Task Force Attack

[CaptCrashDive]

So I finally decide to go chasing across half the map at one of the Task Forces Pearl Harbor keeps radioing me about. Jack up the TC, and tell my XO to wake me when we get there. 20min real time later I catch sight of it, nice box formation, with destroyers that peel off at random it seems to sweep for subs. So I am thinking nicely done devs, keep me on my toes. When I notice two ships in formation are huge. I mean Battleship huge. Now I played SHIII, not for months on end but a lot, and never saw anything bigger than a destroyer. Maybe I was doing something wrong. Doesn't matter cause now I am doing something right. Two Fusa BBs, so I set up ahead of them, wheel my scope over and stutter, stutter, stutter. Can't do anything, lag like you won't imagine. Ok, well I saved the game not to long ago, exit, turn the settings down, and load. No stutter, perfect. I like to go backwards so I do speed, 11kts, AOB 30, Range.... CTD. Crap. Reload try again. Never had this problem before, but now I do. CTD about half the time when I click the stadameter. Ok try different settings. CTD, again CTD. CTD again. then I hit upon it. Medium presets allow me to play without stutter, clicking the box for Light shafts and turning on 3D damage has, so far (2 hours) eliminated the CTD with the stadameter. Why? Don't care. Back to my attack. Reload, get into position. Scope up, Speed, AOB and Range. Turn PK on. Scope down. Set up all my fish. She should be close, 20 degrees of my starboard bow. Up scope. There she is right where I thought. Check the range, I was close so I figure my solution is good. I let all four fish go with 1 degree spread between them cause I always seem to be just behind, and I have them running on low speed to give me time. Goose the engine and show her my ass. Just about then the first hits. Crap I must have misjudged cause the jig is up. Too late now I reset the speed to 8kts, figure she'll slow down and zig zag. Four hits on the first spread, got lucky. Four more fish 2 degrees between them, two ahead of the first, one behind. Dive down to the deck, 100ft. Damn I didn't check the depth and it is shallow around here. Decide to creep north. 2 more hits, the beast rolls over and sinks. Check the sonar and there are 2 DDs closing in. Figure they are going on a hunch but don't have me pinned yet so I kill the engines. It must work, cause they close and circle near me but never pick me up or DC. After a while they zoom off to catch up with the convoy, I surface, reload my tubes and begin to make an end around to try for the other BB. When this game is working right, it is amazing. You just can't beat it. Plus, I have acually made runs on several convoys and sunk a BB. Just got to find a flat top now.

[WFGood]

I agree. When the game is working, it is fantastic. There are some real improvements graphically over SH3. Head for the Philipines if you want carriers. I have made two patrols down there and have 4 carriers, 3 cruisers, 2 DD's, and several larger merchants to my credit. It is making me wonder about the AI a little though. During my first attack I sank 3 carriers, 2 cruisers, and the DD's. The weather was horendous, and I was just following running lights and shooting at whatever got within 300-400 yards. I was only shot at once, and I managed to slip back into the mist to loose them, but I blamed the lack of counterattack on the rain, fog, and large sea state. The second attack, however, was in calm seas at night with a crescent moon (beautiful refletions by the way.) I attacked on the surface. The task force was sailing at 4 knots with 4 CV's, 2 CL's, a Maya, a Mogami, and 8 DD's with a couple of oilers thrown in as well. I thought that a little odd, but when the first 4 torpedoes slammed into the Shokaku, the TF continued on without even changing speed. I made my second attack sailing surfaced 1100 yards from an Fubuki which ignored me completely. I managed to get my last 2 MK14's into the side of the Hiryu which limped off. I know we bungled it during the first few months of the war along the Atlantic seaboard, but I had no idea the IJN was so poorly trained as well.

[79TransAm]

Yeah much more warships in this. Then again alot of the pacific was navy vs navy where the Uboats in the atlantic were primarily targerting merchants

[CaptCrashDive]

So I finish my end around, and set up again in front of the convoy. I am running low on fish, and decide to take a crack at a heavy cruiser instead of the other battleship. Set up pretty much the same, let four fish go, dive and beat feet (or propeller) north. Two hits, she lists and I begin to hope she may go under. But not for long cause I have other problems. A DD has picked up my scent and is closing fast. When the pinging starts I let a decoy go, kick it up to flank and turn east. First set of DCs fall short. I keep the speed on as long as I dare, then begin to creep again. I can hear DCs behind me, but no tell tale pings. Quick look outside confirms the DD is DCing my decoy. This is where it gets good. Two more DDs show up, and begin to circle the area, one damn near runs over me to get to where I left that decoy. But they don't let the ash cans go, maybe my decoy wore out. With paitence they take off. So, being the aggressive skipper I am I plot another end around, reload my last 3 fish in my front tubes, and save the game.

[Burnspot]

Turn off Environmental Effects; the stutters and huge lag should disappear for you. I had the same experience when attacking a group containing a bunch of heavy cruisers.

The game can be amazing! :D

Just got done raiding Rabual (sp?)....slipped in at PD, nearly grazing the sand (the rocks don't do anything). Sank every single ship docked except for 2 gun boats. Party time. :D