Is surface combat "React to enemy" working?

[Miller]

OK, sent several large surface combat fleets to attack a hex I thought my opponent was heading too, but I guessed wrong, and they got hammered by air attack in the process.

However, I had all the fleets with very high aggression comanders and "React to enemy" set to 4 hexes. My opponents actual target was within a couple of hexes of the path of my fleets, but despite plenty of floatplanes on search (at least 30) they did not react to the sighting. Is this working as designed? The only ships that seem to react to threats are PT boat Tfs.

PS> Not trying to blame the game, it was a screw up of my own making, I thought in the back of my mind before I sent the turn that they might react the right way if I choose the wrong hex to attack.........

[n01487477]

ORIGINAL: Miller

OK, sent several large surface combat fleets to attack a hex I thought my opponent was heading too, but I guessed wrong, and they got hammered by air attack in the process.

However, I had all the fleets with very high aggression comanders and "React to enemy" set to 4 hexes. My opponents actual target was within a couple of hexes of the path of my fleets, but despite plenty of floatplanes on search (at least 30) they did not react to the sighting. Is this working as designed? The only ships that seem to react to threats are PT boat Tfs.

PS> Not trying to blame the game, it was a screw up of my own making, I thought in the back of my mind before I sent the turn that they might react the right way if I choose the wrong hex to attack.........

I've been doing some testing of this for an upcoming video tutorial and I've not had many problems - this doesn't mean that it always works as intended - and I prefer it that way too ... 100% intercept might be overkill

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Miller

OK, sent several large surface combat fleets to attack a hex I thought my opponent was heading too, but I guessed wrong, and they got hammered by air attack in the process.

However, I had all the fleets with very high aggression comanders and "React to enemy" set to 4 hexes. My opponents actual target was within a couple of hexes of the path of my fleets, but despite plenty of floatplanes on search (at least 30) they did not react to the sighting. Is this working as designed? The only ships that seem to react to threats are PT boat Tfs.

PS> Not trying to blame the game, it was a screw up of my own making, I thought in the back of my mind before I sent the turn that they might react the right way if I choose the wrong hex to attack.........

a couple of SC TFs were enough to totally kill off all my fleeing ships from the Philipinese, it was bullet prove. And from my experience in something like at least 90% of the time the mid ocean intercepts end up in engagememts. That´s my subjective experience though and not any testing. For me, it´s far too effective as a 45 mile hex is still quite big and not every single small AK or PT should end up in a fight with the hunting SC TF, especially at night.

So yes, it definetely is working, especially the magic spotting - reacting - engaging - killing routine at night. That´s what really makes me thinking about it, because I wonder what magically spots the ships a couple of hexes away. In my PBEM, everytime one of my ships ends up within a couple of hexes of a Japanese SC TF the ship is dead. I really liked the new feature of mid ocean intercepts, but as with many things, it´s just too much now. They happen far too often and the chance not to have an engagement is far too small IMO.

[USSAmerica]

I know for sub patrol TF's, if you set a "destination" hex, then the reaction is ignored.  To get them to react, set the TF to "Patrol" in a hex or range of hexes, and set the reaction range.  I don't know for sure if SC TF's work the same way or not, but I'd bet they do.

[freeboy]

mine works.. the tf itself seems to need t ospot the enemy with its own floats, and high rated commande rfor aggression also helps

[Admiral Scott]

ORIGINAL: USS America

I know for sub patrol TF's, if you set a "destination" hex, then the reaction is ignored.  To get them to react, set the TF to "Patrol" in a hex or range of hexes, and set the reaction range.  I don't know for sure if SC TF's work the same way or not, but I'd bet they do.

This must explain why I havent had my Surface TF's and subs reacting! I dont have them set to patrol.
My ASW TF's which are set to patrol have reacted.

[koontz]

[:@] no wondering ive have an hard time to get into surface action

can someone pls confirm?

Destination not reacting WAD?

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: USS America

I know for sub patrol TF's, if you set a "destination" hex, then the reaction is ignored.  To get them to react, set the TF to "Patrol" in a hex or range of hexes, and set the reaction range.  I don't know for sure if SC TF's work the same way or not, but I'd bet they do.

That sounds like the problem in my case. Oh well, we learn from our mistakes....

[freeboy]

I never ever set surface groups to patrol and can verify I have had multiple groups attack the enemy... pbem as allies

[crsutton]

Yes, it works too well. Too many sucessful mid ocean intercepts. I am beginning to wonder if the real purpose of my carriers is to load them up with fighters to protect my surface forces......[&:]

[Reverberate]

ORIGINAL: n01487477
I've been doing some testing of this for an upcoming video tutorial and I've not had many problems - this doesn't mean that it always works as intended - and I prefer it that way too ... 100% intercept might be overkill

1% intercept in open sea would be over kill, It just didn't (and shouldn't) happen.

[CapAndGown]

I have not seen an intercept when I set a destination hex. Instead of setting the destination, what you want to do is set the place you want to go to as the first boundry of your patrol zone. No need to set other boundries, just that one will do. It acts the same as a destination hex, but now your reaction will work. I had a lot of intercepts using this method. Too many, if you ask me. I think they have swung from one extreme (almost no intercepts) to another (almost no misses).

[John Lansford]

I've seen both my surface TF's and the AI's conduct interceptions, as well as my subs and ASW TF's.  For a while the AI had a cruiser TF patrolling south of Timor, and every time I sent a force up from Darwin to bombard I'd run into them.

[Reverberate]

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown
I have not seen an intercept when I set a destination hex. Instead of setting the destination, what you want to do is set the place you want to go to as the first boundry of your patrol zone. No need to set other boundries, just that one will do. It acts the same as a destination hex, but now your reaction will work. I had a lot of intercepts using this method. Too many, if you ask me. I think they have swung from one extreme (almost no intercepts) to another (almost no misses).

Agreed. It is a potential game breaker. I hope nobody sees this thread.[8D]

[Reverberate]

ORIGINAL: crsutton
Yes, it works too well. Too many sucessful mid ocean intercepts. I am beginning to wonder if the real purpose of my carriers is to load them up with fighters to protect my surface forces......[&:]

Any of you 5-star posters have any pull with the devs? This needs to be changed!

[vonTirpitz]

And your opinion is welcome but I recall several U-Boat intercepts in mid-ocean and they are a bit slower than surface ships. Speaking in absolute terms does a disservice to everyone.

[freeboy]

I completely dis agree... the ships are not just steaming around... the yare set to react and the enemy is moving toward them... If we play ahistorically we should expect ahistorical results.. I remember in witp we could not ever get a mio, no it is about right, just don't steam near enemy ports wit hyour carriers

[Reverberate]

ORIGINAL: vonTirpitz

And your opinion is welcome but I recall several U-Boat intercepts in mid-ocean and they are a bit slower than surface ships. Speaking in absolute terms does a disservice to everyone.

I have no problem with submarine intercepts--the can actually hold their breathe under water.

As for surface intercepts, I seem to share in the majority opinion of the experienced players.

I don't understand why so many want to change the War in the Pacific into WWI Atlantic.

[freeboy]

sorry, maybe in teh middel of the oceans faster ships should never be intercepted, and those with significant speed advantage, I am refereing to shore in shore in straights and closing on bases results.. and if you do not want your ships intercepted, don't go towards teh enemies bases! I remebe rwitp days, you could not buy a mio, they simply where coded out, so forgive me for lovign a game where yo still have to fear the enemy tfs enough to screen your fleats

[AcePylut]

I have to problem with surface intercepts in teh same hex. It's only a 40 mile wide hex after all... put two opposing sctf's into that...

NO, I think the problem is more that we think of ships and troops and planes as "units" not "people"... and as such, we throw them all over the place all willy-nilly, without a care for their mothers at home, or our political standing.