Having a story idea I am in need of a better idea of naval warfare, modern naval warfare. I have the following items as sources to help me. Tom Clancy's SSN and Submarine Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat by Capt Wayne P. Hughes Jnr USN (Ret.) The Fleet Combat Pack by Sonalysts and finally Harpoon, the tabletop game. Are there any other good sources you can think of that would allow me to simulate/study modern fleet tactics. As for blue water engagements being of the past etc, yes I understand that, however I need to work out exactly how a fleet works in order to make a guess at how it would be in the future in space, in which the story is set.
Hows about this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_warfare It doesn't give a lot but may help. Or how about this one. It's even geared up for star wars! http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/Tactics/Naval-Tactics.html If you google naval tactics you'll come up with loads of sites dedicated to your subject. Best of luck.
Read up on the Falklands War. It is (I think) the most recent naval conflict. It was primarily fought by light destroyers, submarines, and a pair of aircraft carriers.
The official web pages don't give the doctrine/tactical knowledge I'm after, unfortunately. Banzai, the Falklands War only really covered the importance of AAW, or Anti-Air Warfare, at least in the case of the British side. If anything, the Exocet missile also covered proper planning in naval weapon composition. The Wiki link is a little bland, as I've got a good few books going back to Jutland, and the developments leading up to it. What I am really after in this case I guess is actual doctrine as used by the navies themselves, something they keep very close to their chests.
Or join the Navy, but I'm not sure that is that good an idea. Actually, I suppose it could be, though, I've never had good sea legs. Well, I have tried to join the armed forces before, so maybe it's one of the options for me to consider. As a job prospect, not a research option.
I suggest reading up a detailed history of the anval conflicts between the US and the Imperial Japanese Navy in WWII. I also suggest any battle pretaining to Napoleon as he began the moden style of War we see today, and then Germany's performance in WWI is a great example of how NOT to use a navy (With the exception of the U-Boats, though they were bigger in WWII). I'm more of an Infantryman myself, but anything pretaining to military doctrine must include the following: Vom Krieg (On War), by Karl Von Clausewitz The Art of War, by Sun Tzu
Well, I have the Art of War, but not the Clausewitz, I'll hopefully be able to track down a good translation of it soonish, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on it. As for the main period I'm looking at, it is WW2 Pacific. It covers the most operational types, as well as a nice variety of actions. What I've realised recently, is that in my own little universe guns and fighters are equally as effective as each other, with certain....l factions focusing on one or the other. Now the time comes to see if I can make it work. Actually, before I forget, I got the Lost Fleets: Courageous, and read it over the weekend, that has given me a few ideas.
