Matrix Games Forums

The recent thread on IJN CV radar got me thinking. I cannot remember reading the answer anywhere.

Is there a modifier on Radar effectiveness between early war/late war? I've read that early in the war it was new and commanders did not know how to use it properly or did not trust it.

With everything else that has been factored into this game, I would suspect so. Or that it is taken care of in the stats of newer radar sets. I just cannot remember reading of such.

It might be part of the Crew Experience factor which I know figures in battle and damage control calculations. Commander's Naval Skill might also affect whether the radar is a factor or not.

In upgrades, many ships get newer and better radars. The radars do not get better, but I would say I think something hard-coded happens in 44 as we see more Allied SS attacks and surface radars seem even more effective - though I might be imagining it.

In my mod, I tidied this up a lot, plus I added a few new radars - some very poor early war ones and some very effective late war ones. Plus I tidied up the radars for planes, with quite a few more planes getting them as historic and most night fighters, making them better in their intended purpose, as the game undervalues these AC.

cav

Considering that in the game, radar only is used within the hex, the greater the range then the more chances for detection. Since the later radars usually have a higher range that should make them more effective just from that. Otherwise, I don't know of any difference in effectiveness but if there is something about the effectiveness then it should be in the editor.

The way I understand it, it wasn't the radars themselves getting better for the Allies in 1944, it was inventing a way to make their input to the gunnery computers automatic, rather than getting a voice relayed figure and dialing it in manually. Either way, they do get better in 1944.

Good move on improving Night Fighter intercepts. I always thought the game does not give the Black Widow enough credit for that big nose radar and 4X fixed 20 mm cannons plus 4X steerable 50 cal.

BBfanboy wrote: Wed Aug 12, 2026 12:27 am The way I understand it, it wasn't the radars themselves getting better for the Allies in 1944, it was inventing a way to make their input to the gunnery computers automatic, rather than getting a voice relayed figure and dialing it in manually. Either way, they do get better in 1944.

Good move on improving Night Fighter intercepts. I always thought the game does not give the Black Widow enough credit for that big nose radar and 4X fixed 20 mm cannons plus 4X steerable 50 cal.

According to a book "Lucky Lady" the new Houston did have a better radar than the Santa Fe and it was switched at Ulithi when Houston was going back to the United States for repairs after being part of the bait "Cripple Division" which did not work as well as desired. Also, the 40 mm AA guns were later on linked to a computer so you didn't need two people to help aim the gun, just the gunner putting the pip on the target that the radar pointed out.

The Santa Fe was called the "Lucky Lady" because she didn't lose a man in combat. Other people died from the ship but not from combat, some died on the ship due to combat but they weren't technically part of the ship's crew. That cruiser is the one that "parallel parked" next to the USS Franklin after it was bombed and they were 50 nm away from Honshu.

The Santa Fe sailed about 240,000 nm before returning for a refit, it also needed to repair damage caused by the USS Franklin.