Naval Interdiction

[Smirfy]

In my Game in the 43 Med scenario which has largely turned into a test now, I was wondering acouple of things.

1/ What exactly does Axis port Naval interdiction represent, E-Boats, Surface Ships? U-Boats ?

2/ What is the otptimum attribute for Air Naval Intediction. Am I trying to shoot down his Naval interdiction Aircraft? Am I trying to bomb Surface ships or am a trying to sink subs? Or is it none of these and just require range?

3/ Does surface port interdiction have a range?

4/ Do my ports interfere with enemy interdiction?

Ive lost over 100,000 troops killed and not to ground combat not for the first time in this scenario so just wondering how to improve my performance

[Jajusha]

All Ports generate Naval interdiction automatically.
1) I see the Axis port interdiction as representing patrol, mine and torpedo crafts, mine fields, etc. Damaged ports generate less, as their ability to field such naval crafts is decreased.

2) If you set a Air Naval Interdiction mission for, say, some L or tac bombers, you see the AI fits their loadout with mines (if it can). So, you are effectively stoping hostile movement (be it crafts or u-boats) in your waters, making sure no enemy crafts are nearby. This is then reflected by the few casualties you incur when moving through these waters.

3) Yes, i think its related to port size, but i don't have the exact math present.
.
4) Who "owns" a sea hex should be seen as race between two values. Allies interd. value, and axis interd value. when one values is much bigger then the other, then the sea hex changes color in your overlay. Your ports generate auto interdiction in nearby squares, so, yes, your ports "interfere" with enemy sea interdiction.

[marion61]

Naval interdiction is represented by small sea craft, and aircraft. You would want your naval interdiction to have escorts, but if the bomber loadout has torpedoes or mines, these are quite useful (better than bombs). I always try to get a loadout that has extra fuel tanks too, so they stay out longer on patrols or can do more patrols. The AI is simple to interdict, because it sees an invasion and sends some air groups to contest it. A human player will send most air groups to contest a landing, and can wipe your clock. Playing a human you need to have more than one naval patrol AD over your beaches. Naval interdiction can also lock down ports to keep supply out, and to shoot up any troops trying to leave the port by sea. As the allies, if your not getting high naval interdiction numbers over your beaches, you will have a hard time getting supplied. If you check your logistics report, it will show your shipping losses and you should always check your interdiction levels in in your rear areas. You can lose an entire armored division going thru contested waters.

As for the port interdiction, I believe it is based more on your air cover than anything else if I understand your question correctly.

[Massattack]

3/ Does surface port interdiction have a range?

According to the manual, ports project an interdiction amount approx. 5 to 7 hexes, dependent on port level, damage level, and weather.

Regards.

[Smirfy]

Do fighters on Naval interdiction shoot down enemy aircraft?

[marion61]

You should use escorts, even for naval interdiction to shoot down other planes, and you can also create an Air Superiority box over the area to shoot down their naval interdiction.

I wish I could say I've read the manual, I didn't realize that the port interdiction went out so far. It sure doesn't seem like it does.

[Baelfiin]

Has anyone seen allied air superiority actually intercept a Luftwaffe naval interdiction mission at sea?

[Smirfy]

Nope thats what im wondering equiped a unit of p47's as fighters and have them in a hq just doing NI and dont see anything yet

[Joel Billings]

Fighters that fly Naval Interdiction will offset the interdiction values of enemy bombers (dropping their amount of interdiction). Pavel would have to answer exactly how losses are determined (he's away for the next few days, so don't expect an answer on this until next week).

[Baelfiin]

Playing Allies vs german AI I can only get interceptions from Air superiority vs naval interdiction to happen over german land hexes. They never intercept over friendly territory nor can I get them to intercept at sea

[carlkay58]

The icons for the interception battle may occur outside where the actual interceptions take place. They are accumulated checks - i.e. a single icon can represent the accumulated flak and interceptions over the past 10 or more hexes of flight path.

[Baelfiin]

I understand that part, but you can watch a clear progression of air combat as the strike flies in. Then the interceptions stop over friendly occupied Sicily. There are other air superiority directives active over the friendly part of Sicily and over the water where the strike takes place, but they do not intercept and are not included in the air combats over the German held areas of Sicily.

[Smirfy]

Continued my experiment and 9 SM79's have just flown through an air superiority box and Naval Interdiction box and interdicted me in an air superiority box and a Naval interdiction box in clear weather no combat losses. Looks like something is amiss.

[Baelfiin]

Here is a screen of this sort of thing happening in my PBEM with AWG.

My guys are close in altitude so theoretically should have a chance of interception.

[Smirfy]

You would have to expect that RADAR would be in widespread use and the Allies also used Fighter Direction Ships I know the Auxillary AA Cruiser Ulster Queen was one at Salerno

[Baelfiin]

Here is one where the naval strike is intercepted. Dashed line are the intercepts for this strike

[Smirfy]

Do you know how you did it?

[Smirfy]

I dont know if this is significant but the Axis did not fly one single sortie last turn. Would it be a case that Allied boxes stop any attempt at axis aerial interdiction after a fashion?

[Baelfiin]

ORIGINAL: Smirfy

Do you know how you did it?

I tried to match altitude close, that's the only thing I can tell. First time I have gotten an intercept over water though

[Smirfy]

Did not touch a thing and finally during my turn 4 interception of Luftwaffe Fighters Patrols during my air phase.