Has anyone done this? Just for fun
I'm trying right now but I'm not sure what it would look like exactly in HOI4 terms.
I'm trying right now but I'm not sure what it would look like exactly in HOI4 terms.
Recreating the IJN 1st Air Fleet in HOI4
- Thread starter coffeelingfine
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Not Japan but I'm also doing something similar with Italy in trying to make a realistic naval OOB
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I believe Japan is already building Hiryu and Soryu (1936 CV) and of course you have Akagi and Kaga (Converted Battleship CV). If you build Shokaku and Zuikaku as 1940 CV with Pacific Fleet designer that should give you 440 planes which is pretty close to what the First Air Fleet had for Pearl Harbor - The official rated capacity for the six carriers was about 390 aircraft but the navy grabbed Ryuho's air group and stuffed those planes aboard for the mission.
You already have the Kongos, though I believe you need to upgrade Hiei. Two of them accompanied the Pearl Harbor strike force, the other two were distant covering force for the landings in the Far East. All four sometimes joined the First Air Fleet, notably for the Java landings and mop up. The Tones would probably be 1940 CA's with double seaplane catapults, double main armament and of course torpedoes.
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia lists six DD's with the Pearl Harbor Strike Force, I had always thought it was nine. The Kagero Class could easily be built as 1940 DD's (you will need the range) with double guns and torpedoes. The CL Abukumba (flotilla leader) was an early hull cruiser but had been updated with modern torpedoes.
The funny thing is the First Air Fleet would have been a very unbalance and vulnerable force in HoI4, especially for the Pearl Harbor mission: Not enough capital ships to protect your carriers, and not nearly enough screens. The lack of DDs was for logistical reasons (Nagumo was prepared to leave his destroyers behind if the seas were too rough for refueling, as was likely in the North Pacific in December). More destroyers squadrons were brought along for operations closer to home, but the fleet was again underscreened at Midway. The Japanese were playing with little margin for error from the start, but the Allies were so woefully unprepared they were unable to take advantage of that for several months (an then only with assistance from codebreaking).
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Thing is: in HOI4 said mission is, essentially, a "Coordinated Strike" operation, which only requires you to use those carriers as a mobile airbase to set up port strike orders. Since you are moving to your target while still at peace and will, likely, destroy everything stationed at the port, screens (destroyers especially - because range) are unnecessary.
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Is coordinated strike really that devastating? I think I remember one player trying this and did some pretty massive damage. I prefer to use Japan's prewar Decisive Battle Doctrine but it seems the US Navy follows a historical path and doesn't like to venture into the Western Pacific.
More in terms of task force composition is what I'm thinking of
For roleplaying purposes I'm attempting to make realistic naval OOBs
For roleplaying purposes I'm attempting to make realistic naval OOBs
Naval Plans for the World's Naval Powers
This is just an informational post for anyone who might be interested. I did some research lately on the WW2 naval buildups and build plans for the various European naval powers. I mainly did so because I like to play naval underdog nations. I...
Go to the bottom of that post to see several historical fleets. Note that in HOI3, subs and destroyers were not individual ships, but groups of 3-5 ships, and carriers had two CAG air wings that did not describe the actual composition of planes. The 2 or 3 in-game units part from the copy-paste below doesn't apply to this game.
If the link doesn't work, then here is what my research at the time showed to be a simplified OOB at the Battle of Midway:
Battle of Midway, USA
Task Force 17: 1 CV, 2 CA, 6 DD (2 units)
Task Force 16: 2 CV, 5 CA, 1 CL, 9 DD (3 units)
Battle of Midway, Japan
First Fleet
*Main Force: 3 BB, 3 CVL, 1 CL, 9 DD (2 or 3 in-game units)
*Carrier Assault Force: 4 CV, 2 BB, 2 CA, 1 CL, 12 DD (3 or 4 in-game units)
Second Fleet
*Main Force: 2 BC, 4 CA, 1 CVL, 1 CL, 8 DD (2 in-game units)
*Occupation Force: 1 CVL, 1 CL, 11 DD (3 or 4 in-game units), 2 TP (enough to carry 5,000 troops)
*Support Force: 4 CA, 2 DD (1 in-game unit)
*Advance Force: 1 CL, 10 SS (1 or 2 in-game units)
To get the aircraft you'd need to look up the carrier models and see what their air wings consisted of.
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If you think the starting OOB (1936 or 39) should be changed, please cross-post the suggestion in our thread.
There's been a discussion on that in @KDEstroy 's thread. TLDR, it might be even silghtly OP now.