Maximum reaction range and air groups

[fulcrum28]

I was playing Japanese side in coral sea scenario.
The TF led by CVL shoho was directed towards Port Moresby.
1) I set the reaction range of the fleet to only 2 hex, since it would be not smart to attack a fleet carrier TF.
But it happens, it occured. Small shoho air group launched a strike agains an american TF with a CV.
It made no damage, however the counter strike hit shoho with several bombs.
why did it happen?

one possible explanation. The air squadrons of shoho have also a maximum ragen to be engaged. They were set up as defaul, maximum range, which is 9 hex for Kates and zeroe escorts. So even though the TF had a raction range of 2, the air wings had longer range of possible action and commanded decided the strike on is own.

Is this explanation right?

If so, we should always double set the TF and air groups...

Second question
2) suppose, I set range 2 for both air groups and TF. How would I know the enemy TF has been observed by my reconn planes?

just as ordinary OP report?

If enemy TF is discovered by me, will that TF launch a strike against me?

More important, if so, and if the distance is 5 hexes, will my air group react since I fixed the maximum range as 2 hexes??

thank you in advance.

[Alfred]

1. TF Reaction has nothing to do with plane operations. It deals only wih the movement of the ships in the TF itself.

2. Aircraft, whether land based or carrier based, will only launch a naval strike against enemy enemy task forces if the detection level is high enough and they fall within the range set for the aircraft unit.

3. There is a hard coded maximum limit at which carrier aircraft will launch; 7 hexes for the Allies, 8 hexes for Japan.

You should read pages 217-221 of the manual for how spotting works and how it operates.

Alfred

[fulcrum28]

thank you.

>3. There is a hard coded maximum limit at which carrier aircraft will launch; 7 hexes for the Allies, 8 hexes for Japan.

but if you manually change the range set (e.g., 3) for the aircraft unit, then carrier will launch at 3 as maximum right?

And if I suffer a carrier strike from 7 distance hexes and have set range set 3 for my planes, my carrier would counterattack??

[Puhis]

I you want to counterattack 7 hexes, don't set range 3. Range 3 means that planes only fly 3 hexes.

[fulcrum28]

thank you but the point here is that:

1) I do not want to attack so i set 3 hex maximum range

2) But I am detected and attacked from 7 hex range

3) will my air groups counter-strike?

[Puhis]

No.

[fulcrum28]

then, it is a problem because a weak TF wih CVL will never be concealed. If range is large, the commander erroneously strike an superior force. The ships will not be damaged and most of the planes shotdown. Furthermore, the stronger force identifies my position, and counter-strike, singking my CVL...

what do you all do in this situation?

[fulcrum28]

When i say that my weak TF CVL) counter-attack means in the same turn, not in the second one

[Puhis]

Weak TF is a weak TF. Don't use weak TF you're afraid of enemy.

Playing Coral sea scenario, you have two options with Shoho. Use it alone as decoy and loose it, or use it together with Shokaku and Zuikaku.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: fulcrum28

then, it is a problem because a weak TF wih CVL will never be concealed. If range is large, the commander erroneously strike an superior force. The ships will not be damaged and most of the planes shotdown. Furthermore, the stronger force identifies my position, and counter-strike, singking my CVL...

what do you all do in this situation?

Quite frankly, I would not expose weak CVLs to the power of superior carriers. The Japanese did this on a fairly regular basis and it did not prove to be very cost effective for them.[;)]