CVs on Screen formation

[thedoctorking]

I have quite regularly encountered this problem through several editions of the game. I think I reported it before but I couldn't find the zombie thread so I'll start a new one. When I have a CV group, apparently normally a second group when the battle generator splits my carriers up, the second group often starts in "screen" formation. This means that one of the carriers is miles away from the principal one, thus presumably not covered by the AA of the screening units. Also, because it is in screen formation and orders are typically frozen for the first 30 minutes of the encounter, I can't give the formation any orders (I get a "screen formation illegal for CV formations" error and the formation choice drop down is greyed out).

CV screen.jpg (1.06 MiB) Viewed 647 times

[thedoctorking]

Meaning that the unit will go the wrong way for 30 minutes or until the first sighting of an enemy ship. This could be a real problem if the enemy is close.

[thedoctorking]

And even after I change them to "line ahead" formation, they maintain the enormous separation between the ships that they had in "screen". You can see this in this later save from the same battle.

[MaximKI]

Thanks, we'll investigate.

[thedoctorking]

This is also happening with DDs assigned to support CLs on scout or screen orders before DDs can have screen formation. Same problem, you can't give them any orders until somebody finds the enemy or the statutory 30 minutes have passed.