Matrix Games Forums

Pearl harbor is done with. You've put a mighty hurting on the US fleet.

What your next move? Do you keep KB together, and create the most awesome power in the Universe? or do you split it up, and run several different (lesser) paths of destruction?

If you split it up, how so?
Hiryu/Soryu.....Kaga/Akagi.....Shok/Zui?
Hiryu/Soryu/Shok/Zui.....Kaga/Akagi?
Whatever other combination(s)?

-F-

split split split you cant be everywhere at once but early on you can afford to split up the death star and beat the crap outta all those fleeing allied merchies

I like 2CV/1CVL combinations using the CVL fighters set to 100% cap.

Why would you want to split it up?
There's no penalty like the Allied CV TF's have penalizing them.[;)]

I thought about that, but don't the CVLs slow you down? I keep like speeds together. One of a CV TFs strongests assets, is it's speed. It's like putting the Ise with Shok, or Nevada with Enterprise. I'd rather have the ability to go six hexes, insted of 5 (or worse, 4).

But I can see having the CVL provide the local CAP, and then being able to put your CV's fighters as escorts (to break thru the Allied CAP).

-F-

Hi, I assign ships according to the mission. And expected enemy opposition.
Unless I know exactly where the USN CV are I keep IJN CV together in enough force to win a CV battle. If I know where they are and do not expect to encounter them I keep CV strength enough to overcome enemy LBA
However I tend to operate my CV in TF based on speed of ships and by Division

Carrier Div 1 Kaga and Akagi
Carrier Div 2 Hiryu and Soryu
Carrier Div 3 Zuikaku and Shokaku
Carrier Div 4 The CVL
Carrier Div 5 Junyo and Hiyo

Each carrier div has a TF built around it and these TF can operate independantly or with another aircombat TF. (Or all of them together [X(])

Keep them together.

O.

When i start an operation, i want always to be sure (as much as possible) to bring enough to be able to face and win in the worst possible scenario.

So unless, you know for sure where US CV are, keep the KB united.

if you divide it and you don't know where ALlies CV are, you are taking risks and starting an operation with the "let's hope Allies hasn't all CV in 1 fleet where i go". It's a risk, and Japan can't run risks (expecially with CV).

Allies can even afford few CV losses (but a loss of CV fleet in '42 makes damn hard for Allies). Japan can't afford any loss. if you split the KB and you lose one part to allies, you are seriously hurt.

thats okay, Split them up. My allied submarines are bored to death, giv'em something to do.

split up, stay together, it won't matter. Allies will sink em all any way.[:-][:-]

I have created two 2/3rds KB's. I take two CV's out of KB and add one more CV from somewhere else I think, and add CVL that's like 30kts. So I effectively have two 4 CV TF's. I sent the weaker of the two to subdue the PI, since the weather interferes with subduing it from the normal AF's. I now shifted them to deal with Singapore, seeing as how I now have Clark.

I also left the strongest in Tokyo gathering training and so forth and waiting as a reserve until the Allies make a CV TF move (Enterprise already sank) or they go hunting. There was an Allied CV TF move as they bombed Ponape (sp) on the way to seemingly Rabaul, as now the earch a/c aren't picking them up. I sent the stronger CV TF to give chase at full speed, however they still have got away. I suppose now they will be basing in Truk for a while.

In the first months of 1942, I give one or two fleet CVs to mini-KB and add one or two CVLs to KB. Reinforced mini-KB will fight where Japanese LBA may help, KB will fight in more dangerous waters (and try to engage US CV when the Zero bonus still works).

Once the SRA is taken, all able CVs will be kept together in the Pacific, except those under repair/upgrade. In big operations, CVE will sail with the transports while CVL and CVs will sail around.

There's no penalty like the Allied CV TF's have penalizing them.

Even Japan is subject to a penalty at some point. If more than 200 planes the rand(200), Japan gets the penalty too.

splitting them is probably the smarter move. My most devastating PBEM move to date was when i secretly split off Carrier Division 3 and sent them to the IO. Caught Kid's Eastern Fleet on it's regular bombardment mission and sank many of them and crippled the rest. The sun most definately set on the British Empire in the East.

However i usually keep KB together. I'm always afraid i'm going to get hit by a concentrated USN attack. While i've not played many PBEM's thus far, my opponents usually keep theirs concentrated too. But once he/she knows where KB is....then then all my surface assets are in danger unless there's strong LBA to support. Its a pickle to be sure

The Pearl Harbor Attack Force is too large for a coordinated Strike.
I split it up in two TFs
A)Shokaku,Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu (all fast)
B)Akagi, Kaga + CVLs at Hand

This leaves out Junyo and Hiyo (The Reserve for later when you need everything to have a chance at all).

I split them up.
Mini KB will be the slow carriers (under 28 kts), CV+CVEs. This force can cover secondary theatres or support KB if needed.

Big KB is the fast carriers that are capable 28kts and more. This force is to face the US carriers.

The more TFs the better.

I keep my carriers all together in one TF, unless of course there is a need to send some to the other side of the world. I never put several TF`s in the same square if I have six or seven CV`s in an area as I do now in my PBEM they are under one commander.
Nothing worse than having 2 of 7 carriers react to an enemy CV TF while the other`s sit back its all or nothing I say.[:D]

I keep them together for a week or two after PH to see if the Allies are going to risk their carriers. If not then I will split them into 2 groups, 1 with 4 and 1 with 2 but will keep them in the same general area most of the time for mutual support and rejoin them if I need to. 2 groups also allows me to rotate them through a port to keep sys damage down.

A 2 carrier group is great for the occasional shipping lane raids with the 4 carrier group close enough but remaining out of Allied search range to support if necessary.

Gives me more flexibility and hopefully keeps the Allies from learning where the other group is.

Chez

So you put them in 200 plane TF's and keep them together. What's the difference?
The Allies don't even have this option till 44. GG nonsense.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Feinder

Pearl harbor is done with. You've put a mighty hurting on the US fleet.

What your next move? Do you keep KB together, and create the most awesome power in the Universe? or do you split it up, and run several different (lesser) paths of destruction?

If you split it up, how so?
Hiryu/Soryu.....Kaga/Akagi.....Shok/Zui?
Hiryu/Soryu/Shok/Zui.....Kaga/Akagi?
Whatever other combination(s)?

-F-

Haven't played the Japanese yet, but if and when I do I'd hope to find a better use for those CV assets than to simply sail around with a puffed-up chest. When I see anyting like KB coming I simply sail in the other direction, which makes for safety, plus I now know where the majority of Japanese CV assets happen to be and might well be able to come up with a plan which is beneficial to my war effort accordingly.

I mentioned this to my current PBEM opponent and he was of the opinion that by sailing around with KB he might pick a few odd VPS, meanwhile he couldn't see any better use for it (at that juncture) than to sit in port and rust. Well, maybe so. As I say, I haven't played the Japanese yet--it's all I can do to make heads or tails of the Allies! at present. [:D]

Still, it seems to me there must be some better use for all that potential in the early part of the game. Wouldn't you think? I can easily dream up a lot hypothetical (unrealistic?) scenarios in my head for just this sort of action.

Having said that, so far I've mainly sailed around with all of my USN CVs in one greater TF (smaller CV TFs in the same hex--pretending the game actually recognized the concept of task groups, which of course it does not and that's a pity, too), but then I haven't received my carrier upgrades yet, the Zero bonus is still in effect, etc.

I don't know, but wouldn't (couldn't) the Japanese profit in more than one place just as easily at once by forming CV TFs of just two carriers early in the game? Seems like it to me.

ORIGINAL: ChezDaJez

I keep them together for a week or two after PH to see if the Allies are going to risk their carriers. If not then I will split them into 2 groups, 1 with 4 and 1 with 2 but will keep them in the same general area most of the time for mutual support and rejoin them if I need to. 2 groups also allows me to rotate them through a port to keep sys damage down.

A 2 carrier group is great for the occasional shipping lane raids with the 4 carrier group close enough but remaining out of Allied search range to support if necessary.

Gives me more flexibility and hopefully keeps the Allies from learning where the other group is.

Chez

That more or less clears up part of my other post, and sounds more reasonable. I guess you did tell me that at first you reacted to my initial move to Baker with just two CVs, didn't you?