AMI and NM at night

[Hamish]

Russ,

 

I was under the impression that if you move a naval force at night, you would be avoiding the AMI on any sea zones you pass, especially when the AMI is performed by fighters. To my utter horror I just found out I am wrong. Can you please explain to me how this works?

 

Hamish

[ShadowKitsune]

That doesn't sound good ...

[thevamp]

HI!

 

The day time is calculated for every sea zone that your naval foce is passing. But you will enter the last sea zone at night. Maybe Russ could explain the way the program in calculating the day time for the rest of the movement.

 

Tsarina

[RTGRuss]

Any naval movement is assumed to take place over multiple days so there are opportunities to catch naval forces during the daylight hours as well. If the entire movement were conducted at 'night' it would have had the effect of allowing naval units to pretty much move about with impunity - completely immune to air power.

 

As it stands, the 'night' option only treats the last location on the route as a pure night time move. It may not have been the best way to handle night movement but it can be used effectively.

 

Avoiding AMI/AMPs and, to a lesser extent, NMI/NMPs missions is the chief purpose of night movements. You can avoid interdicts/patrols by moving 'into' the sea zones in question but not by moving 'through' them. The interdict/patrol missions make their spotting check when you move 'into' the sea zone so if you are not detected coming in - you won't be detected just sitting in the sea zone (unless they do real-time Maritime Strikes and/or NSD missions). NMI/NMP missions still have a chance at night, unlike the air variants, but the spotting chances are greatly reduced. You can move through an entire string of interdicted/patrolled sea zones by 'night' if you take several turns and move one sea zone at a time. It will greatly slow you down but it is possible.

 

The code will consider a port city as the 'last' location on the route so moving back to a port at night doesn't work in practice. The two most common uses for night movement are:

 

1) Transiting a clear choke point like GIB1 - your force moves 'into' GIB1 at night to avoid interdicts and patrols, stops, then continues on with its movement on the following turn.

 

2) Move safely into position for a coastal bombardment or amphib assault - your forces move 'into' the sea zone adjacent to your target at night to avoid interdicts etc., stop, then execute their mission on the following turn.

 

 

Interdicts/patrols only make spotting checks when a force enters the sea zone so this will work assuming you don't get caught by a naval interdict/patrol at night or by a real-time maritime strike or naval search & destroy on your opponents turn). Accordingly - if you are trying to prevent somebody from bombarding a city or landing on a given beach, you might well consider using some real-time maritime strikes or NSD missions to back up your interdicts.

 

Russ

[nfbeerse]

Russ,

 

Thanks for this explanation. It give a great insight on naval and air operations.

 

Norbert

[ShadowKitsune]

Playing the USA in Vic#71, this helps out a LOT!

[Hamish]

Russ,

 

There is no way to indicate you want to start your mission at night? What if I expect an interdict in the first sea zone between my fleet and my destination? Is it impossible to avoid that interdict without stopping in that sea zone?

 

Hamish

[RTGRuss]

There is no way to indicate you want to start your mission at night? What if I expect an interdict in the first sea zone between my fleet and my destination? Is it impossible to avoid that interdict without stopping in that sea zone?

 

Hamish

Not under the current system - if you suspect the first location you move into to be under one or more interdicts you would have to move into that sea zone (use the night option) and end your movement right there. On the following turn, you could move out of that sea zone up to your full allowance - the interdict check is only made when you enter the sea zone.

 

Russ