In Weazel’s (the terrain maker formally known as Jihad) original Philippine terrain, there were to distinct types of fleets available, the CVBG (CV Battle Group) and the SAG (Surface Action Group). I strongly suggest future MA terrains be designed this way as a counter to the current practice of in-shore CV fleets, i.e. camping a fleet just off shore of an enemy base. The SAG could have the LVT’s and PTs enabled, while the CVBG’s would have only aircraft available. Right now, the CV’s
have to come right in shore in order to launch LVTs and provide naval gunfire support. They just didn’t do this. It also makes for the ridiculous situation of having opposing aircraft spawn points unreasonably close, with the land base usually getting the short end of the stick because of the much greater and more robust air defenses of the fleets. Since we would never put a terrain up in the MA with opposing fields within such close proximity, it would make sense not to encourage the equivalent situation with fleets that close to shore.
I would also like to see battleships
at the heart of the SAG. Finally, I would like to suggest an A/I override for fleets that would enforce the 5-mile (or whatever the its set to) limit. While the code prevents you from setting a fleet waypoint closer than 5 miles to shore, it doesn’t prevent the fleets from coming closer than 5 miles (at least it doesn’t seem to), if you set the waypoints correctly. Perhaps I’m wrong on this last point, but is sure seems like they can get closer than 5 miles. I would then make independent settings for minimum shore distance for each type of fleet. The SAG’s should be able to come closer to shore than the CVBG’s, and typically did (ocean depth permitting).
