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John 3rd -> RE: The Shattered Sword: John 3rd vs. Anachro--BTS (11/30/2018 1:36:54 PM)
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July 13, 1942
SoPac Battle Review
It is nearly 10 turns since I did an update. Want to cover the particulars of the fight with my CVLs.
Losses for the fight were 2 CVL, 4 8,000T AO, and 2 PC. Considering that my 2 CAV and 2 CVL were up against 4 US and 2 Brit CV I shall consider myself lucky. The Japanese downed nearly 150 Allied aircraft for little aerial loss themselves. Wasp and North Carolina each took a Sub Torp while heading for Hawaii.
The decision for the Deep Strike near Tahiti cost me. Not going to do that again. Considering that the 2 CAV and BB Yamato could have been sunk as well really caps things off for me. That would have been SOOOOOOOOOO bad. OK. Lesson taken.
There are always moments in a multi-turn battle that one looks back to a says...I SHOULD have done this. That moment was when the US CVs did their full speed jump and cut me off from Tulagi/Lunga. My TF was next to Noumea at that moment and I absorbed a strike that cost me a CVL but everything else was OK. Had the choice of moving north to gain LRCAP from Ndeni or moving further west towards Milne Bay. I elected to gain the LRCAP. SHOULD have gone further west. This move would have surprised Sean, gained me a day, and saved a CVL plus damage to other ships.
The biggest surprise in this fight (other then the HORRIBLE performance of the American Naval aircraft) was the strength of my G.6 Hybrid Carriers. The Kushiro and Tokachi each took 4-6 bomb hits over the course of the fight and have lived to tell about it. AMAZING!
For those who don't know, this Mod allows for the exploration of the Hybrid Carrier through the London Naval Treaty of 1930-1931. The Fleets had no idea as to the final form of the aircraft carrier. Should they be BIG (like Lexngton or Akagi)? Should they be small and have LOTS of them (like Ranger or Ryujo)? Should they be a combination of surface and air capability? The last question was very intriguing to me. I had encountered the American version of the hybrid while doing my Masters Thesis in 1997-1998. That design fascinated me and once I began Modding, I decided to allow the exploration of this class of ship. The designs all come actual ones done by each Navy. Sources that I recommend are Warships After Washington by John Jordan, Jentschura's Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and The Hybrid Warship: The Amalgamation of Big Guns and Aircraft by Layman and McLaughlin. The re-written London Treaty allows for each major navy to build two of these experimental warships.
British Empire
The Brits build a pair of CAVs built upon an Exeter-Sized cruiser hull with 4 8" Guns, TTs, and 18 Planes. Just under 10,000T.
American Navy
The Americans build their two on the proto-hull of the Cleveland-Class CL. They carry 3x3 6" guns and have 21 planes on about 12,000T.
Imperial Navy
The G.6 design is much larger coming at 17,000T. In many ways the G.6 is designed as a Command Cruiser with Flightdeck. These CAVs carry good armor, 3x2 8" Guns, TT, and 30 planes.
All three fleets provide cruiser armor and fuel range while trying to balance armament and aircraft. Early Mod work showed these ships to be TOO capable! They could fight other cruisers, launch strikes, provide serious CAP, and keep right on going. NOPE! These Hybrids are to be useful but not truly capable. They are a combination of features that really don't belong. I massively scaled back their sorties and ammo load. Makes sense in terms of how many and how big can the magazines be. RIGHT?
Once the war gets going, all three navies are allowed to convert their Hybrids to full on carriers based on their respective size and tonnage.
Here are the G.6:
[image]local://upfiles/18041/9957FB8FD4144C2DB133A9E6DFB04BEE.jpg[/image]
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