Being unlucky with CVs

[Ursa MAior]

Again on the reciieving end, I just suffered another crushing defeat on 5/28/1942 this time with the allies. My force was commanded by Mitscher and set to max (6) react to overcome my range shortage. 'Of course' I was not able to launch an attack due to the contact range of 5 hexes. I've learned from my previous battle that one should not stay too ong in one spot so this was supposed to be a hit and run attack. What should I do differently next time? Let the IJN run amok? Bring the two british CVs to AUS? Wait for wasp and try to contest the waters when I have equal numbers?

ay Air attack on TF at 66,112

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 67
D3A Val x 100
B5N Kate x 153

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10
F4F-4 Wildcat x 44

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed, 10 damaged
D3A Val: 2 destroyed, 28 damaged
B5N Kate: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 9 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 21 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CV Enterprise, Bomb hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
CA Northampton, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 19, on fire, heavy damage
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 14, on fire, heavy damage
CL Honolulu
CA Astoria, Bomb hits 1, on fire

[marky]

i usually wait till i have at least 4 carriers

u need to LOAD ur tfs with AA escorts, CLAAs and CAs along with AA destroyers, along with fast battleships

u cna also load sum marine wildcats on the carriers

wat i also do is have several forces with my carriers, which simply gives the ai sumthing else to hit


also keep in mind the zero gets a bonus over all allied fighters till about july if i remember right, and still


keep in mind that these jap pilots r the CREAM of the crop, trained in prewar manner wher only THE BEST were given wings

[marky]

also befiore u engage, u can keep ALL fighters on 100 cap, which will increase ur odds as well of course combined with a large task group and HEAVY AA escort

alweays keep the most modern destroyers with ur carriers, wen u build the TF RIGHT click on ships and select those with the highest AA value

[marky]

however if ur going to do a defensive fight first make sure u set ur bombers to STAND DOWN or theyll go in without escort, and that usually has bad results [:'(]


and dont go for react untill u have supremacy, that is, Hellcats and HEAVY AA escort and at LEAST 4 or 5 carriers

otherwise commanders like halsy and mitscher, who was a WISCONSIN man btw[:D]


will chase the death starz accross the pacific

and if u have the avengers, set them all to 10 percent search and max range, and try to avoid a carrier battle dtil u DO have the avengers

[marky]

and of course try to engage the KB within range of land based fighter cover


remember every little bit helps, and keep a stand alone ASW force with the carriers or the jap subz will make u scream in terror[X(]

just maximise ships, AA, CAP(but not at exspense of escort) number of TFs in the area, and remember that sum bombers WILL probly break thru, but if u cost them heavy in zeros the Noble Dauntlesses will blow them outta the water

the main threat to USN carriers especially early on is Kates

[marky]

tho i did bring 3 RN carriers with their fighters to the Pacific Fleet, so the japs would have sumthin else to bomb[:'(]

and also the RN carriers have heavier deck armor, wheras USN and IJN carriers dont really have much to speak of on their flight decks

[marky]

aww crap i forgot u cant delete ur own posts, sorry guyz!




but in general, before u engage the death star, make sure u got luke skywalker

[:D]


also make sure u got no ops points and their full of fuel, and DONT REFUEL RIGHT BEFORE A MAJOR BATTLE

[Miller]

Do not even attempt to attack the KB until every ship has had its 10/42 upgrade and TBFs have replaced the TBDs. Its as simply as that really.

[marky]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Do not even attempt to attack the KB until every ship has had its 10/42 upgrade

another good point

heh[:D]

[Mike Scholl]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Do not even attempt to attack the KB until every ship has had its 10/42 upgrade and TBFs have replaced the TBDs. Its as simply as that really.

Doesn't mean you can't go out and use your CV's..., but be really sure where KB is and use them someplace else.

[Ursa MAior]

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl

ORIGINAL: Miller

Do not even attempt to attack the KB until every ship has had its 10/42 upgrade and TBFs have replaced the TBDs. Its as simply as that really.

Doesn't mean you can't go out and use your CV's..., but be really sure where KB is and use them someplace else.

So true. I forgot to send PBYs to Luganville so I did not have a clue where the KB was. Well it was right on the next corner. [:(]. I have not intended to attack the KB I tried to clear the way for a reinf TF to Lunga. PTs minesweepers atc were reported from there.

[Sardonic]

Actually I disagree. The auto-replacement rule of CV suggests that you lose the USN CV as fast as possible.
Strip the CV of the good commanders and go hunting for the IJN.
Remember to replace the TF commander as well.

He wont be expecting it.

Use the really bad CL and CA as escorts also. They get replaced as well.

[kilowatts]

marky has a good point ... at this point in the war no more than 2 CVs per TF for the allies. IMHO The reaction setting is useless - don't rely on it.

Generally be pro-active, not responsive. Use the carriers on specfic, preferrably defenceless, targets. If KB is not damaged or split-up then yes you'll generally need to stay out of it's way. Find something else and stomp it.

It's tough defending down in the South Pacific in '42. If the japanese want something badly enough to send a large carrier force after it there's no much you can do to prevent an attack. One option is to hang back a day or two and then attack the, hopefully, tired carriers.

[Ursa MAior]

Well its the first time I play the allies in a grand campaign so I have no experience in this area. Thios ws a good lesson.

[Big B]

Well, lots of good advice above, but let me add an observation or two.

Yes, the USN 'Big 5' can kick the crap out of the KB as early as May 42 - but you need to fight only where YOU WANT to fight - that means:
1) In friendly waters where you have the Patrol Planes and he does not.
2) Where you have a lot of Land based Air to help out and or reinforce carrier planes lost.
3) Where you have friendly ports nearby for cripples to go to - and he'll have to sail a thousand miles with burning sinking cripples.

In other words - prepare your battlefield. [;)]... no such thing as a 'Fair Fight'!

B

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: kilowatts
Generally be pro-active, not responsive. Use the carriers on specfic, preferrably defenceless, targets.

There are very few (if any) targets out of Betty/Nell range in 1942. I learned that one the hard way.....

[Ursa MAior]

ORIGINAL: Big B

Well, lots of good advice above, but let me add an observation or two.

Yes, the USN 'Big 5' can kick the crap out of the KB as early as May 42 - but you need to fight only where YOU WANT to fight - that means:
1) In friendly waters where you have the Patrol Planes and he does not.
2) Where you have a lot of Land based Air to help out and or reinforce carrier planes lost.
3) Where you have friendly ports nearby for cripples to go to - and he'll have to sail a thousand miles with burning sinking cripples.

In other words - prepare your battlefield. [;)]... no such thing as a 'Fair Fight'!

B

Thanks for your help.

I will ask for another good advice then. How do you defend Lunga in May 1, 1942? Most of the above does not apply.

[Big B]

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior

ORIGINAL: Big B

Well, lots of good advice above, but let me add an observation or two.

Yes, the USN 'Big 5' can kick the crap out of the KB as early as May 42 - but you need to fight only where YOU WANT to fight - that means:
1) In friendly waters where you have the Patrol Planes and he does not.
2) Where you have a lot of Land based Air to help out and or reinforce carrier planes lost.
3) Where you have friendly ports nearby for cripples to go to - and he'll have to sail a thousand miles with burning sinking cripples.

In other words - prepare your battlefield. [;)]... no such thing as a 'Fair Fight'!

B

Thanks for your help.

I will ask for another good advice then. How do you defend Lunga in May 1, 1942? Most of the above does not apply.

If most of the above does not apply - you are breaking the rule "Only Fight Where YOU WANT" - so don't fight there, fight at Noumea instead.
You may have to let Guadalcanal go for a while.

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: Miller

ORIGINAL: kilowatts
Generally be pro-active, not responsive. Use the carriers on specfic, preferrably defenceless, targets.

There are very few (if any) targets out of Betty/Nell range in 1942. I learned that one the hard way.....

Sadly, they are cowards and will not fly against a stong CV TF without a Zero escort. In my PBEM in June 43 2 CVs are enough to make over 200 Bettys chicken out from a strike at normal range. [:@]

[Ursa MAior]

ORIGINAL: Big B

ORIGINAL: Ursa MAior

ORIGINAL: Big B

Well, lots of good advice above, but let me add an observation or two.

Yes, the USN 'Big 5' can kick the crap out of the KB as early as May 42 - but you need to fight only where YOU WANT to fight - that means:
1) In friendly waters where you have the Patrol Planes and he does not.
2) Where you have a lot of Land based Air to help out and or reinforce carrier planes lost.
3) Where you have friendly ports nearby for cripples to go to - and he'll have to sail a thousand miles with burning sinking cripples.

In other words - prepare your battlefield. [;)]... no such thing as a 'Fair Fight'!

B

Thanks for your help.

I will ask for another good advice then. How do you defend Lunga in May 1, 1942? Most of the above does not apply.

If most of the above does not apply - you are breaking the rule "Only Fight Where YOU WANT" - so don't fight there, fight at Noumea instead.
You may have to let Guadalcanal go for a while.

Yep, seems like I dont have any other choice.