Submarine Question

[emcgman]

Hey Guys,

What is more effective in battling submarines, as far as destroying them.

If it makes any difference, I'm playing as Allies, human control of Soviets and Brit/Usa.

Is `Light Fleet' better, or is `Submarines' better. Also, does it help to have a Heavy Fleet or Carrier Fleet in the same region when battling subs.

Also, is there any different approach if you want to make them retreat, as in clearing the region quicker for your transport connection.

Thanks

[Lucky1]

I personally like to tech up the ASW level of my transports - this tends to inflict a reasonable level of attrition on subs and limits the need for destroyer escorts if multiple transports are in a given hex. Of course, you need to monitor whether Germany is teching-up submarine warfare. Destroyer ASW is logical, as are air ASW abilities. Although they have a limited range, teching ASW into fighters can work against German subs in port. For example, you would conduct a naval attack. The fighters would engage any opposing fighters and maybe get some subs as well.

[rjh1971]

ORIGINAL: Lucky1

I personally like to tech up the ASW level of my transports - this tends to inflict a reasonable level of attrition on subs and limits the need for destroyer escorts if multiple transports are in a given hex. Of course, you need to monitor whether Germany is teching-up submarine warfare. Destroyer ASW is logical, as are air ASW abilities. Although they have a limited range, teching ASW into fighters can work against German subs in port. For example, you would conduct a naval attack. The fighters would engage any opposing fighters and maybe get some subs as well.

IMO teching up tf asw is way too expensive since the cost of R&D increases with the number of units you have. Same thing applies to upgrading asw for fighters. As WA you need to build many of them to defeat the LW and even the WA have a great industrial capacity (if resources are available) it's not an unlimited one.

What I do is to tech up asw in LF and also for HB, increasing thier range works also in your favor. Also you can use the HB to bomb german targets and then if you have mp left place them over the sea to op-fire any submarines trying to slip into the Atlantic, placing HB in Iceland can close the Atlantic, or at least make it dangerous for uboats to attack the same turn they have undertaken op fire.

Upgrading asw for CAGs could be a good idea if you have enough resources and a couple of CVs to use in the Atlantic in detrimetn of the Pacific theater.

[GShock]

I personally upgrade CAGs. They must be versatile, so they are my primary force, but of course...i'm Japan

[Lucky1]

I should have mentioned that I usually only tech up transports up ONE level of ASW (otherwise it does get prohibitively expensive). However, if Germany is not going gangbusters in Sub development, this is usually more than sufficient as a defence once 2-3 transports occupy key sea lanes.  I then add ASW to either my fighters and / bombers. As mentioned above, a bombing raid or whatever can occur and then the unit can go on patrol. Pretty flexible.
 
With Japan, I have sometimes used this defence (I tech before I buy transports) - it only takes 7-8 tech points. It definitely works against AI. However, CAGs can be a good choice. I find that Japan usually does not have enough supply to have its destroyers running around as well as carriers....
 
Of course, the key is to monitor tech and production info of your opponents and to adjust your reactions accordingly. There is no point in investing too much in ASW if your opponent does not have many subs....
 
(Only a couple more weeks and I am done school! Then I can put my games back on my hard drive! All this forum watching is no proxy for playing....)