detaching DD Divisions

[Sven]

Hi,

I am new to the game. First of all a big thanks to the developers for this great game ( i mean RJW and WW1 ). This is what i have been looking for a long time.

I have a question. If i activate the whole combined fleet and go on a longer Operation, the Destroyers will eventually run out of fuel. I play admirals mode. There should b a way to tell them "Go back to port" or "refuel" but i have not found that button yet. How can i detach my destroyers so that they do not run out of fuel?

[randomizer]

The short answer is that unless you're playing at Captain's difficulty (full control of all divisions), you cannot detach your DD/TB divisions to refuel.

If you are sortieing torpedo craft for long range extended operations you are not using them as they were intended to be used in 1904-05 so it is not really reasonable to allow detachment. During this period torpedo craft had no real escort or screening role but were considered offensive weapons intended to attack high value units at night or during periods of poor visibility. The slightly larger TBD were intended to counter the TB (hence Torpedo Boat "Destroyers") but they were generally used close to port as their endurance at sea was very short.

Patrolling squadrons of cruisers do not require and did not generally use torpedo craft for support and escort since for most purposes your secondary and tertiary batteries should provide effective anti-torpedo boat defence. Once you establish the base in the Elliot Islands, you can activate TB based there to support close blockade patrols off Port Arthur and Dalny but they were not intended or used in long-distance high seas operations. The Russian boats that accompanied the Second Pacific Squadron came as something of a surprise and proved that the larger TBD were seaworthy enough for long voyages but their short range required that they be towed most of the way to the Far East.

It's true that Togo had clouds of TB in the Battle of August 10th and at Tsushima but in both actions they were forward based and the Japanese were operating close to those bases. Virtually all the TBD vs TBD actions in the war occurred within an hour or so sailing time from Port Arthur or Dalny.

So the game is working as designed and the operational limitations forced on the Player by the short legs of his torpedo craft is a reasonable recreation of the situation faced by both sides.

Thanks for the kind words about the games.

[Sven]

Hi,
thanks for the quick and long answer. thought that was the problem. will leave them at home the next time or activate them and give them patrol missions.
I guess the german Torpedo boats and british destroyers in 1914-18 will not run into that problem, or?

[Fredrik W]

DD:s have longer range in WW1, but destroyer endurance was still a limiting factor for operations. During WW1 the DD:s did have escorting duties, and no navy was willing to operate without destroyer escort in face of the submarine threat, in practice destroyers were not detached.

[randomizer]

Jan 14, 2015 0:51:59 GMT -6 Sven said:

Hi,
thanks for the quick and long answer. thought that was the problem. will leave them at home the next time or activate them and give them patrol missions.
I guess the german Torpedo boats and british destroyers in 1914-18 will not run into that problem, or?

There were some discussion on the development of the destroyer from the TBD and how the respective roles evolved last year. See here:

Questions Regarding Destroyers 1908-1914

In addition to the huge material changes, naval doctrines underwent considerable refinement in the decade leading up to the Great War.

[Sven]

Thank you very much for the link! It was very helpful.