How to stop Bombard TG's retreating

[swagman]

I have asked this before, and probably many others have as well, as I have read the topic in other threads.

A number of times I have wanted my Bombard TG's to stay put, either to avoid them retreating next to an airbase that will bomb it out of existance, or to mount repeated attacks on the one target.

I have:
* checked the manual and followed the instructions, and the TG withdraws after bombard;
* set both "do not react" and "patrol/do not retire" ON, and the TG bombards then turns around and withdraws;
* I read the trick is to set the Bombard TG to follow a surface combat TG with the destination as the target hex, which I have done and the bombard TG simply withdraws on the spot without following the lead TG to target.

Someone out there must know how to do this. I am playing v 2.3

[Shadow of the Condor]

As to the TF retreating, it probably isn't anything to do with your initial commands (do not retire, etc.) but most likely the state of the convoy after the bombardment. Check out section 8.10 of the manual on page 29 for the events that will trigger returns to a home base. Lack of fuel is most often the culprit. Out of ammo is a close second, especially for BBs.

[swagman]

I have been replaying and replaying the turn trying to work it out.

Since it hadn't fired a shot, there was plenty of ammo.

The Bombard TG had Noumea as home base, so I changed it to Gilli to ensure it had lots of fuel. It still withdrew to Gilli without proceeding to the target (Rabul).

At Gilli I changed the TG commander from Captain Gatch with Leadership 59/Inspiration 59 to RADN HILl with 55/58. It then bombarded.

Another issue. The Bombard TG had 10BB/AC, 10 DD's and 4 DMS. It did hardly any damage...had about 30 hits destroying 5 planes. At Lunga, the Japs with smaller forces can have 100 + hits. I then split the TG and tried again. This time one achieved zero hits and the other 15. Does this have something to do with the size of Rabaul and the number of CD units, or is it a querk.

I have had other strange behaviour, like a CVE TG reacting to an enemy carrier group, although the CVE TG was set to Do NOT react. Can the TG commander ignore the unit settings and react anyway? The commander was only Competency 40/Inspiration 55, so was not all they great.

As well, where is the commander aggression rating shown. I here a lot of talk about it, but all I can see is competency and inspiration ratings.

[LargeSlowTarget]

I keep my bombardment TFs on station by having them follow/do not react the transport TF with my invasion force. The bombardment TF will bombard, revert to surface TF, but stays with the transports at the target hex - so I can simply reassign a bombardment mission in the next order phase. The bombardment TF will retreat inexorably when low on ammo. Of course, if you want to supress a base but not invade it, this approach isn't feasible. But since bombarment mission do not cause much or lasting damage at well-stocked bases with plenty of ENG units and full of a/c (the kind of base you want to supress), they are futile anyway.

CV TFs can react one hex towards the enemy even if ordered not to react. I don't like this feature either.

The aggression rating is hinted in the description of each leader, i.e. 'very competent and very aggressive'. The exact values have been compiled by someone in an Excel spreadsheet, I think I got it from Spooky's UV fan page.

[pasternakski]

LST is right, of course, but I would add that you want to be very careful about running those bombardment/surface combat TFs low on ammo. If an enemy SC TF shows up at the wrong moment, you can get your @$$ handed to you big time.

[LargeSlowTarget]

Sounds like you had this unpleasant experience at least once [:D].

[pasternakski]

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Sounds like you had this unpleasant experience at least once [:D].

Amen, brother. Nothing more pathetic than Tenacious Tanaka standing on the bridge of the Yamato with nothing but empty sake bottles to throw at the approaching half-dozen CAs. Fortunately, I had several cruisers and destroyers along with torpedoes, so it wasn't a complete disaster, but Yamato wound up with so many 8" shells piled up on her port-side decks that she developed a serious list ...

[AmiralLaurent]

My own guess is that surface TF retire to their own base after any battle. For bombardment TF, the bombardment run is considered as a battle by the game (anf the tF becames a surface TF after).

I think the tip to have if follow a transport fleet during invasion at least saves fuel and SYS damage (as the TF remained at the same place), but you have to watch ammo yourself.

As for efficiency of the bombardment, I think the crew rating, admiral rating and base size and fortification level are all taken into account. Also the "detection level" of the target (see the manual).

In your case, IJN sailors are better than USN ones, Rabaul is bigger and has better fort so there are less losses. CD guns may help but they can't do almost anything to BB and the BB are the main cause of damage during bombardment.