Finally Finished a Scenario!

[rogue]

After starting and stopping the grand campaign 100 times, I decided to play out a short scenario. So I played Coral Sea (stock) At this point I'm sure everyone is an old hand at that mission, but this is what I have learned:

First time though: Tried to play historically. I never saw the Shoho, and spotting was awful. I never knew where the Zuikaku and Shōkaku were until they were about 3 hexes from me. I sank both carriers and lost the Yorktown. But the loss of the major carriers certainly did nothing to prevent the invasion and I lost Port Moresby. Battle was considered a draw but the Japanese had a slight point advantage.

Second time: Sank the entire invasion force, never saw the Shoho and since I knew where the Zuikaku and Shōkaku were coming from, I attacked them when I was ready. But once again, spotting was not that great. I closed within 3 hexes and this time I sank both the Zuikaku and Shōkaku but lost Yorktown and Lexington.

I was a bit frustrated that the computer didn't seem to take into account strategic initiative. It seems that with the loss of the carriers the first time, the invasion would have been called off. But it is a video game and may not think like that. The second thing was the loss of the carrier air wing. I have been reading about the South Pacific battles and I was amazed how quickly the flight decks could get put back into action. It seems that in the game you get a couple of bomb hits and your whole air wing will end up in the ocean. Any words of advice?

[Gaspote]

The computer isn't really strong because it's really hard to make an AI, I think you should play the computer to learn the basics and have a head in this huge game but go in a PBEM if you want a real challenge.

The second thing was the loss of the carrier air wing. I have been reading about the South Pacific battles and I was amazed how quickly the flight decks could get put back into action. It seems that in the game you get a couple of bomb hits and your whole air wing will end up in the ocean.

If you have no where to land, all plane end in the sea, like in Midway for the jap.
Although you perhaps noticed planed diverted to the others carrier if their carrier is hit. They still usually crash because they haven't the space on the carrier.

My only advice is to always use your CV with navy plane at range of a friendly airfield, so if the cv is hit the plane diverted to the base and continue the fight from the base without overstacking the others carriers.
Although it's if a CV engagement is imminent, if you don't expect CV send them like you want but you know how it could end.

If you want to raid a really far base from any friendly base, then use some CVE fill with fighter and half of the space empty on you rear. Although using you CV so far is more risky than effective so I don't recommand this except if you know ennemy CV aren't in the area.

[rogue]

I understand the mechanics of the planes crashing without having a place to land. I guess I was just surprised that I could only get one our two raids then I was basically out of aircraft even if the carriers survived.

[czert2]

in cv vs cv it is realy normal that your cags get smashed after few actions, as it happened manytimes in history, if booth sides have relative same numbers - loses were hight to booth sides, when one side did have superiority, it have much lower losses.
Midway is nice example - some japs cv didt participiated, since they have depleted ag from previous battles.