BB TOUGHNESS

[wegman58]

I'm new, trying my first campaign against the AI and have a surprising (I think) turn of events.

IJN did a raid and LEX/SARA are basically having target practice (April 1942) on one of the KONGOs. Wrong place/wrong time but the escort (and another BB are sunk - POW did better than it did in the Denmark Straits) is gone.

I've had three different raids with six 1000 pound bombs hitting per raid. I know battlewagons are tough, but the Kongos are a pre-Jutland design. Is it typical for a BB to absorb two dozen 1000 pound bombs and still be mobile? (Devastators have flown only once and missed).

[wdolson]

It's rare for just bombs to sink a BB. 1000 lb bombs don't penetrate deep enough into the guts to cause serious flotation or engine damage, which is ultimately what will sink them. The Sys damage could be sky high though. If you scored a lot of hits, it will probably be a while until you see that ship again. It's going into the yards for a while.

Bill

[Dili]

IRL only luck will make a BB survive 18x1000lb bombs counting that some more will be near misses opening the hull.

[pontiouspilot]

I have had 30+ x 1000lbs over 2 turns against Nagato class and she left at speed!

[wegman58]

And there are fires, and it is far from home, and it is April 1942 and I'm leery of getting too close to the IJN defenses (I've used up at least 2/3 of my sorties). It will sink or make it home.

YAMASHIRO was with it and they met Force Z's capital ships. A BB shell bounced off REPULSE (or is it RENOWN) belt - ZERO damage. That REALLY surprised me considering the vulnerability of British battle cruisers when they fight someone their own size. YAMASHIRO caught a torpedo and a 14 inch shell and is sunk (and considering I haven't found it since, I don't think that is fog of war).

[HansBolter]

And I have sunk Yamato with 25 1000 pounders

The game engine declares a ship as "sunk" when system or fire damage reach the max.

You don't actually have to sink a ship in game for it to be "sunk"...a burned out floating hulk is still useless.

[crsutton]

Yes, I lost an old BB in port at Noumea when nailed by about 20-30 250kg bombs. So, it can happen. It just takes a lot of hits and there are many variables.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

And I have sunk Yamato with 25 1000 pounders

The game engine declares a ship as "sunk" when system or fire damage reach the max.

You don't actually have to sink a ship in game for it to be "sunk"...a burned out floating hulk is still useless.

In reality, if that floating hulk is an IJN ship, a Long Lance will be its coup de grace

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: wegman58
I've had three different raids with six 1000 pound bombs hitting per raid. I know battlewagons are tough, but the Kongos are a pre-Jutland design. Is it typical for a BB to absorb two dozen 1000 pound bombs and still be mobile? (Devastators have flown only once and missed).

The design is sometimes superfluous. Kongo was also a BC. She's been up-armored.