Matrix Games Forums

If you bunch up ML and drop mines they seem to have no effect. But if you lay them in one at a time it works better. Should that be?

I've put two 8 ship convoys of MLs into two different ports....and USN bombards them at will with no mine hits.

Something wrong with the program that makes multiple MLs seem like just one?

Worr, out

I've had great success in my current game...dropped mines in multiple missions, usually with two MLs in each of the sea approaches to Lunga and have sunk Haruna, damaged Kongo enough to slow her down for Lunga based SBDs, dinged Hiei enough that I haven't seen her in a Looonnnggg time, and on last turn got Musashi and Yamato both enough that they also collected some bomb and torpedo hits the next day instead of just scurrying north to Shortlands (nothing permanent I believe, those ships are tough). I also have had at least four IJN CA's and several DD's run into the fields - and most importantly from my current perspective, have stopped several Tokyo Expresses cold. I have run at least 9 missions with MLs, lost one, one back in Pearl from a run in with an IJN tin can, and the other two have had to put in for some refit in Noumea. So far they have done fine.

No - the more minelayers you pack in the better - the bigger the minefield. But you laid those mines at your own bases - which means they are defensive mniefields - they can damage bombardment groups, but usually they are too far out to see.

Those minefields laid by 8 minelayers come into their own when an invasion fleet tries to get onto the beach through them.

Raver's transport fleet was crippled!

Sorry, guys.

When I bombard mines hit me. When I just go into another port to intercept other ships...defensive mines hit me.

I put 16 ML full of mines...and nothing.

I'm guessing the problem is not going in individually or in two ship elements.

I still don't trust the software to do things right....my Betties at 99 moral and 80 plus skill still flying into 100 fighter CAP defenses without escort. My fighter-bombers still attack only a single barge in a full convoy, despite there being 50 plus fighter-bombers.

I wish I could trust to program to do things right. But without some higher confidence in it, nor some feed back as to what my mines are actually doing...in terms of number of mines active int he field...I always feel I need to over engineer every move.

Worr, out

A good way to check is to watch the weapon screen of each of your ML. Then you know if they dropped their mines. BTW, it is not garanteed that a BB will hit mines especially if they have good DD escorts.

Originally posted by frizt
A good way to check is to watch the weapon screen of each of your ML. Then you know if they dropped their mines. BTW, it is not garanteed that a BB will hit mines especially if they have good DD escorts.

Checked that...and with DDs you'll get the message "mine detected" etc. No the mine field is still hidden. So there is no way to know for sure if the software program is putting them all down, or just some.

Like I said...its a confidence level in the game itself. The game still does some quirky things, so it isn't beyond belief to think this is wrong too.

But his sub dropped of a small number of mines in the same spot and I hit those immediately.

Worr, out

I just invaded Shortlands and found it full of mines. I had been bombarding it mercilessly beforehand but didn't find mines until my APs and AKs went in to drop off troops. So I lost a few AKs and APs - still way less than the Japanese have lost to this point. Bottom line - the Japanese are doomed.

There is maybe some differences between US and IJN defensive minefields. US minefields seem more efficient against bombardment TF while IJN minefields will decimate invasion fleets. Maybe a doctrine thing...

It's not a good idea to send a 8 ship ML TF. They will drop thousands of mines but UV will treat it as one minefield. It will take forever to sweep but I don't know if a ship entering the hex has more chance to sail in it than if this was a minefield laid by a sub. Break your TF in four formations of two ships each and you will lay four smaller minefields but UV will see them at four different locations and they have better chances to be hit by something. Minefields are apprently tracked and sweeped individually. If you have the time, it is better to send your ML one by one.

Originally posted by AmiralLaurent
It's not a good idea to send a 8 ship ML TF. They will drop thousands of mines but UV will treat it as one minefield. It will take forever to sweep but I don't know if a ship entering the hex has more chance to sail in it than if this was a minefield laid by a sub. Break your TF in four formations of two ships each and you will lay four smaller minefields but UV will see them at four different locations and they have better chances to be hit by something. Minefields are apprently tracked and sweeped individually. If you have the time, it is better to send your ML one by one.

Wow, I didn't even think of that.

Appreciate the response, AmiralLaurent.

Worr, out

Commander Cody,

Mines are placed to protect the port/beach in a base hex. If you bombard with ships that have long range guns (CA/BB), they will sit far enough off shore to not run into the minefields. Only if you send in bombardment groups with smaller guns will they run in close enough to run into the mines (hence your transports when you attempted landing).