Hello Naval Sim Players,
Generally, my "navy" game play is restricted to U-Boat/Submarine games (basically: locate, guesstimate course, intercept, attack, withdraw). Whenever I try a surface engagement game (e.g., Guadalcanal, etc) I find the dynamic battlespace gets rather random and confused - to my Pzr Camp mindset! I am guessing an experienced player has a some type of tactical structure to make sense of the battlespace, or is it just close with the enemy and blast away!
Wondering if someone would be interested in providing an AAR/Tutorial describing the different stages of surface engagement and the tactical implications. I imagine it follows to some degree the locate, guesstimate course ... sequence mentioned above. And prior to that an assessment of forces at hand versus expected enemy strength and weakness.
thx
AAR/Tutorial
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GMcClellan
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2022 7:42 pm
Re: AAR/Tutorial
No AAR here, (I'd like to, but there's only so much time in the world, and I'm already behind.)
But I will try to give you a thought pattern to work with. First off, if you haven't read the advanced tactics guide that came with KM, do so. It's available at: https://files.wargamedesignstudio.com/i ... MEeNErKGGz
Pre Battle:
Examine your forces carefully. This will dictate your tactics for a good chunk of the game. Are your forces gunfire based, torpedo based, or balanced? What do you expect to face? Compare that.
So, for instance, let's say it's US CA/DD vs Japanese CA/DD as an example of the thought process.
Your cruisers are almost certainly pure gunfire (USN had taken most of the torpedo tubes off years before). Theirs are balanced, with both guns and (extremely effective) torpedoes. You may or may not have a ship to ship gunfire advantage (depends on the exact model of IJN CA. Aoba has 2/3 the gunpower of yours. Myoko has 1 more 8" than yours) Still, you really don't want to close your cruisers on the Japanese. Those Long Lance are brutal.
The DD battle is trickier. The Japanese torps badly outclass yours, but yours can be effective if well used. You may have gunpower advantages, and possibly even radar.
So, in this battle, I would suggest that you keep the range open as best you can. Move to keep the Japanese from closing. Don't keep on a single course too long once you are within reasonable torpedo range. Always move to maximize your bearing guns and minimize theirs.
Of course, if you're playing the Japanese here, you want to reverse that, and push to close the range. (For effective torpedo attacks, I'll refer you to the linked document.)
This is just a bare start, but hopefully it will give you some guidance on how to look at the game.
During Battle:
Assuming we are talking strictly surface (as carriers really are a whole different kettle of fish). The big things are what I alluded to earlier. Determine your desired range and move to maximize your guns and minimize theirs. If you want to launch a torpedo attack, you'll want to get a "lead" position on them (again, see the linked document).
I really do need to do a full, annotated AAR one of these days, don't I...
But I will try to give you a thought pattern to work with. First off, if you haven't read the advanced tactics guide that came with KM, do so. It's available at: https://files.wargamedesignstudio.com/i ... MEeNErKGGz
Pre Battle:
Examine your forces carefully. This will dictate your tactics for a good chunk of the game. Are your forces gunfire based, torpedo based, or balanced? What do you expect to face? Compare that.
So, for instance, let's say it's US CA/DD vs Japanese CA/DD as an example of the thought process.
Your cruisers are almost certainly pure gunfire (USN had taken most of the torpedo tubes off years before). Theirs are balanced, with both guns and (extremely effective) torpedoes. You may or may not have a ship to ship gunfire advantage (depends on the exact model of IJN CA. Aoba has 2/3 the gunpower of yours. Myoko has 1 more 8" than yours) Still, you really don't want to close your cruisers on the Japanese. Those Long Lance are brutal.
The DD battle is trickier. The Japanese torps badly outclass yours, but yours can be effective if well used. You may have gunpower advantages, and possibly even radar.
So, in this battle, I would suggest that you keep the range open as best you can. Move to keep the Japanese from closing. Don't keep on a single course too long once you are within reasonable torpedo range. Always move to maximize your bearing guns and minimize theirs.
Of course, if you're playing the Japanese here, you want to reverse that, and push to close the range. (For effective torpedo attacks, I'll refer you to the linked document.)
This is just a bare start, but hopefully it will give you some guidance on how to look at the game.
During Battle:
Assuming we are talking strictly surface (as carriers really are a whole different kettle of fish). The big things are what I alluded to earlier. Determine your desired range and move to maximize your guns and minimize theirs. If you want to launch a torpedo attack, you'll want to get a "lead" position on them (again, see the linked document).
I really do need to do a full, annotated AAR one of these days, don't I...
Scenario Designer: Naval Campaigns & Musket and Pike