Post by gornik on Jul 10, 2020 13:00:30 GMT -6
For now it seem, that all AI carriers are nearly equal and rather weak. That gives me as player too great superiority, especially in 1920-1930. There are multiple problems:
- Converted carriers are much weaker than they were historically. They can't keep 90 active planes of Saratoga or even 66 of Akagi in any way, mostly because there is no way to decrease thickness of main belt (thing that was done historically with all converted ships, ex: Akagi belt was lowered to 6" instead of planned 10"). But AI still build them, even when converted CV airgroup appeared to be lower than CVL-allowed maximum.
SUGGESTION: allow to convert ships at yard with more flexibility in armour at early stages.
- AI prefer not to pass 60 planes' line before lategame. Most carriers near 1940 have 50, sometimes 40 planes. So player may take advantage with building some 60-70-plane carriers in 1920.
SUGGESTION: Learn AI to follow player designs and build at least some of such ships earlier; as plane-heavy designs usually sacrifices firepower, "Rule of 8x8" guns" may be implemented for several years instead of "first design only"; CV (not CVL) without belt may be forbidden before certain tech.
- AI prefer to make "fighter-heavy" airgroups. Examples are at the screenshots:
Here only Ark Royal had "strike" airgroup. Unfortunally for RN, she was bombed first...
Here French Navy had no strike carriers at all. Result was:
I checked air combat logs of that day, and found that half of French fighters were shot during N strike missions, in return I lost only 5 fighters and got 1 ineffective bomb hit. When they performed CAP or Escort, bill was tougher for me (11 shot down, dosens damaged). Planes were nearly equal. Ironically, despite this fighter-love, both French and British carriers sent several unescorted sorties to certain death.
As you see, usually from 50 or so planes only 20 are strike ones. After first strike they remain with fighters only and send them at N strike missions to BB fleet with pathetic 250lbs bombs. My carriers of 68 planes with less than 20 fighters then dominate the air and bomb all they find.
SUGGESTION: Learn AI to increase strike component of CV if in first battles enemy showed the same. Also teach AI that fighter is primary for air combat and escort, not for strikes.
Also: Seem that CAP at carrier start preparations only after full sunrize. As the result, they usually miss recon planes, or sometimes (if contact was happen at night) even first strike! (In battle with French Navy my first CAP takeoff happened half-hour later, than first strike group did their job).
Example:
I suggest to prepare CAP before sunrise.
Also, I suggest to add Air Log to air groups (or add their reports from Main Log to CV/airbase one), so we'll have more info to analyze.
- Converted carriers are much weaker than they were historically. They can't keep 90 active planes of Saratoga or even 66 of Akagi in any way, mostly because there is no way to decrease thickness of main belt (thing that was done historically with all converted ships, ex: Akagi belt was lowered to 6" instead of planned 10"). But AI still build them, even when converted CV airgroup appeared to be lower than CVL-allowed maximum.
SUGGESTION: allow to convert ships at yard with more flexibility in armour at early stages.
- AI prefer not to pass 60 planes' line before lategame. Most carriers near 1940 have 50, sometimes 40 planes. So player may take advantage with building some 60-70-plane carriers in 1920.
SUGGESTION: Learn AI to follow player designs and build at least some of such ships earlier; as plane-heavy designs usually sacrifices firepower, "Rule of 8x8" guns" may be implemented for several years instead of "first design only"; CV (not CVL) without belt may be forbidden before certain tech.
- AI prefer to make "fighter-heavy" airgroups. Examples are at the screenshots:
Here only Ark Royal had "strike" airgroup. Unfortunally for RN, she was bombed first...
Here French Navy had no strike carriers at all. Result was:
I checked air combat logs of that day, and found that half of French fighters were shot during N strike missions, in return I lost only 5 fighters and got 1 ineffective bomb hit. When they performed CAP or Escort, bill was tougher for me (11 shot down, dosens damaged). Planes were nearly equal. Ironically, despite this fighter-love, both French and British carriers sent several unescorted sorties to certain death.
As you see, usually from 50 or so planes only 20 are strike ones. After first strike they remain with fighters only and send them at N strike missions to BB fleet with pathetic 250lbs bombs. My carriers of 68 planes with less than 20 fighters then dominate the air and bomb all they find.
SUGGESTION: Learn AI to increase strike component of CV if in first battles enemy showed the same. Also teach AI that fighter is primary for air combat and escort, not for strikes.
Also: Seem that CAP at carrier start preparations only after full sunrize. As the result, they usually miss recon planes, or sometimes (if contact was happen at night) even first strike! (In battle with French Navy my first CAP takeoff happened half-hour later, than first strike group did their job).
Example:
04:25 1 DB Lavochkin La-64 B : Recon take off from CV Kotovskiy [First recon flight]
***
05:47 5 TB Be-51 B from CV Bolshevik torpedo bomb enemy CVL [First strike]
***
06:22!!! 6 F Petlyakov Pe-59 B : CAP take off from CV Bolshevik [First CAP, strike wave just returned]I suggest to prepare CAP before sunrise.
Also, I suggest to add Air Log to air groups (or add their reports from Main Log to CV/airbase one), so we'll have more info to analyze.
