Why allied always attack first

[El Savior]

I'm wondering why allied always attack first with their carrier planes. I have never seen Japan planes attacking before allied. I have more bases and good naval search planes and usually spot task force far away. But when I try to lurk my carriers near, soon allied attack with planes and I need to response. [&:]

I'm a newbie with this game, so any tips are welcome.

[Drex]

That's just the routine that the AI has: allied attacks then Axis. In reality the attacks are concurrent.

[Rainerle]

Hi, but they are not in land combat.

[El Savior]

Is it possible to surprise carrier fleet? So only one side attack and sink enemy carriers before he can even lauch counter-attack?

[Drex]

Unfortunately I can attest to the fact that your CV force can be surprised. I was trying to sneak my CVs close to GG by standing down all my planes except cap (no search planes) for fear of having my search planes discovered patroling. My opponent somehow spotted me and set his CVs in ambush. I never had a chance. Recon makes all the difference and radar helps too.

[Drex]

Actually I never noticed in land combat.

[Bobthehatchit]

ORIGINAL: El Savior

Is it possible to surprise carrier fleet? So only one side attack and sink enemy carriers before he can even lauch counter-attack?

Only managed it once off Gili-Gili with the six us Carriers against the death star (AI) sneaked in under thunder storms and ended up two hex's away for the ijn fleet, got the first and off and and sank 3 cv's and heavy damaged 2 others with no retaliatiory strikes. At which point i high tailed it out of the area. My finest day!

[AmiralLaurent]

Has allready been surprised by an enemy CV TF hitting my CV, damagaing 3 and sinking two without any return raid on my side. Really bad news as most Vals and Kates and crews were lost still aboard my CV, as they didn't fly and so couldn't divert to a land base. And of course the USN CV escapes without any damage.

[Bobthehatchit]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Has allready been surprised by an enemy CV TF hitting my CV, damagaing 3 and sinking two without any return raid on my side. Really bad news as most Vals and Kates and crews were lost still aboard my CV, as they didn't fly and so couldn't divert to a land base. And of course the USN CV escapes without any damage.

Yeah been on the receiving end of that as well. Really messes up your day[:@]. Decent recon/ naval search and the right weather conditions are the answer but it still comes down to luck, I have fought and re-fought the coral sea engagment many time with results ranging from a complete allied/ijn victory ( no major ship losses/heavy damage) to the all five carrier being sunk or atleast requiring a return to PH or Japan respectively.

Thats why this game is so edictive![:D]

[grraven2004]

I am playing scenario 19 pbem. I am IJN. We are at 12/25/42. In our game we have had 2 large carrier clashes. The first one was off Cairns. I had the KB intact waiting for him to commit his CV's. When he finally did he launched on me and sunk Akagi and the 3 cvl's. The Kaga sank one hex outside a port [:@]. My response was to attack and supply convoy instead of his CV's. Needless to say that blunted my offensive might my alot. This battle was around late July I think. I had to send Shokaku back to repairs and I have kept Zuikaku in theatre with about 22-24 sys damage because I just couldn't afford to have her out of action.

My opponent started getting bold and after I was able to rebuild my lost airgroups and get the Hiyo in theatre I parked my CV's at tulagi in port. He crept up near Gudalcanal on the east side of the Solomans and I was able to keep track of his air attacks on Lunga. When I though his airgroups were fatigued I pounced on him. He had Enterprise, Yorktown, Hornet, and Wasp. I was able to attack and severly hurt that force while his planes stayed on the deck. He never launched a plane other that CAP [:)].

[barbarrossa]

ORIGINAL: grraven2004

I am playing scenario 19 pbem. I am IJN. We are at 12/25/42. In our game we have had 2 large carrier clashes. The first one was off Cairns. I had the KB intact waiting for him to commit his CV's. When he finally did he launched on me and sunk Akagi and the 3 cvl's. The Kaga sank one hex outside a port [:@]. My response was to attack and supply convoy instead of his CV's. Needless to say that blunted my offensive might my alot. This battle was around late July I think. I had to send Shokaku back to repairs and I have kept Zuikaku in theatre with about 22-24 sys damage because I just couldn't afford to have her out of action.

My opponent started getting bold and after I was able to rebuild my lost airgroups and get the Hiyo in theatre I parked my CV's at tulagi in port. He crept up near Gudalcanal on the east side of the Solomans and I was able to keep track of his air attacks on Lunga. When I though his airgroups were fatigued I pounced on him. He had Enterprise, Yorktown, Hornet, and Wasp. I was able to attack and severly hurt that force while his planes stayed on the deck. He never launched a plane other that CAP [:)].

That's really nasty man! Outstanding!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm,make sure you've got some sort of NAV RECON out next time Eh?

[Veer]

ORIGINAL: El Savior

Is it possible to surprise carrier fleet? So only one side attack and sink enemy carriers before he can even lauch counter-attack?

Yes... it's all in spotting. If youre planes spot the oppossing carrier force, and his does not spot yours, he won't launch any attacks against you.

[Hartley]

Those Mavis planes seem to spot anything bigger than a 2-3 ship TF, almost anywhere on the map.