Ian R
Posts: 3420
Joined: 8/1/2000 From: Cammeraygal Country Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: hooraysimpsons Would be good to know what not to do to have any future CV forces of my own surprised. 1. Land and sea based air search so you see them coming. 2. When you do see them coming, form TF 34, so to speak. I always make sure a screening BB has a good naval rated aggressive captain to command it, and tell it follow your lead CVTF with a reaction of one (1). If the crisis dissipates, they can be folded back in to the CV TF. 3. Historical tangent: the fast carriers were fast, because a) some early ones were either converted from/built on the incomplete hulls of - BC (various RN and USN, Akagi) and fast (in WW1 terms) BB (Kaga, Eagle) and b) early on they were considered to be scouting/screening ships, namely "Cruisers,aViation." As the carriers exercised and naval officers climbed the learning curve in the 20/s early 30s, that speed, that initially fitted cruiser doctrine, was identified as an asset in the emerging carrier doctrine. The cruiser level SP guns were omitted from the 1930s built fast carriers, and landed from the others in the early war years, in favour of increased AAA, more aircraft ordnance stores etc. Slower/experimental ships such as Hosho, Argus, Langley, Hermes etc were reduced to supporting roles. Arguably carrier doctrine supplanted the line of battle doctrine at Taranto in 1940, or if not then, in May 1941, but that is a debate for another thread... so ... 3. TLDR version of 3 - your fast carriers are fast enough to get out of the way, and, if caught by surprise at night, the cruisers/fast BBs in the TF will engage the enemy and screen the carriers. Early in the war the only fast BBs available to you are the POW and Repulse. Happily you don't have to account for Admiral King's Anglopobia and can use them accordingly. Edit: POW and Repulse will also act as torpedo magnets and divert attention from your carriers when an airstrike arrives.
< Message edited by Ian R -- 7/15/2021 5:41:01 AM >
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"I am Alfred"
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