Coral Sea - Japs vs. Allied AI

[Canoerebel]

Gents,

After playing as the Allies earlier today, this afternoon I tried things as the Japs. There were some bumps and bruises in the learning, but it was a fun scenario to play - more fun as the Japs than the Allies, me thinks:

1. The main Jap forces were to wait south of Rabaul for Zuikaku/Shokaku to come up. Shoho's TF would take a place at the point and so would be at risk. To the east. I set up a little fast transport (APD) TF at Tulagi to make a quick strike at Guadalanal. The other Jap ships in that area I sent WNW.

2. The Allied AI split the carrier groups, with the Lex group moving toward Guadalanal. Lex's strike aircraft sank both APDs and an AK.

3. The following day, the Americans surprised me by moving very fast two the west (I think both carriers rendezvoued or were in close proximity). They got a long-range strike vs. the Shoho TF and hit her with about six bombs. Shoho finished the day with 60 SYS and lesser damage in other categories. I thought she was a sure thing to make it to Rabaul. She did, but the next day she succumbed to rapidly rising flooding. Shoho's escorts were made into a four-CA TF that was ordered to rendezvous with the Zuikaku/Shokaku TF, which for reasons I couldn't figure out moved slowly south - very much against orders - averaging only two or three hexes per day. I wanted this TF to sprint toward the American carrier TFs, because I figured the pilots were somewhat fatigued after two days of strikes.

4. After several frustrating days of the Jap CVs moving slowly, I ordered a following AO to break off and head to Rabaul. That seemed to do the trick (or may have been a pure coincidence), because the Jap carriers moved fast and far into the Coral Sea. Over the next three days, Jap strike aircraft pummeled the Allied fleet - sinking CV Lexington, CA Australia, two AOs, at least five DDS, and damaging CAs New Orleans and Minneapolis.

5. During the strikes on Shoho and Lexington, CAP didn't seem to do much of anything.

6. While the Mini-KB pursued the striken American fleet, the invasion TF, accompanied by a stout bombardment TF including the four CAs originally with Shoho. Nells and Bettys from Rabaul had been hitting PM, and then the bombardment TF did so for about three days. Landings commenced and both 144 Regiment and Kure SNLF came ashore in good shape. After two days, the troops had plenty of supplies and tried a bombardment attack. The following day a shock attack came off at 6:1 and PM fell to the Japanese.

7. The Japanese won a decisive victory: 2182 to 1163.

[Grotius]

Cool. It does sound more interesting to play the Japanese side, which is the side I've always played in this scenario in PBEM in stock.

I thought she was a sure thing to make it to Rabaul. She did, but the next day she succumbed to rapidly rising flooding.

Interesting. Was her FLT damage initially small? Was she on fire?

One reason I fired up Coral Sea is that I wanted to see how the new damage model works, and I figured I'd get a few quick samples with all the aircraft carriers in this scenario. I could test it with the grand campaign, of course, but it takes me hours to do a turn there.

[Canoerebel]

I think her FLT damage was around 30 and fires about 45. So she was something like 60/30/**/45 (I don't recall the engine damage level). Actually, she wasn't hit that hard. I think either FLT or Fires was in the 20s. She looked moderately hard hit, but it only took her about four days to make it from near Rennel Island to Rabaul, so she wasn't crippled.

[sven6345789]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Shoho's escorts were made into a four-CA TF that was ordered to rendezvous with the Zuikaku/Shokaku TF, which for reasons I couldn't figure out moved slowly south - very much against orders - averaging only two or three hexes per day. I wanted this TF to sprint toward the American carrier TFs, because I figured the pilots were somewhat fatigued after two days of strikes.

4. After several frustrating days of the Jap CVs moving slowly, I ordered a following AO to break off and head to Rabaul. That seemed to do the trick (or may have been a pure coincidence), because the Jap carriers moved fast and far into the Coral Sea.

This probably has to do with the follow TF order you gave the Oilers (guessing here). If i read it correctly, the follow order leads to the faster TF to adjust speed so that the slower has a chance to catch up. At least that would explain why your carriers were slow.

[Grotius]

I think her FLT damage was around 30 and fires about 45

In stock, I'd have expected the fires to die out while the FLT gradually rose. Here in AE, fire seems to work differently -- it seems more dangerous. In my Coral Sea, Yorktown took 6 or 8 FLT damage, but no fire, and the FLT figure didn't budge at all as I continued to sail the CV around the ocean.

[herwin]

I've been noticing that my TFs will frequently loiter, even when ordered some place at full speed. Anyone else seen this?

[Grotius]

I saw that once when I had a TF following/meeting the TF I wanted to hustle. The lead TF seemed to slow down to wait for the trailing one. Other than that, haven't seen what you describe.