German uboats affecting British morale while "silent"

[havoc1371]

In the game I am playing against another player, his U-boats operating off the west coast of Britain in "silent" mode are causing "unrestricted warfare" events and loss of British morale. Silent mode is allowing them to glide around ignoring any Entente ships in their path and harder to kill. I thought subs in "silent" couldn't raid? Am I wrong?

[mdsmall]

True, U boats on silent can't raid convoy lines. But unrestricted naval warfare is not raiding in the game mechanism. The effects are determined by supply and national morale scripts. Any German naval unit (including mines or subs on silent) on the UK NM hexes will carry out unrestricted naval warfare, if Germany has said yes to that Decision Event.

[Platoonist]

I thought subs in "silent" couldn't raid? Am I wrong?

If I understand the strategy guide correctly, the NM drop represents Allied merchants refusing to put to sea and the mayhem that's causing with shipping schedules and congested ports. It's the German unrestricted policy declared combined with raiders active at sea doing the damage to morale more than the actual sinking of cargo.

[OldCrowBalthazor]

I thought subs in "silent" couldn't raid? Am I wrong?

If I understand the strategy guide correctly, the NM drop represents Allied merchants refusing to put to sea and the mayhem that's causing with shipping schedules and congested ports. It's the German unrestricted policy declared combined with raiders active at sea doing the damage to morale more than the actual sinking of cargo.

That is correct. The shipping companies for one aren't allowing their ships out of port. The RN needs to clear those U-boats and mines (if any) from the shipping lanes....

[mdsmall]

You will also find that if he can keep his subs for more than about 3 player turns on the NM hexes in a given zone, the supply value of one or more of your major ports on the west coast of Great Britain will drop below 5. When that happens, they can't receive convoys anymore. And since ports only regain supply value by one point a turn, depending on how far down he is able to drive the supply value of a port, there can be a delayed effect from shipping being backed up for a number of turns before you can start receiving convoys again. It is a lot more effective than simple convoy raiding if you want to drive down British MPPs. On the other hand, the Germans pay a longer term penalty in increased US mobilization towards the Entente.

[OldCrowBalthazor]

You will also find that if he can keep his subs for more than about 3 player turns on the NM hexes in a given zone, the supply value of one or more of your major ports on the west coast of Great Britain will drop below 5. When that happens, they can't receive convoys anymore. And since ports only regain supply value by one point a turn, depending on how far down he is able to drive the supply value of a port, there can be a delayed effect from shipping being backed up for a number of turns before you can start receiving convoys again. It is a lot more effective than simple convoy raiding if you want to drive down British MPPs. On the other hand, the Germans pay a longer term penalty in increased US mobilization towards the Entente.

It's a double bladed sword for sure if Germany does this to the UK...but this strategy can be definitely catastrophic for Britain.