4 replies to this topic

[W. Clark]

I’ve a question(s) about the process of LBA making an air strike against Allied capital ships. If LBA contacts an Allied sweep with capital ships in it; does the LBA automatically arrive with torpedoes and heavy bombs? Or is there some requirement that must be met before the LBA can change out its load out from medium bombs to torps and heavy bombs? I know there is supposed to be some kind of report. But who makes the report? And in the case where the LBA is the first to encounter the Allied sweep (with no report as of yet) are the LBA now restricted to medium bombs?

 

[Dave Franklin]

When resolving LBA engagements, refer to paragraph 2.6.6.  If there is a successful LBA contact, the first thing that happens is the IJN player gets a contact report, the accuracy of which is based on a D12 roll on the REPORT ACCURACY table on OPERATIONS Chart 2A.  It is the result of this contact report that determines the IJN LBA strike armament.  As described in the IJN Land Based Air section L1 on ENGAGEMENT RESOLUTION Chart 1B, if the Target mission is an Allied CG, or a Sweep with BBs and/or BCs reported, then half of available bombers (rounded down) are armed with torpedoes and the remainder are armed with 'H' bombs.

 

So depending on how you adjudicate the contact report, it is possible for IJN LBA to be half armed with torpedoes and 'H' bombs in a strike against a cruiser sweep, if the contact report reported BBs or BCs.  Similarly, it is possible for IJN LBA to be armed entirely with 'M' bombs in a strike against a BB/BC sweep, if the contact report failed to report BBs or BCs.

 

Personally, I would randomize the +n numbers of ships and the "Type Shift" aspects of the contact report accuracy.

 

Dave

[W. Clark]

I misunderstood. I thought the LBA had to have a report of BBs prior to taking off to change out its armament. So, in fact it generates its own report upon contact and arms appropriately to that report just prior to resolving the contact. It gives one an interesting visual to think of what used to be "ground" crews changing out the bomber's load just prior to the bombers zooming in for the kill. But, aside from that it answers the question as to procedure. 

 

Also, I was not allowing LBA anything but medium bombs if no BBs were present and that was also a mistake. I see now that opting for Bats is going to broaden my horizons.

[Dave Franklin]

It's an abstraction.  The contact report isn't coming from the strike aircraft.  The strike aircraft are launched upon receiving a contact report from their recon brethren.  It might be all in the same step in the sequence of play, but a campaign turn represents half a month...

[W. Clark]

I know that, but you have to admit the vision of a Japanese ground crew hovering around flights of bombers like the winged monkeys in the Wizard of Oz is at the very least entertaining.