Carrier Battles!

[Timskorn]

Of course one of the newest, and coolest, additions to SC Pacific is how carriers work. From the outset of Pearl Harbor in Operation Z you immediately feel the power of these new beasts. No longer are they expensive floating "U-boat Food", but the key to victory at sea.

You'll find that spotting plays an important "first role" in deciding when and if to engage an enemy fleet. Having long range tech helps a lot here, but the Japanese have an advantage right off the bat. You can't decide whether to engage the enemy first if you don't know what you're up against. If they can see you before you see them, the enemy has the initial advantage.

In this case, deception can help you turn the tide. Make the enemy believe they are seeing the bulk of your force and let them engage first and make sure you have fighters nearby for CAP to protect the "bait". Having local land-based fighter units helps immensely here and can be part of your plan. Let them do the CAP so your carriers can move in for the kills with a full aircraft complement. This is where controlling and holding key islands like Truk becomes important, as you can base your land fighters at key junctures where battles are likely to occur (or where you WANT them to occur), or at the very least, can keep an eye on enemy movement in the area.

Taking down enemy carriers should be your #1 goal, but not at the expense of the rest of your navy. It's OK to pull back after some initial losses, it's going to happen. As the IJN especially you need to be smart. You can't afford to let the USN build up and come at you later when they can bludgeon you with 5 carriers and an armada of support ships. Even if you take down 3 or 4 carriers, you will have likely lost a couple yourself. The USN can replace their losses, and faster.

If you find the USN hiding somewhere as they build up, don't wait for them. Force the issue and threaten Australia and New Zealand. Knock them out if the Allied player wants to sit their fleet.

As the USN, use your MPP advantage to get some good techs or extra carriers/ships. Take it to the IJN! Don't be reckless but remind them they don't own the Pacific, and the Marines ARE coming. Every sunk ship hurts the IJN and puts you one step closer to the mainland. Get those islands, move in your fighters, tac and bombers to complement your naval presence.

Anyone have any exceptionally satisfying carrier battles that you felt really turned the tide?

[Hubert Cater]

Great post Timskorn and I almost forgot to mention that the brand new Carriers we see in this game are largely PowerGmbH's fault... not sure if everyone remembers but his suggestion for the new Carrier model was originally posted in the Strategic Command Design Challenge a few months back

So, when you are cursing your Admirals for putting their Carriers in the wrong attack mode during an epic Pacific Theater naval battle, now you know who to blame

[Michael_G]

Doing the campaign now, its Oct '44 and the count is 6 US carries sunk for the loss of 1 IJN carrier. The US and allied support ships are numerous, so you have to pick your places.

I make carriers the number 1 target when spotted.

[Bill101]

I make carriers the number 1 target when spotted.

Definitely! In one of our playtests I did manage to sink two US carriers that were escorting an allied invasion fleet from NW Australia to the Dutch East Indies, and although I also suffered some losses it really took the wind out of the allied invasion fleet's sails, delaying their invasion for a long time.

I've also found that sinking carriers has a big impact on players' morale... at least it certainly does have on mine!

[Capt Andrew]

Speaking as the playtester in the match described by Bill, I'll add some more thoughts there. As the Allies, I was attempting a "defend Dutch East Indies at all costs" strategy. Those are valuable MPPs going to British India, and really helps the Japanese. So I immediately put my 2 USN carriers to sail and brought them around the south end of Australia...upgrading them in a brief layover in Australia ports. I snuck my reinforced British carrier to the south end of Java to link up with the USN. I had an armada of ships at my disposal. I dangled a unit within spotting range of a IJN flattop that I saw (Intel hit) sail into the straits between Borneo and Java. The IJN took the bait and brought their carrier, a BB, and at least one cruiser below Java to engage what looked like a pitiful fleet. After losing 2 cruisers in the initial battle, I pounced on Bill! I sank his carrier and the 2 heavy escorts below Java. It was nerve wracking because I had left eastern Australia, Solomons, etc...all exposed for an opportunity to really stall the initial (and vital) Japanese advances in their quest for resources!

Imagine how my utter triumph and jubiliation turned to horror as the IJN counter-attacked, revealing FOUR carriers near Java! I lost both my USN carriers and my British unit's air component was depleted! I also lost (what was it Bill?) NINE surface ships (destroyers, cruisers, etc) in their overwhelming counter-attack! I was able to damage and sink a couple more units, but his carriers striking from the "safe" side of Java decimated my determined DEI defense strategy!

It was one of the more costly naval battles I've ever had! The only bright side of the whole thing was it revealed that he had (at best) one carrier to the east (Truk). I was able to take advantage of that with a separate task force of newly built USN ships and completely crush any advances he was contemplating towards the Solomons. After that, I was able to change strategies and go with a more practical Island Hopping campaign.

But that encounter at Java (DEI) was one of the most intense and brutal naval/carrier battle's I had in Head to Head playtesting matches!!!

[Bill101]

I also lost (what was it Bill?) NINE surface ships (destroyers, cruisers, etc) in their overwhelming counter-attack!

Yes, it was something like that.

Alas, the smile was wiped off my face later on... but this victory did buy me a lot of time.