NO Dec 7 Pearl Harbor Attack

[GandalfWhite]

Well, I just started a new game (vs AI) and executed the first turn. Am using newest beta.

Well, title says it all. No attack on Pearl at all. The Japanese task force is sitting there to the North (steaming East, my scouts say), but no attacks from it.

Does this happen often? First time I have seen it.

Needless to say, Damage is light. [;)] I suppose I still have to worry about six cariers full of unused ordinance that near, but they just lost the surprise effect...

Just had to post for first time and quit lurking...

[witpqs]

Most likely weather grounded them.

[adsoul64]

I thought first turn weather is always clear

[GandalfWhite]

Going on to the next day:

Seeing the task force to the North and fearing the worst (though no carriers were spotted, I'll admit) I go ahead and put all fighters up on CAP. Yes, all of them.

Not sure I should have bothered. The task force turned West overnight and is heading towards Wake/Midway, Both of which were also untouched so far beyond two destroyers tossing a few shells at Wake and apparently missing the island altogether... [:'(]

Almost as an afterthought it seems, the fleet did throw a couple of strikes at PH area as they were leaving, but what are they saving their bombs/torps for?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Pearl Harbor at 180,107

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
B5N2 Kate x 13

Allied aircraft
P-26A x 1
P-36A Mohawk x 43
P-40B Warhawk x 93
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed

and then in the afternoon

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pearl Harbor at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 81 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 41
B5N2 Kate x 12

Allied aircraft
P-26A x 1
P-36A Mohawk x 38
P-40B Warhawk x 80
F4F-3 Wildcat x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 2 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
.

Like I said, I put ALL the fighters up. LOL

Neither strike got near ANY ships... But when I chacked PH, I discovered one ship damaged and on fire (99% fire) The AG Antares.
Trying to figure out what happened, I scoured the reports and finally discovered buried in the combat events log where it had been spotted by no less tha two Kates and a Fighter Bomber... Still no idea what happened. (It was never mentioned in the Combat Report...)
Finally in the operations report, I found it:

TF 416 followed by Japanese Torpedo Bomber at 180,107 near Pearl Harbor
AG Antares has spotted a B5N2 Kate at 180,107
AG Antares is reported HIT
AMc Condor has spotted a Japanese Aircraft at 180,107
AMc Condor has spotted a B5N2 Kate at 180,107
AMc Condor is reported HIT
AMc Crossbill has spotted a B5N2 Kate at 180,107
AMc Crossbill is reported HIT
AG Antares has spotted a Japanese Fighter Bomber at 180,107
AG Antares has spotted a Japanese Aircraft at 180,107
AG Antares is reported HIT

Then, much later in the report,

EXPLOSION aboard AG Antares

So, mystery solved, with a little digging.

Now, the real mystery. Why is it so quiet east of the PIs?

And, can I save the carriers moving to guard Wake, given the IJN carriers now headed their way and still carrying all their supplies?

I have a feeling I had better get out of the way, or all I'll have is an undamaged battlefleet (21 knots) trying to catch IJN carriers. Don't think that'll work out too well...

This is starting off as the strangest game I have played of WitP...

[BBfanboy]

Did you check your settings for Historic First Turn and First Turn Surprise Attack? Were they both on?
Someone mentioned in an AAR that there are 13 different scripts that the AI can use on any given turn. Possibly one of them includes a ' no Port Strike ' setting for turn one? Were the attacked AG and AMc's in TFs?

[GandalfWhite]

Historic First Turn was off. Pretty sure I left surprise on.

Just didn't expect this to be one of the scripts. If it were it should happen what about 7-8% of the games? Was the reason I asked.

Maybe one of the scripts has a CHANCE of no strike? Randomization within the scripts would be a good thing too, and would explain this one...

I'll have to go though the logs (can't seem to get JAVA to run properly, so no tracker for me... [:(]) and see what task force Antares was part of and see if it was mentioned. I THOUGHT it was just a random ship in harbor, but you are right. I need to check that.

[BBfanboy]

Tracker needs 32 bit Java - it won't work if you are using 64 bit Java. My advisors tell me you can have both 32 and 64 bit versions on you system.

You don't need Tracker to check whether Antares was in a TF - just look at PH in the original pre-turn save and it will show all the TFs on hand.

[GandalfWhite]

Guess I'll try harder to get tracker to run before writing my own...

Anyway, just out of curiosity I loaded the pre-resolution save of turn 1 and just hit run. With same orders/options/etc. this time PH is hit. So it is something random which kept the attack from going on the other run. Good to know.

I just never expected to see a "no PH attack" game.

The question is now would the US have gone to war over the Philiphines if PH had not been hit? I think it would have been a much harder sell to congress and the public...
And what if Japan had left the US holdings alone completely?

Would be interresting scenario examining WW2 Pacific with no US (direct) involvement. Anyone tried this? Sounds like time to hit the editor...