War on the Sea | USN Campaign | Ep.1 - Op. Watchtower

Welcome all to a new series where we take command of the US navy in order to proceed with operation Watchtower to take control of various islands and push the imperial Japanese forces out of Guadalcanal.
ABOUT THIS GAME
1942: The world is at war
The Japanese Empire expands throughout the Pacific where Allied forces attempt to halt its spread. A desperate struggle for control of the Solomon Islands is now underway.
How will you protect your transports as they deliver troops and supplies in the South Pacific? Will you deploy precious aircraft carriers to provide air cover? Do you screen the area with submarines? Or attempt to lure the enemy navy into a decisive surface engagement?
Major Features:
Real time naval combat
Theatrical external-view game play
Play as Allied Forces or Imperial Japan
Over 50 classes of playable ships
Dynamic campaign
Tactical control of aircraft (not a flight simulator)
Fight fires, counter flood compartments and repair ships
Sink ships using realistic buoyancy physics
Historical missions based on actual naval engagements

[@PATTHECATMCD]

Most of the work with this game is sending out air patrols to locate enemy vessels. It takes a lot of searching to find them. Keeping an eye on Port Moresby from the air and sending Aussies to defend Milne Bay can be helpful, but the winning and losing happens getting troops, engineers, fuel and supplies to Guadalcanal. While sinking Japanese ships trying to do the same thing. Main Japanese staging port is Rabaul, helps to know which direction they're coming from.

[@duggi4]

how does the USA AI react to non historical moves? like for instance if i had to invade Milne Bay, would they still send supplies and troops to guadalcanal and not worry bout the invasion elsewhere?

[@owo1744]

I also usually send submarines fully loaded with a small unit of troops to all the uncaptured zones, give me more resources to spend on the war later on, and even though the zone of control is tiny, the zones can still spot aircraft.

[@themacker894]

Good to see you giving this one another try. I still think it will be another year before it's ready for prime time, but good to show off the improvements since launch.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

Taff, you´ve managed to butcher not only names but your troops as well. Please read the comments and follow the hints others gave to you. Please! Subs are quite useless except for scouting. Level bombing on ships is useless as well, use dive bombers. Concentrate your resources in the beginning to one base, don´t spread them. Build airports and develop them as fast as you can to use more and better planes. Use scout planes as much as possible to spot enemy convoys.

[@marksmith9350]

@@foreverpinkf.7603 I have to disagree whole heartedly with part of this statement. I have managed to sink 4 enemy carriers, 1 heavy and 3 light carriers and significantly damage one other and several cruisers with my subs. Not to mention countless merchant ships. I have also found it quite advantageous to secure as many positions as I can and bombard their airfields as a preemptive strike to keep these damned planes out of my hair. My next big step is to build up the Renell sea base so I can better service ships, subs and convoys with supplies quicker.

[@CaptainSentry]

Hey Taff! Here is something that I did in my playthrough. I invested into getting a carrier at the beginning. The carrier brings a lot of flexibility when it comes to attacking enemy shipping. Recon is a must so as soon as the next day begins, start sending out recon planes to cover as much ground as possible. (Your cruisers can deploy sea planes) Also, aircraft machine guns can damage enemy ships with transport ships being the most vulnerable. But only do this when it's a lightly escorted convoy to minimize aircraft losses.

[@leojohn1615]

that intro was smooth 10/10

[@IamHoly....]

Cheers Taff first time i have seen this game..Love the content 👍 Brings back old memories playing Task Force 1942 (PC Game, 1992)..Now i feel old..

[@731trident]

Taff doing a 'War On The Sea' campaign? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!🤩👍

[@bgtrolll]

Fantastic surprise, i know it will be amazing :) planes/ships/subs and military :) The perfect habitat of our supreme leader Taff :D :)

[@731trident]

It's great that Taff is doing this series, I look forward to his future wisecracking throughout!

[@vf-114jock2]

Torpedoes - ( from subs or aircraft ) anytime the Sea State is 5 or above, the smaller ships will be bouncing in and out of the water - as a result torpedoes will pass under almost 90% of the time. (2) Gato class subs have better radar. (3) Both your subs targeted the #4 cruiser (4) Run deep run silent after an attack and keep speed below 5 Kts to avoid baffles. (5) Scouts - send out 1 at a time with no ordinance - can keep sending out with No time delay. So you launch 8 B17s in 8 different patterns at the same time.

[@rigmerkrel8339]

It does not help when he dives with sub and does not put down his periscope u can clearly see it at 32:47

[@gregmizell7861]

(6) Do not attack warships when high value ships are still afloat.

[@nepocrates]

I know I am a johnny come lately to this series but you are one of the only ones that makes mention of the people on board a sinking vessel

[@PetesHQ]

Oh this one should be good. Looking forward to this campaign

[@adamtruong1759]

With submarines, I find it best to let them operate alone in separate from each other. I also like firing quite a distance away (4-5 km), and once I fire re-engage "Ultra-Quiet" moving away from the task force without cavitating. Also, the main difference between the US CAs is armour, firepower & speed are quite similar. Pensacola and Northampton have the weakest armour overall, then followed by Portland, then by Astoria/New Orleans. You'll have a better idea of what armour layout of each ship is by viewing the damage control section in the Tactical view. The best CA you have available to you right away is USS Wichita, mostly due to the improved firing arcs of her 127 mm dual-purpose guns and superior armour compared to her contemporaries, aside from Baltimore.

[@sstigger38]

I just bought this game, (cuz of your vids! 🙂), and I'm watching to learn while your learning! Keep the vids coming!

[@aidanserad1143]

@Taff in Exile If there’s two things that I have learned watching play throughs of this game it’s that you need to get EVERY scout plane that you can muster deployed (from submarines to battleships) and have them scouting areas as much as possible till it’s like second nature. The other thing is that if you want to successfully conduct airstrikes on enemy warships and merchant shipping then you’re going to want to absolutely OVERWHELM the enemy AAA because that’s the only way that you’re going to be effective against larger groups of enemies, you’ve just gotta be relentless with your time on target attacks with multiple groups of aircraft from multiple different directions utilizing low level skip bombing followed up with relentless strafing using aircraft that range from basic fighters to twin engine aircraft like B-25s and A-20s and P-38s that come back to strafe after their initial bombing runs. If you download the Tokyo express mod for this game then you can get a much larger variety of ships and more diverse aircraft and no number on the amount of aircraft in an engagement! Using these tactics and this advice and this mod, I almost guarantee you that you will be victorious! Here’s a link put to the Tokyo Express Mod (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!): steamcommunity.com/app/1280780/discussions/3/3194740972128118770/ P.S. Thank you for all the awesome videos dude, and I’ll be with you for this whole play through on both sides!👍🏻

[@aidanserad1143]

@Taff in Exile I really hope you read this cause it took a long time to type and then retype lol!

[@jwrockets]

I have TTE mod but have yet to figure out how to install it. Sorry, I'm old.

[@colindouglas7769]

The other aspect of using the Tokyo Express Mod is it will deliver a much more aggressive and competent AI opponent, and I'm not sure Taff is at the sort of level to be able to cope with that yet. It could be a sobering experience for Admiral Taff and a short series, since, as he says, he is still learning the game at the moment.

[@aidanserad1143]

@@colindouglas7769 @Taff in Exile Yeah I guess you’re right but still, having like eight different flights of aircraft bomb, torpedo, and strafe enemy convoys kinda makes the game easier AND is just in general genuinely REALLY enjoyable and satisfying to watch! Especially if it’s a ToT attack, then all you gotta sit back and enjoy the fireworks, and order any aircraft you want to survive to RTB! Better AI isn’t really an issue when can easily send them to the bottom lol!

[@vf-114jock2]

@@jwrockets JW I can relate - If you go to steam - the War on the Sea discussion - the MODS discussion there is a reference to a website to download with INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!!! If you need any help finding this let me know .

[@chisox551]

I really love the intro! You worked really well on it!

[@dogf1ghter]

Sweet love watching this game and playing it this will be a great series

[@majbeardd1905]

Without even seeing a second of this video, I upvote!!!! Taff and war on the sea!!!! Oh Yurrr!!!!

[@poweredbydonuts201]

Excellent Taff. Looking forward to how you play this series.

[@crazywarriorscatfan9061]

I still think the game needs time to improve, but I'm glad your revisiting it!

[@jefferywilson3279]

Cruisers against bc and bb, are you nuts?

[@KarlH1980]

Effective defense in sims like this. Remain at P-Scope depth. Plan you torp usage. Whether in forward or reverse, steer away from enemy as close to 180 degrees as you can. When the enemy is chasing you you will both be on same course. Accuracy will be high. Fire 1-2 torpedoes when target is about 200-300 yards. Been using this in sub sims for years. Works well.

[@CaptainSentry]

Huzzah! I was wondering when you were gonna get into this game.

[@davet010]

Keen to see what this one's like - it has always seemed a bit heavy on micro management for me. It'll be interesting to see whether the micro is a must, or whether it's because of the play styles of the presenters.

[@Mr_Unicorn16]

Aircraft can go the full endurance range listed then they return automatically

[@stevenahlberg1542]

I've seen wolfpack345 play this before it's fun seeing someone else go at it

[@willgnue2240]

Watched and 👍 Liked

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Did you try a couple of RN Subs ? - these were 8 points and put these north of the New Hebrides.

[@edouardsuenson2568]

lesson learned might also be: change course and go silent after firing torpedoes ;-)

[@Droodog127]

Patrol the Slot bougainville to guadalcanal 😉

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Try 3° spread. Even if you miss one target - you'll nail something else in that convoy.

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Oh dear! Two Avengers v 6 Zeroes. No contest! The Torpedo attack put the wind up the Japanese forces in the area. Air patrol in the area was no surprise there.

[@mjszczepankiewicz8496]

Great action with subs, love it. Too bad that You haven't got a chance to counterattack destroyers.

[@gjalnisilver]

There's a reason level bombing was considered ineffective when engaging naval targets. Use your B-17s for ground targets like port installations and coastal guns/aa batteries (if they're even modeled in the game) and send flights of torpedo bombers or dive bombers against naval targets.

[@vf-114jock2]

Not in this game (port installations)

[@colindouglas7769]

It might seem an amazingly silly oversight on the part of the game developers, but the fact is that you cannot bomb port installations and airfields from the air in WOTS. The only way to reduce the level of enemy ports and airfields is bombarding them from the sea, using CAs and BBs. This really effectively relegates the B-17 to the role of a long range reconnaissance role. Level bombing naval ships is largely ineffective, as you say, unless you get very lucky. Having said that, Wolfpack345 did try it once in his US playthrough and sank a Yamato class battleship with a direct hit from a B-17. But you really do need to get lucky.

[@garytwinem5275]

Ah, Mogami, I remember you well, torpedo training mission, Silent Hunter 4, all those years ago...

[@colindouglas7769]

Taff, it's good to see you trying a playthrough of War On The Sea, but beware, it is far more complex a game than Atlantic Fleet. It really demands much more micro-management of your forces than you are used to. From this first episode, I can see that you really do have a lot of stuff to learn before getting to grips with a full campaign. I would advise you to check out Wolfpack345's US and Japanese playthroughs. He is by far the best man I have seen playing this game.

[@spitfire184]

Agreed, his playthroughs is were great.

[@KorbinX]

Appreciate you Taff. Thank you

[@willreaver1425]

sooooo a modern task force 1942, this is going to be interesting

[@grandloser28]

Nice to see, i would like to see sometimes a laoss overview.

[@OldieBones]

That was a rough start!

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

You're going to have to conjure your inner RN here...

[@Perktube1]

12 minute notification. Noice!

[@macbouncer8525]

excellent choice.. :-)

[@ThunderingVipers]

Love your intros..

[@smc1942]

No cruiser force to protect your invasion fleet? Risky! I suggest 2 New Orleans class heavys and 2 Brooklyn Light cruisers, and 4 Gridley class destroyers (16 torpedoes each!). This is a strong force!

[@edwardmorriale9358]

I've been watching the completed playthrough from j76ny. I've been wondering, why doesn't anyone use Australia as a base? It would enable a 2 pronged attack. It can keep Port Moresby and Milne bay supported and reinforced. Just asking.

[@vf-114jock2]

Edward. The game gives you one Home Port in the WOTS and two Home Ports (1 in OZ) in the TTE Mod. In both games the object is to take Guadalcanal. IN the basic game it is just too far and time consuming to build UP ports and airfields at Port Moresby. Unless the IJN attacks them then you have to. IN TTE you have a base in OZ. AS the game progresses you will begin to us the OZ base because it gets Troops, Supplies, engineers and oil just like New Hebrides does. Hope this helps.

[@yoosta22]

@@vf-114jock2 what’s “OZ”?

[@vf-114jock2]

@@yoosta22 Australia or Ozstralia

[@yoosta22]

@@vf-114jock2 thanks

[@Raio_Verusia]

Those are some terrible torpedoes, how did we ever manage?

[@erer270]

You should definitey the Tokyo Express Mod.

[@atwarroyal8770]

Although I know air is meta in this game and too op, my personal opinion is keep a few battleship for good old gunnery duels. Naval bombing IJN into oblivion would be anti-climatic. Using air for recon might be fair tho..

[@SilesianusMaximus]

Break command is for ungrouping units, so you can command each of them separatedly.

[@jadall77]

gato subs are good I think it's 26 torpedos I think is good.

[@williamarmstrong1050]

why only 3 planes send all them

[@iancopeland6908]

Yes Taff doing a campaign

[@donnysmith946]

You need to use the subs against the cargo ships. then haul ass out of there

[@vf-114jock2]

Good lord how many games are you playing????? 😃

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Result of the choppy sea!

[@joestiller4270]

Try to bomb from rear to front and not cross ways with B17

[@colindouglas7769]

Honestly, level bombing moving sea targets with B-17s is very ineffective unless you get lucky. More often than not, even bombing from stern to bow will miss the target because the ships will not sail in a straight line when they see you coming. Most players I've watched playing the game simply use the B-17 as a long range reconnaissance aircraft because amazingly enough, you can't use them for their most logical purpose role as a strategic bomber bombing enemy ports and airfields because the devs have not built that into the game. You can sometimes use them to skip bomb naval ships from the side, but the B-17 is a big relatively slow aircraft and the enemy AAA usually drops the whole flight in the drink.

[@vf-114jock2]

@@colindouglas7769 Not all targets maneuver when under attack. Some are faster and others slow to respond. Bigger the target the better the chance. And most of all formation and how wide you make the formation will effect the results. I'd rather try and fail than never haven tried at all. Sometimes 1 hit on an oiler or 2 on a supply ship will sink it.

[@franktozier3184]

I think setting up Rennell would be a better option.

[@vf-114jock2]

I agree with you. Renell is closer to New Hebrides and NH can provide better and faster air cover in case of attack. Moreover, Renell is closer to Guadalcanal. If you make Renell a Rank 3 port you can resupply ammo to your ships faster. Additionally, airplanes from Renell can scout deeper up the slot than can planes (the shorter ranged ones) than Santa Cruz.

[@randyvalgardson774]

In my opinion, there should have been heads rolling for the arms manufacturers who were responsible for arming the US Navy with torpedoes that were too slow for the warships they were meant to be used against and even if they managed a hit or two, they would likely be duds.

[@pabloarango5873]

Hey have you considered using the Tokyo express mod? It really enhances the game

[@MrMartin385]

i dont think he is ready yet for the tokyo express mod, i personally cant play this game without the TTE mod, but it does take the game to another level

[@aedus2814]

My strategy is to use all surface ships to protect my carriers and get TONS of subs. Subs just wreak the enemy. So sweet attacking a enemy fleet with 5-10 subs and tossing a wall of Torps at them that they have no hope of evading lol.

[@colindouglas7769]

It may sound a sweet idea to you, but the Type-14 torpedo is a notoriously unreliable weapon (more duds than you've had hot dinners unreliable), unless you're going on the premise that having wolfpacks of five subs firing full spreads might mean you get enough torpedoes that actually explode when they hit their target. But you'll cover more sea if all your subs are hunting alone.

[@aedus2814]

@@colindouglas7769 Generally speaking you are prolly right. However, with in the confines of the campaign when you or the a.i. loses a ship it is not easily replaced or may not be replaceable at all. So maximizing your chance of removing hostile ships from the board while giving your enemy as little chance as possible of removing your ships from the board is a good strategy in my opinion. Also, you can cover more sea quickly with planes and with less of them allowing you to detect enemy fleets faster and send groups of subs to attack them which will have far more firepower and a greater chance of removing multiple hostile ships from action permanently then a lone sub would have and any ships you damaged but didn't sink you could reengage or send bombers from your carrier(s) to mop up. Just my two cents though. I am sure there are many good strats out there and I'll have to try yours out in the future. I do like just attacking a enemy fleet and only having one sub to manage. It is a lot of fun.

[@jwrockets]

In watching other play throughs, it seems subs are best for recon, not so much for offense.

[@vf-114jock2]

Keep watching

[@keithwaterhouse2845]

Never do a torpedo attack from astern, you just waste torpedoes!

[@colindouglas7769]

To be honest, using the Type 14 at all is a waste of torpedoes. More often than not, you get more duds than successful attacks even when you manage to hit your target with a spread. The Type 14 went down in history as probably the most ineffective piece of ordinance ever supplied to the US Navy in WW2.

[@vf-114jock2]

@@colindouglas7769 Like a broken clock - Type 14's we right about 60% of the time.

[@mikaelk5287]

are this hard game to play ?

[@geoffreyrichardson8738]

Luck has nothing to do with it. American torpedos were a waste of time until early 1943. Use bombs instead.

[@skeeterd5150]

Yesss

[@harryburnham1379]

Yeeeesssssss

[@kristofferhillbom4196]

Good Taff. Please, no more strafing runs this time. Its too effective😔👍

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Their damage will be light.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

Operation Mo? As in Mow, or Moe? Are you serious? (At least you know how to pronounce Milne.)

[@alburns7344]

Change the subs course!

[@Rust878]

Btw with subs solutions do between 2/3 it is good for ships more than that you have a grater chance of hitting but you will only get 1 or2 hits but if you use 2/3 solutions you will have a lower chance of hitting but if you do you will hit most of them and I there sinking it or sending it back to port

[@anti-Russia-sigma]

U boat ain’t an English term.

[@3CBCO]

American subs were not U Boats. The Germans had U Boats

[@vf-114jock2]

Come on a rose by any other names is still a rose. 😉

[@3CBCO]

@@vf-114jock2 Really? What would you call someone who flies a plane for the US Navy? A pilot, or an aviator?

[@vf-114jock2]

@@3CBCO Aviator but calling them pilots doesn't change who and what they are. In the news now every naval ship is called a battleship - when we know there are no battleships out there - they are warships. In the movie "Battleship" when the heroes go to Pearl Harbor to get the Battleship they ask the veterans can we borrow your "BOAT"? Dear God the Movie is BattleSHIP, the vessel is a BattleSHIP and yet the writer can't even get the drift.

[@vf-114jock2]

By the way the US Marine and Coast Guard flyboys are also called aviators as we train them.

[@3CBCO]

@@vf-114jock2 No Naval or Marine aviator I know claims the title "pilot". Words mean something Jock. You can say U-boat for example and without saying anything else, any knowledgeable person would immediately identify that as a GERMAN submarine: not American, British, Australian. Titles mean something.

[@ianquebedeaux3439]

u copying wolfpack with that intro?

[@stephenfarthing3819]

Implosion..

[@hyennavernhyavonragnarok3999]

The big issue with this game is that it's a good game but the mods are so great that the base game seems meh in comparison

[@vf-114jock2]

Yes, but it's nice to break your teeth on before going on to the monster.

[@hyennavernhyavonragnarok3999]

@@vf-114jock2 well i mean yeah but mods really can change a lot, like 24 planes squadrons, doesn't seems like a lot only double the planes launched, but getting attacked by a carrier means true danger and attacking means you can sink a while fleet if you play very very well

[@flyingpizza7486]

How you cocked up with them torpedoes. Just don't play if your that bad

[@davidhunter1538]

Both subs destroyed, a dozen torpedoes missed. This game is not for you my friend.

[@papasmurf5925]

Don't waste your time on dds