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Feinder -> RE: decisive CV combat (6/22/2007 4:53:41 PM)
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AL has mostly got it covered. That "big" CV vs. CV battle is important, so it's -ALL- crucial. But being as it’s a slow day, I’ll blather on for little bit…
1. Most Allied players will run single-CV TFs, all set to follow one in the same hex. You get the "benefit" of stacked CAP, but your CVs are split up. When the battle comes, the TF or three that gets hit, is going to get hit hard, but your other CVs will be ok (altho their airgroups may be mauled). Also, you're going to get hit by coordination penalties (if you stack all your CVs in the same TF), so making separate TFs will increase the chance that your bombers will be escorted (because each CV is launchign it's own strike - albeit smaller). Also more TFs, mean more ships to put up more flak, and more ships to draw enemy bombs away from your CVs.
2. There used to be a "trick" in UV, where if you ran a high CAP percentage, your CAP would decimate incoming strike, and then you launched on day 2. This doesn't work. Trust me (*weak grin*). Set your CAP/Escorts to something reasonable, and just let it be. If it's earlier in the war (you probably have no business hitting mega-KB anyway), but if you have to, LOWER your CAP percentage to maybe 30% – because you’re going to get decimated anyway, you need your fighters to absorb as much punishment as you can so your bombers get thru. After May/June, run “normal” CAP of about 50-60% and hope for the best.
3. LBA can be your friend. If you have a friendly base nearby with ANY bombers that can contribute, try to pull him in range. Your LBA will usually need at least one escort for every 3 enemy fighter on CAP. So if you’re going vs. mega-KB, you’ll need to escort your land-based bombers to get them to launch. Even when they do, in all likelihood, your LBA will just get nailed. But, they will disrupt the enemy CAP (successive strikes face a less effective CAP), and every little bit helps to get your own CV bombers thru. Naturally, steer clear of enemy LBA. If his LBA strikes your TF, it only serves to break up your own CAP and get your CVs sunk that much easier.
4. If you play the all-or-nothing game, don’t complain if you lose. And you might very well lose, even if you do everything right. WitP does NOT handle mega air-battles well. One side tends to completely kick the other’s arse. I have seen an even exchange on large scale, but most large CV vs. CV battles end with one side losing a CV or two, and the other being pretty much decimated. So if you’re the one that ends up on the south end of the stick, you’ve been warned.
5. You should probably consider reducing your Avenger range to 4. At 5, they might fly without escorts, carrying only 500# bombs. They’ll just get slaughtered, and even if some make it thru, those 500# bombs aren’t going to deliver for you. You’ll just lose all your torpedo bombers for nothing. So reduce the range on your Avengers to 4, and they’ll at least have escorts, and may coordinate with your SBDs. You *might* also consider reducing further to range 3 for your Avengers and SBDs. Reason being at range 4, your SBDs will only be carrying 500# bombs. At range 3 or less, they carry 1000# bombs. Those 500# bombs won’t penetrate half of the CVs of KB (Shok, Zui, Akagi), and will do (almost) nothing. So if you can insure that you’re dropping the 1000# ers, that insures that you (literally) get the most bang for your bug. HOWVER, setting your max range to 3 is a big risk. It might well be that mega-KB shows up at range 4. It knocks the sh1t out of you, and you have nothing to show for it.
6. Do NOT rely on “do not react” or reaction 0 or whatever. Reacting to enemy CVs is pretty much universally hated by everyone, but this lovely feature remains in the game. Basically, it’s where your CVs will try to close a hex with the enemy CVs, whether you want them or not. You have usually tried to plan your destination hex so as to be outside of enemy LBA and to get your guys to strike. But along comes the reaction move, some of your CVs react, so don’t, so your neat “stack” of CV TFs are no longer stacked (so not stacked CAP), and… Oh well… At least the reaction move is an equal opportunity offender, it happens to both sides, and pretty much everyone hates it. Just warning you on this note as well, so you don’t the, “WTF does “reacting to enemy CVs” mean?” At least you can say, “WTF?! I hate reaction moves!” just like everyone else.
7. As AL said, keeping the longer endurance DDs with your CVs is better, and certainly top them off before the battle. You don’t want to have burned 250 ops points in the middle of your big CV battle (reducing your move/strike ability), because your bone-head Admiral thought it might be a good time to refuel your DDs.
8. And a nearby (within 10 hexes) friendly port that you can disband at (size 3 or better) nearby might save a CV or two after the battle.
9. And yes, esp if your facing mega-KB, pull in every flight deck you onw, RN CVs, and even Long Island (CVE). Putting 16 more SBDs or Avengers onto Long Island, might mean two more hits on the enemy. Just be advised that RN CVs and esp Hermes and Long Island are going to slow you down, and that might not be what you want. You can make a "slow" CV TF, with the RN CVs, Wasp, and sundy.
Good luck. You’re going to need it.
-F-
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