Matrix Games Forums

A few questions:

1. What would be a good overall CAP %? When is it a good idea just to fly long range CAPs?

2. Is it better to fly operations during the day or at night?

3. What number and kinds of ships make up a good air combat TF? (how many CV,BB,DD ect.)

4. What number and kinds of ships make up a good surface combat TF?

5. What number and kinds of ships make up a good ASW TF?

6. Do any of you put any warships in with TKs, APs, AOs when making transport TFs? Is it necessary to put warships in with these other vessels?

Thank you in advance for answering any or all of my questions. I just recently beat scenario one and I am currently playing scenario two. I am just beginning to understand the strategy of this game.

Originally posted by AUY2K
A few questions:

1. What would be a good overall CAP %? When is it a good idea just to fly long range CAPs?

60% works best for me. If you are playing the Japanese and you are sure you can keep the range at 10 you can drop CAP down to almost nothing because you are outside of his strike range. It can be risky though because ofteh 1 hex reaction move.

2. Is it better to fly operations during the day or at night?

Day. I've never found a need to fly at night in all the months of playing UV.

3. What number and kinds of ships make up a good air combat TF? (how many CV,BB,DD ect.)

CVs and DDs. I find no reason to waste capital ships in CV groups. I use my capital ships for bombardment groups.

4. What number and kinds of ships make up a good surface combat TF?

BB, CA, CL, DD. I try to have the number of DDs equal the number of all other ships.

5. What number and kinds of ships make up a good ASW TF?

Any ship with depth charges. DDs seem to be the only ships that actually make attacks on subs until the other ships get their experience up. The other ships serve as targets until that time.

6. Do any of you put any warships in with TKs, APs, AOs when making transport TFs? Is it necessary to put warships in with these other vessels?

Never. After the patch changes sub behavior I will probably start escorting my APs but for now they go it alone.

Thank you in advance for answering any or all of my questions. I just recently beat scenario one and I am currently playing scenario two. I am just beginning to understand the strategy of this game.

I have found that the occaisional naval air strike at night allows you the chance at hitting task forces who are sitting under the protective umbrella of daytime CAP. Nighttime raids on airbases also increase the fatigue level of the forces based there, but not as much as it does for the forces participating in the attack. Moral: use this type of attack on bases that are already in bad shape - it might put the troops over the edge.



In choosing ships for a task force, if you right click on the ship's name a little information about that ship will appear in the center of the task force creation screen. It will list a generic ASW rating (2, 4, 6, 8) and is the simplest method of ascertaining which ships you would want involved in an ASW TF.

I have always included DDs, PGs, SCs (which ones depend upon the relative value of the TF) with my transport TFs and feel that their inclusion has reduced the number of submarine attacks on these TFs. I have no empirical data to show reduced attacks, just a feeling developed from playing the game.

As others have mentioned, the best way to control enemy subs is to put up a lot of ASW aircraft.

Originally posted by bradfordkay
In choosing ships for a task force, if you right click on the ship's name a little information about that ship will appear in the center of the task force creation screen. It will list a generic ASW rating (2, 4, 6, 8) and is the simplest method of ascertaining which ships you would want involved in an ASW TF.

For cryin' out loud - I've been baffled by the ASW rating location ever since I got this game last year. "Right click"! Who would have thought to do that there, and before choosing the ship?

Thanks - you've solved one of the last puzzles of the mechanics of this game for me.

Dave Baranyi