KB encounter Enterprise in first turn

[splashell]

Interesting, just started PBEM and we get first turn CV surface encounter in 165, 104 (SW of French Frigate shoal). The other participant says he had original KB route order (i.e. north of Midway etc. Has anyone seen this before?

[Alfred]

This will not happen if Historical First Turn option was selected.  If not selected it can occur if the Japanese player deliberately goes hunting for the American carriers.
 
Alfred

[gervabit]

I am the opponent, the KB did not receive any change of course or commander, nor were the orders of the planes changed for naval attack. The first time something like this happens to me.
We are playing DaBigBabes-A, Stock Map, Dec. 7 Start with stack limit

[Alfred]

And I repeat this will not happen with Historical First Turn Selected.  With that selection you don't get a chance to alter orders.
 
Alfred

[splashell]

I remember reading an AAR (don't remember which) but there was an exact same occurrence and iirc it was never really figured out why. Maybe it was an occurrence of the right/wrong planets lining up and we can get on with this now. I altered Enterprise course a bit south to see what happens. Definitely I wouldn't have accepted an outcome of first turn CV hunting and the turn would have been made again in this regard, in any case. (Indeed the new turn has the same Japanese initial orders, only Allied had to make orders again, but it would've been interesting to see if this situation could've been replicated).

[Jorge_Stanbury]

did they fight?

if they didn't, a simple gentlemen pact: neither TF can launch naval attacks for one or two turns

[splashell]

The TFs both withdrew and allied orders were given again (though saved them to different slot as well to save time if happens again ). I think Japan would have lost the opportunity for PH attack, being so far away and unable to attack CVs as well.

[Hoplosternum]

This sort of happened to me.

We were not using historic first turn and I had moved the Pearl attack carriers by a couple of hexes (but still to attack Pearl).

They met Lexington even though my path took KB north of Midway so I didn't see how it could have occurred.

We redid the turn as apart from Kaga and Lexington trading a few volleys (no hits I think) the Pearl attack was aborted.

KB aborted half way back to Japan so she was completely out of position for everything. It would have been different if I had tried some move. If those go wrong you just have to wear it. But I was only trying to move the attack a couple of hexes.

I looked at my pre-end turn save and the path should not have taken KB so far south to meet Lexington. It is possible I suppose that I altered the turn in error afterwards just before completing the turn but I don't think so. And the battle happened quite far south so I don't think it was the allied player moving Lex to try and bag the replenishment tankers either.

We both agreed to a redo where I did NOT alter the Pearl strike.

[BBfanboy]

On a non-historical start, I wonder if it is possible that both sides got really good D/Ls on the enemy and reacted toward each other? I think Enterprise would have had to be ordered E or NE to get close enough for the same hex encounter.

[DesertWolf101]

In a non-historical start, it is possible to interdict the KB move, thus depriving it of a PH attack by sending it back to port. For instance, if the Allied side moves the Lex TF to hex 155,104 and have it remain on station, it will intercept the KB on its normal route to PH (even if the game shows the route going north of Midway - something to do with the magic jump?). You can counter this by setting different waypoints towards PH to shift the default route. I learned of this recently when I investigated the phenomenon when it occurred to a youtuber playing AE I was watching. IMO, I consider this a pretty gamey trick if done deliberately. That is not to say I believe it was deliberate for you guys - it is possible for these intercepts to occur accidentally.