DCS: Task Force

[Andrew8604]

DCS: Task Force
WWII Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) Support Module - much like a WWII Naval 
operations version of a combination of Supercarrier, Combined Arms and WWII Assets all rolled into one with complete VR support.  Primarily focused on circa 1944 systems.  These would include search radars, surface warfare and anti-aircraft gun mounts and their gunfire directors, as mounted on US Navy major warships of WWII in the Pacific:  carriers, battleships, cruisers, and destroyers.

I've been working on this request for a while.  Seeing the announcement of the USS Enterprise CV-6 and the Hellcat, I figured it's time to post it as best I can.  It's an extensive and complex request.  I realize it wouldn't come to fruition for at least a couple years...at least!  But I just couldn't stand seeing the DCS picture of the fast carrier Enterprise CV-6 being escorted by a slow Samuel Chase and LST.  Enterprise and Intrepid (Essex-class) will need proper escorts with functioning sets of radars, gun directors and properly functioning guns.  And why not let players man the radars, guns and directors in a far better way than currently implemented in DCS for the Samuel Chase? ...and with VR support.

Features:
- WWII straight-deck carrier operations (also applicable to Korean War era).
    - Detailed models of Yorktown, Essex, Independence and Midway classes of fleet           
          carriers; and Sangamon, Casablanca and Commencement Bay classes of escort             
          carriers of the US Navy. As well as several classes of Imperial Japanese Navy       
          carriers. 
    - Carrier operations phases
        - aircraft launch operations - aircraft spotted aft on the flight deck 
          and launched from catapult(s) and when deck space permits, the forward 
          half of the flight deck.
        - aircraft recovery operations - aircraft spotted forward on the flight
            deck and in the hangar deck to allow aircraft to land on the aft half
          of the flight deck with the arresting gear.
        - underway replenishment or at port - aircraft fill the flight deck to
          allow room for initial storage of supplies on the hangar deck. (if desired)
        - animated deck personnel to move aircraft back and forth on the flight
          deck, hangar deck and elevators. (if feasible)
        - animated launch and recovery personnel on the flight deck and in the 
          ship's pri-fly (or equivalent) control stations on the island. (if feasible)
        - animated ordnance men and refueling men to service the aircraft.

- WWII Fleet Operations
    - Detailed models of Battleships, Cruisers, Destroyers and submarines; as well
      as oilers, cargo and transport ships.
        - CIC (Combat Information Center) on carriers, battleships, cruisers and
          destroyers [intended for operation by 1 or 2 DCS Players]
            - a search radar scope, PPI display, with combined airborne and
              surface targets, and landmasses.
            - plot board (similar in function to F10 map view) to keep track 
                          of assets and targets.
            - As flagship: Player (or AI) can command speed and direction of 
              ships in task force, as well as formations and other commands to ships.

    - Ship's Gun Fire-Control System (GFCS)
        - Gun Mount Director Control Stations 
            - radar (A-scan display?) to determine range and bearing to 
              surface targets for gunnery solutions, fed into ballistic
              computers to determine firing azimuth and elevation.
            - also for directing 5-inch AA guns against airborne targets.
            - Optical range finders as alternative to radar.
            
        - 40mm gunmount remote director, Mk-51.  Used to aim one or more 40mm
          twin or quad mounts. Lead computing optical sight.
        - 20mm guns with gunsight on individual gunmounts.
         - DCS players can each operate one of the gun directors, 20mm gunmounts
          or CIC. Directors, guns and CIC not occupied will be run by AI.
        - Also applies to aircraft carrier CIC and GFCS. 

Although I would like all the classes of ships of the Pacific Theater in DCS, the main ones would be the fleet carriers mentioned above and the South Dakota and Iowa classes of fast battleships.  As escorts for the carriers and battleships; the Baltimore class of heavy cruiser, the Cleveland and Oakland classes of light cruisers and Fletcher and Sumner classes of destroyers.  This would be an essential starting point for US Navy ships.  There would also need to be a like set of Imperial Japanese Navy ships, perhaps all run by AI, initially.

But here's my compiled list of US Navy ships (not including carriers) that I believe operated in the Pacific Theater in the 1944-1945 timeframe as escorts to fleet carrier (fast carrier) battlegroups and Task Forces.  I've included the "old slow" battleships, although they would be their own task forces or part of the escort and shore bombardment ships for amphibious task groups, including the slow escort carriers.  I do not expect this whole list to be included; although, many of the ships in a class are nearly identical...only name and number, and sometimes camouflage being different.

(Ships to be modeled in DCS as they appeared in 1944, or 45 as indicated)
    
    - USN Battleship classes:
        Old "Slow" battleships - 20-21 knots
        - Wyoming class (12")
            - Arkansas BB-33    1945
        - New York class (14")
            - New York BB-34   
            - Texas BB-35          
        - Nevada class (14")
            - Nevada BB-36       
        - Pennsylvania class (14")
            - Pennsylvania BB-38    
        - New Mexico class (14")
            - New Mexico BB-40    
            - Mississippi BB-41    
            - Idaho BB-42        
        - Tennessee class (14")
            - Tennessee BB-43    
            - California BB-44    
        - Colorado class (16")
            - Colorado BB-45    
            - Maryland BB-46    
            - West Virginia BB-48    

        "Fast" battleships - 27-33 knots
        - North Carolina class (16" - 28kts)
            - North Carolina BB-55  
            - Washington BB-56    
        - South Dakota class (16" - 27.5 kts)
            - South Dakota BB-57    
            - Indian BB-58        
            - Massachusetts BB-59   
            - Alabama BB-60        
        - Iowa class (16" - 33 kts)
            - Iowa BB-61        
            - New Jersey BB-62    
            - Missouri BB-63    
            - Wisconsin BB-64   
        
    - USN Heavy Cruiser classes: 
        (These were the only USN Heavy Cruisers in the Pacific in 1944-45)
        - Pensacola class
            - Pensacola CA-24    
            - Salt Lake City CA-25    
        - Northampton class 
            - Chester CA-27        
            - Louisville CA-28    
        - Portland class
            - Portland CA-33    
            - Indianapolis CA-35    
        - New Orleans class
            - New Orleans CA-32    
            - Minneapolis CA-36    
            - Tuscaloosa CA-37    
            - San Francisco CA-38    
        - Wichita class
            - Wichita CA-45        
        - Baltimore class
            - Baltimore CA-68    
            - Boston CA-69        
            - Canberra CA-70    
            - Quincy CA-71        
            - Pittsburgh CA-72    
            - Saint Paul CA-73    1945

    - USN Light Cruiser classes:
        - Brooklyn class
            - Nashville CL-43    
            - Phoenix CL-46        
            - Boise CL-47          1945
            - Honolulu CL-48    1945 (4 twin 5"/38 turrets)
            - St. Louis CL-49    
        - Atlanta class
            - San Diego CL-53    
            - San Juan CL-54    
        - Cleveland class
            - Cleveland CL-55    
            - Columbia CL-56    
            - Montpelier CL-57    
            - Denver CL-58        
            - Santa Fe CL-60    
            - Birmingham CL-62    
            - Mobile CL-63        
            - Vincennes CL-64    
            - Pasadena CL-65    
            - Springfield CL-66    
            - Topeka CL-67        1945
            - Biloxi CL-80        
            - Houston CL-81        
            - Vicksburg CL-86       
            - Duluth CL-87        
            - Miami CL-89        
            - Astoria CL-90        
            - Oklahoma City CL-91    1945
            - Amsterdam CL-101        1945
            - Wiles-Barre CL-103    
            - Atlanta CL-104    
            - Dayton CL-105        1945
        - Oakland Class
            - Oakland CL-95        
            - Reno CL-96        
            - Flint CL-97        
            - Tucson CL-98        1945

    - USN Destroyer classes:
        - Gleaves class - 66 ships - those in 1944 configuration
        - Fletcher class - 175 ships - those in 1944 config
        - Allen M Sumner class - about 47 ships - 1944

There were many more older classes of destroyers, in smaller numbers.  Just too many to be modeled, I think.  I believe the above were the most significant ones.

 

[Andrew8604]

Here's a training film on all the steps involved in firing the main battery (8-inch/55 guns) on a Baltimore class heavy cruiser.  Would probably be a similar procedure on all ships, including light cruisers and destroyers.  If implemented in DCS, the procedure would probably be much simplified in terms of communications.  The names of the stations involved are stated here.  

 

Edited April 14, 2024 by Andrew8604

[Tree_Beard]

As cool as this would be, I would suggest you don't dwell on it too much. I think we'd be lucky to have 10% of this list in DCS within the next decade.

Its been 4 years since the release of supercarrier, a single ship that is the key supplement to the flagship module of the game (F18), and its still totally incomplete.