Guadalcanal - Noob question

[Frostig]

Playing as Japanese, first couple of days in the scenario.

I know that the enemy carriers are at 116,137.
I have mainly 5 heavy cruisers (and subs) to disturb the unloading of troops at Tulagi and Tassafaronga.

So the idea is to drive in at night, wreak havoc and drive out before the day comes.
My starting hex is 110,134.

According to the manual, a TF at its DH will return to its home base, if none of the following conditions are true:

The DH is not its home base
The TF is not following another TF
The TF is not loading or unloading
its patrol/retreat Status is not REMAIN ON STATION


TF 4*CA (30+ knots)
Surface Combat
Full Speed (from 110,134 on)
Retirement allowed
DH Tassafaronga
Home Port Rabaul

Sometimes this works pretty well, the TF rushes in, catches the enemy transport while unloading, wreaks havoc and gets out before being disvovered and attacked by the enemy carrier planes.
Sometimes, the CAs get damaged and cant get of of range of the planes fast enough. This is bad luck and understandable.
Sometimes it does not work well, the TF just stays at Tassafaronga (although not damaged) - and will be heavily attacked by the carrier planes at day. I cant figure out why it stays there.

I tried this:
different Mission Types, e.g. Bombardement
Careful vs. aggressive TF Commander
Weaker vs. stronger TF
I tried the effects of different routing-settings (normal, safest, safer, direct)
It seems, that it does not make a difference, if there was battle at night or not. The TF stays at Tassafaronga even after a heavy battle.
Setting the TF to Computer Controlled will result in complete failure, regardless of settings.

I do not seek general advice on Guadalcanal campaign, I just want to understand, why the TF does not drive away, before dawn? The manual clearly states, that this should be possible, it is what historically happened and it happens from time to time in my game.

Enjoy
https://youtu.be/7cufG2Dlxvk?si=E9iU8nHVn6zn61Z0

[RangerJoe]

I suggest that you read up on Operation Points (OPs) and how they work.

[Frostig]

I suggest that you read up on Operation Points (OPs) and how they work.

I see what you are aiming at, but no.
The TF has full OP when it leaves Rabaul, it has cruise speed until DH 110,134, it conducts no other action, hence they have full OP, when they leave 110,134 at the start of a new turn.

[BBfanboy]

I suggest that you read up on Operation Points (OPs) and how they work.

I see what you are aiming at, but no.
The TF has full OP when it leaves Rabaul, it has cruise speed until DH 110,134, it conducts no other action, hence they have full OP, when they leave 110,134 at the start of a new turn.

How much did you read? Ops points are used up entirely every 12 hours even if you do nothing. They are the clock - counting down the 12 hour phase. You get a new set of 1000 points per vessel at the beginning of each phase (or the end of the previous one) so it looks like you are not using them. But steaming to your hex takes time and so does refueling at sea. And encounters like an enemy sub or air attack eat up more time. Sometimes your plans go off uninterrupted and sometimes they will not.

PS - also read up on Detection Levels and how they affect things. If the DL is not high enough, the bombardment might not take place.

[Frostig]

I suggest that you read up on Operation Points (OPs) and how they work.

I see what you are aiming at, but no.
The TF has full OP when it leaves Rabaul, it has cruise speed until DH 110,134, it conducts no other action, hence they have full OP, when they leave 110,134 at the start of a new turn.

How much did you read? Ops points are used up entirely every 12 hours even if you do nothing. They are the clock - counting down the 12 hour phase. You get a new set of 1000 points per vessel at the beginning of each phase (or the end of the previous one) so it looks like you are not using them. But steaming to your hex takes time and so does refueling at sea. And encounters like an enemy sub or air attack eat up more time. Sometimes your plans go off uninterrupted and sometimes they will not.

PS - also read up on Detection Levels and how they affect things. If the DL is not high enough, the bombardment might not take place.

Excuse me? Chapter 6.2.14 has ten lines and I have them right here in front of me. And again: the TF has FULL OP. I do not load, I do not refuel, I do not replenish.

Turn 1 Cruise Speed Rabaul to 110,134
Turn 2 Cruise Speed Rabaul to 110,134 (1 Hex left)
Turn 3 Full Speed to Tassafaronga. And I do reach Tassafaronga, Result 1. I come back safely, Result 2 TF stays there. Why is that? Please explain in detail how the OP affect this.

No, I do not intend to bombard anything - please read before you answer?

[RangerJoe]

I see what you are aiming at, but no.
The TF has full OP when it leaves Rabaul, it has cruise speed until DH 110,134, it conducts no other action, hence they have full OP, when they leave 110,134 at the start of a new turn.

How much did you read? Ops points are used up entirely every 12 hours even if you do nothing. They are the clock - counting down the 12 hour phase. You get a new set of 1000 points per vessel at the beginning of each phase (or the end of the previous one) so it looks like you are not using them. But steaming to your hex takes time and so does refueling at sea. And encounters like an enemy sub or air attack eat up more time. Sometimes your plans go off uninterrupted and sometimes they will not.

PS - also read up on Detection Levels and how they affect things. If the DL is not high enough, the bombardment might not take place.

Excuse me? Chapter 6.2.14 has ten lines and I have them right here in front of me. And again: the TF has FULL OP. I do not load, I do not refuel, I do not replenish.

Turn 1 Cruise Speed Rabaul to 110,134
Turn 2 Cruise Speed Rabaul to 110,134 (1 Hex left)
Turn 3 Full Speed to Tassafaronga. And I do reach Tassafaronga, Result 1. I come back safely, Result 2 TF stays there. Why is that? Please explain in detail how the OP affect this.

No, I do not intend to bombard anything - please read before you answer?

Again, read up on OPs points and not just in the manual but also the threads.

Each combat action takes OPs points . . .

Also, are you patrolling or just going to visit? That makes a difference as well.

[BBfanboy]

deleted

[Frostig]

Again, read up on OPs points and not just in the manual but also the threads.

I might try that.

Each combat action takes OPs points . . .

But what if nobody is in the sea near Tassafaronga? What if there is an enemy TF, but it gets underway before I arrive and no shot is fired? Why does the TF not return home to Rabaul?
And in another case my TF mobs up two enemy Transport TFs and gets underway on time to Rabaul. How can you explain that via OPs?

Also, are you patrolling or just going to visit? That makes a difference as well.

Of course I am visiting! The whole point is to not stay in the range of the US-Carriers. Why would I patrol there? The idea is to get In and Out in one Cycle.

[btd64]

Do you have "remain on station" on?....GP

[RangerJoe]

Each combat action takes OPs points . . .

But what if nobody is in the sea near Tassafaronga? What if there is an enemy TF, but it gets underway before I arrive and no shot is fired? Why does the TF not return home to Rabaul?
And in another case my TF mobs up two enemy Transport TFs and gets underway on time to Rabaul. How can you explain that via OPs?

I don't know what else is going on under the hood, on the hood, and over the hood so I can't explain that. Check on ammunition usage, fuel usage, damage, and your task force commander ratings as well as your routing information plus the refueling status. Plus check to see if you have had any unlucky die rolls . . .

I think that Gary Grigby loved Heisenberg . . .
https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/top ... -principle

In the game, there is no Heisenberg compensator . . .
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/He ... ompensator

[Frostig]

Do you have "remain on station" on?....GP

Thank you, but no - Retirement allowed.

[Tcao]

Reaction range?

[bobsteele]

Again, read up on OPs points and not just in the manual but also the threads.

I might try that.

Each combat action takes OPs points . . .

But what if nobody is in the sea near Tassafaronga? What if there is an enemy TF, but it gets underway before I arrive and no shot is fired? Why does the TF not return home to Rabaul?
And in another case my TF mobs up two enemy Transport TFs and gets underway on time to Rabaul. How can you explain that via OPs?

Also, are you patrolling or just going to visit? That makes a difference as well.

Of course I am visiting! The whole point is to not stay in the range of the US-Carriers. Why would I patrol there? The idea is to get In and Out in one Cycle.

Sounds to me as if you are setting a destination hex and expecting your TF to leave right after you get there. Set a patrol zone. Set your destination hex as the first point in the patrol zone. Set your preferred retreat hex as the second point. Remember to change your routing the next turn unless you want to return to your target hex. Set an appropriate reaction range--in this case, probably 1 or 2. Use mission speed rather than full speed, The computer will adjust the speed your task force moves at as is appropriate, and you will do less damage to your ships and use less fuel.

People are trying to help you here. Keep that in mind.