Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: Alpha77
2. Emily carries only 2 bombs at normal range ? It should have 4. Also wondered why it seems even more vulnerable than e.g Helen Bs. The stats suggest Emily should be much more difficult to shoot down then Helens. But I attacked the same target same alt and lost 3 Emilies to Flak but no Helen. Use as a bomber seems very restricted....note Allied pilots said, Emily was the toughest Japanese plane

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ORIGINAL: GetAssista

Don't you think there is a reason Japan did not use Emilys as bombers? Hint: size and speed

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ORIGINAL: 821Bobo

My experience is quite the opposite.

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ORIGINAL: Evoken

It looks like your task forces repeatetly ran into new allied task forces , which depleted all their ammo and ran them out of ops points. You can help this issue by using smaller task forces as your fresh task forces will not use their torpedos and such untill they are in combat. Issue with Emily ? In your AAR you linked it looks like they are using torpedos and when they are doing torpedo strikes they go down to 100 feet to drop it regardless of altitude you set them to attack , thats why they took more casualties to flak compared to Helen , Helen is bombing from whatever altitude you set them to

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ORIGINAL: Alpha77

1. I noted to my dismay that ship to ship (surface) combats since ca. 3-4/43 mostly is inconclusive or worse goes to the Allies, even with same numbers or more IJN ships. Even against PT boats we manage often only 1-2 destroyed, but they hit 2 cruisers and at least 2 DDs with torps. It is now mid 7/43. Note I have seen in AARs that even in 45 the IJN manages to wipe out 5-6 PT´s at one battle..without the PTs hitting back. So perhaps my orders / knowledge sucks..and Allied player makes better orders.

I know Allied radar plus also Fletchers with better speed/armor is a big factor. But we do not better vs. other DDs too.Is the radar such a big factor or am I making mistakes?

Here are some examples (last page)if you want to view the combats: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4175198&mpage=5

Our hit rate for both guns and torps is quite low (this was better before) and ships are 70+ exp. I use the best nav rating admirals already eg. Yamamoto and Tanaka etc. Plus most ships have the best captains. This did not chance to eg. 2/43 when the results were still better...I read the manual again, but not much there for this topic.

2. Emily carries only 2 bombs at normal range ? It should have 4. Also wondered why it seems even more vulnerable than e.g Helen Bs. The stats suggest Emily should be much more difficult to shoot down then Helens. But I attacked the same target same alt and lost 3 Emilies to Flak but no Helen. Use as a bomber seems very restricted....note Allied pilots said, Emily was the toughest Japanese plane



Still a newbie in many aspects, so hope not stupid questions
I can copy more complete combat reports for more experienced people to analyze later.If it would help.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Alpha77

1. I noted to my dismay that ship to ship (surface) combats since ca. 3-4/43 mostly is inconclusive or worse goes to the Allies, even with same numbers or more IJN ships. Even against PT boats we manage often only 1-2 destroyed, but they hit 2 cruisers and at least 2 DDs with torps. It is now mid 7/43. Note I have seen in AARs that even in 45 the IJN manages to wipe out 5-6 PT´s at one battle..without the PTs hitting back. So perhaps my orders / knowledge sucks..and Allied player makes better orders.

I know Allied radar plus also Fletchers with better speed/armor is a big factor. But we do not better vs. other DDs too.Is the radar such a big factor or am I making mistakes?

Here are some examples (last page)if you want to view the combats: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4175198&mpage=5

Our hit rate for both guns and torps is quite low (this was better before) and ships are 70+ exp. I use the best nav rating admirals already eg. Yamamoto and Tanaka etc. Plus most ships have the best captains. This did not chance to eg. 2/43 when the results were still better...I read the manual again, but not much there for this topic.

2. Emily carries only 2 bombs at normal range ? It should have 4. Also wondered why it seems even more vulnerable than e.g Helen Bs. The stats suggest Emily should be much more difficult to shoot down then Helens. But I attacked the same target same alt and lost 3 Emilies to Flak but no Helen. Use as a bomber seems very restricted....note Allied pilots said, Emily was the toughest Japanese plane



Still a newbie in many aspects, so hope not stupid questions
I can copy more complete combat reports for more experienced people to analyze later.If it would help.

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Is the radar such a big factor or am I making mistakes?

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it looks like DL is the culprit here. Allied forces get the drop on IJN forces on both occasions due to better DL thanks to radar.

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ORIGINAL: Evoken

Well as you encounter more and more task forces with the same task force , your task forces detection level increases which helps your enemy and i said before it depletes your ammmo. I usually get good results with a surface combat fleet setup like this ; 5-6 task forces of DD's consisted of 2-3 DD's (depending on availability) at front followed by small fleets consisting of 1 flagship and DD's. For example , i pair up a CL and DD , CA and 2 DD's , BB and 3 DD's. This kind of fleet composition will conserve ammo , run enemy out of ops points , waste enemy ammo and torpedos before they get to flagships , PT's boats are specially vulnerable to repeated combats as they have low fuel capacity it will run them out of fuel and make them a sitting duck

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ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

I think its the difference between playing the sim and playing the game. I played a game playing opponent many years ago he was a mechanic knew the best way to get results out of the engine and I just couldn't cope with it because I would use historical TF sizes, sweeps etc etc and I was acting in a quasi historical manner and he didn't he was playing the game I was refighting WITP

The game ended because our mindsets were so different and every time he exploited a mechanic I hated it we ended up calling it quits in Jan 42 when we realised our approaches to the game were not compatible.

No issue with how he played or how I played but when a game player is playing the game v a quasi historic player who imposes limits on what they will do (often without realising they are doing it) there will only be one winner and we both realised we were in for years of wrangling hence why we stopped

You and Alfred are correct BBfanboy BUT just because there is a counter it ruins my immersion in the simulation if I have to start using them so often I wont use them on principle

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ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Work on your task force composition.

Don't fight PT boats with 3% moonlight with anything but 2-3 destroyers. Preferably don't fight. You can strafe PT boats pretty effectively.

I almost always look at PT boats as vp gifts to Japan.

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ORIGINAL: Alpha77

Btw. is there any difference using normal movement or using a patrol order.. also when I use a reaction of 1 they will only react ONCE right? Eg. I put the fleet at Toro and at Shortlands the enemy shows up, they may react once the 1 hex to Shortland. But then not react more perhaps south pursuing the enemy perhaps. So ending up in their air range? I do not use the react order for surface or CV fleets at all, it is to unsafe for my taste. But perhaps it would work better than normal move?

Also I wonder if my fleets have a high DL the day before (with Allied recon/search sighting my fleets) this will not carry over to the new day (or in this case night?). If it carries over and DL is important also for ship to ship combat it might explain the bad results of defending TFs of mine. Even if common knowledge would be that we know the waters better than the enemy and being prepared for combat in our waters outside the base. However it is mostly the other way around the attacker gets the advantage surprising the defender often...

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CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 7,000 yards
Burke, Arleigh A. crosses the 'T'

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ORIGINAL: Ian R

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CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 7,000 yards
Burke, Arleigh A. crosses the 'T'

Well that one is no mystery.