Naval Surface Action AAR

[ghostdancer]

5th Airforce and Air Raiders I would like to hear your accounts and opinions about the surface action.

Did you have a good time? Anything done that could improve the experience? etc.?

[texasmom]

   I had a great time.  It was fun indeed to go carrier/carrier!

I've only been participating in FSO during the last month or two ~ so I don't know if/how carrier operations are normally run, but it would be nice to see the operations expanded beyond carrier/carrier battles if that is possible.

Was tremendous fun! I felt fortunate to have been able to participate! Thanks!

[trax1]

so I don't know if/how carrier operations are normally run

This is the first FSO to incorporate carrier vs. carrier operations.

[Nefarious]

Welcome aboard Texasmom.

[lambo31]

 The naval action was a blast, just no other way to put it. From the time we spotted the Axis TG till it was over was non stop action and the chatter on the squad vox was unreal. Out of my 4+ years of doing FSO I have never seen so much excitement from a squad, <S> to the 5th Airforce for an outstanding fight.
 I think the current set up worked great and I can't think of any changes I would make with just 1v1 TG's. Well, maybe having 2 cruisers instead of just 1 would up the anti a bit. Keeping both TG's confined to one sector worked well because we didn't waste a lot of time looking. Like TMom said there is probably room to expand, just not sure how that could be done.
 

 You did a great job putting it together Ghosthdancer and it was well thought out, Thank You 


Lambo

[wmills]

The surface action was excellent!  Of course, my side was the one left with ships floating at the end.  But ships went down on both sides.  It was tense, tricky, and required good coordination between gunners and with the guys steering the group. 

The allies appeared to get off the first salvos, firing from about 22-24k.  Luckily for them (us), they landed close and ranging was rather quick.  The axis cruiser went down within the first five minutes or so, but their destroyers put up a heck of a fight.  The allied cruiser went down not long after, taking multiple long hits from the 5 inchers, but not before at least another axis destroyer went stern up.  With four destroyers up, the allied group moved into the lee (behind) of the axis group--which by now had lost some of its guns.  The groups closed to about 5k and then separated again to about 10.  The allies lost another destroyer, but the axis group was just outgunned at that point.  The sequence of sinkings gets a little fuzzy, but the last axis destroyer went down after what seemed like a long fight.  The allies steamed away with three destroyers afloat (I think).

wmills

[Dux]

I was in that last Axis DE... Yes, it was a frantic fight! I wish I (and apparently the majority of my squad) had more experience in naval guns, we really had to learn quickly. After being informed about "E-mode" we all struggled with it, and most of us turned it off eventually. I think my Track IR conflicted with it somehow.

Our plan was to limit our fire from only the CA at first, so as not to confuse the splashpoints. Once ranged in we were to all open fire. Good real-life strategy, but I think in the reality of the game it probably would have been better if we all opened up from the start, as our CA was the first to go down, and rather quickly at that, without ever really getting good range on the enemy.

As far as my evaluation of the surface battle... well, the confusion and unfamiliarity factor really outweighed anything else I was feeling, and on top of that getting our second life only to spawn under capped fields of higher enemies didn't add to any enjoyment I may have had. That said, I think the naval battle has great potential and would love to see it developed in the future.

I'd love a rematch after a little practice... <S!> Air Raiders!

[ghostdancer]

It will be in frame 3.

[trax1]

I'd like to see a naval battle incorporated in all FSO's that have CV's in them, also I think if we did put a naval part into those FSO's I think there should be a list that squads can sign up on if they want to take part in it, and each squad on that list would get a turn at trying it out, this way it's not just the same squads every week getting to participate in it, and this way ever squad that wants to do it will get a turn.

[442w30]

This was an excellent event.  Tension ran high throughout because there was no rescue for any of us.  Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. It also had the historical context because of all the surface actions that occurred in the "slot"   

I'll give you a dollar if we can take the helm of the Allied fleet again this coming Friday! 

 

[ghostdancer]

Talk to your CiCs. I told them I would prefer other 7-11 squads to get a shot at the naval surface action but if none of them want it I am sure the CiCs will give it to you guys.

[daddog]

Kinda off topic as far as gaming, but I would highly recommend
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer.
It is an amazing story of several destroyers who when head on with a much larger Japanese task group in Oct of 1944.

The American destroyers literally sacrificed themselves to save MacArthers invasion fleet and several light CV's. 

[442w30]

Daddog, you are correct, that is a tremendous story of courage and sacrifice. The Greatest Generation...  yet another example of it

[trax1]

Kinda off topic as far as gaming, but I would highly recommend
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors by James Hornfischer.
It is an amazing story of several destroyers who when head on with a much larger Japanese task group in Oct of 1944.

The American destroyers literally sacrificed themselves to save MacArthers invasion fleet and several light CV's. 

Is that about the Naval battle involving the USS Laffey?

[texasmom]

Welcome aboard Texasmom.

Thanks very much, I appreciate it.