non recoverable bug in port attack - RTB

[joshuamnave]

Save file attached. To replicate, launch a port attack with Japanese carrier based planes on Singapore. To ensure same results, I used the 4 best nav bombers, intercepted with the CW land based fighter, and counter intercepted with carrier based fighters. The surprise roll gave the UK enough points to avoid combat, which they did. Planes can not return to carriers without causing a crash. Reloading does not fix the problem. You may have to reload a few times to replicate the surprise results (or manually enter the die rolls).

It happened the first time, and I reloaded. The second attack there was no surprise, so I reloaded again to test the problem. 3rd try I got enough UK surprise points to avoid combat again, and the same problem came up. There may be a different problem with successful port attacks, I need to run it again to be sure.

[joshuamnave]

And yes, there's a second bug which can be replicated with the same save game file, when the UK does not have enough surprise to avoid combat. I think I also know why. Here's the story, in pictures!

Step 1 - select your carrier based air to port strike:

[joshuamnave]

Here we see the 4 CVP have been sent to Singapore to attack (note - all 4 were assigned to be bombers):

[joshuamnave]

Now the ground based air intercepts and more CVP counter intercept as fighters

[joshuamnave]

Here we see the 4 bombers and the 3 CVP fighters up against the lone British figher:

[joshuamnave]

The Japanese make quick work of the pesky British, and as you see, all four bombers are cleared through:

[joshuamnave]

Now it's time for the fighters to return to their carriers. Uh oh... problem... there were 3 fighters and 4 bombers. Here it's asking me to return 6 units to carriers.

[joshuamnave]

That left 1 unit to get through. I ran it a few times, and have reached the following theory:

When you are returning to base after the air to air combat, whichever fighter you choose to return first will bring back its compatriots if there is a potential conflict concerning which carriers they can land on. In other words, if landing a class 2 plane on a class 3 carrier will make it impossible to return all of your bombers in the next phase, it brings home those planes immediately. This quickly leads to a cascading situation, where all or nearly all of the planes return to base at this point, instead of after the port attack.

I tested it out by returning a class 1 plane first, and it came by itself. But then as soon as I selected a class 2 fighter as the second plane to return, all the rest came home with it. This makes a carrier based port attack a practical impossibility.

[markb50k]

Great analysis whatever the final root cause.

[AxelNL]

Another betatester found in parallel a similar problem. We'll need to test if the solution applies to your situation as well.