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Fleet Composition Question

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pdBravo

pdBravo

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I'd like to ask a little about composition of fleets, playing as UK here is an example of a fleet I'd deploy in the North Sea area early game:

BBIV x 2
BBIII
BBII
CVLII
CAII

CLIII
CLII
CLI x 2
DDII x 3
DDI x 2

I tend to have a similar fleet as reserve, so that when I come into contact with the German main fleet, I immediately set my reserve into action and observe the battle to see whether to retreat or not, basically I watch the battleships and decide from there.

Once they have retreated I pull the fleet back to Scapa Flow where I keep my main force and restock it with the main reserves, this fleet then goes back into port as my new reserve.

Due to repairs in progress a fleet I had in contact with the main German fleet was composed of BBII x 4 (with same support of CVL, CA, CL's and DD's), the German fleet still had BBIV x 2 on full strength. My BBII's inflicted very heavy losses on the Germans, and as my force was still quite strong I pursued and caught both their BBIV's and sank them.

I've also had similar experiences against the Italian fleet with BBII x 4.

So, my question is, was this a fluke, or are BBII x 4 better than the mixed composition?

Also, the general composition of my fleet I am happy to hear any comments or suggestions. Would I be better with a different CL/DD order? etc
 
There are two ways for fleet composition

1. All ships in a fleet. You just gather ships with maximum firepower and defence.

2. Only ships with maximum firedistance. (Plus screens)


In both ways you need good positioning. In first one you need to be very close to the opponent, in the second one - you should be as far, as possible.
Positioning depends on naval doctrines, spot/visibility ratio and admiral skill.

First way promises you to inflict a lot of damage and to absorb a lot of damage.
Second approach is for absorb no damage, but you will inflict less damage. You also could be surprised and take a lot of damaged from short distance.

For first type fleets you need Superior Tactician/Blockade Runner (for surprising your enemy)
For second type - Superior Tactician/Spotter (for not being surprised)

Have you read Naval Primer?
 
Yes I've read the primer.

I should have pointed out I like to play in the style of adding flavour to the game, so I will build units that I don't really need, I'm not after the most mathematically powerful fleet in an attempt to exploit the mechanics of the game engine. In fact, when I play I go as far as to 'unexploit' in order to balance the game a little, so in that regard my question is more specific to the actual fleets I posted, ie how (if) does the game react differently to my BBIV/BBII mix as opposed to the BBII x 4 composition?
 
OK. Pure BB-II fleet has longer minimum fire-distance. So, it will be more safe in battle versus heavy cruisers and light ships. (Assuming you add enough screening vessels)

Mixed BB-IV,III,II + CVL + CAs fleet has more firepower, but for its full effectiveness it should have very good positioning, because optimal distance of such fleet is very short, due to including of Heavy Cruisers.
 
ah right, thank you.

I had included a CA in the BBII fleet but maybe it got destroyed early or something. Seems the two occurences were by chance rather than the fleet being more powerful than a mixture of BBIV, BBIII, BBII.
 
Always have ships of one type into a stack.

The positioning calculations will be done according to ship with the maximum range.

You saw better results with the BB-IIs because they were in a range in which they could all open fire.
I doubt if they could fire when within a fleet together with a BB-IV.

The fleet would be positioned to meet the BB-IVs needs - thus out of range for the rest your capitals.

In that manner it is optimum to have ships of the same type as capitals.

*You could exploit this by building a "cruizerg" fleet (CA-II with CL-IV) because then the CLs will have more range than the CAs and so they'll also fire during battle.
 
Conanteacher said:
Always have ships of one type into a stack.

The positioning calculations will be done according to ship with the maximum range.

You saw better results with the BB-IIs because they were in a range in which they could all open fire.
I doubt if they could fire when within a fleet together with a BB-IV.

The fleet would be positioned to meet the BB-IVs needs - thus out of range for the rest your capitals.

In that manner it is optimum to have ships of the same type as capitals.

*You could exploit this by building a "cruizerg" fleet (CA-II with CL-IV) because then the CLs will have more range than the CAs and so they'll also fire during battle.
Click to expand...

It's absolutely mistake! Read Naval Primer.

Combat Range in Naval battles has an optimal value. This value is believed to be calculated as described below

CV is the highest class in calculating optimal range.
Capital Ship or CVL is the second highest class in calculating optimal range.
Screen Ship is the lowest class in calulating optimal range.
Unique class's
Submarine ONLY fleets will attempt to be at 90% of the maximum range of the shortest range submarine
Transport ONLY fleets will attempt to be at 450+ km and then flee.

Optimal Range will always be 90% of the maximum range of the shortest range of the highest ship class.

i.e. If you have two Capital Ship's in a fleet. One with a range of 30 and the other with a range of 28, the optimal range will be 90% of 28.
NOTE, Range of a lower class is ignored. If you have a Capital Ship in a fleet with a range of 28 and the rest of the fleet is Screen Ship's with ranges of 32 the optimal range will be 90% of the range of the Capital Ship (i.e. 90% of 28) The range of the Screen Ship's is ignored.


And you wrong about Cruizerg Fleet. all CL range should be >= 0.9 * lowest CA range.
 
You are right, Iwo Jima, I did not remember the mechanics...

I hope this answers the original question.

So is it good if someone mixes BB-II, BB-III and BB-IV?

What about mixing BB-IV and BB-V?

Should we re-do the calculations according to each models range*0.9?
 
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