quote:

ORIGINAL: rogue

The next big thing is building a good TF. I know each mission is different, but I feel like I just throw ships together without really knowing how big or small I should go. I know the bigger the TF, the easier they are to be spotted. Also, if a surface combat TF is too big, not all the ships will fight in a battle. I think 15 is the magic number for that kind of TF. But for your basic CV TF what is a good balance? I usually have 1 carrier, 2-3 CA/CLs for AA support and 5-6 DDs for AA/ASW support. This brings me to about 10 ships for a one carrier TF. ASW TF are easy since they are DDs. What about transport TF? I usually have about a 1:1 ratio of transports to destroyers, but generally slightly fewer DDs than transports. If I go into forward base in a hostle area I may have a CA or CVE for AA defense.

quote:

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

quote:

ORIGINAL: rogue

The next big thing is building a good TF. I know each mission is different, but I feel like I just throw ships together without really knowing how big or small I should go. I know the bigger the TF, the easier they are to be spotted. Also, if a surface combat TF is too big, not all the ships will fight in a battle. I think 15 is the magic number for that kind of TF. But for your basic CV TF what is a good balance? I usually have 1 carrier, 2-3 CA/CLs for AA support and 5-6 DDs for AA/ASW support. This brings me to about 10 ships for a one carrier TF. ASW TF are easy since they are DDs. What about transport TF? I usually have about a 1:1 ratio of transports to destroyers, but generally slightly fewer DDs than transports. If I go into forward base in a hostle area I may have a CA or CVE for AA defense.

Your surface TF is ok, but i'd but as many as 25 ships in a CV TF... you'll need all the AA you can get. Yes, there is a diminishing return over 15 or so, but 25 ships still have more AA than than 15 ships.

As for transport TF, normally i try to put a few SC or other lightweight ASW ships and maybe a DD in (up to 100 ships total) then have a 6 ship ASW (DDs) escort the transport TF. This will take out almost any subs attacking.

• The CV TF composition that you proposed is good early on when you have limited resources to run all missions.
  
• For ASW Hunter Groups, you can use a group of Minesweepers with a Destroyer. The Destroyer should have good day/night experience. This allows it to act as a flag for the ASW TF increasing chances of locating and attacking a sub. Woith that help MSW's make excellent sub hunters. Use your DD's with short legs for ASW. Keep the long legged DD's for duty with Air Combat TF's and Convoy Escort.
  
• If you have an opponent that likes to lay mines, use the long legged MSW's as convoy escorts. The AI in teh stock game is not big on mines.
  

quote:

ORIGINAL: herwin

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mynok


I was under the impression that the coordination penalty had to do with the number of planes rather than the number of CV. My often faulty recall is remembering 400+ for IJN and 200+ for USA incurs the penalty.

Allied 1942--poorly coordinated in any case and if more than 100 + rnd(100) planes are in the TF, the chance of uncoordinated attacks doubles.
Allied 1943--if more than 150 + rnd(150) planes are in the TF, the chance of uncoordinated attacks doubles.
Allied 1944-5, IJN 1941-5--if more than 200 + rnd(200) planes are in the TF, the chance of uncoordinated attacks doubles.

rnd(N) means a uniformly distributed random number between 1 and N. Hence if you have two CVs, each with 90 aircraft, the chance of doubling is 80% in 1942, 20% in 1943, and 0% in 1944. Three CVs produces 100% chance in 1942, 80% in 1943, and 35% in 1944.

That suggests the optimal count is one CV (or two RN CVs) in 1942, two CVs (or three RN CVs) in 1943, and two CVs and a CVL in 1944.