Night Moves
 

Not the song from Bob Segar :DL .. but taking the time to adjust your task force deployment as the sun goes down. I had not really thought of this but the odds of running into something close is really high and if your fleet is dispersed the problems are many.

So while on the campaign map when the dark hours begin I right click my fleets, select task force, and adjust those little bubbles closer. On larger fleets I adjust a destroyer flotilla or two to cover areas that during the day offer no threat but at night could be a disaster.

Not doing so cost me the Von Der Tann for 3 months now :(

The game itself is well thought out. I can understand the desire for First Person Shooter perspective, but as an old AH Jutland and Cordite & Steel fan (Yes 1970's era games) The stratigic, operational, and yes tatical decisions provide a way different experience. Should I try and blockade the south or meet the Grand Fleet in a final dual? What time should my ships leave port? Do I want a night battle or a day battle? Should I leave my lightly damaged ships in port or should they join the frey? How should I postion my task forces to snare my prey? and yes .. given the time what direction should my forces enter the battle .. Lots of things that no FPS game I have played takes into account. Yes repositioning my task forces into "night mode" and "Day mode" as the situation develops.

Glad you're enjoying the game. And yes, changing from day to night formation can be very important. They did it in real life, so it's a good idea in the game, too :up:

I wish that the AI did it as well - that's one of my biggest gripes with the game so far actually. The lack of night-time formations and the piecemeal arrival of enemy fleets in every night battle always makes it much easier to get results you want at night - and avoid results you don't want. I wish the enemy night-readied themselves...

Night Operations
 

The behavior does favor aggressive night operations; however, still there are lots of decisions to make as I started this thread. For example, I pulled my ships in closer but I also missed picking up on cargo ships I intended to intercept during the night. A constant balance which makes the game interesting ..

In terms of night battles -- the "bouncing behavor" and consequinces thereof are my biggest gripes (already posted in gripes). The AC Black Prince showed up at night picked off a DD on the formations stern at 2.7 Km in the first 15 seconds, and became a ghost ship 1 minute later, only to immediately show up in a new battle ( seconds later in game time) off my bow hurting a CL ..and boucing off .. on the fourth bounce I finially got a 12" shot from a Pre-Dreadnought in the center of the formation and set the AC on fire .. when she slipped away to bounce with all fires gone and fully repaired enough to employ very accurate fire on another one of my CL's damaging her by suddenly showing up off the port side. That in my book is more annoying than the fact the Brit's arrive at night in somewhat spread formations :03: