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Just thought I would throw this out. During the Washinton Naval talks the US had broken the Japanese codes and knew in advance of going into talks of the various Jap positions. That is part of the reason for the success of the talks. OF course in this scenario the talks failed[;)]

Shouldn't there be some limited Allied intel on Japanese movements. Maybe not to the extent of WITP, but more than "radio transmissions at 44,56"

The problem is binary, it seems: either you get the whole enchilada, or you get "radio transmissions at 44,56". We decided during one of the beta cycles that having it all was an unfair advantage for the Allies.

Shouldn't there be some limited Allied intel on Japanese movements. Maybe not to the extent of WITP, but more than "radio transmissions at 44,56"

No.

[;)]

Fair enough. Stimson disbanded the codebreakers after the talks because "Gentlemen do not read each others mail"[:D]

Well, there you go![:D]

One of the problems that I have to deal with in this game is the near absence of intelligence about major fleet operations. Surely the navies of this time had spies and related techniques for notifying their commanders when major fleets departed from major ports. Just the smoke created would be a giveaway that a major operation is taking place.

I would like to see some sort of notification that such operations are taking place. Players could then develop ruses, as well as knowledge that a major fleet may have set sail, to adjust operations.

It is frustrating to suddenly have 10+ BBs sail right into your home base without warning, and blast the crap out of everything. Just the smoke cloud they created on the way should be spotted by the numerous subs operating offshore. I assume the subs had crude wireless sets to report such major operations to HQ.

Is something to improve basic intelligence operations possible?

Alot of the problems of the scouting were real to the time. That is why you need to have destroyer and submarine screens out.

In the later campaigns when most cruisers and above have seaplanes it extends your ability to see abit, but it can also give you away. If you see seaplanes operating far from land then you know a cruiser or above is in the vicinity. That is where you need to look carefully at the operations reports.

It might be good if you got some intel like "10 enemy ships sortie from X" or "There is a big increase in sailors visiting the bars in the Gut" But with the limited communications of the time, these would be few and far between.

I do have lots of subs operating offshore, and even in all of my opponent's major port hexes. Yet I have had my opponent sail from Singapore to Kuching and catch me by surprise. That tooks several days of travel. And I'd guess there were subs in 50% of the hexes he traveled through.

ORIGINAL: von Beanie

I do have lots of subs operating offshore, and even in all of my opponent's major port hexes. Yet I have had my opponent sail from Singapore to Kuching and catch me by surprise. That tooks several days of travel. And I'd guess there were subs in 50% of the hexes he traveled through.

Actually, Sing to Kuching isn't all that long a trip. At full speed most battlefleets can cover it in 1-2 phases. And remember that the german fleet managed a few undetected raids on the british coast in ww1. And that was through numerous british trawlers etc. in the north sea.

I think this is a big difference between the war that would have been in the 20's and the one that was actually fought in the 40's. I am doing things I would never dream of doing in WITP, because the ships are not spotted. It's a big ocean out there and you are basically limited to line of sight and the very short range of aircraft.

Surprisingly, I get a pretty good idea of where ships are off the Operations reports and from my subs. It is not perfect but you get the general idea.

I am currently playing cat and mouse with HELPLESS in the South China Sea. Eventually he will run me down, I have to fuel and rearm. But I can harrass him a bit if my luck holds.