Newbis question about force projection.

[leadhitter]

Playing my second campaign v. the Allied AI. One issue that vexes me is force projection and/or ignoring of orders. Here's what I mean. In the South Pacific campaign starting in 5/42, I've captured PM, Lunga, and GG. I've built them all up into fortresses with the first two at level 5 airfields and GG @ 4. They're well stocked with Betty's, Nell's, fighters, recon...etc. I've got good supply/support, and I've been careful not to overcrowd my fields. Experience is in the 70-80's, fatigue non-existant, and morale is high. My 'grand strategy' was to secure these areas, hit all naval forces south of me with LB's, and prepare for a southerly thrust to cut off Australia. Although this is a limited game, I'm trying to stay with what the Japanese may have done.

Anyway, despite their range and everything else as indicated being good...my LB's WON'T FLY. Allied TF's are appearing around 14-15 hexes away and I'm thinking the Betty's should be after them. Where am I going wrong?

The other issue is that when one TF did appear a little closer to Lunga (12 hexes away I think), some of the LB's sortied , but only a fraction of what was set up. The Enterprise was hit three time, but my bomber force was a 4th of what it should've been. Again.....am I missing something?

BTW, just want everyone to know how much I appreciate the effort alot of you give in helping new guys like myself. Can't wait to start PbEM games once I get more experience.

Thanks.....Parker in Louisiana

[DuckofTindalos]

Two things spring to mind: how's the weather and where are your Zeros?

[leadhitter]

Well, I've got a couple of squadrons of AM62's at each set for escort - 20% CAP - and max range. Is there a correlation between escorts and LB that needs to be addressed?

I understand the weather, and that's knocked me out sometimes.....
Is it better to lower the range of LB's? I'm thinking a Betty couldn't carry a torpedo 21 hexes anyway. Is there a performance penalty for having large airfields? I'm wondering if there's a nuance I'm missing.

[tsimmonds]

None of the a/c in game will carry a torpedo beyond Normal range, which for the G4M is 13 IIRC.

[alanschu]

I also believe that the farther away a target is from the home base of the aircraft, the less likely it is to find its target to attack. Targets 14 and 15 hexes away may just be hard for your strike craft to find.

[hawker]

Hi,i play south pacific scenario when i get frustrated with PBEM.[:D][:D]
I play this scenario dozen times against AI and computer sinks 5-6 my ships in all games taken together[;)].

Its so easy,AI is so idiotic.
Few tips against AI in south pacific scen:

1.dont bother with altitude levels,let them in original state
2.on the opening sail with Sho. and Zui. and park them within PM and Townsvile,but out of reach of LBA.
3.Sink everything that goes to PM
4.After few days of sinking and Destroying go in Shortlands and refuel
5.Come back and sink everything,US carriers wont challenge you
6.Wait for sallys and close PM AF
7.Forget about morale
8.Wait for 4 fleet carriers and sail to New Caledonia
9.US carriers will go after you when you reach north of NC
10. Sink them,its easy enough
11.If some of your carrier is damage sent them to Truk
12.By these time Lunga is fully developed and stockpiled with zillion of fuel and supply
12.Last carrier,Saratoga,you may sink with 200+ bettys from Lunga
13.By these time PM is conquered via Buna
14.Come back with KB close to Aus. harbors and sink everything
15. If you play well,by this time you wont loose a single ship
16.Do what you want,Aus.,Luganvile.......

Nothing can compare to AI idiotism[:D]

Against AI dont bother with morale or altitude levels,save that for human opponent[;)]

[Feinder]

Hitting ships at greater than range 10 is tough, for either side, simply because it's harder for your bombers to find the target.  You can increase the chance of bombers launching by
 
1.  Putting a patrol sqdn in the same hex as your bombers.  Evidently, your LBA is more likely to attack a target if the patrols are located at the same airfield as your bombers are.
 
2.  Set your bombers to 20% search.  Having planes from the actual squadron on search, will also increase your chances of launching a strike.
 
3.  Your bombers often need escorts to launch vs. targets with CAP (hense the suggestion checking on your Zeros).  I think you usually need something like 1 escort for every 3 cap defenders.  Sometimes your bombers will launch unescorted (high exp and moral, low fatigue), but this can also be rather unhealthy for your bombers.
 
-F-

[pompack]

ORIGINAL: leadhitter

Playing my second campaign v. the Allied AI. One issue that vexes me is force projection and/or ignoring of orders. Here's what I mean. In the South Pacific campaign starting in 5/42, I've captured PM, Lunga, and GG. I've built them all up into fortresses with the first two at level 5 airfields and GG @ 4. They're well stocked with Betty's, Nell's, fighters, recon...etc. I've got good supply/support, and I've been careful not to overcrowd my fields. Experience is in the 70-80's, fatigue non-existant, and morale is high. My 'grand strategy' was to secure these areas, hit all naval forces south of me with LB's, and prepare for a southerly thrust to cut off Australia. Although this is a limited game, I'm trying to stay with what the Japanese may have done.

Anyway, despite their range and everything else as indicated being good...my LB's WON'T FLY. Allied TF's are appearing around 14-15 hexes away and I'm thinking the Betty's should be after them. Where am I going wrong?

The other issue is that when one TF did appear a little closer to Lunga (12 hexes away I think), some of the LB's sortied , but only a fraction of what was set up. The Enterprise was hit three time, but my bomber force was a 4th of what it should've been. Again.....am I missing something?

BTW, just want everyone to know how much I appreciate the effort alot of you give in helping new guys like myself. Can't wait to start PbEM games once I get more experience.

Thanks.....Parker in Louisiana

First, LBA fly naval strikes more often if a Mavis/Emily is present in the base, Also I have found that it is well worth it to put 10% of the Betties/Nells on naval search. And of course having an Air HQ within command radius will always boost the number of a/c that actually fly

[Arkady]

yep AirHQ should help
number of aircraft less than airfield level * 50
Patrol planes on full range, search 60% at least