Escort composition on Amphib TF

[ny59giants]

Now that AE has been out for some time, what have you found is the best ships to add to your early war Japanese Amphib TF to reduce damages to the transports and other ships?? I know PB go in, but they have trouble escaping without getting hits. Do you actually put in warships??

[findmeifyoucan]

Well, yeah if you want to have any chance of surviving an engagement with other surface ships. PB's and Transports will go down even up against a bunch of PT boats. I find SC's are better defence against subs as well than PB's. As with armies combined arms is always a good thing. )

[xj900uk]

I am playing a game as the Japanese against the AI and have started off by protecting my amphibious invasion forces as best as I can.  Have a couple of PB's and at least a surface gunship (like a DD,  E with no asw capability or even the odd CL) to mix it with the shore batteries.  methinks that transports shooting it out won't last very long...

[vlcz]

 CL are THE ship to have with your high-value landing fleets, one of them and a pair of DD and I feel quite secure against host of PT and the off DD allies can suprise you with, In any case if I expect PTs allways add a DD, and personally never use SC as escort, I put them in ASW TF in the landing site

[Chickenboy]

Early war (as PP indicate) I use a CL in addition to ASW assets, such as PB or (less commonly) DD. The CLs seem pretty resistant to major CD damage and can give as good as they get. They have a tendency to survive some abuse and can be comparatively quickly repaired. Plus, apart from the LL TTs, they are an inferior surface combatant (compared to the CAs).

[vlcz]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
Plus, apart from the LL TTs, they are an inferior surface combatant (compared to the CAs).

Sometime lovable inferiors [;)]

From a recent PBEM result...
Night Time Surface Combat, near Tulagi at 114,137, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Kashima, Shell hits 1
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 35, and is sunk
DD Akigumo
DD Kagero, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Shiranui, Shell hits 1
DD Akebono

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
BC Repulse, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Portland
CA Indianapolis
CA Northampton
CA Houston
CA Chester
CA Chicago
CA Pensacola
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 3
CA San Francisco
CA Australia, Shell hits 1
CL Tromp
DD Smith
DD Preston
DD Farragut, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Hull
DD MacDonough
DD Worden, Shell hits 1
DD Dale
DD Aylwin

[Mike Solli]

I like to use the Kashimas to escort amphib TFs.  Their 18kt speed is perfect for that mission and they do well against CD guns.  They can also help fend off PTs.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: vlcz

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
Plus, apart from the LL TTs, they are an inferior surface combatant (compared to the CAs).

Sometime lovable inferiors [;)]

From a recent PBEM result...
Night Time Surface Combat, near Tulagi at 114,137, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Kashima, Shell hits 1
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 35, and is sunk
DD Akigumo
DD Kagero, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Shiranui, Shell hits 1
DD Akebono

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
BC Repulse, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CA Portland
CA Indianapolis
CA Northampton
CA Houston
CA Chester
CA Chicago
CA Pensacola
CA Salt Lake City
CA New Orleans
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 3
CA San Francisco
CA Australia, Shell hits 1
CL Tromp
DD Smith
DD Preston
DD Farragut, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Hull
DD MacDonough
DD Worden, Shell hits 1
DD Dale
DD Aylwin

Gotta love them Long Lances!

[bradfordkay]

"Gotta love them Long Lances! "


No... we hates them! Nassstttyyy little buggers!