As NB said, going to the patrol zone is a basic waste of time with RSRD, although it does get you close sometimes.
Take this other map that shows movements of warships. I decided to look for something different other than the usual several large Java convoys.
If you look carefully a Main Body Cardiv leaves Palau for Kendari and shows it arriving on Feb 21. I decided to see if I could find it and decided on an ambush point between the smaller land masses where it turns west towards Kendari. The lower land mass would be Buka on your game map. I've never gone against this group, so why not. Sure enough on Feb 17 I get a contact. Finally able to ID the Hiryu, Soryu and another carrier. Several other CA's, but the fun will be it has a double ring of escorts, about 18 total. I paused after spotting it and will take it on later.
This is also the same Carrier group that invades the Indain Ocean later. If I chase it long enough it would eventually make it to Kendari and probably vanish or despawn so to speak..simply how ships dock in port in the game. Eventually it should spawn outside of Kendari and head to the Indian Ocean, so I could probably set up another attack. I would chose an ambush point in the little strait above Timor, don't see how I could miss it there.
Tell you what, give me an upcoming date and I'll play your Admiral and send you flash messages vectoring you to possible intercept points...bet I can make life interesting for ya...
