Using naval search for combat purposes

[jb123]

actually... do dive bombers carry a reduced load when on search? maybe those numerous hits were only 500 lbs? the PBYs carry torps on search.

[Ikazuchi0585]

all planes carry an reduced load on naval search

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: jb123

actually... do dive bombers carry a reduced load when on search? maybe those numerous hits were only 500 lbs? the PBYs carry torps on search.

AFAIK PBYs should carry bombs on search, just like every other ac on search does too.

[jb123]

Hmmm, I didn't think about that. The reduced load for PBYs is bombs, eh. I actually set PBYs on nav attack against some AKs and TBs once, they did pretty well but took some losses. I was all excited thinking the Mogami got a torp. Oh well.

[byron13]

I've lost five AK's in five separate events where they were docked in fairly large ports with CAP and destroyed at the end of the turn. No combat report. Just sunk - all by a fairly small bomb. Considering where they were docked, I think about the only thing that could have reached was a Mavis.

I just have this picture in my mind of everyone scratching their heads as to why the SS Schmedlap sank after an explosion. Anything on radar? No sir. Observation posts see or hear anything? No sir. What about the fighter CAP? No sir. Did any of the AA batteries surrounding the harbor hear or see anything? No sir, everything was quiet and then she just went "Boom!" Huh. Well, must have been a freak accident.

I mean, how does a Mavis waddle in unseen, sink a ship with a single small bomb, and get away? It raises the blood pressure, it does.

[Puhis]

ORIGINAL: byron13

I've lost five AK's in five separate events where they were docked in fairly large ports with CAP and destroyed at the end of the turn. No combat report. Just sunk - all by a fairly small bomb. Considering where they were docked, I think about the only thing that could have reached was a Mavis.

I just have this picture in my mind of everyone scratching their heads as to why the SS Schmedlap sank after an explosion. Anything on radar? No sir. Observation posts see or hear anything? No sir. What about the fighter CAP? No sir. Did any of the AA batteries surrounding the harbor hear or see anything? No sir, everything was quiet and then she just went "Boom!" Huh. Well, must have been a freak accident.

I mean, how does a Mavis waddle in unseen, sink a ship with a single small bomb, and get away? It raises the blood pressure, it does.

So this seems to be same for both sides. So far I've lost several big japanese tankers to search planes, not to mention smaller ships.

I think search planes are too good ship killers. I mean they got way more hits than planes on a naval attack mission! And basicly there's nothing player can do to stop them, I just lost docked AK when I had 40 zeros flying CAP...

I'm not saying that search planes shouldn't attack at all, but my opinion is that at the moment they got too many hits.

[byron13]

Understand that my beef is the attacks on ships docked in well-defended harbor. At sea would be a different matter, though I understand your beef to be that the single scouts are getting a much higher hit rate than dedicated missions. I wouldn't be surprised: my divebombers have a pathetic hit rate.