Flotation damage at sea

[Tupolev]

In my AI game, one of my CL took a bad torpedo hit and flt damage is about 55. I'm still about 9 hexes away from a good port. Doesn't look good. Would it be better to sail at cruising speed for that port or just stay put until the flt damage goes down (if it does)?

[rockmedic109]

Going Flank speed will increase flooding.  If you move, do it at mission speed.  Are you near a small port where you can wait till flotation decreases to 0?  I've had a size one port save Argonaut from sinking.  I don't know if it will help with a cruiser though.  If you do get to a small port, you can move an AR or four there to help. 
 
Is it one of the early U.S. light cruisers?  If so the cynic in me says to let it sink and you'll get a much better cruiser in a little over a year.

[Tupolev]

It's actually CL Phoenix and the closest port (size 4) is Midway, 9 hexes away. I'd rather save the ship regardless, but at flt damage 55 even if I sail at mission or cruise speed will the flt damage hit critical levels before reaching safety at Midway? I have 3 ARs sailing to Midway.

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: Tupolev

It's actually CL Phoenix and the closest port (size 4) is Midway, 9 hexes away. I'd rather save the ship regardless, but at flt damage 55 even if I sail at mission or cruise speed will the flt damage hit critical levels before reaching safety at Midway? I have 3 ARs sailing to Midway.

Head there at mission speed. You'll be there reasonably quickly.

[Tupolev]

Roger that, and thanks.

[rockmedic109]

Allied damage control should help.  Not a guarrantee, but she should make it.

[Yamato hugger]

I could be wrong on this but I dont think ships speed has anything to do with flood damage (it DOES in AE however). Going full speed WILL increase system damage faster, but Im not so sure it does anything to flood damage.

[RevRick]

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

I could be wrong on this but I dont think ships speed has anything to do with flood damage (it DOES in AE however). Going full speed WILL increase system damage faster, but Im not so sure it does anything to flood damage.

It most assuredly will. Full speed with flooding damage is virtually certain to increase the damage. I'd go at creeping speed if that were possible, and put enough cans around it to hopefully ward of the enemy's sneaky, conniving, low down, dirty, ungentlemanly submarines. I have crept several ships from Guadalcanal to Noumea with this tactic, some with flooding in the 70's. Once it gets above about 85 or so, anything is dicey, but not unconquerable.

[AW1Steve]

I too must concur. I am convinced that using cruise speed has helped me get ships safely to harbor. What annoys the heck out of me is when they have been there several weeks , repairs are well in hand , and the #$%^^%$##@ things sink at the dock for no reason!!!![:(][&:][:@][8|]

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: AW1Steve

I too must concur. I am convinced that using cruise speed has helped me get ships safely to harbor. What annoys the heck out of me is when they have been there several weeks , repairs are well in hand , and the #$%^^%$##@ things sink at the dock for no reason!!!![:(][&:][:@][8|]

Someone was smoking in the magazine. Happened to the Mutsu in June 1942.

Correction: June 1943.

[Thesix]

ORIGINAL: RevRick

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

I could be wrong on this but I dont think ships speed has anything to do with flood damage (it DOES in AE however). Going full speed WILL increase system damage faster, but Im not so sure it does anything to flood damage.

It most assuredly will. Full speed with flooding damage is virtually certain to increase the damage. I'd go at creeping speed if that were possible, and put enough cans around it to hopefully ward of the enemy's sneaky, conniving, low down, dirty, ungentlemanly submarines. I have crept several ships from Guadalcanal to Noumea with this tactic, some with flooding in the 70's. Once it gets above about 85 or so, anything is dicey, but not unconquerable.

And finally, meteo is Very important too. Flooding damage under thunderstorms condition will increase dramatically

[BrucePowers]

ORIGINAL: RevRick

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

I could be wrong on this but I dont think ships speed has anything to do with flood damage (it DOES in AE however). Going full speed WILL increase system damage faster, but Im not so sure it does anything to flood damage.

It most assuredly will. Full speed with flooding damage is virtually certain to increase the damage. I'd go at creeping speed if that were possible, and put enough cans around it to hopefully ward of the enemy's sneaky, conniving, low down, dirty, ungentlemanly submarines. I have crept several ships from Guadalcanal to Noumea with this tactic, some with flooding in the 70's. Once it gets above about 85 or so, anything is dicey, but not unconquerable.

One must assume you play the allies, Rick[:D]

[RevRick]

Ah, Roger that. I don't have the time, even now, to try to figure out the gaming systems simulation of the Japanese economy. I'm know resources and oil come in and goodies come out, but retooling factories, changing engines and knowing who does what to whom and with which makes my head hurt enough in real life.

[John Lansford]

I had Alabama at 90+ Flooding damage and managed to save her, even though she was 6 hexes from Johnston Island and moving only 1 hex/day.  I rushed two AR's to Johnston a day before Alabama arrived, and within a week her floatation value had improved to less than 50.  In two weeks she was in good enough shape to head on to Pearl Harbor, where she's still in drydock...

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: John Lansford

I had Alabama at 90+ Flooding damage and managed to save her, even though she was 6 hexes from Johnston Island and moving only 1 hex/day.  I rushed two AR's to Johnston a day before Alabama arrived, and within a week her floatation value had improved to less than 50.  In two weeks she was in good enough shape to head on to Pearl Harbor, where she's still in drydock...

Two hexes per day (5 knots) is the minimum speed in the game. Even unpowered floating dry docks can make 5 knots.

[Feltan]

ORIGINAL: Tupolev

It's actually CL Phoenix and the closest port (size 4) is Midway, 9 hexes away. I'd rather save the ship regardless, but at flt damage 55 even if I sail at mission or cruise speed will the flt damage hit critical levels before reaching safety at Midway? I have 3 ARs sailing to Midway.

You have to save the Phoenix. She will survive the war, be sold to Argentina, and meet a British Nuke Sub northwest of the Falklands. Don't mess with destiny!

Regards,
Feltan

[Q-Ball]

I don't think moving at Flank Speed increases flooding. Sys damage, yes, but not flooding. But I would love it if an authority could comment on this, because I don't have any scientific basis on that.

I play Japan, and I routinely sprint for the nearest port when the ship springs a leak. I have saved more doing that, then trying to gradually make it to port.

For this example of the CL Pheonix, I would have also asked SYS damage. This plays a huge role. If the sys damage is in the 30s, for example, I wouldn't worry; no way that ship sinks. If it's in the 80s, that's a problem, particularly if you are japan.

[Mike Solli]

Not sure if speed matters, but I think slower speeds help.  I once had a Japanese carrier reach a level 1 port at 98 flot damage and I saved her.  It was dicey and took a long time at that port but I did it.  The thing I was really concerned about was that another Japanese carrier took damage before this one and 2 extra daitai landed on her decks before she was hit.  So, there were over 100 elite pilots smoking and joking on the carrier when she arrived at that sad excuse for a port.  There was no airfield there.  Had she sunk in shallow water, all the pilots would have gone with her.  They must have been playing cards in the engine compartment. [X(] [:D]

[Mike Solli]

Heck, usually if the ship is badly damaged, there's not much if any difference between flank and cruise speeds.  If that's the case, just keep her at cruise speed.  Why risk fate?

[RevRick]

Don't have the stats from the game, and it's all apocryphal at this point anyway. However, in real life you don't do flank, or full speed with a damaged ship (a badly damaged one with lots of flotation damage) because it increases hydraulic pressure on shored up sides and bulkheads. Also if the engine plant is damaged, making it run hard creates all sorts of vibrations which shake things that are supposed to keep the water out loose. Bad. Bad. Really bad. If you don't believe me, try standing on the fantail of a tin can at flank speed. If you were in good shape, things can still work loose, usually your eyeballs.