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rattovolante -> TF not following the orders shown by game interface? (1/18/2010 9:57:44 PM)
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I'm not convinced this is actually a bug, but it's puzzling. Can anyone explain why this happened?
Foreword:
I had 3 CLs and 3 DDs in TF 84, a surface combat TF with react 6. On the previous turn resolution (let's call it "turn A") it reacted to a (clearly superior...) enemy surface combat TF containing CL De Ruyter and was badly damaged by it.
So during resolution of turn A the 3 CLs and 2 DDs were detached to an escort TF and reached Ambon. Only DD Hayashio was left in TF 84.
Situation shown during the orders phase:
The pic shows the situation of TF 84 at the beginning of my next turn (let's call it "turn B").
I wanted it to return to Ternate for repairs/resupply, so I set it to ASW (to "encourage" it to avoid combat with the enemy SCTF), react 0, direct route, normal threat tolerance
The spotted enemy ship 2 hexes SW of DD Hayashio included CL De Ruyter - I know for sure because at the end of turn A resolution it was torpedoed by the submarine show in its hex.
[image]local://upfiles/32702/471D7EC354EC44C8B23038A69AAC9EE4.gif[/image]
What actually happened during turn resolution:
At the end of the day (resolution of turn B = situation shown on map when giving orders for the next turn, let's call this last one "turn C") TF 84 had proceeded 6 hexes in a direction 120° away from the route shown in the pic above!
In fact, during the day surface combat phase it engaged CL De Ruyter at 73, 115 (the hex marked with X on the pic).
So my guess is that even if it was set to ASW, 0 react and direct route to NW, TF 84 moved straight SW apparently in pursuit of CL De Ruyter (i.e., of the TF it had reacted to on the previous turn resolution).
Combat
The combat report is also slightly puzzling. The log is:
quote:
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 20,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 20,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 3,000 yards
Kaneda, Kiyoshi orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range closes to 2,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
Range increases to 13,000 yards
CL De Ruyter engages DD Hayashio at 13,000 yards
Range increases to 17,000 yards
Range increases to 21,000 yards
Task forces break off...
Even if the log doesn't report it, combat opened with the japanese TF commander dispersing his ships and trying to flee and the dutch TF commander pursuing.
Note how if DD Hayashio was effectively attempting to flee as the game outputed, CL De Ruyter quickly closed 17000 yards, only to even more quickly lose 19000 yards as soon as Hayashio was hit and its commander ordered to disengage.
Now, while De Ruyter has a top speed rating of 33 in the database, in this actual game it had suffered both an engine damage critical hit and a torpedo hit during resolution of turn A. My estimate of its cruise speed is 2 hexes/pulse, so about 10... a conservative guess of its max speed is not above 20, so 2/3 of the DD's max speed. In any case it has been limping for 2 days dangerously close to Ambon where I have torpedo-carrying Betties, so I'm pretty sure it can't reach its design's full speed. So how could it gain 17k yards in combat over Hayashio?
The other explanation is that even if at the beginning of combat the game outputed that the japanese commander was trying to flee, Hayasho was actually closing with the enemy (i.e., pursuing De Ruyter).
Bug?
I suspect that during execution of turn B, TF 84 was still obeying the orders of turn A (surface combat mission instead of ASW, react 6 instead of 0), and specifically reacting to/pursuing De Ruyter (as it had done on turn A) - even if the game interface showed otherwise (direct route to Ternate highlighted on map during orders phase, combat replay outputing "disperse and attempts to flee")
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