The dreadful port recon mission

[Dili]

I am surprised this doesn't come more often. IRL a good recon of a port would show the ships they are there and even identification in several cases, but that is impossible to do in game. For example the British were only able to do Taranto knowing that several battleships were there, in game that is almost impossible.

Besides that it leads to another unfortunate occurrence the Glen submarine is usually employed for missions that were secondary - naval search - while it's typical mission was recon over enemy harbors.

For example none of japanese submarines that went as pickets for Midway Operation were floatplane carriers beacuse they'r mission was not to do naval search in open sea.

[DuckofTindalos]

Maybe it's time for you to find a game that's less catastrophically riddled with bugs and inaccuracies? Have you considered Peggle?

[KenchiSulla]

Dili, simply not true. I had 9/10 recon over Rabaul and could see exactly what was in port. AGs, SS, AKs and a couple of CMs... Spot on. The 24 B17s going in managed to hit 6 or 7 ships so I don't understand what you are complaining about..

[Dili]

Check other instances Cannonfodder.

Terminus i found another inconsistency that will certainly make you happy: all N1K George have a service rating of 3 but A7M Sam that almost didn't fly have a 2 service rating. But this isn't serious.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

Dili, simply not true. I had 9/10 recon over Rabaul and could see exactly what was in port. AGs, SS, AKs and a couple of CMs... Spot on. The 24 B17s going in managed to hit 6 or 7 ships so I don't understand what you are complaining about..

He means that you don't get magical intel like the Allies sometimes had in the war. Knowing that certain ships are in certain ports, by name, due to aerial or submarine recon pictures or whatever.

[crsutton]

Most accurate Allied information on ship location came on ship radio traffic intercepts. Allied intelligence had a pretty good ability to recognize a telegraph key operator based on the way he used they key. In poker they would call it a "tell." I find that steady port recon with camera equipped aircraft gives me a pretty good read. Can't ID ship names too well but that's the way it goes.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Most accurate Allied information on ship location came on ship radio traffic intercepts. Allied intelligence had a pretty good ability to recognize a telegraph key operator based on the way he used they key. In poker they would call it a "tell." I find that steady port recon with camera equipped aircraft gives me a pretty good read. Can't ID ship names too well but that's the way it goes.

Indeed.

We also get magic ship names and types in combat replays. DDs are never misidentified as CLs or CAs, xAKs are never thought to be tankers, etc. That alone more than makes up for the slightly less accurate information on port recon, IMO.

[pharmy]

I remember reading that a camera on the recon plane makes a huge difference. The JFBs get a large number of recons with no cameras (which for example seems to make troop numbers always seem double what they really are, even with 70+ recon skill) and the AFBs get very few units, albeit camera equipped. I assumed that makes recons a bit more accurate. Although my IJA port recons sometimes misidentify a damaged SS (the target I usually seek) in one pass, over a couple of turns the sub will be ferreted out. Naval search - AO or CV seems common to both Allies and Japanese in AARs

[Dili]

For example in Port recon you never have anything aproaching most ships if for example a port have over 20 ships there. You might get a SSSSSSSSAKAVDD and a combat fleet be there unoticed.

I also have the impression that patrol/floatplanes even with good crew in recon mode (over 70) are not as good as recon planes.

We also get magic ship names and types in combat replays. DDs are never misidentified as CLs or CAs, xAKs are never thought to be tankers, etc. That alone more than makes up for the slightly less accurate information on port recon, IMO.

Yes. We have sometimes too good information at sea while the opposite at ports were the reconnaissance was made with photograhic equipement while the open sea recon/search was by eyeball and not processed except by the man in place.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: icepharmy

I remember reading that a camera on the recon plane makes a huge difference. The JFBs get a large number of recons with no cameras (which for example seems to make troop numbers always seem double what they really are, even with 70+ recon skill) and the AFBs get very few units, albeit camera equipped. I assumed that makes recons a bit more accurate. Although my IJA port recons sometimes misidentify a damaged SS (the target I usually seek) in one pass, over a couple of turns the sub will be ferreted out. Naval search - AO or CV seems common to both Allies and Japanese in AARs

Yeah, camera will give you a 2-3 level boost in DL. Biggest thing is that you can usually get a good DL in one pass where non camera equipped recon will have to pass over for a few days to get a decent picture. Allies get plenty of recon after mid 43.

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: icepharmy

I remember reading that a camera on the recon plane makes a huge difference. The JFBs get a large number of recons with no cameras (which for example seems to make troop numbers always seem double what they really are, even with 70+ recon skill) and the AFBs get very few units, albeit camera equipped. I assumed that makes recons a bit more accurate. Although my IJA port recons sometimes misidentify a damaged SS (the target I usually seek) in one pass, over a couple of turns the sub will be ferreted out. Naval search - AO or CV seems common to both Allies and Japanese in AARs

correct. just about any bomber can do "recon" as a mission but if it's not a specialized plane your DL results will vary. For example I recently used some LB-30's to recon a base I'd really like back from the AI. Sometimes it gives me some info. Other times it gives me squat

I could really use a good Camera.

[Dili]

Okay so a good way to makes this less of a problem is to put a camera in several planes including Glen's. Thanks.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Maybe it's time for you to find a game that's less catastrophically riddled with bugs and inaccuracies? Have you considered Peggle?

Perhaps it's time for you to accept that WitP:AE is not, nor will be, a perfect, flawless pearl of a game?

It might help things.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Maybe it's time for you to find a game that's less catastrophically riddled with bugs and inaccuracies? Have you considered Peggle?

Don't rise to his bait ... he lives to find little things, even when they are an artifact of his play ....