The Combined Fleet system was first introduced in the Summer Event of 2014 specially for the Battle of Midway. Combined fleets allow up to a total of 12 ships across two fleets to take part in a sortie. The Combined Fleet system was again used in the Autumn Event of 2014, and the Winter Event of 2015 but with revised mechanics.
Composition
Combined Fleet (連合艦隊, Rengou Kantai?, currently only available during certain events) can be formed by viewing the second fleet, and then dragging the "/2" icon over the "/1" icon (refer to the picture on the right). The first fleet is the main fleet and, in general, comprises the heavy ships, while the second fleet is a lighter "escort" fleet, and comprises the lighter ships.
In order to disband a combined fleet either click on the "combined" icon or make changes to either fleet so that they no longer meet the requirements.
There are currently two different types of combined fleets available for use:
Each type of combined fleet has different composition requirements. In some cases, you will be given the option to choose between which combined fleet you want to make. In other cases, you will be told which fleet to create for the sortie. When choosing between the two different types of combined fleets, besides fleet composition requirements, take note that the combat order is different for each type (see Combat Phases).
Carrier Task Force (機動部隊)
Main (fleet 1):
- Maximum of 2 BB/BBV
- Minimum of 2 CV/CVL
- Maximum of 4 CV/CVL
Escort (fleet 2):
- Exactly 1 CL (CLT does not count)
- Minimum of 2 DD
- Maximum of 2 CA/CAV
- Maximum of 2 Fast BB
- Maximum of 1 AV
- SS cannot be used as flagship
- No Slow BB/BBV/CV
Surface Task Force (水上部隊)
Main (fleet 1):
- Minimum of 2 of a combination of CL/CA/CAV/BB/BBV
- Maximum of 1 CV or 2 CVL (but not both at the same time)
- Maximum of 4 BB
- Maximum of 4 CA/CAV
Escort (fleet 2):
- Exactly 1 CL (CLT does not count)
- Minimum 2 DD
- Maximum of 2 CA/CAV
- Maximum of 2 Fast BB
- Maximum of 1 AV
- SS cannot be used as flagship
- No Slow BB/BBV/CV
Combat Mechanics
Because there are two fleets involved, combat flow for a combined fleet is quite different from a normal fleet battle.
Fleet Formations
For different combined fleet types, the colors may be different, but the formations' effects are the same in combat.
| Formation | Formation Icon | Advised Use | Shelling Damage Modifier | Torpedo Damage Modifier | Anti-sub Damage Modifier | Day Shelling Hit% | Day Torpedo Hit% | Anti-sub Hit% | Shelling Evasion% | Torpedo Evasion% | Anti-Air Modifier | Base Attack Values | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 第一警戒航行序列（対潜警戒）
Cruising Formation 1 (anti-sub) |
Anti-submarine | 80% | --- (Main) 70% (Escort) |
100%(?) | ? | --- (Main) ? (Escort) |
? | ? | ? | ? | Carrier Task Force: Main Fleet: Firepower (  )+5 (except carriers)Escort Fleet: Firepower ( )+15 for shelling, Torpedo ( )+0 for torpedoSurface Task Force: Main Fleet: Firepower ( )+15 (except carriers)Escort Fleet: Firepower( )+0 for shelling, Torpedo ( +0 for torpedo
|
Moderate torpedo accuracy and low shelling accuracy. Similar to line abreast formation. | |
| 第二警戒航行序列（前方警戒）
Cruising Formation 2 (forward alert) |
Surface battle and ASW simultaneously | 100% | --- (Main) 90% (Escort) |
80%(?) | Low~Medium(?) | --- (Main) Medium~High (Escort) |
? | ? | ? | ? | High torpedo accuracy and below moderate shelling accuracy. Similar to double line formation. | ||
| 第三警戒航行序列（輪形陣）
Cruising Formation 3 (ring formation) |
Anti-air | 70% | --- (Main) 60% (Escort) |
75%(?) | Low(?) | --- (Main) Very Low(?) (Escort) |
? | ? | ? | ? | Very low torpedo accuracy and low shelling accuracy. Requires 5+ ships in escort fleet. Similar to diamond formation. | ||
| 第四警戒航行序列（戦闘隊形）
Cruising Formation 4 (battle formation) |
All-out attack | 110% | --- (Main) 100% (Escort) |
50%(?) | Low(?) for fleet going first Medium(?) for fleet going second |
--- (Main) Very High(?) (Escort) |
? | ? | ? | ? | Highest torpedo accuracy and moderate shelling accuracy. Requires 4+ ships in escort fleet. Similar to line ahead formation. |
- The typical +5 modifier for basic attack power (shelling and torpedo) does not apply and instead is either +15 or +0 for the main and escort fleet, respectively.
- The escort fleet generally has better ASW accuracy than the main fleet.
- The ASW accuracy trend among the four formations seems to follow the damage modifiers (i.e. Formation 4 is the worst and 1 is the best).
Combat Phases
This is where there is a difference between the two types of combined fleets. For the Carrier Task Force, the escort fleet engages first, while for the Surface Task Force, the main fleet engages first. Each phase in itself is similar to normal non-Combined Fleet combat. For a full run through on what each phase does, please see Combat § Combat Stages.
Normal Node - Carrier Task Force
| Phase | Notes |
|---|---|
| Detection | Recon planes will launch as normal. |
| Aerial Combat | Only ships in the main fleet can launch planes, but all ships can respond with AA and can be hit by enemy planes. |
| Opening Engagement | Support Expedition fleet may arrive if conditions are met. Opening torpedo salvo by the escort fleet and enemy fleet launched by ships capable of doing so. |
| Engagement Type | Engagement type is declared (Head-on, Parallel, T-Cross). |
| Escort Fleet Shelling and Torpedo | Escort fleet conduct one round of shelling with the enemy fleet per normal shelling rules, regardless of ship classes present between the escort fleet and the enemy fleet. Torpedo salvo is exchanged with the enemy fleet. |
| Main Fleet Shelling | Main fleet conducts normal shelling round combat against the enemy fleet; firing order determined by range, and then by line-up order (if there's a second round of shelling). Second round of shelling only exists if a ship capable of creating a second shelling round is present between the main fleet and the enemy fleet. There is no torpedo salvo exchanged. |
| Night Combat (if chosen) | Banners for the player's fleet will slide towards the left and leave only the escort fleet's present. Night battle equipment activates, if any. This phase follows closely to a normal night battle, with changes to only ASW damage (determined by formation chosen, instead of forced scratch damage if hit). |
Normal Node - Surface Task Force
| Phase | Notes |
|---|---|
| Detection | Recon planes will launch as normal. |
| Aerial Combat | Only ships in the main fleet can launch planes, but all ships can respond with AA and can be hit by enemy planes. |
| Opening Engagement | Support Expedition fleet may arrive if conditions are met. Opening torpedo salvo by the escort fleet and enemy fleet launched by ships capable of doing so. |
| Engagement Type | Engagement type is declared (Head-on, Parallel, T-Cross). |
| Main Fleet Shelling | Main fleet conducts normal shelling round combat against the enemy fleet; firing order determined by range, and then by line-up order (if there's a second round of shelling). Second round of shelling only exists if a ship capable of creating a second shelling round is present between the main fleet and the enemy fleet. There is no torpedo salvo exchanged. |
| Escort Fleet Shelling and Torpedo | Escort fleet conduct one round of shelling with the enemy fleet per normal shelling rules, regardless of ship classes present between the escort fleet and the enemy fleet. Torpedo salvo is exchanged with the enemy fleet. |
| Night Combat (if chosen) | Banners for the player's fleet will slide towards the left and leave only the escort fleet's present. Night battle equipment activates, if any. This phase follows closely to a normal night battle, with changes to only ASW damage (determined by formation chosen, instead of forced scratch damage if hit). |
Air Battle Node
| Phase | Notes |
|---|---|
| Detection | Recon planes will launch as normal. |
| Aerial Combat | Only ships in the main fleet can launch planes, but all ships can respond with AA and can be hit by enemy planes. |
| Support Expedition Fire | Support Expedition fleet may arrive if conditions are met. |
| Engagement Type | Engagement type is declared (Head-on, Parallel, T-Cross). |
| Aerial Combat, Round 2 | Unlike first Aerial Combat round, Air Superiority state is not shown; however, contact can be made. |
| Night Combat (if chosen) | Banners for the player's fleet will slide towards the left and leave only the escort fleet's present. Night battle equipment activates, if any. This phase follows closely to a normal night battle, with changes to only ASW damage (determined by formation chosen, instead of forced scratch damage if hit). |
- Notes
- Because the escort fleet deals no damage during the day phase, the escort fleet flagship will automatically take MVP if the player does not engage in night combat.
Night Battle Only Node
| Phase | Notes |
|---|---|
| Formation Selection | You will choose from the standard formation instead. |
| Night Combat | Banners for the player's fleet will slide towards the left and leave only the escort fleet's present. Night battle equipment activates, if any.
|
- Notes
- Because the main fleet does not participate during night combat, the main fleet flagship will automatically take MVP.
General Notes
- Anti-submarine warfare takes place following the same order as stated above, except that phases like aerial combat cannot occur for obvious reasons.
- In contrast to normal sorties, anti-submarine warfare damage is not reduced during night battle.
- The main fleet will not take part in anything related to torpedoes.
- Equipment on the main fleet will not affect night battles.
- The shelling accuracy of all of the ships in a combined fleet appears to be very low, probably to balance out the 12 vs 6 system.
- Accuracy is suspected to be even lower for Surface Task Force when compared to Carrier Task Force.
- When entering a night battle, only damage dealt at night will be taken into account when determining MVP.
- In this case, the main fleet's flagship will receive MVP.
- The flagship of the escort fleet is unsinkable. (link)
- You can have the same ship in both of your fleets (e.g. having Yuudachi in both fleets while combined).
Special Mechanics
Fleet Command Facility
The Fleet Command Facility (FCF, stock equipment of Ooyodo Kai) allows a destroyer in the second fleet of a combined fleet to escort a heavily damaged ship in either fleet away from the sortie. This is useful if you tend to encounter just one ship going red during attempts to chip away at the map gauge.
- FCF must be equipped in the flagship of the first fleet and you must have one non-flagship DD that is not lightly damaged or worse to have the option to escort a damaged ship.
- The screen will show up after Results, but before the Continue/Retreat screen. The heavily damaged ship and the DD escort candidate will show up, with green sentences. The left button will remove the damaged ship and the DD candidate from combat and they will both lose 25 morale (on top of 15 from returning from sortie) and all remaining fuel. The right button will continue without escorting.
- The DD escort candidate is the top non-flagship DD that is not light damaged or worse in the escort fleet's lineup order.
- Due to the morale loss, both ships will generally be in red morale upon return. If the DD escort is not damaged, it is not possible to use instant repair to restore her morale. (The escorted ship is obviously damaged, so repairs will restore her morale.)
- Because of the morale loss associated with escorting, if you're going to retreat after the battle, you should decline escort.
- See this video for an example.
- Both ships (the damaged ship being escorted back and the ship escorting her back) will be permanently out of the rest of the sortie.
- This will affect Fleet Formations you can choose from, should you lose sufficient number of members in the escort fleet.
- Will also affect LoS and Air Superiority values. Consider retreating instead if you will lose a significant amount of LoS and/or AS.
- One ship may be escorted per battle (i.e. multiple ships can be escorted back to base over several nodes).
- It is not possible to escort the escort fleet's flagship.
- As of the Autumn 2014 event, escort ships are counted out of the score calculation, allowing you to get an A or S rank as long as you fulfill the usual criteria.
References
- Japanese wikiwiki
- Compilation of testing results with Surface Task Force after the Winter 2015 event
