Matrix Games Forums

Hi All!

I wanted to ask if anyone knows how air strikes on ships in port are done?? - maybe I'm just being a noob and I am missing something, but I can't seem to do it?.....[&:] In addition the manual makes no mention of this anywhere? [8|]

As far as I can tell they are not possible? I mean air strikes on ships in port where very common in WW2 - Pearl Harbour just being the most prominent, but in the European theater it happened many times as well. At

Romdanzer

Hello Romdanzer,

I think you are right. In ToW ships are safe in harbor from air attacks.

For the former RtV players it was already a big improvement that air attacks can be performed on ships at sea now. But that does not help you I realize.

I am not a history buff but there was also the raid on Taranto by the British which inspired Pearl harbor to a degree. Successful port raids seem to be usually surprise attacks. I am not sure if it was a daily activity of the opposing air forces to go after ships in harbors. I could imagine that ports were usually very well protected against air raids. German Uboots had even their own concrete bunkers in Atlantic ports in France.

Also purely from a gaming perspective I like the rule that there is a safe haven for my navy. But I agree it is not fully historical.

Oh Ok - thx for the answer....however in reality Ports where NOT safe havens ..... almost the opposite - ships in port where VERY venerable when in range of enemy air - that's the whole point! LOCATION of the port was everything. That's why aircraft carriers where also so important - and still are - ships in port are lame ducks....

1) The american aircraft carriers where NOT in the port of Pearl Harbour on the 7th of december, 1941 - but at sea....(!) that's what saved them
2) The whole reason for the operation Cerberus (also called "channel dash" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Dash) was that Brest was in range of British aircraft and hence NOT a safe haven for German capital ships - the ports in Germany where
3) The British home fleet was stationed in Scapa Flow to also, amoungst other things, be out of range of german aircraft
4) The island hopping in the pacific was also driven by locations of airports/airstrips and the range of these to enemy ports and sealanes...
etc..etc...

Many reasons to have Air strikes on ports possible. Too bad it's not modelled in ToW - vulnerability of Ships in port drove a lot of strategic decisions in WW2.

Romdanzer

I won't mention the collateral damage feature to the port's efficiency that should also be included in the model.
 
Wastelands...you listening?  One great thing I see here is you guys are getting some real good input for Bitter Glory, I'm looking forward to that release.
 
Keep the feedback coming forum......great job guys!
 

All the time we do keep our ear to the ground.
Interesting fact is a port related feature issue is already implemented in Bitter Glory, but as the game is in a half way between HoI and WItP it will last at least several months untill it is ready for release.
And also in certain moment in future the port related feature will be implemented in ToW.

3) The British home fleet was stationed in Scapa Flow to also, amoungst other things, be out of range of german aircraft

Hmm, just wonder how the Germans managed to bomb Scapa Flow in March 1940 with KG40 and KG26. The Germans also deluded themselves that the air raid was very successful and claimed 3 sunk battleships etc. But as it later turned out they just hit the stranded old Dreadnought "Iron Duke" instead.

I also think that port facility destruction is nicely modeled in ToW with the existing "strategic bombing" feature of cities (incl. ports).

Still I agree with you that a player should be given at least the chance to attack a fleet in port.