In my TF Inchon/ "Beach Too Far"/ Marines on the Baltic scenario, I had a couple of destroyers (the U.S.N. Knox class frigate Truett and the West German Hamburg/Type 101 class guided-missile destroyer, Bayern) supporting the landings near Elblag and follow-up operations with 5" gunfire support. They were called away to assist in rescue operations in the wake of the Tarawa's sinking at the hands of a small, mixed Soviet force (a few shore-based aircraft, a couple of missile boats, and a diesel sub), but not before unloading their remaining main gun ammo in support of the besieged Marines.
In my T2KU, the battle which resulted in the sinking of the Tarawa was one of the last "major" naval actions of the war. Both sides, already weak numerically, were hampered by a lack of fuel, spare parts (especially for sensitive electronic equipment like radar and sonar sets) and were operating short-handed, crew-wise. Losses on both sides were significant, if only on a per capita basis. The overworked USN crews with their sketchy radar and sonar sets were overwhelmed by a "combined arms" attack launched during a summer squall. The Soviets managed to sink the Tarawa and damage a couple of escorts but paid a heavy price in doing so.
By the fall of 2000, the USN was a mere skeleton of its once proud self, worn down by a combination of factors already outlined previously in this thread. I like the idea of a bare-bones USN, but agree that the game designer's projections were a bit extreme. Then again, aside from being used as a plot device to shift the game's geographical setting for player groups leaving central Europe, naval warfare was never the focus of Twilight 2000.
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