Enemy BBs & others choose to retreat

[Captain Meow]

I'm noticing this often in custom battles. 1895, for example, I have 4BB, 3CA, 5CL & choose for enemy same-year, similar amount of BBs, 4CA, 3CL, 5TB... all are my own designed ships, 15km starting distance. The battle goes usually like this:

I with all my ships first encounter few TBs (I guess they scout or just went too forward cause of being fast), while I'm dealing with them then I see several CLs & CAs also came to the scene. A couple of CL/CA with a row of BBs are on their way to help, few more TBs still around. All my ships are engaged in a fight, my CLs are flanking, but then I notice a couple of enemy CLs are retreating together with all their BBs. I finally am done with their CL/CA/TB I first encountered & then I'm chasing their remaining ships (esp. 4BBs) which simply sail in one direction (without changing it) & shoot at whatever is close to them.

If I choose less number of ships for each side, like 1BB, 2CA, 2 CL vs 1BB, 1CA, 3 CL, 3 TB - often I see their BB is hanging out in the background during the main action, then just retreats.

I could understand BB has some 16-18kn so its usually the last, but why it's always like it finally arrives at the scene, sees all their ships are losing & then goes like "ah fk it, me out of this!" Same with 4 enemy BBs - they slowly come, see their team losing & they are like "ah fk it, we're better than this, let's leave, guys!"

(1.02 version)

Edited January 18, 2022 by Captain Meow

[BilgeRat22]

I was in the middle of another 1920 German campaign before the last Beta update released, and I got a couple large fleet engagements in which the AI behaved in similar way to what you just described.

CAs and DDs turned to approach & distract me while the major capital ships sailed away at max speed. CLs usually joined the retreat. I can remember 2 or 3 similar battles in which my fast BCs (bless them) caught and demolished the retreating AI ships one by one. Thankfully, only the AI DDs had torps, so I didn't have to go through a crazy torp gauntlet to finally get into effective gun range.

When I play custom duels, especially in 1900 and earlier, I usually set starting range to 5 km or less. It makes the battle shorter and more fun, since 66% of the time, the AI will just run away and 'kite' me, and all I can do is chase and try to slow him down. Worst spawn position is with the AI already just sailing away from you, firing 'byee!' salvos.

Edited January 18, 2022 by BilgeRat22

[Schirüno]

my battles usually look like this, the AI is just teasing me innit