Kill CD Guns

[Yava]

I usually like to soften the target from the air and later send a few BBs...[:)]

[Saso]

You can also use the "follow" command, but then your bombardment force will have all the disadvantages of slow movement since most purpose-built or converted trawler MSW only travel at 12 to 16 knots. On the plus side, most of the CD fire will usually fall on the bombardment TF so your MSWs will be better off than in independent in-hex sweeping operations. Rockmedic109 is right that the Allied DMS ships are a nice exception to that rule if you're on the Allied side.
The disadvantage is that you need air superiority to cover your minesweepers with the "patrol/don't retire" toggle to sweep for mines, give up surprise, and take more time since there seems to be a capacity of about 20 +/- a randomization factor for minesweeping capacity per MSW per day.  You are also likely to lose some minesweepers against dense minefields.

All straight.

I am pretty sure you can sweep from the adjacent hex.

Ehm...here I don't understand you.

It's a trade-off:  are there minefields or not?, do I risk my high-value ships or not?, do I have the MSW assets and supporting assets to run a MSW mission or not?, does the MSW mission give my opponent an opportunity to set an ambush (or can I use the MSW mission as a feint) or not?  

At the moment I have played only against AI and I think that it don't use the mines, is there a way to spot a minefield?


General: thanks for ther hints [:)]

[String]

MSW's do sweep adjacent hexes when they've cleared their own hex of mines. And they do get shot by CD guns. Found that out when sweeping a hex next to bataan as IJN.

[bradfordkay]

" quote:

I am pretty sure you can sweep from the adjacent hex.



Ehm...here I don't understand you. "

When you give an MSW TF a destination, they will also sweep bases in hexes next to the one which is designated as their destination. I do not know if this works when a non-base is the destination or if it only works for bases which are adjacent to each other as I have not made much use of this feature.



"is there a way to spot a minefield? "

Only by feel! Sorry, but the only way to spot a minefield is to send a TF through that location. If you suspect that mines will be in a hex, it is best to include MSWs in your TF - otherwise DDs and PGs seem to be fairly efficient at clearing mines.

[engineer]

"is there a way to spot a minefield? "

Only by feel! Sorry, but the only way to spot a minefield is to send a TF through that location. If you suspect that mines will be in a hex, it is best to include MSWs in your TF - otherwise DDs and PGs seem to be fairly efficient at clearing mines.

You can run a minesweeping mission in a given hex and if there is a minefield there that the MSW finds, there will be message that an enemy minefield was detected and a path was cleared.  This is what all those endless singleton minesweepers are for in the various ports.  Subs and bombers can lay mines all over and sub minefields are thin, but laid in secret.  I haven't seen the AI use mines at Historical difficulty, but against a human player, it's probably a good idea to sweep your ports every so often.  The AI will run MSW sweeps every so often. In a bit of over-intelligence, I used subs to mine Kwajelein and then got a report back that the AI had detected and swept the field with its MSW.

[John Lansford]

In my 1942 campaign vs the AI I got a "enemy minefield detected" warning a few weeks after I invaded Guadalcanal. Since there wasn't a minefield there when I invaded it must have been laid by subs, but that's the only one I'm aware of so far.

[rockmedic109]

If you are sweeping an enemy defensive minefield, beware of PT boats.  PT boats will engage minsweepers as they move in to sweep mines and the PT boats will win this battle even if their torps miss.  The AFB in me cringes when I say this but I think a SCTF of a few DDs following the minesweepers might help prevent this.

[Saso]

Only by feel! Sorry, but the only way to spot a minefield is to send a TF through that location.

Yes, sorry a silly question.

but against a human player, it's probably a good idea to sweep your ports every so often.

Ok, but if I lay mines into port and then I use an MSW TF what happen?
I sweep only the enemy mines or all mines?

[Gen.Hoepner]

If the port is yours u won't sweep any mines of yours.
But, if the port is enemy's and you lay mines there, then if you send MSWs there you'll sweep also your own mines (afaik).
 
 

[Saso]

All straight, grazie.

[Rainer]

Correct.
I always sweep mines at ports before my forces land there. Those mines had been laid by my mine layers when the port was still in the enemy's hands.
I learned the necessity to do this the hard way. One of my transports was blown up by a "friendly" mine.

[DW]

Got it.

Thanks guys.