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As we all know, occasionally, bomber patrols will hit ships they spot. In the last 2 turns, I have had 3 of my destroyers hit by PB4Ys that were patrolling. The destroyers were all in pretty good shape, with sub-10% sys damage. However, I had them running fast transport missions and when they were hit, they were all low on fuel (probably 500 or so fuel points left each). The ships were all hit at Shortlands, where they had returned to refuel.

Was I just plain unlucky, or does the game read the low fuel destroyers as being unable to move well enough to avoid beind bombed by the patrolling bombers?

Sounds like you needed some CAP. Any ship in a port is subject to LBA within range unless it is protected by CAP.

Sounds like you were a tad unlucky.

Originally posted by Raverdave
Sounds like you were a tad unlucky.

Wait a minute, are patroling aircraft subject to CAP? they should be, yet I can remember ships in port being attacked by patroling aircraft even though I had plenty of planes in the air.

Patrolling a/c are subject to CAP and flak, there will be no combat animation per se but you will see notification of a shoot down or damage in the text box in the lower left corner.

As far as the low fuel issue, I can't state for a fact that this prevents a FT from evading but I suspect it is the case as I have found the ships that are damaged or low on fuel are much easier to hit (as it should be). You will also see that after a TF has engaged in either surface combat or been subject to an aerial attack that its fuel stores are markedly lower.

Hopefully someone more in the know than myself can shed some light on this issue.

-g

As was stated before, it sounds as if you were just unlucky. I do feel your pain,:(

Hi all,

Unfortunately there is no countermeasure for this...


The deadly "Sight" -> "Identify" -> "Hit" routine for aircraft on "Naval Search" is unstoppable.


You can even have LRCAP over some TF and enemy can still do this to you.


For Japanese player the most dangerous aircraft is "Hudson". They have long
range and, after they gain enough experience, they are fearless...


Leo "Apollo11"

You have to be unlucky to have 3 DD hit in two turns but bombings like that will happen regularly.

To reduce them, you can put some CAP over your TF and also assure your ships are able to dodge attacks, so having enough fuel and low SYS damage. My DD will fuel before every FT mission for example.

I don't know if in this case the AA of the full TF is taken in account or only the target ship may fire. I don't send TF with only poor AA ships, even for FT missions, at least when I have enough DD.

But bombers will sometimes just fly trough and bomb you. It's annoying but I have never lost a ship because of these attacks, the worst cases being a return to Japan.

depending on the port. if you have three DD's tied up at the dock, and if the port has any restrictions on entrance and egress (as in narrow inlet, minefields, coral reefs, sandbars, rock outcroppings, etc) the cans are not going to simply throw the lines on the pier and scamper out. PT's moight be able to do that, but it takes a larger ship a little time to get underway and get into clear maneuvering water with some sea room - as much as on the order of twenty or thirty minutes - in which time the speed is limited and the area in which the ship can steam may be even more limited. Thrown in a few other ships, as in a tanker or a lighter alongside, and a few ships in anchorage or also tied up in a nest, (which means you may have to turn the ship around on its screws) and this becomes a navigational nightmare for a ship handler. It is the most vulnerable time for a ship to air attackof any kind, especially a ship which has as its primary defence speed and maneuverability. Could very well be that if a Patrol bomber caught a DD tied up to a pier that it could drop one down the tube on it. And if it is refueling, there are all kind of combustibles around, as well, primarily partially filled fuel tanks.

it takes a larger ship a little time to get underway

When I was a young man I served in the merchant marine. From the time a ship entered the harbor till the time it tied up was usually measured in hours. It wasn't uncommon for a ship to enter a harbor at breakfast time and not be tied up until lunch time. It didn't necessarily have to take that long, as I've seen it done in an hour, but it was a very slow and careful process. Now of course we were not under attack by aircraft which undoubtedly would accelerate the process but still a large ship, or even a small boat for that matter is not like a car, you can't just jump in and drive it off, accelerating, braking and turning at will. In confined areas one must maneuver with extreme caution.

Originally posted by demonterico
When I was a young man I served in the merchant marine. From the time a ship entered the harbor till the time it tied up was usually measured in hours. It wasn't uncommon for a ship to enter a harbor at breakfast time and not be tied up until lunch time. It didn't necessarily have to take that long, as I've seen it done in an hour, but it was a very slow and careful process. Now of course we were not under attack by aircraft which undoubtedly would accelerate the process but still a large ship, or even a small boat for that matter is not like a car, you can't just jump in and drive it off, accelerrating, braking and turning at will. In confined areas one must maneuver with extreme caution.

I spent ten years in the SIU. Started as a messboy-shiped engine as well, but ended up in the deck dept. Was a third officer when I gave it up. Nice to see another sailor out there.

only with us it was waiting for another tin can to clear away from the tender, or for some hulking cruiser to get itself out of the way from blocking two DD piers. Oh, well, I remember well being underway and waiting for libs on the beach...

Hi all,

Argh... it happened again... ((


I reported this (again) as a bug:

This is ridiculous and totally unrealistic... it is bug and nothing else... ((

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Leo "Apollo11"