[FT] Re: Small vessels and Line of Battle

> At 12:23 PM -0400 9/13/99, Imre A. Szabo wrote:

And a couple of CLs were flattened by heavy guns and secondary batteries from
the big boys at Jutland. The main guns did have trouble hitting ships smaller
than a battlewagon (a relative thing, the hit percentage was fairly low all
day for both sides) but the secondaries did ok (again, relatively). I don't
have the exact hit percentages handy, but could work them up with sufficient
clamour

> >

That's Surigao Strait, part of the Leyte Gulf campaign (again, "The Battle of
Leyte Gulf", Cutler, Pocket Books, 1996, $6.50 is the best palce to start).
The Japanese had 2 BB, 1 CA and 4 DD. They got 1 DD out (the indomitable
Shigure). The US Navy had about 2 dozen PT
boats, 9+ DD, 8 CA and 6 BB (including 5 survivors of Pearl Harbor
less than three years earlier, a sobering thought) arranged in a gauntlet
through the straits with the CA's and BB's capping the end of the strait and
crossing the Japanese T just by virtue of starting position. I'm NOT gaming
anything like Surigao outside of a campaign (or maybe a MOTAS could play the
USN...), although just the PT boat action has possibilities: fight past the
destroyers to get to the battleships. There were enough torpedoe boats out to
sink everything the Japanese had, but the destroyers managed to fight them
off; the Shigure was especially active in the phase.

Leyte in general generates many terrific tactical scenario possibilities.
Frankly, the ability to generate a struggle of the magnitude, scope and
complexity of the Leyte Gulf campaign is *exactly* what I want out of a
campaign game. Consider it to be a 'Use Case' in design terms.

> > I can't think of an occasion (which may mean nothing as I'm

Lets see, Destroyers... Well, first of all the threat of torpedo attack is
very legitimate, and the effect of rapid fire 5 and 6 inch guns at short does
count for something (cf Second Battle of Guadalcanal). Destroyers can also
counter enemy torpedo attacks, provide AA fire and ASW support, lay smoke
screens, rescue survivors, operate independantly, search, make flank attacks,
detach to send message to avoid revealing the main forces' location or courier
an important message, land supplies, and here I run out of ideas close to
hand. Most of these missions would be applicable in FT terms.

I'll handle the missile issue seperately

> Michael Llaneza wrote:

> Lets see, Destroyers... Well, first of all the threat of torpedo

> Destroyers can also counter enemy torpedo attacks,

Ie, destroy enemy strike craft before they can reach the own heavies. Doesn't
work that well in FT, since the screen needs to go out to meet the enemy
strike craft to do its job and that usually puts it within
range of the enemy heavies :-(

> provide AA fire and ASW support,

In FB1 terms PDS with ADFC. Works OK, though I tend to use cruisers for this
role instead (more PDS per ADFC).

> lay smoke screens,

Sounds rather implausible in space (*huge* chaff packs, anyone?) :-/

> operate independantly, search,

Works, but only if there are missions they can carry out independently *and*
which can be used for scenarios. Sure, scouting missions are
vitally important, but I sure as hell won't game out a 4-month system
patrol in FT :-/

> make flank attacks,

Works, as long as they are high-enough thrust and the enemies aren't.
It's no fun trying to flank someone only to find out that their heavies are as
maneuverable as your small fry. (OTOH it's a lot of fun to inflict it on your
opponent <g>)

> rescue survivors, detach to send

All of these are non-combat missions (unless someone attack you) which
apply in campaigns but not in one-off battles. Even if you design a
scenario around one of these missions, a big ship would have a better chance
to actually execute its orders than a small ones (due to its
higher survivability) IF it is available - which it usually isn't in a
campaign.

Later,