American Vessel right outside enemy Manila harbor!

[KronikAlkoholik]

I was sent to patrol around the gap into Manila harbor. Just outside it I find a ship and let the fish fly. It was nigh and bad weather and after i've hit it with three I see the american flag.

Ok I'm new so I forgot to check the flag. But I thought you could assume that a ship just outside enemy harbor would be enemy or neutral.

This was TMO.

Also there is a button for identify ship but it doesn't seem to do anything.

[NorthBeach]

Depending on when you were patrolling outside of Manila harbor, it may be perfectly reasonable to find a U.S. vessel there.

The ship ID only works if the scope or TBT is locked onto the ship.

If it wasn't an Essex Carrier, you didn't commit the most dastardly case of friendly fire around here.

But, I'm not pointing fingers.

Originally Posted by NorthBeach

Depending on when you were patrolling outside of Manila harbor, it may be perfectly reasonable to find a U.S. vessel there.

The ship ID only works if the scope or TBT is locked onto the ship.

If it wasn't an Essex Carrier, you didn't commit the most dastardly case of friendly fire around here.

But, I'm not pointing fingers.

My ship ID doesnt work when Im locked on though?? Should it pop up to a view of it in the recognition manual when I click it?

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by KronikAlkoholik

But I thought you could assume that a ship just outside enemy harbor would be enemy or neutral.

This was TMO.

Also there is a button for identify ship but it doesn't seem to do anything.

During an invasion, you'll find a lot of enemy ships just offshore. This goes for both sides, the Americans and the Japanese. The Philippines probably had not fallen completely into enemy hands yet. It's not like we evacuated as soon as they landed. The fight for the Philippines lasted several months.

As far as the ship identification, I haven't been able to get that to work properly either. I still do it the old fashioned way with my eyes and the ID book.

[Armistead]

I play TMO, once locked, I still have to hit the ID button, but a lot quicker than going through the book. If the weather is clear and good visuals others will ID just by locking on.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by Armistead

I play TMO, once locked, I still have to hit the ID button, but a lot quicker than going through the book. If the weather is clear and good visuals others will ID just by locking on.

Oops, I misunderstood him. I thought he was talking about the "ID Ship" button, as opposed to just locking on the target.

[Arael]

Originally Posted by NorthBeach

If it wasn't an Essex Carrier, you didn't commit the most dastardly case of friendly fire around here.

But, I'm not pointing fingers.

Pbbt, Essex. Let me tell you about the time the ABDA task force never made it to Makassar Strait. It turns out that in bad weather the Houston looks quite a bit like an Aoba, and the Marblehead looks a LOT like a Nagara type. Both of them, as well as a four stacker destroyer took a trip to the bottom. The De Ruyter took a hit on the bow, but didn't sink.

[Diablo2]

Just left Pearl, its aug 42 and a haruna maru sales past me flying british colors... So just going to ask is this normal?

[NorthBeach]

Originally Posted by Arael

Pbbt, Essex. Let me tell you about the time the ABDA task force never made it to Makassar Strait...

Oops.

That would probably result in more than a Captain's Mast.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by Diablo2

Just left Pearl, its aug 42 and a haruna maru sales past me flying british colors... So just going to ask is this normal?

Some of the merchant ships used by Japan were actually of pre-war design and built in British or American shipyards. It was not uncommon before the war, for Japan to purchase ships from other countries (who also happened to use them). Did you know that the Kongo Battleship was actually designed and built in Britain? Though it was later modified in Japanese ship yards. You'll also come across Hog Island Freighters bearing Japanese flags, though this could be as much from commandeering as it is from purchasing.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

It was not uncommon before the war, for Japan to purchase ships from other countries (who also happened to use them). Did you know that the Kongo Battleship was actually designed and built in Britain? Though it was later modified in Japanese ship yards.

Didn't know about the Kongo. Was it built for the Japanese, or was it a decomissioned British ship?

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by TorpX

Didn't know about the Kongo. Was it built for the Japanese, or was it a decomissioned British ship?

I believe it was built strictly for the Japanese Navy. I think the IJN began modifying it's design almost immediately upon receipt. IMHO, the Japanese had the finest navy afloat at the outbreak of war.

[Hylander_1314]

They were definitely well trained! Things would have been worse in the Pacific, had the Japanese made more efforts for the survivability of their experienced sailors and aircrew.

[Arael]

Originally Posted by TorpX

Didn't know about the Kongo. Was it built for the Japanese, or was it a decomissioned British ship?

The Kongo was a pre World War 1 era battlecruiser specifically designed for and purchased by the Japanese Navy to provide a starting point for their new dreadnought navy. The Kongo was the last foreign built ship commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy, as its sister ships the Hiei, Haruna, and Kirishima were built in Japan. The design was the first 14" gunned ship ever made, and the design was considered so successful that the British Navy ordered an improved version that became the battlecruiser Tiger.

[TorpX]

This is all very interesting. Now I'm tempted to find a good read about the IJN surface fleet.