Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI

[Energisteron]

May 05 - Day 02

Here's the situation as we see it before today's operations.

Our subs will continue to redeploy and observe the movement of enemy TF moving from the vicinity of Rabaul towards Milne Bay.

CV Yorktown will briefly continue to near Tulagi before turning west towards Milne Bay. It's objectives will be to hit the enemy Supply TFs near Tulagi and then in the afternoon draw closer to CV Lexington SE of Milne Bay to intercept approaching Surface TF and if possible to destroy CV Shoho.

CV Lexington will move slightly further west than intended with the same objectives except it will not target Tulagi which is out of range. Both CVs will thus be in a position to assist each other and to co-ordinate their air strikes.

The small Surface Combat TF will continue to take up station to the west of Lexington.

Air Naval Search is unchanged.

[Itdepends]

Carriers in game are normally kept in single taksforces if operating together. They are split by type (not mixing CVE with CVL/CV). The only other reason you would split them would be to avoid the penalties for uncoordinated strikes or because you have so many carriers that you cant get enough escorts in and stay under the 25 ship tf limit. Even then, if operating in separate TF's they are normally kept in the same hex to provide mutually supporting CAP.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Energisteron
I'm not too sure about having so many Cruisers stuck with a CV either. I suppose it automatically gives them a CAP but equally the CV will draw enemy aircraft in like a magnet! If the enemy can't make a run on the CV they may well have a go at a CA!

CA are the best AA platforms you have in the area so far, and also large enough to attract some aircraft attention. If the enemy plane is making a run on CA it does not make it on a precious CV of yours. Many players both Japan and Allied routinely put fast BBs into CV task forces for specifically this purpose -attract attention away from CVs

[Energisteron]

Thanks, Itdepends. Your advice and warnings were very prescient as you will see shortly!

Thanks, GetAssista. Again your observation was confirmed by events in this upcoming day. Equally, so were my cations about risking Cruisers near CVs!

[Energisteron]

May 05 - Day 02

As it happened:-

After a quiet night, coastwatcher reports again indicate significant enemy shipping traffic between Rabaul and all the way down the island chain to Tulagi. CV Yorktown turns towards the tip of New Guinea as ordered in order to close-up on CV Lexington and to cover Milne Bay. She has no time, or no inclination, to attack enemy shipping around Tulagi, as she sails serenely west.

Shortly after, CV Lexington mounts two early morning strikes against an enemy TF about to round the peninsula towards Milne Bay. Either the CV Shoho is operational again or there's another CV nearby because today there's a good CAP of Zeros. In the first strike an unescorted raid by 18xDauntless and 6xDevastators is met by 12xZeros with predictable results. Both types of aircraft suffer 50% losses in making an attack on CL Yubari and get not even one hit. The Zeros take no losses!

The second strike by 12xDauntless is met by just 2xZeros. 2xDauntless go down, no Zeros are damaged, and again we score no hits. The enemy TF is identified as 1xCA 1xCL 1xDD which would be a curious match-up with the Australian TF if they met. However, the latter's target must be transports when we spot them!

[Energisteron]

May 05 - Day 02

We left CV Yorktown sailing west to meet CV Lexington, and having a quiet morning. Well she certainly did not have a quiet afternoon! Late in the morning our spotter aircraft are reporting enemy ships in swarms all over the map. Most of these reports seem to be genuine. We also observe plenty of Carrier Naval Search planes. They've found us, and found us first, because all we've located is a tenuous sighting of a CV (possibly Shoho?) well to the rear of CL Yubari's TF near Milne Bay.

Then it comes. A massive, overwhelming wave of enemy aircraft appears heading straight for CV Yorktown. As soon as it is detected it is obvious CV Yorktown is in big trouble. In fact the whole TF is at risk! We have a big CAP because we have found no worthwhile targets but not enough to stop this lot!

The Japanese air strike is well co-ordinated and comprises 29xKates, 33xVals and an escort of 11xZeros. We put up 18xWildcats. For what seems like an interminably long time, our Wildcats fight it out with the Zeros before breaking through to attack the strike aircraft which do prove vulnerable. The enemy lose 4xKates and 6xVals. No fighters are lost by either side. However, nothing is going to deter, let alone stop them, from attacking CV Yorktown. Flak takes down a few of the attacking aircraft, but inevitably CV Yorktown is hit, and a fire takes hold as the enemy aircraft turn for home.

We already had a retaliatory strike airborne. Twelve Dauntless were heading to attack an enemy TF near Shortlands. However, there's a good CAP of Zeros, 4xDauntless (from 12) are lost and the enemy CV is not located. Our dive-bombers have nowhere to go, can't reach CV Lexington, and drop into the sea. Many good pilots are lost.

With her deck out of action, her surviving fighter aircraft, already airborne, head for refuge on CV Lexington which is soon crammed below deck. CV Yorktown has suffered 4xbomb hits and 1xtorpedo strike BUT she stays afloat and the fires are got under control. CA Chester is also hit by a torpedo. The TF Commander steers for home base, Noumea.

[Energisteron]

So, Day 03 arrives with our plans in total disarray. We may even have lost this operation already, but we'll regroup and fight on.

I'll outline my revised plans and reaction to these dramatic events in my next post.

Night will be a blessing and may even allow CV Yorktown and CA Chester to escape!

[Bif1961]

You learned a good lesson the Japanese coordinate well and have longer range search aircraft. Your West would have worked out better if it had been a move SW or South taking you out of his range.

[Aurorus]

As others have observed a lone CV is very vulnerable. It is generally a good idea to keep CVs in the same hex: either in one TF or two. There are various schools of thought as to how to form CVTFs from a couple smaller TFs (which I prefer) or 1 large TF. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Strike coordination can be an issue in one large TF, but a splintered strike can also result from 2 smaller CVTFs as well. The advantage to 2 smaller TFs is that the enemy strike may focus on 1 TF and only a hanful of planes strike the other. One disadvantage to multiple TFs is that they separate because one TF commander reacts to an enemy and the other does not. If you use multiple CVTFs, try to have CVTF commanders with a similar aggression rating.

There are occassions when I do separate CVs when I expect a CV engagement, but this requires a special set of circumstances. There are occasions when I like to split a CVL group off as diversion and move them closer to where I expect the enemy CVs to be to dilute the enemy strike. This is complex and depends on my opponent and many other things. Generally, I do this as Japan if my opponent flies his CAP too high, and I think that I can set the CVLs to a low torpedo strike to either sneak through the enemy CAP or draw it down before the other CVs' strike reaches the target. Again, this is a tactic that I use only under a certain set of circumstances, and this is mostly for Japan, because the CVLs have a nice strike package composed only of torpedo planes and is more effective at very low altitudes. A strike containing dive bombers should never come in below 10K on enemy CVs.

One other thing as well. All variants of the F4 are outclassed by the Zero. As you noticed the Zeros put up a good fight before allowing your F4s through to the bombers. You really need a 3:2 numbers advantage or better with F4s against Zeros to achieve parity in any air combat.

[Bif1961]

I have learned, in order not to have one of my separate CV TFs, not to over-react and end up in a different hex then anohter is to set their reaction at zero and have the faster CV TF follow the slower. Until I did that I would frequently have one commander of a CV TF react more than another, setting them to reaction 0 stopped that.

[Itdepends]

Yorktowns detection limit would have been elevated as a result of the strikes she flew the previous day- best if you're unspotted when taking on enemy carriers (again so you can do unto them first).

[Energisteron]

Thanks everyone for your helpful tips and advice. It is all duly noted.

As you can tell, I still have a lot to learn, but as I wrote earlier - I fight on!

[Energisteron]

So as we enter Day 03, what options do we have?

CV Yorktown and CA Chester will attempt to escape SW towards Brisbane overnight. The CAs will stick around for now but will detach and form a Surface Combat TF once the damaged ships are out of range.

CV Lexington will move further west so as to keep one enemy CV TF out of range while it takes on the other approaching Milne Bay. The Australian TF will go on a southerly course and then turn towards Port Moresby to intercept any enemy Transports heading there. The Oilers are well to the south. Sub ops will continue to concentrate on the 'bottlenecks' near Milne Bay, Rabaul and Tulagi.

There's a handful of aircraft (and pilots) still aboard CV Yorktown. I am hoping that once docked these can be unloaded and transferred elsewhere as replacements.

Meanwhile CV Lexington is crammed to capacity with refugee aircraft. Can I chuck any of these overboard? Can I disband Air Groups and add their aircraft and pilots as replacements to Lexie's inherent Air Groups?

Since it now seems likely the enemy will succeed in landing near Port Moresby, we may need to get some more troops there.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I have learned, in order not to have one of my separate CV TFs, not to over-react and end up in a different hex then anohter is to set their reaction at zero and have the faster CV TF follow the slower. Until I did that I would frequently have one commander of a CV TF react more than another, setting them to reaction 0 stopped that.

I have been using multiple CVTFs in the same hex for years and over many games, and I have never had it happen to me. Others have reported that their CVTFs have become separated by reacting, including you, and I have no reason not to believe you, which is why I warn about the possibility. I never set a reaction range for my CVTFs, as I hate to give them any extra possibility of leaving command control. I make enough mistakes on my own, without commanders making additional mistakes for me by acting on their own initiative... lol.

[BBfanboy]

I recommended this scenario since the carrier clashes are guaranteed, as opposed to the Aleutians scenario where the IJN carriers never engaged the USN CVE.
A carrier battle is a real dance to get the best position for your own aircraft while the enemy is not yet aware of your position. Luck plays a part but knowing your strengths and vulnerabilities vis-à-vis his gives you the ability to estimate your best options.

Any aircraft left on Yorktown can be flown off if damage is less than 50. Port Moresby can use the aircraft if it has a high enough level and air support.

If Lex has more than five air units or fragments thereof, it will not be able to operate aircraft but you might be able to fly off some of those units to a land base.

I guess Sydney in not available in this scenario? If it was, that would be the only shipyard large enough to dock Yorktown to repair the flood damage. As it is, Brisbane SY is not large enough to drydock her but if you put the ship in Pierside repair and the SY is empty it will contribute some of its points to repairing minor flotation and system damage.

Good luck!

[Bif1961]

I would fly them to a nearby land base airflied and have them combine there, instead of cluttering your flight deck with Yorktown squadron fragments.

[BillBrown]

My 2 cents. In this scenario the only thing that is important is to not lose Port Moseby as the Allies.
What happens around Guadalcanal is unimportant.

I move all three of the TFs( 2 CVTFs and the SCTF ) into one hec. I then have both of the CVTFs follow
the SCTF and move to the West of Milne Bay. What you want to do is to get at least one strike on
the invasion TF. If you can do that, there will not be enough force left for the Japanese to
take PM.

[Energisteron]

Thanks again, guys

All very useful insights.

CV Lexington gets some attention today as you will see shortly.

[Energisteron]

May 06 - Day 03

As it happened:-

Our Sub S-44 near the Milne Bay bottleneck identifies and attacks a small enemy Transport TF (2x xAK + minesweeper escorts only) but without success. The enemy escort is small and ineffective and the S-44 escapes unscathed.

Then occurs the turning point for the day. The Commander of CV Lexington disregards orders which were to loop to the south before heading towards Port Moresby and flees in the face of the oncoming enemy CV. Thus the Australian Surface Combat TF which proceeds as planned is left with no LRCAP! As it happens we escape with less damage than we deserved. Our 15xWildcat CAP is effective when CV Lexington is attacked by 9xKates and 8xVals escorted by 6xZeros. Half the Kates and a couple of Vals are shot down but CV Lexington is hit by 5 bomblets that start fires which are soon extinguished. She heads for Noumea. Damage is minimal. Two pin-prick retaliatory raids are mounted with 6xDauntless apiece. Both raids are entirely ineffective and take 50% losses.

Left to its fate, the Australian TF is pounded by two raids with Vals and Kates. The enemy, too wise by far, does not even provide an escort! In the event, only CL Hobart is hit, but the damage is quite severe.

And, not surprisingly, 17xNells, land-based aircraft, attack Port Moresby. Damage is fairly light.

Land-based aircraft on the Australian mainland are moved north in stages. It is hoped to mount an air campaign against any lodgement the enemy gain near Port Moresby. Worryingly, Japanese Recon aircraft are spotted along the Australian coast from Cooktown to Townsville.

Time to lick our wounds and think again!

[Energisteron]

May 07 - Day 04

Today's plans; effectively it's 'Runaway!'.

Well, not quite. Certainly, the Surface Combat TF cannot operate without air cover from Lexington so a move away to the SW is indicated. CV Lexington must use its damage as a ruse and feign withdrawal, lose her pursuers, then return to have another bite.

Every sub we have will now concentrate on the Milne Bay bottleneck.

It seems I can neither resupply nor reinforce Port Moresby with LCUs because I have zero Freighters along the whole of the Australian coast!

We now have Warhawks operating from Port Moresby, and Mitchells from Townsville. The Wirraways may try their luck against the approaching Transports when CV Lexington returns to the scene.