User:Tsubakura/Sandbox/E-3

Overview

• This map contains 4 phases.
• Three Land-Based Air Squadrons are available for sortie.
  • The air base is relocated once you've reached Phase 4.
• There are 2 event quests linked to this map.
• This map has 4 shiplock tags. The shiplock tags are applied on all difficulties, but they are only enforced on Hard.

The following tags are used in this map:

Force ZForce H10th Submarine Fleet Force X

Warning: Ships tagged with Force H will force a certain routing, effectively preventing their use in Phase 3 & 4. This applies for all difficulties.

Phase 1: Defeat the Abyssal Mediterranean Princess

The boss is a combined fleet located at node I

• This phase uses a Single Fleet/Strike Force.
• There is air resistance en route to the boss, but the boss itself has no air power.
• The LBAS range to the boss is 6.
• ASW gear should be ignored in favor of using the Vanguard formation to evade the enemy submarines.
• Clearing this phase will automatically unlock the 2nd starting point.

This phase uses the following tag:

Keep in mind that Force Z is also featured in Phase 4, so plan accordingly.

Composition: 1CL 5DD 1XX (Fast)

• Route: 1 A B B2 C2 E I
• Guarantees the shortest route, but may not be able to defeat the boss.
• Consistent for chipping, but a heavier fleet is desired during Last Dance.

Composition: 1(F)BB(V) 2CV(B) 1CVL 1CL 2DD

• Route: 1 A B B1 C1 E I
• A heavier fleet at the cost of having to fight one more battle at C1
• Carriers can make use of the historical bonuses provided by foreign bombers to kill the boss.

Phase 2: Defeat the European Princess

The boss is a combined fleet located at node O

• This phase uses a Combined Fleet.
• The LBAS range to the boss at O is 5.
• Node J2 features the highly dangerous New Submarine Princess.
  • Bringing 2 OASW capable ships and/or a LBAS full of ASW aircraft in order to neutralize her is recommended in order to minimize early retreats.
  • The LBAS range for node J2 is 1.

This phase uses the following tag:

Warning: Any Combined Fleet containing a ship tagged with Force H will be forced to start at point 2, regardless of difficulty. This effectively means that any ships tagged with Force H cannot be used for phases that involves either Force Z or Force X.

Composition: 4CV(B) 1CAV 1SS(V) + 1CL 2DD 1CA 1FBB 1XX (Fast)

• Route: 2 J2 L M O
• XX should either be FBB, CVL, CAV or CLT.
• Just like Phase 1, carriers can make use of historical bonuses provided by foreign aircraft in order to deal as much damage as possible during daytime.
• The submarine can help tank some of the incoming shots and improve the survival of the main fleet.

Composition: 4(F)BB(V) 1CV(B) 1XX + 1CL 2DD 1CVL 2CA(V) (Fast)

• Route: 2 J2 L M O
• XX should either be SS(V) or CA(V).
• An alternative option that doesn't capitalize on the use of historical aircraft, but chooses to conserve bauxite instead.
• Due to the lack of air power, air sweeping the boss to get a favorable air state is recommended.
• Among the fast battleships, only Bismarck and Richelieu have a decent historical bonus. Using STF on Hard might not be desirable due to the lack of historical bonuses.

Phase 2.5A: Unlock the 3rd starting point

After defeating the European Princess, the 3rd starting point needs to be unlocked in order to continue.

• To unlock the 3rd starting point, it is necessary to meet the requirements as listed below in the table.

All unlock requirements during this phase uses the following tag:

Node	LBAS	F	G
Hard	AS	A+	S
Medium	??	??	-
Easy	??	??	-
Casual	??	??	-

Node F features enemy installations and PT-imps.

• Regardless of difficulty, only an A-rank is required to meet this requirement.
• The LBAS range to node F is 5.
• Capitalize on the enemy weaknesses by bringing anti-installation and anti-PT Imps equipment.
• The fleets used to clear node F can also be used to clear node G

Option 1

Composition: 1CV(B) 1CL 5DD (Fast)

• Route: 1 A B B2 C2 F
• Guarantees the shortest route to the boss.
• With the right equipment, this fleet should be sufficient for an A-rank.

Option 2

Composition: 1(F)BB(V) 2CV(B) 1CA(V) 1CL 2DD

• Route: 1 A B B1 C1 C2 F
• A slightly heavier fleet that allows you to use more capital ships, at the cost of having to fight an extra battle at C1

Node G mainly consists of enemy destroyers, light cruisers and transport ships.

• Getting an S-rank on node G should not be a problem for any decently equipped fleet.
• The LBAS range to node G is 6
  • The enemies at node G are weak, thus it is recommended to use the LBAS for other purposes instead, like LBAS defense.

Option 1

Composition: 1CV(B) 1CL 5DD (Fast)

• Route: 1 A B B2 C2 E G
• LoS Cn2 ≤ 40.
• Guarantees the shortest route to the boss, but it is required to FAIL the LoS check at node E.

Option 2

Composition: 1(F)BB(V) 2CV(B) 1CA(V) 1CL 2DD

• Route: 1 A B B1 C1 C2 E G
• A slightly heavier fleet that allows you to use more capital ships, at the cost of having to fight an extra battle at C1
• Similar to option 1, it is required to FAIL the LoS check at node E.

Option 3

Composition: 1(F)BB(V) 2CV(B) 1CA(V)/CVL 2DD (Fast)

• Route: 1 A B B1 C1 C2 E G
• A variant of option 2 that uses a Single Fleet instead.
• With the absence of a CL, it is no longer necessary to resort to failing the LoS at node E in order to route to G

Phase 2.5B: Find the New Mediterranean Dreadnought Water Princess

The boss is still missing after unlocking the 3rd starting point. More steps are required in order to reveal node Z2.

• This step is lenghtier than the previous step and involves the use of multiple shiplock tags.
• Warning: Do not use Force H tagged ships in Combined Fleets, as that will force the fleet to start at point 2.
  • The results can be inconvenient due to more ships being tagged with Force H.

This phase uses the following tags:

Note: Only ships tagged with Force Z can be used for the final phase on Hard.

	B2	T1	T4	P	U	W	X
Hard	AS	S	S	AS	A+	A+	S
Medium	??	??	??	??	??	A+	S
Easy	??	??	??	??	??	A+	S
Casual	-	-	-	-	-	A+	S

Composition: 1CV(L/B) 1CL 5DD (Fast)

• Route: 1 A B B2
• All CL and DDs are to be equipped with ASW equipment, as this route only features submarines.
• The CV(L/B) should only be equipped with fighters.
• The LBAS range to node B2 is 3.
• Due to the strict requirements of the routing, it might be desirable to air sweep node B2 in order to further lower the required air power.

Node T1 features enemy destroyers, light cruisers and transport ships.

• While node T1 should be trivial for any decent fleet, getting there might be hard due to the strict requirements.
• Admirals who do not have a Submarine Tender (AS) will have to resort to random routing in order to reach T1
• The LBAS range to node T1 is 9.

Option 1

Composition: 1AS 1CL 2CVL 3SS(V)

• Route: 3 Q S T2 T1
• Guarantees routing to T1

Option 2

Composition: 6SS(V)

• Route: 3 Q S T2 T1
• Random routing at nodes S and T2
• This option is reserved for admirals without Submarine Tenders.

Node T4 is a surface battle involving an enemy carrier.

• Admirals who do not have a Submarine Tender (AS) will have to resort to random routing in order to reach T4
• The LBAS range to node T4 is 10.

Option 1

Composition: 1AS 2CVL 3SS(V)

• Routes:
  • 3 Q S T3 T4
  • 3 Q S T2 T3 T4
• Guarantees routing to T4, but the route it takes is random.

Option 2

Composition: 6SS(V)

• Routes:
  • 3 Q S T3 T4
  • 3 Q S T2 T3 T4
• Random routing at nodes S and T2
• This option is reserved for admirals without Submarine Tenders.

Nodes P U W X can all be reached using the same fleet.

• Any ships used in this phase will be tagged with Force X
  • The Combined Fleet used for this phase will also be used to clear Phase 3.
  • Keep in mind that on Hard, you cannot use any ships tagged with Force X for the final boss of this map.
  • Avoid bringing Akitsushima Kai on Hard, as she will be useful for routing purposes during the final phase.
• Node R features the highly dangerous New Submarine Princess.
  • Bringing 2 OASW capable ships and/or a LBAS full of ASW aircraft in order to neutralize her is recommended in order to minimize early retreats.
• Regardless of the chosen fleet, the fleet will always go through nodes P and U
  • A node support fleet is recommended in order to improve the passing rate of node U
• Node W features enemy installations and PT imps.
  • The LBAS range for this node is 7.
  • Only an A-rank is sufficient, regardless of difficulty.
  • Keep in mind of the combat flow in a Combined Fleet vs Combined Fleet. The escort fleet will never attack the enemy main fleet during daytime.
• Node X is a straightforward surface battle featuring multiple Re-class battleships.
  • The LBAS range for this node is 9.

Surface Task Force

Composition: 2(F)BB(V) 2CVL 2CA(V)/AV + 1CL 3DD 2XX

• Routes:
  • 3 P R U V W
  • 3 P R U V X
• XX should either be CA(V), CLT or up to 1 SS(V).
• An all purpose STF that can be outfitted depending on what is required.

Carrier Task Force

Composition: 3CV(L/B) 1(F)BB(V) 2XX + 1CL 3DD 2XX

• Routes:
  • 3 P R U V W
  • 3 P R U V X
• XX can't be a (F)BB(V) or CV(L/B).
• The use of CTF allows for more air power, but they are also in a disadvantage when fighting enemy single fleets.
  • Unlike STF, the escort fleet attacks first in a CTF. This can be a problem at node X

Phase 3: Clear the TP Phase

Now that node Z2 is unlocked, it is time to clear the TP phase.

• This phase uses a Combined Fleet. The same fleets used in Phase 2.5B can be used to clear this phase.
• The LBAS range to node Z2 is 11.
• The trip to the boss is filled with dangers including a night battle at node U, the New Submarine Princess at node R and Re-class battleships at node X
  • Due to all the dangers, using a Fleet Command Facility is highly recommended.
  • Using node support can improve the pass rate at U
• The boss is very difficult to defeat on Hard. Expect the majority of the runs to end with A-ranks.

This phase uses the following tag:

Composition: 2(F)BB(V) 2CVL 2CA(V)/AV + 1CL 3DD 2XX

• Route: 3 P R U V X Y Z Z2
• XX should either be CA(V), CLT or up to 1 SS(V).
• An all purpose STF that can be outfitted depending on what is required.

Composition: 3CV(L/B) 1(F)BB(V) or CV(L/B) 2XX + 1CL 3DD 2XX

• Route: 3 P R U V X Y Z Z2
• XX can't be a (F)BB(V) or CV(L/B).
• The use of CTF allows for more air power, but they are also in a disadvantage when fighting the fleet at X
  • This issue more relevant now that node X is not the final destination. Keep in mind that a STF does not suffer from this problem.

Phase 4: Defeat the European Armored Carrier Princess

Once the TP phase is cleared, the boss at node Z3 will automatically be unlocked.

• Once LD is reached, head over to Phase 4.5 to further debuff the boss.
• Upon reaching Phase 4, the following shiplock tagging rules are in effect:
  • STF/CTF will now be tagged with Force Z. This means that ships tagged with Force X are now unusable in this phase.
    • As shiplock tags are only enforced on Hard, admirals on lower difficulties can disregard this.
  • Warning: As usual, Combined Fleets that contains Force H tagged ships will be forced to starting point 2, regardless of difficulty.
• The LBAS is relocated to the eastern portion of the map. This will change the LBAS range of all nodes.
• The LBAS range for the boss at node Z3 is 1.
• As the routing barely changes, the strategy largely remains the same as in Phase 3.
  • CTF is not recommended and will not be suggested in this phase.
  • Use OASW/ASW aircraft to deal with the New Submarine Princess at R
  • Using Fleet Command Facility is encouraged for chipping the boss.
  • A repair node is now available at node X1
  • Using Nelson is recommended for her touch attack.

This phase uses the following tag:

Option 1

Composition: 3(F)BB(V) 1CV(B) 1CA(V) 1 Akitsushima Kai + 1CL 2-3DD 2-3XX

• Route: 3 P R S U V X X1 X2 Z3
• XX should either be CA(V), CLT or up to 1 SS(V).
• Having Akitsushima Kai skips an additional air node while allowing repairs if damage was sustained.

Option 2

Composition: 4(F)BB(V) 2CVL + 1CL 2-3DD 2-3XX

• Route: 3 P R S U V X Y Z3
• XX should either be CA(V), CLT or up to 1 SS(V).
• This fleet does not rely on Akitsushima Kai.
  • This fleet will go through an extra air node, but in return, a heavier fleet can be used against the boss.

Phase 4.5: Debuff the boss and finish her off

Once LD is reached against the European Armored Carrier Princess, it is now possible to start debuffing the boss.

• All steps can be done with Force Z tagged ships.

	LBAS	I	T	Y	Z2
Hard	AS	A+	AS	AS	S
Medium	??	??	??	??	??
Easy	??	??	??	??	??
Casual	??	??	??	??	??

Option 1

Composition: 1CL 5DD 1XX (Fast)

• Route: 1 A B B2 C2 E I
• Guarantees the shortest route and should be sufficient for an A-rank.

Option 2

Composition: 1(F)BB(V) 2CV(B) 1CVL 1CL 2DD

• Route: 1 A B B1 C1 E I
• A heavier fleet at the cost of having to fight one more battle at C1
• Carriers can make use of the historical bonuses provided by foreign bombers to kill the boss.

Carrier Task Force

Composition: 4CV(L/B) 1(F)BB(V) 1XX + 1CL 2DD 3XX

• Route: 3 P R S T
• XX can be anything inside the rules of a Carrier Task Force formation.

Surface Task Force

Composition: 2CA(V) 2CVL 2XX + 1CL 2DD 3XX

• Route: 3 P R S T
• XX should be anything that can contribute to the air power, like AV, CAV and BBV.
• Albeit difficult without the use of LBAS, it is not impossible to clear node T using a STF instead.

Surface Task Force

Composition: 4(F)BB(V) 1CVL 1CVL or Akitsushima Kai + 1CL 2-3DD 2-3XX

• Route: 3 P R S U V X Y Z Z2
• XX should either be CA(V), CLT or up to 1 SS(V).
• Equip at least 3 Drum Canisters. It is not required to equip drums across 3 ships.
• Equip enough fighters on the carriers to ensure AS is achieved on node Y.