USN Carriers to the bottom, again!!!

[carnifex]

So I get the game, skim through the manual like anyone, and boot it up.

First thing I do I modify the campaign scenario to take account of the action at Midway (there's some thread that gives directions on the main forums) and off I go.

Now, with only two CV's and one CVL, I figure I have to strike the first blow against the Allies before their reinforcements take their toll, so I put all my carriers into one TF and send them to Rabaul with react orders. Then I start tooling around with my transports so my takeover of Guadalcanal can begin.

Several days into this my CV TF reacts to USN carriers in the south Coral Sea. Airstrikes are exchanged and my carriers suffer minimal damage whereas the USN carriers are savaged. One goes down right away, and the other sinks on the way home.

Couple of turns later I get to re-start the scenario (because I didn't really read the manual, and wind up screwing myself over something).

I try again, using the same opening moves (hey, why change what works?). Again, my TF reacts out of Rabaul and the USN carriers pay the price. Both are sunk in exchange for my CVL, which sinks also. Altogether a very good trade for the IJN.

Later I restart the scenario, and guess what? Again my CV's take a smattering of bomb hits, nothing more major than Systems Damage 14. The USN CV's each take several torpedo hits and bomb hits. Still floating, I lose track of them as they head home. Later I receive a notice that one of them sank.

I'm on my fourth try for this particular scenario, and right now I'm waiting for one of my CV's to come back from repairs in Japan, because I had to send her there after the USN carriers were sunk/savagely beaten for the _FOURTH_ time.

Not sure if it's luck or what. Every time the USN carriers were spanked, and I was able to take over and build up Lunga and Tulagi without any hinderance.

I'm going to try to playing from the Allied side to see if there's something the computer AI is doing wrong, or if it's just a spate of bad luck....

[Spooky]

Which scenario are you playing ? If you play scenario 17, the Japanese player has a huge advantage at the beginning (better planes, more exp. planes & ships, ...) ... so it is not difficult to smash the poor Lex & Yorktown

If you are looking for a real challenge at the Japanese, try the scenario 16 (historical Coral Sea & Midway happened) ... and have fun

Spooky

[carnifex]

I used #17 modified as per this thread:

showthread.php?s=&threadid=21356

I figured removing the Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, and Soryu, etc, would take care of the Japanese advantage.

Are there other un-historical modifications to #17, like better training and crews for the Japanese aside from the removed carriers? If so then I should better stick to #16, and forget about starting a month early.

I just find it annoying that the longest scenario in this game is ahistorical.

[Black Cat]

Originally posted by carnifex
So I get the game, skim through the manual like anyone, and boot it up.

First thing I do I modify the campaign scenario to take account of the action at Midway (there's some thread that gives directions on the main forums) and off I go.

Now, with only two CV's and one CVL, I figure I have to strike the first blow against the Allies before their reinforcements take their toll, so I put all my carriers into one TF and send them to Rabaul with react orders. Then I start tooling around with my transports so my takeover of Guadalcanal can begin.

Several days into this my CV TF reacts to USN carriers in the south Coral Sea. Airstrikes are exchanged and my carriers suffer minimal damage whereas the USN carriers are savaged. One goes down right away, and the other sinks on the way home.

Couple of turns later I get to re-start the scenario (because I didn't really read the manual, and wind up screwing myself over something).

I try again, using the same opening moves (hey, why change what works?). Again, my TF reacts out of Rabaul and the USN carriers pay the price. Both are sunk in exchange for my CVL, which sinks also. Altogether a very good trade for the IJN.

Later I restart the scenario, and guess what? Again my CV's take a smattering of bomb hits, nothing more major than Systems Damage 14. The USN CV's each take several torpedo hits and bomb hits. Still floating, I lose track of them as they head home. Later I receive a notice that one of them sank.

I'm on my fourth try for this particular scenario, and right now I'm waiting for one of my CV's to come back from repairs in Japan, because I had to send her there after the USN carriers were sunk/savagely beaten for the _FOURTH_ time.

Not sure if it's luck or what. Every time the USN carriers were spanked, and I was able to take over and build up Lunga and Tulagi without any hinderance.

I'm going to try to playing from the Allied side to see if there's something the computer AI is doing wrong, or if it's just a spate of bad luck....

Don`t Give Up The Ship !...or the game, it`s Great !

Well, playing the same edited Rich Dionne May 42 Midway game as you, I have started it 8 + times with the same dismal experience for the U.S. Navy.

The only way the US can come out ahead in this ( and by this I mean recreating the Historical Result ) or better, is for the AI to send the Japanese CV`s down from the North West, past Lae, passing close to PM, so the PM LBA ( I shouldn`t say this because it will probably be "fixed" in a patch ) .. can beat them up before the US CV`s engage them...and The AI does that some time...like 10%...

I am tired of seeing the Lex & Yorktown go down and now intend , for the Honor of the U.S. Navy, to take hold of the Handy Dandy Editor and do some serious "revising" to the database experience #`s so we have at least a fighting chance...

[Luskan]

Was playing a different scenario, and was playing as the US but had 2 CV's and a CVL, vs a bunch on Jap CV's who were sitting inside LBA bomber range (not that my bombers were doing anything about this) but it sounds sort of the same.

Try this: park all of your carrier torpedo and dive bomber groups at a nearby airbase (not P.M. because the Japs turn it into farmland long before their CV's get close) and pack every available wildcat squadron aboard the carriers. Wait for the enemy CV's to appear, set any LBA in range on CAP over your carriers, and set your wildcats to 100% cap and watch wave after wave of Jap planes go down. After about day 2 (so, four airstrikes) the enemy is running very low on naval aircraft, and you've lost enough wildcats to fit your SBDs back aboard (I think there is a bug here, I can't get the torpedo bombers back on board, but never mind).

My first (and only airstrike) of the battle happened on day 3 and sent the Zuikaku and Shokaku (eventually) to the bottom, and my CA/CL/DD escorts left my carriers to charge up close and sink the Zuiho (hit by 2 bombs, so slowed down a bit) in a night time engagement.

I chased the last Jap carrier (Hiyo?) too far and LBA out of Lae and Rabual cost me a CV and the Long Island, but next time I'll know better. Can't wait to try it against a human!

[Drongo]

After about day 2 (so, four airstrikes) the enemy is running very low on naval aircraft, and you've lost enough wildcats to fit your SBDs back aboard (I think there is a bug here, I can't get the torpedo bombers back on board, but never mind).

Luskan,

SBD squadrons on CV's normally number 18 per squadron. If you transfer them to a land base within replacement range (and if sufficient SBD replacements are in the pool), they normally expand out to 36 a/c per squadron. Check your no's, you may find that you have twice the amount of SBD's that you started with. That should be why the TBD/TBF's wont fit back on (normal capacity would be 90 for the standard USN CV).

Even if it was a bug, I would think most allied players wouldn't complain with 60+ SBD's on each carrier.