Just my bad luck or bright new enemy ASW star rising? :-)

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Ahh... was it just my bad luck or is it bright new enemy ASW star rising?


I have never seen such thing before (and especially in this PBEM my Japanese
subs were 95* deadly and most excellent so far)...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/03/42

Weather: Thunderstorms

Sub attack at 20,71

Japanese Ships
SS I-27, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DM Montgomery, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Arunta


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 24,76

Japanese Ships
SS I-29, Shell hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
DD O'Brien
DD Arunta


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Leo "Apollo11"

[CapAndGown]

I am afraid there was not luck involved. USN ASW is simply overwhelming. I have stopped using my subs for offensive purposes. Mostly I just send em back to Tokyo.

[U2]

Originally posted by cap_and_gown
I am afraid there was not luck involved. USN ASW is simply overwhelming. I have stopped using my subs for offensive purposes. Mostly I just send em back to Tokyo.

I use my subs with great success....I wish Tokyo could send more of them! I never get enough:(

[Snigbert]

Me too, I get many, many kills with my subs.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Originally posted by Apollo11
Hi all,

I have never seen such thing before (and especially in this PBEM my Japanese
subs were 95* deadly and most excellent so far)...

Leo "Apollo11"

Yea, excellent against Subchasers and unescorted damaged colliers When you met best of RAN ASW assets - this is what happens

HMAS Arunta sunk two IJN subs in single turn! Three cheers for Captain Walker! (Is he a brother of famous British sub-hunter by any chance? )

To quote from historical source: http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4437.html

On the 24th of August, she carried out four depth charge attacks against an enemy sub and a large quantity of oil was seen to bubble to the surface. Several days later it was confirmed that the 700 ton Japanese submarine RO-33 had been sunk by ARUNTA.

[Drex]

Originally posted by Snigbert
Me too, I get many, many kills with my subs.

Do you have your subs on Computer or manual?

[Snigbert]

DE USS England sank 5 Japanese subs in one day. That was the record for the war.

[mogami]

Hi, I think the record for most subs sank in a single turn for me was 12. Both sides had sent all subs to Port Moresby.
USN sank 7 IJN subs and IJN surface forces sank 5 USN subs.
This was a PBEM game. (Sub activity dimished greatly for several months)

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Originally posted by Oleg Mastruko
Yea, excellent against Subchasers and unescorted damaged colliers When you met best of RAN ASW assets - this is what happens

Hmmm... sunk... OK... but what about your CV, CA's, DD's, DM hit by multiple torpedoes?

HMAS Arunta sunk two IJN subs in single turn! Three cheers for Captain Walker! (Is he a brother of famous British sub-hunter by any chance? )

I sincerely hope that's not him... <VBG>


Leo "Apollo11"

[PzB74]

The wheel of fortune always spinns uncontrollably.....
Sending Jap subs back to Tokyo seems extremely defensive!

It's much more challenging to try to beat the odds
If you manage to nail just one CV during the entire game - you've really accomplished something.

Using subs for mining, supply and troop transport must also be a lot better than sending them back to Tokyo!

I have learned to stay away from shallow hexes, bases and areas heavily patroled by enemy ASW units though.
But one day the enemy will to come to you and will be far more vulnerable....

[crsutton]

Japanses subs are also very good at hunting down crippled warships trying to get home.

Well we all complained about it, and we got it, but it seems to me as if ASW air attacks are now a bit two strong. Seems like subs are getting nailed by air in my campaign game with great regularity. The good thing is they are rarely damaged enough to sink. Anyone else experiencing this?

[Drex]

i am experiencing zero attacks by air and i may put 5-6 squadrons of bombers on ASW. Planes are good only for spotting, then send in the ASW TF of DDs.

[panda124c]

Originally posted by cap_and_gown
I am afraid there was not luck involved. USN ASW is simply overwhelming. I have stopped using my subs for offensive purposes. Mostly I just send em back to Tokyo.

Use them as scouts, loooooong range scouts, in picket lines. Just like the Japanese used them.

[denisonh]

I had an opponent clear out the Solomon Sea of US Subs.

Every one of my subs was attacked, damaged and without fuel.

Every one of them.

The method? Take 5 CVs and 3 CVLs, and put all strike aircraft on ASW, along with 3 AVs and 2 CSs with their a/c on ASW.

Exp 80+ Vals and Kates will do a number on US Subs. Couldn't get them out fast enough.

Of course, when I surprised him with my carriers(few, if any, of his aircraft dedicated to naval search), he didn't strike at my carriers. But it didn't matter (see thread Bad Hair Day for the USN.....)

[elcid]

The USS England was credited with 5 subs in a single campaign, not a single day. She also was in a group including a CVE. Not quite a single escort alone! But she was good. "There will always be an England" has a different meaning in the USN than it does in the UK!

Japanese subs can be stopped cold by Allied ASW aircraft later in the game, but not early, due to numbers, if the Allied player learns to use them properly. However they still can be used effectively. Just don't put them in ports. Use choke points and pick your times when you know he must enter or leave. Keep moving too.


UV ASW is not very well designed. Two escorts is the critical number - hanging around for 48 hours is also a critical tactic - in reality but not in UV. Land HQ matter a lot in real life, not in UV. The ratio of escorts to convoy/task force ships matters a lot - you want 5 plus one more for every 6 non-escorts - but UV never heard of that. Sub chasers should be more effective and Japanese destroyers less effective. IMHO

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Remember "Arunta" from last week?


Arhghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... it happened again... ((


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/31/42

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Sub attack at 24,76

Japanese Ships
SS I-3, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DM Gamble
DD Arunta
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Again bloody "Arunta"... ((


On a side note... something is very strange with Japanese air ASW. I have seen
dozens and dozens of attacks of my planes against enemy (Allied) submarines
and no hits.

In 90+ days of strong Allied submarine activity I watched many air attacks on
many enemy submarines (one time almost 10 different aircraft attacked enemy
sub in one move) and still just 2 air hits altogether.

But for allies, one sighting, then immediate attack, and sure hit on my sub...

Strange...

It's just as if Japanese air ASW was also weakened when 50% reduction for ship
ASW was done...


Leo "Apollo11"

[Subchaser]

<But for allies, one sighting, then immediate attack, and sure hit on my sub...>
Please send me a combat replay. that is my dream!

I have absolutely opposite results. Almost all my LBA is on constant ASW patrol, from 50 to 100%, depends on enemy sub activity, all aircraft are using that mystic 1000ft altitude, all squadrons set on ASW are in the good shape, rested (f<20) and well-inspired, well may be some units are not trained enough yet.

It’s already mid June and I have saw only one successful (sub was hit, it’s all what I know) attack on enemy sub by Marauder. B-25 and Hudsons are spotting subs often, but prefer to report only, even when enemy sub is sitting in PM harbor or sightseeing Australian ports. There were just 2-3 attacks in the overall, not more. We’re are playing with Japanese sub doctrine off, and my opponent is focusing on PM-Australia transport routes, he has already damaged many of my transport vessels, sunk 2 valuable AP, blew up my destroyer and damaged another one, he lost only one sub in the process (and that one was lost in attempt to attack my carriers, it is out of anti-merchant campaign), this is all happening with my titanic ASW efforts on the background.

I know that I’m doing everything right, all LBA possibilities are being used, anti-sub patrols guard all dangerous approaches, I’m not using the same route for convoys all the time, all is useless, enemy subs are having their ‘happy days’, I suppose there gonna be Japanese sub-aces breed soon. Unfortunately I can’t let myself a luxury of air carrier ASW patrols right now, but what else should I do to receive adequate results?

BTW, Japanese ASW is doing well (for Japanese), last turn Jake (!) damaged my S-class sub, 2 subs already sunk and one more damaged. Any ideas?

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Today my Japanese ASW air forces were able to sight, hit 2 times and sink
enemy sub that successfully evaded 8 (eight) ASW air attack two turns ago
(although numerous other enemy subs were aslo sighted and attacked no
others were hit).

Finally!


IMHO (as I see it now) "luck" (i.e. dice roll) plays much role in ASW...


Leo "Apollo11"