Need a rule of thumb on ships fleeing SRA

[panda124c]

A rule of thumb: You will lose all of these ships, any that survive were lucky.

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: KDonovan
- The C-Class, D-Class, and Dutch CL's are all expendable. Their lack of range makes them pitiful assets anywhere other than the DEI.

I disagree, I find the short legged Dutch CL and DD fleet is superb for fast transport supply runs into enemy territory. Better to risk them supplying a base like Port Blair than to risk your better ships.

Unless you get a good return on investment using them in the SRA, you should evacuate them before KB comes calling. If your opponent is the type who likes to send invasion fleets into the SRA without good air cover or heavy escort, then by all means expend them in a naval battle there. But I wouldn’t view them as expendable, I’d view them as front line workhorses that have some uses other than inclusion into the main battle fleets.

I’m using them at Port Blair in my game, but they could come in handy doing supply runs to Port Moresby or Guadalcanal given an historic situation at those bases. Basically any forward base within 1-2 turns of a supply point could make very good use of them.

They can also be useful to hunt down Japanese barges operating within your sphere of influence. The fact they don’t have upgrade paths also means that early in the war they may be your only available surface fleet around while your better assets return to the rear for refits.

Jim

[bobogoboom]

ORIGINAL: pbear

A rule of thumb: You will lose all of these ships, any that survive were lucky.

i've gotten quiet a few out of manila going east if you just wait a couple of days.