Naval Query 2

Bern · Post by **Bern** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:09 am

Very early stages of a game [T 10] and I've intercepted a large German battle fleet in South North Sea consisting, amongst others, of all its remaining pocket battleships and some subs. I've no idea why the AI would want to concentrate this number of ships in one place.

Anyway I was able to concentrate a large force of the Royal Navy and with air strikes from carriers and land based, just about detroyed the German fleet. When the boxes popped up later to provide results of the surface ships, there was a notification as follows - "Due to the result of this stage of the battle, regular part has been cancelled" - what does this mean?

Bern

doomtrader · Post by **doomtrader** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:50 am

This means that due to the high submarines and air carriers activity in this theater, you have got no time to attack enemy forces, or they have just fleed before your fleet.

Bern · Post by **Bern** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:58 pm

After a dose of the real world, I've got back to this particular game. The naval battle I mentioned above spread over four turns; despite facing the overwhelming might of the Royal Navy, the German battle fleet remained on station to be pounded by land and ship-based aircraft, subs and surface fire. By the conclusion of the action, the German fleet had virtually ceased to exist, losing all its pocket battleships, all but one of its cruisers and all but one sub. The British loss was one cruiser.

I do not understand the German AI strategy here. Why would all its powerful ships be grouped together in one fleet and then allowed to sail so close to GB with absolutely no air cover this early in the game. Also when taking huge losses from the beginning of the action, why would not the remainder of the fleet be withdrawn.

The naval part of the game may not be the number one priority, but surely we can do better than this.

Bern

Razz1 · Post by **Razz1** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 8:02 pm

Ships are supposed to withdraw at 60% damage.

I set them at 50% in my patch and had better success but never had time to submit the change.

There may be some confusion as to withdrawals. 60% damage fleet or 60% damaged ships.

The AI may not know how to detach damaged ships and sail for home. Therefore they get sunk before the fleet reaches 60% damage.

Even though you are sinking ships, you should be paying heavily in aircraft. The cost is not free.

Please Check Events to see if AI chose Operation Sea Lion and please report back.

There also may be some programming conflict between Offensive/Defensive operational settings and withdrawal of ships, where the operational settings are overriding the parameters to withdraw.

doomtrader · Post by **doomtrader** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:30 pm

Ships are trying to withdraw from the battle if severely damaged.

It is hard to say was it one fleet or couple of them.

Is it possible that the German fleet was trying to cover some sort of operations?

Bern · Post by **Bern** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:13 am

Thanks guys. Recon identified only the one German fleet. Throughout the action, the British lost just the one plane.

I'm talking about game turn 10 - there was no operation the German fleet could be covering in the south North Sea, although in the midst of the carnage, they did manage to destroy a couple of convoys. A poor return for the whole of the fleet.

This early in the game, is Sealion even considered? There would seem to be some calculation somewhere which is preventing a withdrawal.

Bern

Razz1 · Post by **Razz1** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:45 am

ahh.. Looks like the fleet was convoy hunting.

Bern · Post by **Bern** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:24 am

Razz1 wrote:ahh.. Looks like the fleet was convoy hunting.

OK but surely the AI should not be able to concentrate all of its pockets battleships with cruisers and subs and send them on such a suicide mission so close to GB without any air cover. Even if it does this, should not there be some sort of mechanism in place to get them out of trouble. I can't believe that the need to kill convoys is scaled higher than the preservation of the fleet.

I also cannot understand why land and sea-based aircraft were able to inflict so much damage almost with impunity.

Bern