Use of Force Z?

[lll]

Where best to use force Z (Prince of Wales and Repluse). Retreat to DEI (Java), retreat to Bay of Bengal, retreat to Australia, defend Malaya?

[moses]

I prefer the DEI where it is relativily safe for a while and able to act if Japan gets overly aggressive and starts employing weakly supported invasions. You can always retreat to Austrailia/India later.

[fabertong]

I like to use them in the DEI, but beware of the bettys and nells........One torp hit, and Repulse rolled over, in one of pbem games. Fair enough I was being too aggressive with force Z. Also if in the DEI you can shift them on to Darwin, and protect North Oz..........

[Sardaukar]

PoW is *the* most powerful "Flak-ship" (AAA) in game before arrival of the South Dakotas and Iowas, so it's useful to save to accompany later Brit carriers.

Cheers,

M.S.

[String]

Hm, read up on my use of Force Z in the 3vs3 PBEM AAR. I used the Balikpapan-Tarakan-TaviTavi area to great advantage, all those bases are 5 hexes from one another, which means that force Z can strike at night and retreat to relative safety of aircover by day.

[Nikademus]

Send them to Saigon for a visit. All English ships are welcome.

-Tojo

[Hoplosternum]

Having been on the receiving end of String's Force Z off Eastern Borneo / South PI I can agree it can do a lot of damage there. I was so impressed I'll probably use it ther myself instead of fleeing for Oz.

Force Z is wasted in the Indian Ocean IMHO. If the IJN sends CVs or lots of Betty's there the RN is toast outside of it's ports whether Force Z is there or not. PoW and Repulse are little better than the slow R class BBs for bombardments and anoying the Japanese if he does not send much there. So send them where they will be used - DEI or the Pacific. Although you don't want them sunk they are expendable. You won't miss them once the Dakotas etc arrive in late '42 but they can be very useful before then. So don't let them rot away in Melborne or Bombay and get them raiding the Japanese [:D]

[Hoplosternum]

PS to String.

What has happened to the 3v3 game?

[Speedysteve]

Leave them in the Malacca Straight for my Nells to have a go at. Eh Werner? [;)]

In all seriousness. POW especially is a powerful surface unit that only Nagato and Mutsu can successfully engage on an even keel or better at game start. They have the potential to create havoc provided there is neither Nells/Betties around or Nagato class.

[bradfordkay]

I still use them to make one strike against the Khota Bharu landings, as Winston intended. If you transfer fighters to Kuantan and that other airbase just outside of Singapore, you can give them effective air cover for this attack. Every time I have done so, the Japanese BBs and CAs covering the landings have to withdraw for reapairs/ammo/fear, leaving the transports open to air atttacks. The times I have not used Force Z to attack those landings, the Jap surface combat TFs absorb nearly all my airstrikes, chewing up the Malayan air force. Only once in seven attempts have I lost one of these two fine ships in such an attempt.

[Mr.Frag]

Send them to Saigon for a visit. All English ships are welcome.

Thats actually quite funny, I was seriously temped to do that in our game ... think of all them Nells going up in flames if I made it there due to weather!

[Nikademus]

come to Butthead....huh huh huh huh huh huh huh

[Speedysteve]

[:D]

[String]

ORIGINAL: Hoplosternum

PS to String.

What has happened to the 3v3 game?

I have no idea, i recieved the replays from Amirallaurent but I havent recieved the turn.

[Sardaukar]

RN have very few truly good BBs in Pacific..so throwing away PoW in bombardment attacks is bit of waste. Plenty of R-class 20-knot crap available for that [:'(]. Same is true with USN oldies, but in 1944 most of US BBs are fitted with *heavy* AA-weaponry too. PoW just does that lot earlier, though. And as others have said, only Yamato really outclasses it in surface combat before SD and Iowa..

Cheers,

M.S.

[Nikademus]

RN BB's are useless pieces of ****

Please proceed to your nearest Nipponese outlet to have your scrap metal converted into compact cars.

Now with more locations and extended hours!

-Tojo
President
Nipponese scrap recycling Co
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity sphere
www.weruleyousuck.asia.com.ja.money.fanboys_r_us

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: Hoplosternum

PS to String.

What has happened to the 3v3 game?

I have no idea, i recieved the replays from Amirallaurent but I havent recieved the turn.

Sorry to hijack the thread but I sent the turn to Mogami on Sunday IIRC.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

RN BB's are useless pieces of ****

Mostly true !!
But, PoW and late war KG V etc. can have value, though. And Richelieu, if considering French as part of RN [:D]. Usually then they are "flak-ships" for CV TFs, just like fast US BBs. Slow ones will hammer IJA bases just as well as USN oldies, tho [:'(].

Cheers,

M.S.

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar


Mostly true !!
But, PoW and late war KG V etc. can have value, though. And Richelieu, if considering French as part of RN [:D]. Usually then they are "flak-ships" for CV TFs, just like fast US BBs. Slow ones will hammer IJA bases just as well as USN oldies, tho [:'(].

Lies! Propaganda! Environmentally Unfriendly!

Dont listen to him folks.....obviously a metal_Fanboy. Probably listens to Metallica too much. Dont waste metal! Contact your nearest Nipponese outlet right away!

Ask for Betty.

[Sardaukar]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

Ask for Betty.

Ouch !! Those chicks are b*tch for PoW !! [:D] Shades of my first WitP bombardment effort !! [;)]

Cheers,

M.S.