Ian R
Posts: 3420
Joined: 8/1/2000
From: Cammeraygal Country
Status: offline
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One problem you are having is that you only see the enemy SAG in terms of where it was yesterday, and a report about what direction it was heading, both of which could be wrong anyway. You have to think two days ahead, not one.
If you set up a (Feb 1942) sandbox as follows, you will get a feel for something akin to "deflection shooting" when trying to catch a SAG at sea, and a couple of other things as well.
1- organise an IJN CA SAG ( 4 x CA, plus one of those scout cruisers with 16 TT and reloads, and a half dozen DD)to sail NW -> SE down the Java Sea. It's route will be within spitting (or at least moving) distance of both Batavia and Sorebaya. Make sure it is set to normal threat tolerance etc. Give it a not too aggressive leader (60's), and a react of about 3. For test A, all search float planes (both sides) are on day search, not night. Give it a home base to to the east of the Java sea - Makassar is good.
2. The only IJ "land based" air should be some searching Mavis or similar over the movement area. Likewise, the only allied land based air flying should be some Dorniers or PBYs on Java. A couple of groups worth each, enough to give search coverage - and make sure they are not set to a range >12.
3. Set up a couple of ABDA SAGS, with say Houston, Exeter, Perth and Boise in one with the Asiatic fleet 4 pipers, Marblehead and the NEI fleet in another. Maybe beef that one up with a couple of RN "D" class scout cruisers. Do not mix the shortlegged NEI DDs with the 4 pipers. Put the Houston SAG in Batavia, and the NEI SAG in Sorebaya for Test A. Also for Test A, give the Houston SAG a cautious leader. The aggressive Karel Doorman is always in charge of the NEI fleet.
4. For test A, order the two allied SAGs to sail three hexes out of port - they should be on max react at all times, all tests.
5. Everyone is always on mission speed, the exe takes them to flank speed as needed.
6. Run Test A a few times. You can never tell what will happen because its a Grigsby game and there are die rolls, but I'd be surprised if you get any surface actions. You can also try basing both allied SAGs in Sorebaya, and sending them out to different destinations.
7. Now for Test B, put very aggressive commanders in charge of both the Houston SAG and the IJN SAG, and wind their threat tolerance up to absolute. Change the allied move orders so they are heading over within a couple of hexes of Borneo before turning around. Run test B a few times. If they see each other,they might pick a fight. Remember though, 1 hex is 1600 square nm of ocean, and this early in the war, radar is rudimentary at best.
8. Now for Test C, go into all three SAGS and switch at least half or maybe all their searching floatplanes to night search covering 2-3 hexes all round. You can never be sure of the weather, the die rolls etc, but if everything lines up you will sometimes see carnage ensue. The first allied SAG that makes contact will probably suffer death by Long Lance, but the second one (particularly if it is the one with Boise in it) will plaster the IJN cruisers.
9. Test C part 2 involves putting a few subs from each side patrolling in the Java Sea, hoping some contacts increase the D/Ls of the SAGs.
10. For Test D, use the Test C set-up but we'll fast forward to late 1944-
(a) Swap out the IJ cruisers for the best upgrade versions that retain all their main gun turrets and torpedo fit, with the big late model DDs led by an Agano, and make sure some ships have surface search radar.
(b) Replace Houston & Exeter with a couple of Baltimores*, the light cruisers with Clevelands, and the USN DDs with Fletchers. They should come with far better day/night experienced crews.
[*or just replace all the cruisers with the two CBs - Alaska and Guam  ]
(c) Replace the NEI navy with say 2 x RN/Cth 4 turret 8" cruisers, a couple of 4 turret Town class CLs, and some modern Tribal and "N" class DD's.
(d) Upgrade the aircraft in your patrol boat search groups to models with the latest available surface search radars.
(e) put some Gato/Balao class USN subs in the Java Sea patrolling (and using their surface search radars).
The increase in D/L level of the IJN SAG should in theory result in more surface interceptions.
I picked the Java Sea for this sandbox for historical reasons; it was the one place where there was a surface action (one of the three major ones) which did not occur in a base hex, or adjacent to one in a "choke" hex.
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"I am Alfred"
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