Board Thread:Game Updates/@comment-3502824-20171207155334/@comment-33667919-20180130171650

WellSpokenMan130 wrote: I'm far more critical of Halsey than Kurita to be honest. Halsey seems to have had trouble getting over not being in command at Midway and not getting that glory, which instead went to Spruance. As a result he wasn't in command at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. He was convinced that he would have done better than Spruance and not let the Zuikaku escape and let Subs take out 2 Japanese fleet carriers instead of US carrier aircraft. He wanted to stroke his ego and prove he was the better admiral. So instead of taking the cautious approach that had led Spruance to not lose a ship, he went super agro and put his command unnecessarily at risk. He should have been relieved of command and sent home in disgrace.

It was also a matter of miscomunication, Halsey did have a plan for a fleet to be dispatched if kurita turn his ships around. However the way it was worded lead the Navy to think that the task force had already been formed and was waiying for Kurita. This is why the US 7th Fleet left Leyte Gulf top go after the Southern force, because they were tod the North was still covered by halsey, when in reality the Task Force was only to be formed if kurita was seen turning his ships around. However as night fell Kuritas fleet was still scene retreating so Halsey assumed that they were running and instead went after the Northern Carrier Forces. his mistake is that he didn't inform the Navy that he was taking the whole 3rd fleet and therefore would be unable to form his planned Task force to defend Leyte Gulf. In the end the Navy made the right call, while Halsey should of fully informed command of his intentions more clearly blaming the situation at Leyte gulf solely on him is simply rediculous as US Navy command did not check in with Halsey constantly like they should have. In the end miscommunication caused the whole situation,not purely Halsey. While Halsey leaving with all of his ships was a severe tactical misjudgement on his behalf, you also need to remeber Halsey was philosophically against dividing his forces; he believed strongly in concentration as indicated by his writings before World War II. Blaming Halsey solely for the situation that befel Taffy 3 is simply childish, it takes a number of factors and links in the chain of events before a battle occurs and saying it is purely the fault of one man is simply ludicrous.