Carrier tips in the Coral Sea for a novice

[DarkFib3r]

I am hoping to get some tips on how to manage carrier groups in the Coral Sea scenario. It seems that my carriers and the Aus. task force always get spotted by the Japanese first and they are consequently sunk. I have played the scenario numerous times, trying different things like setting patrol zones for the CVs, setting search zones for the float planes and Catalinas, and splitting the carrier groups to try to flank the Japanese carrier group. While on most occasions I am able to sink the Japanese amphibious force attacking Port Moresby, the enemy carriers always seem to be able to waltz right in an annihilate both of my carrier groups with huge strikes.

Are there any tips or pointers on how to manage carrier groups in this scenario (or in general)? For example, should I set CV patrols in the middle of the Coral Sea, to protect the southern approach to Port Moresby and try to get my float plans and Catalinas to spot the carrier forces first? Or should I set a destination hex and remain on station? Should I use directional patrol arcs for my search aircraft or leave them at 360 degrees? If I could get at least one strike on the enemy carriers before they did to me and if it seemed like this was a deliberate result of my planning, that would mean a great deal to me; the game is quite frustrating so far because it doesn't feel that my actions are changing the outcomes (possibly because my actions are ineffective).

Any tips are appreciated. I have read about 50% of the rule book (and more every day) and I have watched a number of video tutorials that helped me out a bit, but I haven't come across anything to help my performance in this particular scenario.

[GenChaos33]

What kind of results are you expecting? Its early 1942! IJN CVs are very experienced and highly dangerous. Only thing you can hope for is to hit the invasion force and stop them from taking PM before the main IJN CV force gets close to PM. It sounds like you are doing that and thus winning the scenario.

My Coral Sea Videos

[DarkFib3r]

Hi GeneralChaos,

First off, thanks for providing your Coral Sea videos - it was nice to see how someone else more experienced approaches this scenario.

As for my expectations, I was thinking that the US could sink the IJN carrier force through proper maneuvering and airforce coverage. I wasn't aware that the IJN carriers were much better than the US carriers at this time - the Pacific theater is somewhat new to me. Now that I know that and given the examples you have shown, I guess the whole point of the Coral Sea scenario is to stop the landing, even if it means putting your ships at great risk. This makes me feel a little better about my carrier outcomes as it is likely enemy proficiency driving the result rather than exclusively my poor tactics. Now IJN carrier TFs terrify me

Thanks again for the quick response and the time you took to post those videos. One question I have for you is how you set your combined carrier TF to move. Did you just set a patrol order between two waypoints so that your VFs and VBs are within striking distance of PM? Or do you constantly move your TF around, depending on the circumstances? Do you think of your carrier TF as an "umbrella" of air power projecting and try to overlap it over the areas you want to control without straying too close to the enemy "umbrella"? Or do you think about your carrier TFs differently? Any insight is appreciated.

[geofflambert]

While it is a simple enough task to intercept his invasion force (which incredibly, is not protected with air cover from his carriers) and sink the whole blasted thing, escape is another matter. The scenario map does not give you anywhere to hide, so my first suggestion would be to hire a hacker to give you that additional map space. Short of that, collect what land based air assets you have at Brisbane, move your fleet to within one hex of same and pray the dice roll goes in your favor.

[KPAX]

General, watched your video, thanks!

In your video, how did you get those circles with the four directional points around the TF? Can you give me a link to whatever you did?

[GenChaos33]

KPAX - are you talking about the clouds?

My Cloud Mod Link

[GenChaos33]

Dark - I just set one of the CV TF to patrol then set the other CV TF to follow the first TF at 0 hex away. Thus they move together. I leave the CV TFs to search at the default 360 but set bases search to cover all the area just east of Gili Gili. Note in the video - I set the CV TF patrol a little too far north. That put me in range of the Rabaul LBA which sunk the Yorktown! A patrol 3-4 hexes more south might have been better.

[jmalter]

ORIGINAL: geofflambert
so my first suggestion would be to hire a hacker to give you that additional map space.

actually it's pert simple to open any scenario & extend the map-area, w/ the AE Editor:

w/ AE closed, open the AE Editor, use its Filemenu to select/load the scenario.
once it loads, click the Scenario button at the top right.
in the center column, there are four fields (leftX thru bottomY).
decrease the 1st 2 fields and increase the 2nd 2, to make the scenario map larger.
i suggest, change the fields by +/- 5, then use the File > Save As to save the scenario to a new name.
close the Editor, then open AE to your new filename, see if it gives you enough space to play in.

'cos add'l sea-room is preferable to a leeward shore!

(this is the only thing i know how to do in the AE Editor, hope you can make use of it)

[GenChaos33]

Hanzberger, your mailbox is full. So I can't reply to your PM. I used Camtasia software (Techsmith.com).