Originally posted by denisonh
Not to sure about the mechanics of naval search, but I know that I will often move the TFs in seperate hexes well way from the battle area to mask my movement.
As I approach the engagment area, then I will concentrate them.
I have achieved surprise on opponents at least 3 times in my PBEM games. Total suprise twice, which may have been more of a function of my opponent's search aircraft (or lack there of).
No more than a 15 ship TF is a good rule that I follow. The manual makes it clear TFs "that consist of more than 15 ships suffer diminishing returns in effectiveness defending themselves against air attack and fighting in surface battles." I have no reason to believe otherwise.
As for the AA, a 15 ship TF will have better AA than a 10 ship TF, but if those 5 are DDs, how much better is it? (Later in the game the US AA gets better and has more capital ships, but initially, the DDs have low AA and there are fewer capital ships).
A TF with 2-3 CVs, 3-4 CA/CLs and 4-5 DDs has a good AA rating. The remaining CA/CLs are in surface combat TFs.
And as for CAP, absolutely no difference, as it is all combined in the hex.
Being harder to track down and harder to kill are important for the US early in SC#17 to survive. Smaller TFs are no longer necessary later in the game, but I still go with multiple CV TFs to minimize vulnerability.
And as a point of operation, I will often set the 2 CV TFs to follow the surface TF. Keeps them from doing the 1 hex advance and I only have to order one TF around..
Well I hope you dont include our game in that 'surprise' you achieved. You didnt surprise the CV task force.
You may or may not have surprised the surface combat I have that detail turned off. So I wont contest that.
