The Battleship

[Cain]

Can it be made imune to air attacks. Should we create a national fleet that is BB orienated and not carrier? What do you think?

 

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2194/shot0001wa4.jpg

[Drony]

You mean in game or real life ?

[Cain]

You mean in game or real life ?

 

Game and real life. More exact what's the difference between the game and the real life. Why peple tend to build more BBs in the game and it works well and why in history this was not done in WW2.

Edited November 8, 2006 by Cain

[Drony]

Well, in game BBs are now almost super-weapon. There are several reasons (one may call them bugs though):

1. They are immune to any artillery fire except BBs. Even shore batteries do them no harm. So only torpedoes/bombs can do something.

2. Carrier planes that should damage BBs are too weak. Try for example to send 20 B5N to attack Colorado with 4 escorting destroyers. It is doubtfully that any of planes would get through flak close enough to launch torpedo. Anyway, they will all die and BB will be only damaged at most. Dive-bombers cannot harm BB with HE or AP bombs at all -- another bug ;( And sometimes they simply drop bombs into the empty ocean -- yes, bug again...

3. BBs are faster than subs so they simply cannot get within launch range if player knows about their presence.

4. DDs cannot get within launch range because they are devastated long before.

 

Only other danger for BB is Heavy Bomber, but Japanese do not have them in game.

 

Now for real life.

When the war begun US Navy was very confident with BBs and treated them as backbone of the fleet. However after Pearl this doctrine was denied. As you know, Pacific fleet was almost completely destroyed by aircrafts -- and only aircrafts. Japanese had shown supremacy of the carriers - indeed, carrier' airgroup attack range is hundreds of miles (BB can fire on approx 20000 yards) and cumulative impact of airgroup' strike is much greater and more precise than BBs big guns. Then it was a Coral Sea and Midway battles where BBs were found completely out of business and aircraft ruled the battle.

Actually, read Nimits or Spruance memorandums, they explain everything from the first hands

[Cain]

I feel to sick today I wil reply as soon as I will feel better but there are some of your points that I disagree with

[chip5541]

Very bad flu going around right now. I know how you feel.

[Jedi Master Tofu]

Heh heh heh, get the flu shot and you don't have to worry 

 

Hope you get well tho.

 

I think that once they found out about high-altitude bombers, nukes, and hyper-sonic jets they forgot about battleships...

[Cain]

Thanks guys.

 

Btw I have tried to attack Pearl Harbor - Damn those US heavy bombers they have masacrated all my ships.

 

Drony - what is the best tactic against them and can I destroy their airfield? Also CTRL-W does not seem to disengage my ships after I exit to strategic - they keep attacking and die if I autobattle

[Drony]

what is the best tactic against them and can I destroy their airfield?

Hard question. Since HBs are currently out of balance. They have almost 100% hit chance and fly too high to be shot down by flack efficiently.

So there are very few moves you can take.

1. Bombers usually attack the first target they see. So deploy units in far DZ. Deploy as much AA platforms as possible -- DDs and light cruisers -- to provide thick flack. Set priority to bombers to 1. This will switch more AA fire to bombers, ignoring scout planes and Catalinas. Scatter your ships and maneuver hard. You will lose ships for sure so do not deploy your valuable BBs until bombers are destroyed.

2. Use fighters with AA rockets. They will not help much, but they will add some bombers to score. Try to attack as far from your ships as possible -- flak can shoot down your planes as well. B24 are more dangerous than B17. Attack head-on with your fighters, they are useless if are attacking from side or back. Next, when target is destroyed fighter selects next target automatically, but the algorithm is very strange. It will not select the closest bomber, which means it will fly through the whole line of bombers and will be destroyed 100% before reaching it's target. So pause (F12), direct your fighters manually again and again. It's painful, but it's the only way to make some damage to bombers. Other is kamikaze. And try to remove your carriers from the map as soon as all fighters are airborne -- it will save you carriers. Be ready to lose all fighters.

You CANNOT destroy airfield, despite it was stated by Lesta.

 

Also CTRL-W does not seem to disengage my ships after I exit to strategic - they keep attacking and die if I autobattle

Did ALL your ships and planes retreat from battle ?

[Cain]

Set priority to bombers to 1

 

Aaaaa... were do I have to press for that? what key? never seen them.

 

Did ALL your ships and planes retreat from battle ?

 

Yes actually - all my heavy bombers. And to my horror they attacked again and died when I selected autobattle. they didn start the road to base by default when exiting to startegic.

[Drony]

Aaaaa... were do I have to press for that?  what key? never seen them.

Can't find the right screenshot, but the button is in the menu where you launch planes from carriers or command cease/open fire. Look in the manual, it must be there as well

 

Yes actually - all my heavy bombers. And to my horror they attacked again and died when I selected autobattle. they didn start the road to base by default when exiting to startegic.

Double check it. Usually at least 1 bomber is not deployed initially -- at least in every battle I had there were initially 15 bombers deployed out of 16 -- this must be your problem. When ALL units quit the battle ends automatically and you will have no Autobattle button to press at all.