Curious Anomaly ?

[Captain Ed]

Playing the Coral Sea against my long time PBEM partner. I am Japan. I was able to join my CVs into one TF escorted with assorted Warships. I sent this TF towards Cooktown,in hopes of intercepting the Allied CVTF. I had also assembled a Surface Action force consisting of Cruisers and DDs and set it to follow my CV TF. I made contact and a strike was launched it was successful. The incoming Strike which always seemed to happen in WITP went after my surface action TF and pummelled them, but left MY CV TF alone, even though were in the same hex. Next Turn same thing happened I wasted his remaining CV and the incoming strike went after my Surface action TF and pummelled them again leaving my CVTF alone. This was great from my perspective, but was wondering if this might be a regular occurrance. Is this a tactic to be exploited, you know, always have a Surface Action TF in the same hex as your CVTF. Will the AI always go after them first.[:)]

[Canoerebel]

No, I don't think that's always going to happen.  I was playing Coral Sea as Allies against AI and had a surface combat TF in a hex with two CV TFs.  The Jap carriers launched strikes that targeted only my CV TFs.

[NormS3]

Same here. Jap carriers went after US CVs despite BB task force in same hex. Guadalcanal Senario