Question about my favorite HCE scenario "Ambush"

[erichswafford]

Hey, I've noticed while playing the (ancient) NACV scenario "Ambush" (using the latest HCE) that my Soviet subs are able to make mincemeat of the CVBG (using torps) before it can even get 50nm away from the Eastern US shore!

IIRC wasn't there some adjustment made to sonar which made subs a lot harder to detect?

My solution thus far has been to not use those 54nm-range 650mm wake-homing torps at all. If I do use them, it's just way too easy to do a bearing-only launch and take out huge swaths of escorts and even the CVN itself.

God I hope those torps weren't really that effective and easy to use!

Comments? Explanations?

Thanks...

[Warhorse64]

You are correct about the sonar model being adjusted, but the real problem here is the pathetic way that the NATO ASW patrols are laid out. Even with the new sonar model, a properly handled USN CVBG is very nearly invulnerable to submarines, unless the scenario designer cheats and starts the game with a sub inside the screen. It might be that the patrols in this scenario were adequate under the old model, but I rather doubt even that; the early scenarios tended to be quite weak in that department.

[erichswafford]

Thanks for the info. Yes, it's probably too much to ask that a scenario designed in 1989 or so work with the latest modeling. Might be fun to go into the scenario editor and fix it up a bit.

The other thing I've noticed is an old issue related to the AI not being very clever (when playing as the Soviets) about attacking Keflavik. They typically just waste all their Backfires in fruitless piecemeal raids, rather than one big strike which might have a chance of succeeding.

Anyway - maybe I can go in like I mentioned and edit the thing to make it work a bit better, at least when playing from the Soviet side. If I can get it improved, I'll be sure to share it.

[Warhorse64]

I'm not positive, but I think that attacks on land bases have to be programmed by the scenario designer. If so, the piecemeal attacks on Keflavik are a designer issue, not an AI issue.

[erichswafford]

Well, that's great news then. I will get into the scen editor for the first time ever and revise this once-great scenario. My plan is to optimize it for single-player from the Soviet side (at least initially) and later try to get the AI playing the Soviets "right". Should be fun and interesting.

I have an enduring fascination with the whole Soviet Naval Aviation vs CVBG thing.

[CV32]

ORIGINAL: Warhorse64
I'm not positive, but I think that attacks on land bases have to be programmed by the scenario designer.

This is correct.