YMS class

[KPAX]

Folks,

Can not figure out what to do with the YMS class ships?

The have 2 ASW, but can not place in a ASW TF.

They do not carry cargo or troops.

They have short legs and weak guns.

I have a ton of them.

What is the best use for tem.

[Nomad]

They are Yard Minesweepers. They work to sweep mines.

[rockmedic109]

Local Minesweeping at a harbor. In case some sub skipper leaves some.

They might also attack Midget subs or subs in the harbor.

[RangerJoe]

They will work as escorts for your convoys if you need them. They will work to sweep mines when you invade. They can be used as tripwire pickets. They can be used as CAP traps.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

They will work as escorts for your convoys if you need them. They will work to sweep mines when you invade. They can be used as tripwire pickets. They can be used as CAP traps.

The escorts idea is a good one. They only need to escort the convoy for a day or two outside the origin or destination port, where subs are likely to be. They are not designed to be sub-killers, but they can make the subs keep their periscopes down and spoil their aim on juicier targets.

[KPAX]

Thank y’all! good points and items to think about.

1. Would you please explain a little bit what you mean by .... CAP traps?

2. They are not a SW TF eligible, but since I have a lot of them in my game versus a computer I was going to just set up a task force with 10-12. Of them and just run a combat patrol off the West Coast. Hoping for a hit or two or at least some DL.

Again, thank you for the comments and suggestions.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: KPAX

Thank y’all! good points and items to think about.

1. Would you please explain a little bit what you mean by .... CAP traps?

2. They are not a SW TF eligible, but since I have a lot of them in my game versus a computer I was going to just set up a task force with 10-12. Of them and just run a combat patrol off the West Coast. Hoping for a hit or two or at least some DL.

Again, thank you for the comments and suggestions.

Having more than four ships in the same TF hoping to catch subs is wasting their fuel and asking for more collisions. Three is the ideal sized TF for ASW work. Four is about the same as three at getting detection, so the only benefit of four ships is the additional ammo if you need to do a long set of attacks from each ship.
Split your 12 YMSs into four TFs and set patrol zones that intersect and overlap to cover the area you suspect subs will be.

Expect that the IJN subs with superior experience and skilled commanders will torpedo your ships more often than you do significant damage to the sub. But every attack you ships make will increase your crew experience and make them more effective in future. Your best plan is to give them the best commanders available (Naval skill and Aggression) which you can usually get without a PP cost.

[RangerJoe]

CAP trap. Put some ships in a TF with a lot of fighter coverage. Make the potential target look nice and plump. Do this especially if the enemy sends bombers without escorts. This can also be done with a land unit or base. If it is a land unit, large AAA units are effective at shooting down bombers in range.

[KPAX]

Thank you for the information on the CAP trapv I will need to give that a try.

So, three is better than four in a n ASW TF? That Moore was better. Thank you for the information.

[51st Highland Div]

Been using my DMS and YMS as asw escorts early in the (allied)game as destroyers a bit thin on the ground...

[CaptBeefheart]

I use them as escorts when proper escort ships are few and far between. Later, I'll put a bunch of them in a cargo or transport TF as escorts with the idea of getting the short-legged critters to the front. As others have said, they come in handy for a variety of uses, such as expendable mine sweeping (when you need to clear some mines under shore guns). If I remember correctly, you can also put them in amphibious TFs where they will sweep some mines during the invasion (if not, be sure to include other minesweepers in the invasion TF when mines are present).

Cheers,
CB