Minefields

[Tribesman]

An annoying possible bug.
Using the predreads and old cruisers/DDs as a single TF for minelaying and local patrols to the north and west of the fixed minefields.
I encounter the Grand fleet+battle sq.
I end up by maintaining 18knts a reasonable distance in fading light from all the BBs(which seem to be making 17&16). All that is up after a while is 1 Cl plus Shannon, Warrior.
I split off the leading predreads to circle back and trap them in that open non mined area to the NW of the field while knowing they will not close to far with the other predreads.
The trap snaps shut, Hessen takes one 13.5 getting too close to the BBs but no serious damage and the ACs must surely be in the bag.

The light cruiser makes good her escape at high speed to the SW and the two armoured cruisers somehow sail straight through the minefield at 21knts, do a few circles in the far side of the minefield then head straight back through the whole field again.


So are these miraculously lucky ships the British have or was it a glitch?

[nr61]

The only British ship I've seen going into the mine field was that damn British mine laying destroyer (Abidel?). 3 times I've chased it into the minefield, all 3 times at night.

Twice she went bang and sunk an once she did a quick turn and badly savaged several of my DD's before escaping, (that is one fast ship) so I would say that they were very lucky AC's.

NR61

[crackaces]

Using the predreads and old cruisers/DDs as a single TF for minelaying and local patrols to the north and west of the fixed minefields.
I encounter the Grand fleet+battle sq.
I end up by maintaining 18knts a reasonable distance in fading light from all the BBs(which seem to be making 17&16). All that is up after a while is 1 Cl plus Shannon, Warrior.
I split off the leading predreads to circle back and trap them in that open non mined area to the NW of the field while knowing they will not close to far with the other predreads.
The trap snaps shut, Hessen takes one 13.5 getting too close to the BBs but no serious damage and the ACs must surely be in the bag.

The light cruiser makes good her escape at high speed to the SW and the two armoured cruisers somehow sail straight through the minefield at 21knts, do a few circles in the far side of the minefield then head straight back through the whole field again.


So are these miraculously lucky ships the British have or was it a glitch?

I hope Bullethead comments, but it has been my experience that mines and sub attacks only occur when triggered by the stratigic map - and the coastal guns make thier mark only during the tatical phase. Thus I have observed that trapping a squadron into a minefield during the tatiical phase of the battle does not trigger the minefield attack. The subs disengage right off the bat in teh battle mode so this leads me to further believe this is correct. I could be wrong, but the rules say that a minefield has a 5% chance per ship while discussing minefields as a part of teh strategic map ... but my examples have not had a significant number of ships to correlate software behaviors otherwise.

Given this I believe that mines are a strategic weapon to attirite Navy's in a dense areas and the coastal batteries are a far better trapping mechnism in a tatical situation.

[CCIP]

Remember that minefields aren't solid walls of mines. There's only a chance that ships will hit a mine on entering a mined area. I've even had friendly ships (accidentally) sail into permanent minefields in the Bight, and not hit any mines for 10-15 minutes. More often than not, however, they do hit something eventually, but even when they do, I find that mine damage in the game is pretty underwhelming. I've had ships hit 3-4 mines and, at worst, lose a couple of knots of speed. The only way I've seen ships be lost to mines is on the strategic map, not in tactical battle.

[crackaces]

Remember that minefields aren't solid walls of mines. There's only a chance that ships will hit a mine on entering a mined area. I've even had friendly ships (accidentally) sail into permanent minefields in the Bight, and not hit any mines for 10-15 minutes. More often than not, however, they do hit something eventually, but even when they do, I find that mine damage in the game is pretty underwhelming. I've had ships hit 3-4 mines and, at worst, lose a couple of knots of speed. The only way I've seen ships be lost to mines is on the strategic map, not in tactical battle.

Now that I have a few hours with the game and this posting I have a better idea. I just pushed a Brit sqaudron into a minefield and then one ship having below the waterline damage [flames comming out] ..my impression before was that a mysterious torp hit [Bullethead please comment] Now I think mines are like 20 cm torps. Thus captial ships are damaged and light ships are doomed. Were your ships light ships or captial ships?