How disposition and class tell you A, B, C, or D

[WH_Phist]

The map tab as you load tells you everything you need to know to work as a fleet, yet every round seems to result in the DD's popping smoke 10km ahead of the fleet the smoke was meant for, as they just begin to make way.....  At least AAA escort for CV's is now popular.  

 

Some thoughts on the age of steam ships, which is where we fight:

 

Fleet tactics

The development of long-range guns mounted in turrets changed the nature of naval tactics. While concentration remained a fundamental objective of tactics, the increased range and field of fire of naval guns meant that admirals now sought to achieve concentration of fire, rather than concentration of ships. The aim of a skilful officer was to concentrate a superior force on a part of his opponent's formation.

In the age of sail, when the range of effective fire was a thousand or twelve hundred yards and guns could only be trained over a small arc because they were fired out of ports, concentration could only be effected by bringing a larger number of ships into close action with a smaller. By the early 20th century, when gunfire was effective at 7,000 yards or more, and when guns fired from turrets and barbettes had a far wider sweep, concentration could be effected from a distance. The power to effect it had to be sought by a judicious choice of position.

 

The "line ahead" had been imposed on sailing fleets by the need to bring each ship's broadsides into action. Experiments made during manoeuvres by steam navies, combined with the experience gained in the war of 1904–05 in the Far East, showed that no material change had taken place in this respect. It was still as necessary as ever that all the guns should be so placed as to be capable of being brought to bear, and it was still a condition imposed by the physical necessities of the case that this freedom could only be obtained when ships followed one another in a line. This allowed each ship to fire over wide arcs without firing over friendly ships. Steaming with the enemy off to the side enabled a ship to fire salvoes with both the forward and rear turrets, maximizing the chances for a hit.

 

When in pursuit or flight, or when steaming on the look-out for a still unseen enemy, a fleet may be arranged in the "line abreast". A pursuing fleet would have to run the risk of being struck by torpedoes dropped by a retreating enemy. But it would have the advantage of being able to bring all its guns which can fire ahead to bear on the rear ship of the enemy. When an opponent was prepared to give battle, and turns his broadside so as to bring the maximum of his gunfire to bear, he must be answered by a similar display of force – in other words, the line ahead must be formed to meet the line ahead. Each ship in the line generally engaged its opposite number in the enemy battle line.

 

 

Since that may be archaic... every ship in trail, can fire to port.

 

In line abreast, if attacked, the same course change executed in time, makes for a trail again.

 

 

 

It's really brilliant, but impossible to explain in a round.

[OhnoesFroz]

I feel like your positioning relative to your allies isn't as important as your position relative to your enemies in a direct fight.

 

Positioning relative to your allies matters when trying to overlap AA, and when scouting. Not so much in a battleship vs battleship fight.

 

Like the line thing looks cool and I'm sure it's super honorable and manly, but I'd be willing to call it as tactically viable as an army on foot in a square formation in today's warfare.

[WH_Phist]

Disposition is the left to right array of classes the match maker gives you.....  The classes, tell you how much firepower you have as a fleet but IMHO, most importantly, your fleets max travel speed.  To engage as a fleet, you have to match the speed of the slowest class......   

 

It occurs to me more and more as I go, that slowing down to survive as a team, may not be welcome advice here, but I have to think the developers put the time they have, into making classes that are fantastic, and making the MM come up with fantastic arrays based on available classes, because they expected us to do better than running amok.

 

Yeah, you have a point for an army line..... I'd a laid down at least. But this is an artillery line that forces anyone attacking, to atack everyone... Hardly a 3 round per minute musket ball fight  (OK, BB aim, maybe)

 

One incredibly obvious thing army lines lacke, was the abilty to pivot in line and show their slimmest profile...... THey had to march into the guns... we dont.