FrostbyteDOT said: Yay, time for some context.
1) Kaga is statistically better, and can hold more planes than Zuikaku. That's just how it is. The Shoukaku class carriers are good all-round CVs (standard aircraft carriers) but they don't have as much of a role anymore in-game since Hiryuu and Soryuu got their second remodel (think of remodels as evolutions in pokémon. Hiryuu and Soryuu are the only carriers with a kai ni AKA two remodels at the moment.) They're definitely still good, though.
2) Although it does look like an odd fleet, it's actually not TOO terrible (or at least, it would be far better if he made KTKM-sama and Ooi kai-ni.) Two CVs is pretty standard, and at least one BB (battleship) is necessary for having two shelling phases in-game instead of just one. CLTs (torpedo cruisers) fill a special role since they can use pre-emptive torps. Ships with normal torpedo capabilities can only fire their torps at the end of a battle, so pre-emptive torps grant the ability to fire them at the start also, and usually have a habit of critting and removing enemies fairly reliably. I'm guessing Fubuki was thrown in there because the admiral is poor and can't afford to bring a second BB due to resource consumption costs.
3) Correction: The flagship does not get targeted more often. Actually, it's the opposite- Non-flagship ships will occasionally take hits for the flagship. After all, if the flagship receives heavy damage, you are forced to end the sortie right afterwards.
4) Given the above, it's very common to make the most fragile ship flagship, so Fubuki actually is the correct decision for flagship.
5) "...regardless of the enemy's numbers, it's important to function as a fleet..."
lol, I believe Fubuki was referring to the battle of Leyte Gulf, where the Japanese fleet broke formation against a weaker fleet and miserably lost. Her plan was actually good until she suggested that she attract enemy attention. The job of CVs and BBs in this case would have been to re-direct attention from the fragile elements of the fleet to themselves, since anyone receiving heavy damage usually means "end of sortie."
1) Historically, Shokaku and Zuikaku were the IJN's best carriers. Based on pre-war designs, Kaga carried more aircraft, but in actual combat, Kaga routinely carried slightly fewer aircraft than Shokaku and Zuikaku. Kaga also had more armor. However, Shokaku and Zuikaku had more AA than all of the other carriers, typically carried more aircraft, and were faster.
2) Destroyers are the only ones who can seriously deal with submarines, so you should always have destroyers handy. Otherwise, a fleet simply becomes target practice for submarines. US submarines were the bane of the IJN.
3) Ironically, the IJN admirals had a frequent tendency to lose their flagships in battles, oftentimes being one of the first ships sunk. Go figure.
4) Destroyers were the easiest ship to sink with a single AP bomb or torpedo. It usually sheers the destroyer in half due to their narrow construction and minimal armor. Even .50 cal had a devastating effect on them.
5) Technically, Leyte was comprised of multiple battles. Since they had almost no aircraft left, the CVs and CVLs were used as bait. Off Samar, Center Force broke formation to undertake a general pursuit under Adm. Kurita's orders due to the torpedo counterattack by US DDs and DEs that forced the IJN ships to break off the attack to avoid the torpedoes. The subsequent opening of the distance and effective smokescreens put up by the DDs and DEs made Kurita worry that the US CVEs would escape. The IJN DDs were actually forced to deal with the US DDs and DEs, which were surprisingly effective in damaging or sinking the IJN CAs and CLs, so their BBs could focus on the US CVEs. This also tied down the IJN DDs from chasing down the US CVEs. If anything, his ships should've been more aggressive if he hoped to prevail against Adm. Sprague's force. However, it wouldn't have mattered, because the US landings at Leyte were almost complete by then, and Adm. Halsey, Adm. Lee, and Adm. Oldendorf's BBs and CVs would've closed on him from the north and south had he lingered any longer in the area. |