Japan AAR 1890 take 2

[mrchuck]

Due to a vast number of NMIs over the last six months, I had to abandon my previous Japan AAR and I'm starting again.

Initial comments as before, I like an 1890 start because earlier gun actions are more fun, and you get more control over what you end up with between 1910 and the 40s during the most interesting period of naval warfare.

Japan starting position pretty awful. I still don't like building small and nasty Bs so concentrate on cruisers until our yards can make something decent. I don't have the funds to build something more ambitious overseas.

Precisely one B with 2x9".

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Under construction:

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One fairly useless CA. Not going to complete it, it's not worth it.
Egads! Terrible!

So, building yards and making divisions. The CLs are better armed than the CAs...

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This looks like a much more worthwhile CL to me. Salient points: 21kts, 6" main, 6x TTs for all around firing during a melee, which is how I like to fight CLs in this period, and why I lose so many. But usually inflict disproportionate casualties in the process.

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(continues)

[mrchuck]

Research: set to 10% with the most critical areas IMO set to High:

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Doctrine. Gunnery in this era is pretty woeful so emphasising that and Night fighting, which gives this navy a useful edge.

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I will switch to Torpedo warfare from gunnery when torps have developed a bit, and switch Torpedo tech to high in research once it appears.

I don't really want to be fighting for at least a few years if I can avoid it. The IJN as it sits isn't battleworthy.

(continues)

[mrchuck]

Building 3 of the CLs.

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Yards at 18000/38000, might pick up some extra investment as well.

First event. While I would like the boost of an aggressive stance, right now we have to keep our heads down. Going with the middle option.

Jan 1891. Torpedo tech and Fleet tactics have appeared in the research screen. Setting both to High.

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Sept 1891. With new CLs nearly ready, the government has expanded our yards by an extra 500 tons. A reasonably useful CA can now be built.

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I like these heavily armed CAs in the early game because they will usually outgun any cruiser from the other nations. I would prefer them bigger again, but only have 7500 tons to play with. Tensions too high to risk foreign yards.

And so to construction.

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Tensions with Russia really high. Looks like I'm going to get a war I don't really want.

[mrchuck]

Oh dear.

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We're outnumbered 5:1 in the area. This is going to be tricky. No opportunity for surprise attack.

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Battle is joined.

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Or not.

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This has been going for 90 minutes and unfortunately the only CLs in range ofthe Russians have 5" popguns. They've been hitting the CA a bit and messing up the paintwork maybe, but I'm detaching the closest cruiser which is now a bit knocked around.

Turning off AI control as the AI is useless at managing damaged ships. In fact it usually does everything except send them home safely. This is a real weakness in the AI. All it needs is to follow a few simple rules:
1. Make for the nearest home port and don't stooge around in the battle area.
2. Within that, avoid recent sightings of enemies.
3. Slow down if there is flooding to give the DC parties a chance to fix it.

The AI usually does the exact opposite.

If we don't get some lucky hits on the Russians soon I'm going to break this off and accept a possible minor defeat.
(continues)

[mrchuck]

Ended up breaking off. Useless to try and catch the Russkis with this lot, and as it turned out, came out slightly ahead on the firefight.

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March 92. Battleship engagement. Now outnumbered 6:1 in the region. HOWEVER...if these Bs are unsupported, we have a shot at improving those odds. I note that the Russians will make between 14 and 16kts. Might be able to run them down with cruisers and put in a few fish, if their gunnery is obligingly awful.

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Might have caught a break here. Sunset in 5 minutes...and we've been training for night fighting.

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[mrchuck]

Spotted them in the gloom. Looks a lot like some Bs and nothing else. Here goes nothing...

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First blood. Torpedo slams home.

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This is going rather wll. CA hit too.

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(continues)

[mrchuck]

Two more fish into that B. It is almost certainly done for now.
Let's see if we can clean up the rest and radically improve our situation.

CL Takachiho has expended the torpedo which could so usefully be fired right now.

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A torp for the other B. Looks like a famous victory shaping up.

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And another for the CA (followed by yet another a minute later)

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Time to ignore those two and run down the last B.

OK, more target practice. Put another one into the CA. That's 4 now, it's toast.

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

And just like that it's over. Another torp finished off the other B, and the IJN is batting 1000.
Turns out the CA was a B after all so that's 3 out of 6 down in exchange for some scratches on the paint.

I don't know if these tactics are terribly realistic, and I have no idea why torpedo-equipped enemies don't fire back. But they don't, with the occasional exception of the French in particular. And faced by these odds, I'll take any advantage I can.

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Major victory indeed.

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[mrchuck]

April 1892.

The Russians have 3 more Bs in transit from Europe, currently off West Africa. If I can hit them hard a couple more times, this won't help them much.

Still training for gunnery and night fighting, working well so far. Next time, switching doctrine to torpedo warfare.

Two CAs building at Accelerated rate, and enough funds left over for another CL. There haven't been enough developments to make a new design worthwhile, so I'll build another to the existing one. Since I usually lose a lot of CLs, it's worth having plenty of them.

The Russians and I have declined a cruiser action each. However, here's another battleship action. Accepting this to see if we can get an edge.

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12 hours of daylight this time. Hmm...

5 minutes in: sighting report

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Two Bs and two CLs. And they're fleeing..
4th CL Div has effectively taken itself out of the battle due to misunderstood signals.

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The Russians have realised the futility of trying to get away and are now closing. Close quarters!

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

7:02 localtime: CAs fire torps with little chance of a hit, but it might constrain the movement of the Bs.

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Collision! CM rams B. I'll take that trade if it comes to that.

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Takachiho takes the opportunity to put a fish into the B while struggling free of it.

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

7.08: another torpedo hit, followed a few seconds later by yet another.

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It would be really nice if there was some kind of visual indication of which ship was hit, as with gunfire.

However I think both of these Bs are going to the bottom.
7.17: Yaeyama puts a torp into the other B.

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7.19: Chishima hits the other side.

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7.20: Izumi hits the starboard again. This B is toast.
All ships to go to cruising speed and retire. Our work here is done.
Takachiho is not managing flooding at all and is almost certainly lost.
7.58: Takachiho sinks.

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Two Bs for a light cruiser. Deal!

[mrchuck]

May 1892.

The Russians have one CL left in the area. Time to invade Sakhalin before they reinforce. Since their next detachment is currently off South Africa, this will take 3-4 months. This is 3/5 of their remaining battle fleet, so I'm not expecting any more. I've lost one (starting) CL, and been reinforced by 3 much nicer ones, which have now completed working up.

The IJN turns out to be quite battleworthy after all.

Accepted a convoy attack with an alleged intelligence bounce. I don't have a great deal of faith in these--half the time it seems the enemy actually has the bounce. Nevertheless, it seems safe enough and we're going for it.

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11.22: Just one minute in, spotted the outriders.

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Escort is three CLs. I'll leave them to the CAs and attack the convoy with my CLs.

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Change of plan. Their CLs want to go after mine; OK, the CAs will attack the merchantmen.

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

13.00: torpedo hit on one of the CLs. Bonus!

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Objective already attained, sank 2 ships plus a few.
13.08: another torp hits home.

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Retiring now, nothing more worth doing. The Russian is not pursuing--very wise.
Another +1 P

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However, the invasion of Sakhalin is postponed due to 'uncertain margin of superiority'. Say what?

[mrchuck]

June 1892.

Accepted a cruiser action to try and thin out the Russians some more. Their reinforcements are starting to arrive--one or two CAs, battleships on the way. However, my forces don't have a high enough turn of speed to catch them, so broke off the action after an hour's stern chase.

July 1892. Docks now 8500 tons. More expansion.

Invasion force sets out for Sakhalin! Invasion battle...

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About 90 mins in: the opposition

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I will close up on the convoy rather than try to chase them.

It looks two Bs have arrived to bolster the defence.

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Sunset in 3 hrs 30. They are coming to us. Time to break up the Russians and perhaps avoid night-time surprises.
One CL attending the convoy, the rest of the fleet homing in on the Russian Bs.

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

16.12: CA Asama torpedoes one of the Bs. It's out of the battle for sure, maybe sunk if we can hit it again.

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And a torp into the other B, courtesy of CL Naniwa.

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Moving back to screen the convoy and keep the Russian cruisers away. Also to provide fire support if needed.
We still have two enemy CAs that seem to want to make a nuisance of themselves.

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Everybody to cruising speed. If the Russkis want to catch up to the combat elements, I'll let them...

Now here's a thing I've never seen before. We reached the beaches in daylight in the first 370 minutes, with another 1000 to run and just 30 minutes of daylight left.

According to the game, we can now just forget about the invasion fleet and chase Russians, or even go home. Goes against the grain, but there is no percentage in taking on shore batteries with this generation of ships. The gunnery is too bad, and the guns too ineffective.

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Chase Russians of course!
(cont)

[mrchuck]

20.04: Night action, and here are the enemy once again doing mad stuff against the coastline.

It would be really great if the devs could cure the AI of this behaviour.

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I would say they're retiring. Once it's definite, so will I.

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We seem to have stumbled across a damaged and retiring ship--could be one of the Bs. Closing to investigate.

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Well, whatever it is, we just torpedoed it.

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

Three times.

Heading for home and letting the timer run down.
A decisive victory.

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[mrchuck]

August 1892. Cruiser action, night.

Could get interesting!

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Is interesting, We're right on top of each other.

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Lucky break! CL blows up.

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And a torp into one of the CAs.

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(cont)

[mrchuck]

23.28: and have another

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The remaining CA is manoeuvring frantically to escape the trap.

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Without success.

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23.41: CA struck by torpedo again.
23.42: and again

Retiring, that'll do nicely.
Tonight's bag: 2 CAs, CL.

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[mrchuck]

Sept 1892.
The Russians are still feeding reinforcements into the area piecemeal. A B and some cruisers on the way--and very little left in Europe. It will take them a long time to recover. However, I won't have any new build for more than a year.
Apart from some commerce raiding by the Russians, quiet month.

Oct 1892.

I'm now getting more concerned about the Chinese than the Russians. They are up to 7B, most likely not very good but all it takes is a lucky hit to ruin your day. And China is very hostile to us.

Battleship engagement. I suspect that if I can win this one, the Russians will throw in the towel. If not, I'm seriously thinking about peace. I need more ships!

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12.56: enemy sighted.

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I can hardly credit it. One B, unsupported.

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Furthermore this class will only do 14 kts. It can't get away.
13.50: Russian struck by two torpedoes on opposite beams, breaks up and sinks. It's over.

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