How to kill anchored subs?

[moose1999]

The Allies have a lot of subs anchored at Manilla - and I want to bomb them...!
But how do I go about doing that?

Planes on naval attack don't do it, Zeroes won't strafe them, port attacks don't hurt them...
Anybody got any ideas?

[pompack]

port attack if they are disbanded

If formed into TFs use bombers (dive bombers are best) on 100 % search with the arc to that hex only. If you use KB and a 10 degree arc you should see about 10-15 sub hit messages during each search phase

[d0mbo]

port attack, and hope you get a bit lucky.
 
the lower the altitude of your strike, the higher the chances of hitting them... but also increases the risk to your planes.....
 

[findmeifyoucan]

Yep, search and port attacks are the only way. I like search better as it is not so hard on your AC. Port attacks means flak attacks and Manila has pretty good AA. Yes, go lower to hit better but expect higher casualties from AA. You might sacrafice your bombers for those subs but it might be better than losing all those transports to them later on in the war

Personally I would bomb the crap out of the port and search like crazy to get as many subs as possible now if the Allied player is going to be so silly as to leave them in port. Make that Allied player pay for his mistakes and have the sub crews swimming with thefishes!

[moose1999]

The subs are not in port but formed into TFs and just sitting in the base hex.
So I assume port attacks won't do anything to hurt them?

I will try and do ASW searchs for them, but I'm pretty pessimistic as I have achieved absolutely nothing with air or surface ASW untill now.
I see 3-5 HIT-messages, from air-ASW alone, during every turn resolution, but I have not seen one single enemy sub actually taking damage (I load the turn as allies to check from time to time).

So I was kind of hoping I could get his subs by nailing them in the base hex they've been sitting at for the last few turns...

[Ametysth]

If you get 3-5 hit messages in turn, your basics are just fine. Problem is probably in your choice of ASW aircraft, too light bomb loads. Plane types effective in actually sinking enemy subs have to carry at least 100kg/250 lbs and preferably 250 kg/500 lbs bombs.

If you hit a sub with anything smaller, sys dmg is usually less than 10. If sub is simultaniously docked in friendly port, it is probably repaired faster than you have damaged it.

It seems to me that air-ASW against sub in TF has considerable reduction in bomb damage. If true, this would mean that while anchored (disbanded) subs can be sunk with 30 kg bombs, sub in TF is almost invulnerable to such weapon. Perhaps this represents emergency dives or similar behevior?

[xj900uk]

Is that naval search to hit subs or ASW search?  Presume the latter but have seen some 'hit' messages (admittedly not all subs) on the former

[Tophat1815]

ORIGINAL: briny_norman

The Allies have a lot of subs anchored at Manilla - and I want to bomb them...!
But how do I go about doing that?

Planes on naval attack don't do it, Zeroes won't strafe them, port attacks don't hurt them...
Anybody got any ideas?

Bomb the port! But do it on the second turn so later on you don't feel you used a gamey ploy to shift things to your advantage.

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: briny_norman

The Allies have a lot of subs anchored at Manilla - and I want to bomb them...!
But how do I go about doing that?

Planes on naval attack don't do it, Zeroes won't strafe them, port attacks don't hurt them...
Anybody got any ideas?

If by "anchored" you mean "disbanded", bomb the port.

If by "anchored" you mean, they are "docked" (i.e. at the base hex but still contained within a sub TF), then you can't "bomb" them anymore than you can when they are sea, except by either naval search or naval ASW

[scout1]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

ORIGINAL: briny_norman

The Allies have a lot of subs anchored at Manilla - and I want to bomb them...!
But how do I go about doing that?

Planes on naval attack don't do it, Zeroes won't strafe them, port attacks don't hurt them...
Anybody got any ideas?

If by "anchored" you mean "disbanded", bomb the port.

If by "anchored" you mean, they are "docked" (i.e. at the base hex but still contained within a sub TF), then you can't "bomb" them anymore than you can when they are sea, except by either naval search or naval ASW

Why would subs docked be any harder to hit (or any other ship for that matter) than thoses anchored within the harbor ?

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: scout1


Why would subs docked be any harder to hit (or any other ship for that matter) than thoses anchored within the harbor ?

The code does not distinquish between a TF in a port, and a TF at sea in regards to subs.

edit: clarify - A TF that is formed, any TF can only be direct attacked by a naval attack air strike. Subs are immune to this because they can dive. Ships that can only be hit by "port attack" when disbanded. Subs are included in this because they can be disbanded. Subs in a TF are treated as in a TF whether at sea or sitting in a port hex. Hence naval attack will not target them.