Sneaky Tactics

[Freddy Fudpucker]

Would anyone care to let me in on a few of your tactical secrets?

One example of picked up so far from reading the forums is as the allies to lay mines and then deliberatley have subs sit in wait for jap MSW's to turn up at the 'baited' hex.

Any more?

[Freddy Fudpucker]

I forgot to ask...I have a question regarding something (and its still sneaky tactics), I've read in an aar about just sneakily floating TF's into position before breaking cover. I understand that spotters are more likely to see faster moving TFs. How does this work? I'm kind of assuming you deliberately order your tf to move one or two hexes only at a time (and possibly on 'do not react')!?! Am I on the right track here?

[Buckeye5]

To do this, you would absolutely HAVE to have the task force set to "Do Not Retire"...otherwise, they'll sail their one or two hexes, and then immediately turn around and start steaming for their home port at normal cruising speed.

I'm not 100% sold on the usefulness of this tactic, although I haven't really experimented with it myself. Moving slower probably does decrease the likelihood of being spotted by air search, but on the other hand, if you're taking a week to creep up on your target, that gives the enemy a lot more time in which they might get lucky. If you're approaching a major base with lots of naval search patrols up, I'm guessing you'll get spotted either way.

A better approach might be to try timing your sneak-in run to coincide with bad weather. You can see on the main screen what weather is forecast for the next day--just wait until you see a thunderstorm forecast, and then try to sprint in under cover of the storms. It's not foolproof, but then, neither is the slow-approach tactic, and this strategy at least has the advantage of decreasing your window of vulnerability.

[scorryuk]

What about used decoy TF when engaging enemy CVs. You put TF of surplus ships (PGs,SCs,a Tk to fuel them and really bait enemy, some AKs and some DDs to escort) and keep them 4 or 5 hexes in front of main CV TF. If you keep decoy TF out in front and draw enemy air attack then you should get free hit on their CVs. Can alter this by putting good AA ships and giving CAP to decoy TF so as to weaken their airgroups without risking loss of a CV. Lets face it, I`ve saw stupid AI commanders do worse like send 200 planes to sink 1 AP or even a couple of AGs.

[Freddy Fudpucker]

ORIGINAL: Buckeye5

A better approach might be to try timing your sneak-in run to coincide with bad weather. You can see on the main screen what weather is forecast for the next day--just wait until you see a thunderstorm forecast, and then try to sprint in under cover of the storms. It's not foolproof, but then, neither is the slow-approach tactic, and this strategy at least has the advantage of decreasing your window of vulnerability.

I like the idea but the AI does seem to fly in all weathers and spot your tfs anyway. In my current game I stood down my cap at Cairns during a thunderstorm and that very turn the AI spots a BB in port and launches 3 waves of Bettys at me out of Rabaul. GGrrrrrrr.[:@].

I've tried this evening the softly softly sneaky movement and got my CV and Bombard tfs in close to Lunga without being spotted, but it did take 4 days to get there. The whole point of this was to cover a fast transport evac of Tulagi, unfortunately the fast trans tf kept wandering off due to lack of fuel; it kept heading home instead of to my replenishment tf rendevouz....you just can't take your eyes off them for a minute can you!!![8|].

[Freddy Fudpucker]

ORIGINAL: scorryuk

What about used decoy TF when engaging enemy CVs. You put TF of surplus ships (PGs,SCs,a Tk to fuel them and really bait enemy, some AKs and some DDs to escort) and keep them 4 or 5 hexes in front of main CV TF. If you keep decoy TF out in front and draw enemy air attack then you should get free hit on their CVs. Can alter this by putting good AA ships and giving CAP to decoy TF so as to weaken their airgroups without risking loss of a CV. Lets face it, I`ve saw stupid AI commanders do worse like send 200 planes to sink 1 AP or even a couple of AGs.

I'll definately try the decoy ploy as soon as I get the hang of organising tfs to be synchronised.

I recognise the AI example from the game I'm playing at the moment. I spot a jap CV tf off Gili Gili and put everything at PM on naval attack for next turn. I still spot the CV tf as plain as day on my attacking turn, I was confident I was about to strike a decisive blow[:D]...and then watched my 200+ bombers attack a sinle AG of Lae instead.......well at least I sank the AG![:(].

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: scorryuk

What about used decoy TF when engaging enemy CVs. You put TF of surplus ships (PGs,SCs,a Tk to fuel them and really bait enemy, some AKs and some DDs to escort) and keep them 4 or 5 hexes in front of main CV TF. If you keep decoy TF out in front and draw enemy air attack then you should get free hit on their CVs. Can alter this by putting good AA ships and giving CAP to decoy TF so as to weaken their airgroups without risking loss of a CV. Lets face it, I`ve saw stupid AI commanders do worse like send 200 planes to sink 1 AP or even a couple of AGs.

Not sure if this is such a great tactic. What if the enemy TF stays out of range of your carriers, pounds the transports and then goes home? You have lost a lot of valuable ships for nothing. Or what if your enemy opponent reacts to your carriers and ignores the bait and pounds your carriers while your CAP is over the bait TF. High gain tactics with very high risks involved. Could be a disaster.[:-]

[Tuli Vapaa]

Don't know, if this is a secret, but my first turn moves as USN in scenarios 17 and 19 are pretty polished. Works well against AI and is a danger to human opponent.

I re-create carrier TF by removing all cruisers from it, leaving only DD's to escort Yorktown and Lexington. These are sent just south of Guadalcanal. Cruiser forces, both from Brisbane and freed from escort duty in Noumea are sent to Townsville. Now as soon as carriers are in position, some of their Devastors are sent out to look for enemy landing force and, with any luck, force opponent to wait for CV support. Or if he is (smart) human, bomb a stuffing out of Lunga. Then retreat, as IJN CV's take at least two more days to arrive.

In same day the cruisers from Noumea arrive to Townsville, DON'T refuel them. Combine all cruisers into a one CA/CL TF and send them to bombard GiliGili. Now, the base is still yours, if playing against AI, but don't worry about it, there is bound to be some customers by the time Lee's (personal choice, feel free to change) cruisers get there. Ideal outcome is, that computer is unable to take Lunga in first week of fighting, but against human opponent it will not work. At least he will wait for CV support before moving any size of force to Lunga. And against AI, you have a change (seen it once), that AI docks his CV-TF into to Gili Gili harbour in same night as Lee arrives. That game was USN's from start. First week of fighting there were 30+ ship sunk for cost of single CA for USN.

[Tuli Vapaa]

Here's another trick, you might not know. If playing IJN, in oder to prevent allied bombardment of Lunga, DO NOT place a surface combat TF to Lunga. Instead keep fair number of fast cruisers and destroyers in Shortland port. When patrol planes spot what looks like a surface strike against Lunga, you create bombardment TF in Shortland and place it under oders to bombarding Lunga (your own base). All ships in TF must be over 30 kts, so they can preform 'Tokyo Express' and reach Lunga that same night. Good for getting rid of US cruiser forces.

Fast BB's (Kongo class) can also make this attack, but their sys damage must be 0, as otherwise their speed drops too much. Ofcourse, if you build good size port to Vila, you can make this type of attack with all battleships.

This is also very 'safe' manouver, as all ships are close to Shortland in morning, if intruder turns out to be a CV-TF.

[Bobthehatchit]

ORIGINAL: Tuli Vapaa

Here's another trick, you might not know. If playing IJN, in oder to prevent allied bombardment of Lunga, DO NOT place a surface combat TF to Lunga. Instead keep fair number of fast cruisers and destroyers in Shortland port. When patrol planes spot what looks like a surface strike against Lunga, you create bombardment TF in Shortland and place it under oders to bombarding Lunga (your own base). All ships in TF must be over 30 kts, so they can preform 'Tokyo Express' and reach Lunga that same night. Good for getting rid of US cruiser forces.

Fast BB's (Kongo class) can also make this attack, but their sys damage must be 0, as otherwise their speed drops too much. Ofcourse, if you build good size port to Vila, you can make this type of attack with all battleships.

This is also very 'safe' manouver, as all ships are close to Shortland in morning, if intruder turns out to be a CV-TF.

Mining the hell out of Lunga and sticking some cd into lunga will also help to gut the allied cruiser and destroyer fleets, sticking a coupe of subs below lunga helps to clear up the cripples. Gamey but a tackic none the less.