RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI

RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (Full Version)

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Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/15/2017 4:53:33 PM)
May 12 - Day 09 So, our remaining Capital Ships have put themselves at risk by insisting on routing to Noumea instead of Cooktown and air cover as intended. I set all their home bases as Cooktown, and plot a route there taking account of the potential air threat. This time it looks as though they are going to follow orders! The 4xDDs that failed to attack the tanker have already been identified and attacked by the enemy CVs. So they will try to get to Milne Bay overnight and take on all the fuel there before joining the other Surface ships at Cooktown. [image]local://upfiles/57059/FB6FE3940A484B01B400E90E607A9404.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/15/2017 5:10:10 PM)
May 12 - Day 09 Well our Cruisers got back to Cooktown without incident, but the Japanese CVs hadn't finished their trail of destruction yet. The 4xDDs attempting to shelter at Milne Bay are intercepted at dawn by no less than 3 strikes from the enemy Carriers. Each raid hits one of our DDs. Then land-based aircraft from Lae and Rabaul join the party. As night falls DD Worden limps into the tiny port at Milne Bay, badly damaged but afloat. We have lost 3 Destroyers! Our Sub S-42 makes a failed attack on a CL ear Tulagi. Any good news!? Well unlikely but possible. The CVs air strikes have delayed their retirement northwards and our Subs lay in wait ahead of them. If only . . . [image]local://upfiles/57059/21E6DDF6646C40D5A17B4889CB320314.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/15/2017 7:08:46 PM)
May 13 - Day 10 The graphic reveals all. [image]local://upfiles/57059/781F84E494F142FAB789406E9BF22449.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/15/2017 7:39:30 PM)
May 14 - Day 11 The final day of the operation. Our Subs fail to intercept the enemy CVs which apparently head south again! DD Worden flees Milne Bay overnight and escapes to Cooktown safely. Mitchells from Cairns make a raid on the airfield at Port Moresby to little effect although we lose no aircraft. Kates again attack our infantry trekking through the jungle to Buna. There are 17 casualties. And so the result is determined, not surprisingly, as a Decisive Japanese Victory (2375 - 1086) [image]local://upfiles/57059/FEF2BE1824D940CD8584AC2BADD8FFA4.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/15/2017 7:57:40 PM)
THE RESULT It turns out we did sink a couple of small craft early on. But the CL Tenryu escaped. So, CV Yorktown lives to fight another day. CVs Shokaku and Zuikaku? We didn't even scratch their paintwork! [image]local://upfiles/57059/43CAB219CCE14FB4A2CD95254FC87EA3.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/15/2017 7:59:24 PM)
I'm going to chew on this for a while, then try again, but not against a HARD AI! Also, with such a short scenario having my reserves with a +/- 15 day variability was not well thought out! Thanks to the Scenario Designer - it's a great little scenario. Thanks for reading.

Bif1961 -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/16/2017 10:09:05 PM)
Well the score you 1 and the AI 1, going for the tiebreaker?

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/17/2017 8:41:14 AM)
[;)] Maybe best of 13? [:)]

BBfanboy -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/17/2017 7:16:51 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Energisteron Hi BBf No, I'm fairly sure I can select my intended ratios for air missions. That was a relatively easy concept. No, someone commented on my Aleutians thread that there was a hotkey to show air balance I think it was in each hex. Unfortunately, despite looking through, I can't find that remark. In a similar way, I have not yet located the hexside control display. I'd like to see that if possible. Hexside features (physical map features) is F6. Hexside control is the W key, for "Who controls the hexsides".

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/18/2017 7:58:55 AM)
Hi BBf Yes, I'm aware of those keys and always play with hexside features ON. They're on the hotkey list which I printed out right at the start of my escapades with WitP(AE). Unfortunately, the 'W' key has never seemed to do anything. Nothing on the display seems to change. Ah, of course! I play with hexside features ON, so presumably that overwrites anything 'W' reveals? I'd still be interested to know what this 'air balance' display looks like. Whoever it was who mentioned it (I think it was during the incident when a TF jumped off the map due to an air threat in the Aleutians Campaign.) I'd really appreciate an explanation since I cannot find your post despite trawling through the previous AAR. Give me a week to lick my wounds and I'll try again!

GetAssista -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/18/2017 8:08:38 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Energisteron Unfortunately, the 'W' key has never seemed to do anything. Nothing on the display seems to change. Ah, of course! I play with hexside features ON, so presumably that overwrites anything 'W' reveals? F6 does not overwrite W. Red or green lines for hexside controls are pretty thin but they are still there. Try toggling F6 off and try W again. If your W does not visibly work anyway, maybe it's time to reinstall the latest patch.

BBfanboy -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/18/2017 4:29:49 PM)
The W key has worked since game release, so the patch has nothing to do with it. I just tested it and the hexside control does seem to override the F6 display. It may be that you have selected the hex that you wish to view, and the cursor's white selection lines have overwritten what you want to see. Select a different hex before using the W key. There is no key for "air balance", but discussion of things like CAP and unescorted bombers might have strayed into relative strengths of both sides' air forces and how that "balance" influences your decisions about whether to be aggressive or defensive. Perhaps about your lonely CVE in that scenario and what mix of aircraft to have on it? There is so much info between the game itself and forum postings in AARs, the War Room, and Main Forum that it is easy to forget where you saw something!

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/19/2017 7:25:38 AM)
Thanks, Chaps Here's why I couldn't see anything! I'll watch out for how it looks in shared (invasion) hexes next time it happens. [image]local://upfiles/57059/4B2060CA9BDA4EC99791B95D150F908E.jpg[/image]

GetAssista -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/19/2017 9:49:09 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Energisteron Thanks, Chaps Here's why I couldn't see anything! I'll watch out for how it looks in shared (invasion) hexes next time it happens. This is how every small island should look normally. There is no hexsides on the small islands, since no other adjacent land hexes. So blue borders all the way - nobody controls the reefs. Load up scenario #1 and look on large land masses e.g. China, both with and w/o F6 and W. You will see how it is.

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/29/2017 7:41:25 AM)
Thanks for the explanation, GA. Yes, I can see it now!

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/29/2017 8:16:59 AM)
GAME 2 - The CORAL SEA - Usual caveat about spoilers of course! Ok, I'm going to have another attempt! I will use the same settings as game 1, except reinforcements for the Allies will NOT have +/- 15 day variability. So it'll be against HARD AI again. Right, so what did I learn last time? What mistakes did I make? Can I avoid repeating them? Lessons learnt:- 1. Carrier battles are brutal and deadly. A successful first strike usually kills or incapacitates so that the Carrier is rendered defenceless thereafter. [Last time, Lexington was destroyed as above, but Yorktown did limp away to fight another day because she was at extreme range and attacked in the afternoon, so escaped detection during the night] 2. Concentrate, and concentrate some more! The maximum possible mutually supporting CAP must be maintained by keeping Carriers in the same hex (i.e less than 40 NM apart) or even in the same TF. [[My previous tactic of having 2 Carriers slightly separated so that if one was detected the other might not be, failed spectacularly. However, there was some logic in it. When Yorktown was hit and slunk away, Lexington caused a distraction, as intended, by taking up the offensive. However, on her own she was overwhelmed with ease. This probably means that if I lose one Carrier I have to think seriously about withdrawing the other. So it's the 'Beatty principle', keeping the force in being as a threat is more important than actually using it!] 3. Allied assets, both naval and land-forces, are sparse at best and in any case there are no transports to move them around! So, Port Moresby cannot be reinforced. Consequently, if the Japanese land there they will take the base and almost certainly win. 4. Allied air assets are not so bad, BUT the aircraft are mostly outmoded, land-based, and those bases are poorly fitted out and too far away from the action to offer much support or detailed recon. 5. Hide and seek! Somehow, the Allied player must find the enemy Carriers and strike before they know we are there! Then the enemy Transports can be crippled. [Last time I cheerfully started attacking enemy Transports, not to the greatest effect, gave away my presence and the enemy Carriers hit us while our eyes were looking the other way. All so obvious now!] 6. Tulagi. I have a sneaking suspicion that this place is more important than it looks! Doubtless its float-plane recon can see me coming. So I either keep well away or try to knock them out. But, no runway to destroy so maybe that's not a realistic proposition. In any case, to attack Tulagi would mean revealing my Carriers. Mistakes:- 1. Not concentrating my Carriers quickly enough. (BTW they do start deployed far apart.) 2. Revealing our Carriers' presence by attacking Transports. 3. Not improving northern mainland airbases (not sure that can be done in the time allotted) or at least switching air assets north soon enough. 4. Being lazy and not checking my Recon arcs every day. 5. Doubtless several other things I've not even realized yet! I'll go away and work on a plan. Back soon!

BBfanboy -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/29/2017 3:50:13 PM)
Replaying a scenario is a great way to learn what works after learning what doesn't! A couple of small points: If you do go to Tulagi, you can do a strike against the port to kill the AV/AVP that is supporting the search aircraft there. I think the AI will withdraw the patrol aircraft if there is no support. See if LBA can reach - you don't want to reveal your carriers with an early strike if you don't have to. Another tool in your toolbox is the use of your Catalina and Empire aircraft as transports to get critical air support, engineers or supply into PM, but only after you have decent search set up.

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/29/2017 9:17:13 PM)
Thanks BBf Usual information. I've not actually got much ground support staff to be honest.

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/29/2017 9:25:28 PM)
The Plan The Carriers will merge into one TF about 300 NM west of their current position. Then their escorting Cruisers will be detached as a Surface Combat TF to take direct action against any enemy Surface ships including Transports that stray outside enemy air cover. The Carriers will then head for cover from land-based aircraft near Cooktown and Cairns while searching for any approaching enemy Transports. Meanwhile, the Australian Surface Combat TF will make a feint towards Tulagi intending to turn back as soon as under air attack. All our Subs will concentrate around the Milne Bay bottleneck at the eastern tip of New Guinea. Land-based aircraft will be transferred northwards to the limit of the airbase capacity. [image]local://upfiles/57059/642408CB34CC4576A7A05F1A616C3652.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/29/2017 10:26:20 PM)
Situation May 05 Both Carrier TF spotted by Mavis Search planes probably based at Tulagi. One Mavis is destroyed by CAP. CVs expected to join up at dawn today. Aussie TF moves boldly northwards but currently undetected. Oilers retire rearward hopefully out of harm's way! Catalinas, Subs and Coastwatchers spot enemy TFs moving from Rabaul towards Milne Bay [image]local://upfiles/57059/01EDBDD70A4F4FA4924BA1A1C371BC62.jpg[/image]

Bif1961 -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 2:04:43 AM)
If at first you don't succeed, hit reset.

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 7:37:52 AM)
Apologies, BBf : I meant useful NOT usual! I will move ground air support around if I can. Bif : Life's not like that! Even if this goes wrong again quickly, I'll still play it to a conclusion. Now to escape those darned Mavis's prying eyes!

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 10:13:13 AM)
The Outcome - May 05 There were no surprises. The Japanese invasion heads towards Milne Bay observed by our Subs ordered to concentrate nearby and by Catalinas flying from Port Moresby. The Subs were unable to make an attack due to the remarkably efficient vigilance of DDs Yayoi and Mutsuki which were in the vanguard. Subs S-38 and SS-44 were attacked but escaped unscathed. The leading TF appears to consist of CLs and DD escorts and possibly one Assault Ship Transport. About 80 NM rearward and following exactly the same course would appear to be the main Invasion TF consisting of several Transports and Escorts including Minesweepers. There was no sight of any Carrier aircraft all day. Our Carriers link up and continue to head west before heading up the coast towards Cairns and Cooktown. Bad weather throughout the operational zone permits us to escape detection by the Mavis spotters from Tulagi. But, the Australian Surface Combat TF is located and shadowed all day but no attack results. It will feign withdrawal overnight but may strike at Tulagi next night if in a position to do so. The Oilers move further away, one towards Cairns and one back to Brisbane. However, both are under surveillance by Mavis spotters. On land, air and air ground support (what little there is) is reorganised to concentrate on the northern bases, Cooktown, Cairns and Townsville. Cooktown is now home to our best land-based fighters, Warhawks, which will make a further leap forward to Port Moresby in days to come. Brisbane is stripped of its fighters which move up to Townsville. [image]local://upfiles/57059/8C971C6B9FD3452A9CDFF3C7579C8163.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 1:33:14 PM)
The Outcome - May 06 Bang! First blood to the enemy and then some more! The Australian Surface Combat TF speeding SE after being detected late yesterday is kept under observation by spotter planes all through the night and then at dawn is attacked with devastating effect. A first wave of 17x Vals, 17x Kates and an escort of 11x Zeros does the job in minutes. CL Hobart is struck by a single bomb and its magazine explodes! CA Australia is slowed by a torpedo strike then set afire by several bomb hits before being abandoned as flood control fails. Even the DD Whipple is pursued and hit by 3 torpedoes which sink her rapidly. So, the Japanese took the bait, and gobbled it whole! Not quite our intention! Will there be any benefit from this diversion? Are the Japanese CVs too far off to prevent ours from hitting the Transports in the morning? Our CVs reach their deployment zone near Cookstown with a good CAP of their own supplemented by land-based Warhawks. The Naval Search keeps the leading enemy TF under observation but an aerial attack is deliberately withheld, leaving the Wirraway Squadron at Port Moresby to attack. The Wirraways are met by 12x Zeros and badly mauled losing half their number. While the raid is underway, Nells from Rabaul make a successful attack on Port Moresby airfield rendering it temporarily inoperable. The returning Wirraways are forced to crash land nearby. The lucky pilots then find some bright shiny replacement aircraft have escaped damage in the raid and are ready for tomorrow. But are the pilots? Presumably, the Zero escort indicates another enemy Carrier is nearby. Time to kill it with some luck! In view of the demise of the small Surface Combat TF, the CV Escorts will stay within the Air Combat TF and not be detached as planned. [image]local://upfiles/57059/6B56728B038C4602805BCE4B34859269.jpg[/image]

Yaab -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 1:53:18 PM)
Wirraways! They should have been left in PM as the last line of defence. Once the Jap Amphibious TF reaches PM you can set Wirraways to strafe at 100 feet against the ships. Wirraways have 2 CL MGs and will destroy/disable devices loaded on amphibious TFs. Every aircraft has its uses.

BBfanboy -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 2:45:38 PM)
The combat report notations (the part at the bottom after the combat results) should tell you which carriers were involved in the attacks on the Aussie TF and on the Wirraways. Chances are CVs Shokaku and Zuikaku went after the Aussies and CVL Shoho defended the invasion TF. EDIT: Don't put too much emphasis on the larger invasion TF behind - that may be all the BFs, engineers and Air HQ troops while the lead invasion TF will have a high proportion of fighting troops.

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 2:49:29 PM)
Thanks for your timely advice, Yaab I'm not sure anything will be flying out of Port Moresby very soon! But, if possible, I'll give your trick a try.

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 2:59:22 PM)
I agree, BBf. I suspect from the relative numbers of aircraft involved that there's a CVL near Milne Bay and the big CVs are much further east, possibly within the spotted TF just north of the sinkings of the poor Aussies. Here's the Combat Report. It does not seem to indicate from which deck(s) the raid came. Then again we've not actually seen a CV in that area yet! [image]local://upfiles/57059/FF7FD300D6AA441BBDC68B5C553B0A45.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 3:07:21 PM)
Situation - May 07 So, we must strike now! Our CVs will make every effort to disable the Invasion TFs from their current position which will permit additional CAP from Cooktown. I believe we have adequate Naval Search cover from land-bases to keep an eye on the approach of the enemy CVs. We'll have to depend on our CAP to fend off any attacks from the suspected CVL and from the other CVs if they get within range - which won't be long! The subs, since they've failed to stop the Invasion TFs, will attempt to form a cordon N-S then head east to observe or intercept the enemy CVs approach. Port Moresby was due to get Warhawks via Cookstown but to send them across the channel now when the airfield is damaged could be futile. Port Moresby will just have to take what comes! Efforts to expand the airfield there are stopped as only 6% progress was made in 2 days. [image]local://upfiles/57059/82432682FB4047DEBFC8D9305B832EE9.jpg[/image]

Energisteron -> RE: Coral Sea (Scenario 3) Human Allies v Hard AI (9/30/2017 4:50:15 PM)
The Outcome - May 07 The leading enemy TF (CL Yubari, DD Yayoi, DD Mutsuki, E Oite and E Asenage) bombards Port Moresby overnight to little effect. Our gunners only manage to fire 8 shells in return and we score no hits. When dawn comes there's been no landing and there's no sight of the enemy TF! This is followed up with a brisk air raid by 17x Nells which is resisted by 3x Wildcats straying from our CVs LRCAP (for raids on the Transports). Damage is limited compared to yesterday and 1x Nell is shot down and two damaged for no loss to our aircraft. Then we release our dragon! Our Naval Search aircraft detect the principal Invasion TF about 60 NM out from Port Moresby early in the morning light. A massive strike meets with no enemy CAP, which was fortunate because our fighter escort failed to show up, and proceeds to shred to enemy Transports, sinking 4 and damaging many others. The aircraft work well together with Dauntless dive-bombers scoring hits followed by the coup-de-grace by torpedo delivered by the aptly named Devastators. It is like a training exercise! The raid is followed up very effectively in the afternoon without any intervention from the enemy. As our aircraft turn for home without loss, just one Transport remains undamaged with 4 more being sunk. To cap a fine day for us, SS-47 catches up with the wallowing enemy TF and puts a big fish in the side of the last undamaged Transport. What a fine day's work? It's just great when things go well!! Ok, so what do we do now? Worryingly, we've lost sight of their CVs completely. Where are they? What's their intention now the Transports have been destroyed? Retribution or retreat? As I wrote at the beginning, we will continue to follow the 'Beatty principle'; keep our CV threat intact rather than using is and losing it! At least that's our intention! [image]local://upfiles/57059/7758C2CDAE7142D5915D3C431F73F85C.jpg[/image]

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