My Adventures In Lfn Mission 10
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 3:41 pm
Note: Before the events of the battle being mentioned, let it be known that I had tried this mission at least 8 times before finally being victorious. Bloody hard.
At the start of the battle, I ordered the MTB force to engage a destroyer, the two subs to engage another, most of the destroyers targetting a DDE and 1 targetting a U-boat to the north of the Hood.
By managing the fleet as much as I could, I managed to sink at least 2/3's of the enemy ships while sticking close enough to the Hood that my AA guns could work with its AA guns and shoot down planes.
When the fleet had been destroyed, as inevitably it always does, I launched salvo after salvo of torpedos at the approaching enemy fleet, forcing them to slow down and change course often, long enough for my 5 inchers and the Hoods guns to finish them off, including one U-boat too stupid to submerge.
Then, it was down to just the two BB's.
I took several hits from the Prince Edwards 5 inchers as I circled at flank speed, just within range of its guns. After taking a hit to my fuel tank, I tried to escape the area long enough for the fuel leak to be fixed, continuing to adjust my course to allow for torpedo spreads against the Boche BB. After nearly running out of fuel and sustaining 90% damage to my hull, the leak was finally fixed, and I wisely stayed out of range of the BB's whilst still firing torpedo's at the enemy BB.
Then, just as I was about to make a course correction to avoid (eventually) re-entering the weapons range of the Prince Edward, my fuel ran out completely. There I was, a sitting duck with tinfoil left for hull armor, still firing torpedos off (as I still had a decent angle on the Boche BB), and only 100 meters from being within the reach of my enemy's guns again. Fortunately, the Hood managed to sink the Prince Edward right about then, and the mission was a success.
This has been, thus far, the most harrowing mission I've played, and also the most frustrating as one has to babysit ones AI allies. All in all, though, it's been the most satisfying to complete.
At the start of the battle, I ordered the MTB force to engage a destroyer, the two subs to engage another, most of the destroyers targetting a DDE and 1 targetting a U-boat to the north of the Hood.
By managing the fleet as much as I could, I managed to sink at least 2/3's of the enemy ships while sticking close enough to the Hood that my AA guns could work with its AA guns and shoot down planes.
When the fleet had been destroyed, as inevitably it always does, I launched salvo after salvo of torpedos at the approaching enemy fleet, forcing them to slow down and change course often, long enough for my 5 inchers and the Hoods guns to finish them off, including one U-boat too stupid to submerge.
Then, it was down to just the two BB's.
I took several hits from the Prince Edwards 5 inchers as I circled at flank speed, just within range of its guns. After taking a hit to my fuel tank, I tried to escape the area long enough for the fuel leak to be fixed, continuing to adjust my course to allow for torpedo spreads against the Boche BB. After nearly running out of fuel and sustaining 90% damage to my hull, the leak was finally fixed, and I wisely stayed out of range of the BB's whilst still firing torpedo's at the enemy BB.
Then, just as I was about to make a course correction to avoid (eventually) re-entering the weapons range of the Prince Edward, my fuel ran out completely. There I was, a sitting duck with tinfoil left for hull armor, still firing torpedos off (as I still had a decent angle on the Boche BB), and only 100 meters from being within the reach of my enemy's guns again. Fortunately, the Hood managed to sink the Prince Edward right about then, and the mission was a success.
This has been, thus far, the most harrowing mission I've played, and also the most frustrating as one has to babysit ones AI allies. All in all, though, it's been the most satisfying to complete.