Enemy damage between engagements

[Jeff Leslie]

It's about the 3rd day of the campaign as the Russian and I decide to send out a destroyer division to see what's out there.

As soon as they leave Port Arthur, an engagement (and the first generated engagement of the campaign) kicks off right outside the port, and the enemy is close proximity. Port Arthur mines are up around 600 by this time.

I notice that before shots are even fired right at the very start of the engagement, some of the Japanese cruisers are already showing damage. These are names that I'm seeing for the first time, not present at the Port Arthur attack or Chemulpo battle.

Is the attrition damage just from the Port Arthur mines, or are the coastal guns figured in to the base defenses also whenever the enemy gets close enough?

[saddletank]

It must be mines I think as I have seen the PA shore batteries actually in action, with firing graphics and enemy cruisers also duking it out with the shore guns. I don't think the AI sends it's ships close in enough to the shore batteries during 'map time' so you'd only see the shore batteries doing their thing in an actual battle, never abstracted on the map.

Here you can see the shore batteries firing and shots from a Japanese cruiser squadron throwing up explosions (the dark puffs).
http://www.atomic-album.com/showPic.php/22426/PA_batteries_in_action.jpg

[Zakalwe]

Hi,

could have been collisions too. Ships may have been on the map, but not visible to you. Here is what happened in one battle:

My 3 BBs were almost in the middle of the map west of Tsushima straits. One enemy disision was in the north between the islands, one in the south coming from the open sea and one major force of 8 BBs and 6 ACs in the west, steaming north. The %§"$? AI decided, it would be a great idea letting this force steam towards the land. At the last moment, only one (or even less) km from the shore the turned to the west, following the coastline. As from the POV of my division was obstructed from a small peninsula, they were disappearing from the map. Shortly after, I heard this thumbing sound indicating a collision. This happened several times. None of the ships I had in view at this time were colliding. Some time later, the AI had sorted it`s mess out, and the former disappeered division showed up again, this time heading south. But several ships were damaged. So I guess, these ships collided while manouevering behind this peninsula.

Z.

[Jeff Leslie]

I've also noticed that the shore guns can't hit a freakin thing. In fact, there seems to be a general lack of accuracy on the Russian side all around (or maybe the non-AI side....???).

I've had a couple engagements now where I've drawn the Japanese well within range of the shore batteries, but all they do is kill a lot of fish around the ships. Might as well put rifles in the crew's hands and stick 'em in the front line where they would be slightly more useful.

I would think shore batteries would be more accurate than ship guns since they are on a more stable non-moving platform that doesn't pitch and roll constantly.

[Rhetor]

I've also noticed that the shore guns can't hit a freakin thing. In fact, there seems to be a general lack of accuracy on the Russian side all around (or maybe the non-AI side....???).

I have to check the crew quality in my campaign game, but my Vladivostok cruisers in right conditions can hit Japanese armored cruiser with first salvo at 5500 meters; however, it was their third full scale engagement. Three battleships in their first action used up 90% of ammo to sink "Chin En" and three PCs.
Generally I think the accuracy is unrealistically high in this game. But it adds to playability.