did help guard against the truly ridiculous ability of a Japanese carrier force to steam at flank speed (if desired), covering something like 750 miles in a single day, all the while the Allied ships just continue about their business without taking any evasive action.
I'm here to tell you. The reasonable use of picket ships is absolutely fair, historical, and called for. The failure to use them - at least for the Allies - would be the abuse.
Not to beat a dead horse, but I agree that the (limited) use of picket ships is fine. My preference is to ensure they're of a military class-a YP is fine, just so long as it's military crewed. It's a compromise between carpeting an area with 'filler' ships and no pickets. Others have expressed similar preferences, so I'll just leave it there.
