crsutton
Posts: 9590
Joined: 12/6/2002 From: Maryland Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: FatR I don't see supposed Japanese surface domination in actual battles. All their battleships but 4 are fast, yet weak (old USN battleships have, like, 4000-yards zone, where they can blast **** out of Fusos/Ises while not getting penetrated in return). Their CLs (in stock, at least) range from very mediocre, to oversized DDs. Their CAs and DDs are good, but lose much of their shine once Allies don't need to rely on shoddy early-war British and Dutch ships so much anymore. Unless one side is heavily outclassed, sheer numbers and right mix of forces will be the decisive factors most of the time. And speaking about the right mix, if faced with regular night combats against numerous IJN forces, I would have brought Brooklin/Helena/Cleveland cruisers, maybe, but not necessarily mixed with torpedo-carrying British/Commonwealth cruisers, in multiple groups of about 3-4 CLs and 4-5 Fletcher/Livermore/Gleaves/Benson DDs. Handpicked TF commanders and ship commanders, of course. These "CLs" can swiftly take out anything short of a battleship. Primarily, they can take out Japanese CAs, which are the main threat to the Allied battle line. DDs are here mostly to draw attention from enemy DDs, so that the latter will waste their torpedoes on them, maybe to finish cripples (in general DDs relatively rarely fire on capital ships if enemy DDs are present, that's why it can be useful to pack some torpedo-carrying cruisers). Wouldn't have risked battleships without solid air cover, though. I have to agree. My Allied surface ships are doing OK. I just don't use my BBs in surface combat in restricted waters as they tend to get hammered. I prefer the modern Allied CLs over the treaty cruisers but do find that many 6 inch hit do not penetrate Japanese CAs. I thought that historically they were fairly deadly vs this type of ship. I look to use six to eight ship TFs and this seems to work OK. I have had no trouble sinking Japanese CLs in the game, they are indeed weak. However, the long lance is still very dangerous in game in late 43 and that is a point in the war where it was really not so much of a factor. Considering Ameican ship building technology, fire control, auto loading and radar. I would expect Allied surface ships to come out on top in most all late 1943 battles. Frankly, I would expect modern American CLs to eat the old Japanese treaty CAs for lunch. Don't really see that. Japanese surface forces are very powerful all through the game that I can see. Perhaps 1944 will boost the Allies as I believe the torpedoes in the DDs get better. Now don't get me started about ship based AA which has been a travesty ever since the game was introduced.
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