Matrix Games Forums

RangerJoe wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 8:25 pm

Sardaukar wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 3:20 pm

Yaab wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:17 am It doesn't affect me. It is a complete non-issue for me. What good is a great, hand-picked TF leader, if a Kate torpedo bomber, armed with bombs, can put a 500 lb bomb through a smokestack of maneuvering CL Boise from 18k feet in Heavy Rain weather?

I have suspicion that TBs using bombs will drop low, even though it does not show in combat report. They are uncannily accurate.

They are also carrying more than one bomb unless it is the 800 kg bomb, they might be sending them one at a time just like the B-17s would sometimes drop them.

I think they might somehow use at least partially torpedo attack code, since if I set normal bombers (e.g. medium level ones) to 15k, they won't hit anything or very rarely. TBs with bombs attacking TF hit way more often and I always set them to 15k.

The question about TB's using torps for Port attacks is a tough one for the Dev's. On one hand, it was done, a few times during the war. On the other, it was specifically planned. So, the devs are caught in a conundrum it could have happened, but it requires "special" planning. The catch is that there is no "special" planning feature in the game.

Personally, yes, I would like the feature BUT given how the game is coded I think the devs have chosen the best solution. Look at the other options:

1. Add a new feature "special" planning to allow for TB's to carry torps on port attacks. Maybe it costs 5000 supply to enable this "special" attack. Something like that. Doable, BUT not happening as it is not in the scope of the upgrade.

2. Allow Torp port attacks on a random basis, say 10% of the time. Not a fan of this because it takes away from the whole point of this being a specific "plan". Also, not in the scope, so likely not doable.

3. Allow torp port attacks if torp chosen. Not a fan of this as these torps were specially modified. They had to leave port with them. You don't play with torps on a ship, there is a reason they have a special, separate hold for these things. They are very delicate.

So, the dev's have taken, IMHO, the only route they can. PH allows for them, but that is the only time.

The game has a special code that checks pilot experience for use of the 600+kg bombs used at PH. Only very high experience (or NavB skill?) could use them. Same could be done for NavT in a Port Attack.

Before the war most ports were seen as unsuitable for torpedo attack due to shallow water. The Japanese famously got around this issue at Pearl Harbor by installing wooden fins and a softwood breakaway nose cone on their Type 91 torpedo allowing for launching into shallow water at low altitudes. The British had their own solution at Taranto. I'm curious to how common and available these modifications were. Doesn't sound like something that would be handy at a whim but would involve some forward planning. I can't seem to seem to find any evidence that the Japanese used these torpedoes at Darwin in Australia. Mostly bombing and strafing. However, the light targets there may have been deemed unworthy of torpedoes.

Of course, that's another reason torpedoes might be scratched in a port raid. They're your best capital ship killers and you only have so many onboard. Unless you know for certain that port holds CVs, BBs and CAs your local task force commander would likely be loath to use them.

The developers also artificially limited the number of torpedoes loaded onto some aircraft carriers as well:

17 Nov 1941

Japan

Kaga arrived at Saeki Bay off Oita, Japan and embarked 100 aerial torpedoes. ww2dbase [Kaga | Oita | CPC]

https://ww2db.com/event/today/11/17

Well, I use 2 installations, it's easy.

One with michaelm's beta patch that corrects some issues in 26a/b (since I love using Bellum Pacifica map and it's not be compatible with new version of map).

Second is of course most recent, but I'll wait a bit before starting new game with it. Besides I have ongoing AAR that I really should get back into.

Weren't capital ships in ports normally surrounded by anti-torpedo netting? That would be another reason why torpedoes weren't normally used in port attacks.

AndrewV wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2024 1:08 pm Weren't capital ships in ports normally surrounded by anti-torpedo netting? That would be another reason why torpedoes weren't normally used in port attacks.

They famously weren't deployed around the battleships at Pearl Harbor because it was felt that harbor was too shallow for using torpedoes. At Taranto the British were fortunate. The Italians had scheduled a gunnery exercise at sea and spent much of the day in the extensive task of removing the torpedo nets around the ships. The exercise was canceled but the torpedo nets were not rerigged. The British also modified their torpedoes for the shallow harbor by using a wire and drum method to bellyflop them into the water instead of their going in nose first.