Some things I've noticed regarding the yacht club...
The CG's are excellent additions to land base defensive and offensive operations. The presence of a CG Group off of a land base pretty much assures the base action, be it offense or defense. (capture of fields complicated by troop orgins notwithstanding)
CG vs CG surface actions are pretty clumsy affairs.. gun actions depend mightily on gunner luck more than skill; gunning at long range is more art than science in AH. Torpedo bombers are largely ineffective.. (oh the humanity)
CG Air Groups are immensely effective in the field attack offense/defense role yet the Air groups are largely ineffective in the CG defensive role. Active CG defense depends largely on AI flacks and on board gunners. Human AA gunners are significantly more effective than AI gunners. Close approach of the fleet from low alts is not to be advised.
PT Boats have reasonably effective low alt defensive weapons, but like the torpedo bomber they are for the most part unable to approach a manned fleet to effective torpedo range. They have limited useabilty in field assault.
RECCOMENDED DEPLOYMENT TECHNIQUE:
Transit: mininmun 2 plane CAP, 20k. Contested area transit: 8 F4U's CAP.
Field Assault: Strike elments take down acks with med alt TBM's from 30 miles out. Goons should be dispatched at this time. F6F's and F4U's (JABO) strike hangers, destroy armor defenses and establish Air Superiority over target.
Field defense: Ascertain presence of enemy fleet, launch airstrike on enemy fleet if one is present. Sustain air stikes untill enemy CV destroyed. Establish Air Superiorty over contested field at med to hvy bomber alts, deny enemy bombers acess to airspace over base. sweep for m3's and goons.
Killing the CG: As noted above; most low level attacks will be largely ineffective. Med to high alt level bombing attacks are easily foiled by CAP, by manned AA or by CG manuvering or all three. The most effective method of destroying the CV is with Heavy Fighters w/ 1k eggs. An attack by 6 'heavy' fighters from 15k is literally unstoppable if the fighter get into the airspace immediatly above the fleet..
CG Air Defense: The attacking fighter group must be detected and destroyed before it gets to the CV. Aircap; deployed at 15 K min needs to be on station and investigating radar cons. Defensive CAP in force should be in place in anticipation of an attack.. not after it has been detected.
Summary: CG's are an effective platform for the projection of force in an area; but are comparitivly weak in self defense from an organised dive-bombing attack. The potential they represent, proven and percieved; makes the CG the '1'st Priority' target for the opposition. Once they are detected; they can be destroyed relativly easily and quickly by JABO fighters without waiting for a 20k b17 or Lanc to get in position.
Speed is of the esscence in CG's offensive ops, prepping, closing and securing the air over the contested field is paramount, co-ordination of goons and timing are all crucial. If the defender is able to launch heavy fighters in numbers; the CG is doomed.
Hang
1st/AG "Bishlanders"
