Readying and launching A/C (Full Version)

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Rick Bradley -> Readying and launching A/C (7/1/2007 8:11:31 AM)

I have been just trying to play and pay more attention to the mechanics of the game and not the outcome. In the Coral Sea I move the Yorktown north on the first night and ready 19 SBD's and 13 TBD's. I don't remember of being given the option of arming them with bombs or torpedoes. When I have a sighting after dawn I click launch and within 20 minutes all 32 are brought to the deck and in the air. I remember playing Carrier Strike and one of the thing that you had to do was manage the deck. I believe on the big carriers you could have 12 A/C on deck, no more, and still conduct flight operations.

If you had a returning strike and were trying to ready another strike you had to make some choices. I believe this game works around that problem by having unrealistic times for readying and launching. A/C can be readied below decks or on deck. If readied below they still have to be brought up. On the American carriers with their unarmored flight decks the hanger deck probably offered little protection. However if you ready a large strike on deck you foul the deck for flight operations.

As simple as Carrier Strike was it handled that aspect well.



Marcus Caelius -> RE: Readying and launching A/C (7/1/2007 2:41:40 PM)


quote:

As simple as Carrier Strike was it handled that aspect well.


It's been ~15 years but, if CS is the one I'm thinking of, I hated it. Yes, the flight ops were more detailed, but the game was coded so that a certain level of ship losses would get you "recalled to base" under "autopilot."

The last game I played, I got between the enemy carrier groups and the escorts, and was pulverizing the carriers. My carrier group was intact, but my screening group was taking a pounding. Suddenly, I lost a destroyer and found all my TFs recalled. All of them, carriers BBs, CAs, DDs, passed within one hex of the enemy carriers on a beeline to the edge of the map without making the slightest attempt to intercept. I managed to get off one more airstrike before the game ended, but otherwise I just sat there, helpless, as the programming snatched defeat from victory.



Adam Parker -> RE: Readying and launching A/C (7/1/2007 3:06:10 PM)

I'm beginning to feel more and more, that decisions such as arming/refuelling and sending out strikes should be taken out of the player's hands.

In the role of virtual Admiral which this game imposes, the decisions left to the player should IMO be strategic, ie: telling TG's:

1. Where to search.

2. Where to maneuver - course, pattern, speed.

3. How to form up and organise TG's (not yet possible in the game).

4. Offensive doctrine: a) Attack at first sighting, b) Attack on confirmation of enemy TG type, c) Attack at certain distance, d) Attack at certain time, e) Operational tempo.

5. Defensive doctrine: a) When to approach, b) When to retreat, c) Level of TF exposure.

The virtual TG/airbase Commanders and ship Captains then do the rest - strike compositon, ship logistics, minutae, asset defense etc.

Reports then reach the theatre commander (the player) re TG efficiancy, enemy behaviour/location, attrition and the ability to sustain tempo, for further decision making.

As is strikes regularly get confused en route and are easily distracted by the tactic of placing a surface TG in front of a carrier TG so why not more tactical FOW?

My .02.



Rick Bradley -> RE: Readying and launching A/C (7/1/2007 8:55:43 PM)

I don't remember any recall provision in Carrier Strike. What I do remember is sitting at my Apple IIe at 3am falling asleep with my head in my hands as the computer would move, taking 10-15 minutes sometimes. That is really not a bad idea in my opinion because in a scenario all you want to do is win with no consideration to conserving forces and the "fight to the last ship" doctrine comes into play. If you know big brothers is watching over you you will probably play more historically. Maybe being able to toggle that feature would be nice.




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