best practice

[bush]

All things being equal, which is a more effective method for Naval Bombardment - 2 x separate TFs or combine them into one bigger one?

[RangerJoe]

It depends upon what you want to accomplish and what you have available.

[Ian R]

If you have a mix of BBs, and CAs, put them in separate TFs. The CA's will generally get in and out quicker than BBs (Iowa's excepted) and see off any surface opposition.

Edit - Also, send some DMS in first to locate/sweep any defensive mines. Losing a DMS is more acceptable than losing a BB.

[Ambassador]

In larger TF, I often see some of the ships did not fire as much as the others (which is consistent with a certain diminishing return on the TF size, past a certain point, for other types of combat), but it is more important to ensure you have a spotting plane in each bombardment TF. So, if you have only one ship with floatplanes, keep them together. Make sure the squadron is set to day/night operations according to your ETA.

By having several TF, you also limit the risk of seeing your bombardment TF lose all its operation points in combat against light surface TF, like PT boats. If you do suspect the presence of such TF, it pays to have a pair of cruisers or destroyers in a faster surface TF to sweep the defenders aside before the arrival of the big guns.

But as said above, homogeneity has a virtue all of its own. You also need to set a minimal distance (even 1), as if you leave it at 0, the TF might not close in as much as you’d want.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Ambassador

In larger TF, I often see some of the ships did not fire as much as the others (which is consistent with a certain diminishing return on the TF size, past a certain point, for other types of combat), but it is more important to ensure you have a spotting plane in each bombardment TF. So, if you have only one ship with floatplanes, keep them together. Make sure the squadron is set to day/night operations according to your ETA.

By having several TF, you also limit the risk of seeing your bombardment TF lose all its operation points in combat against light surface TF, like PT boats. If you do suspect the presence of such TF, it pays to have a pair of cruisers or destroyers in a faster surface TF to sweep the defenders aside before the arrival of the big guns.

But as said above, homogeneity has a virtue all of its own. You also need to set a minimal distance (even 1), as if you leave it at 0, the TF might not close in as much as you’d want.

I basically never set a minimum distance.

The TF not closing as much as you'd want presumably has more to do with a low detection level that causes them to not fire very much at all...

[bush]

Ok, more specifically, it is late war (March '45) and I am bombarding Tinian as the Allied player. I have 4 x New Orleans class CA and 4 x Fletcher DD. My goal is to inflict as much damage as possible to the ground units there. So, 2 x TFs of equal strength or one bigger one?

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: bush

Ok, more specifically, it is late war (March '45) and I am bombarding Tinian as the Allied player. I have 4 x New Orleans class CA and 4 x Fletcher DD. My goal is to inflict as much damage as possible to the ground units there. So, 2 x TFs of equal strength or one bigger one?

Bigger means more damage. Smaller means more fatigue, disruption, supply usage, and so on.