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Early in this thread Raverdave mentioned checking the ASW ratings of the escorts. I have looked and must be completely blind, because I do not see any ASW rating when I examine my DDs in this game. I have always had to check the weapons loadout to be sure that the ships I'm choosing have depth charges. Can someone point out to this idiot just where the ASW rating is shown in the game? I am using v2.20.

When you are choosiing your escorts, right click on them and it will bring up loadout values including ASW from 2 to 10. Obviously the 8 and 10 are subkillers par excellence but the crew experience is important too.

I honestly had never tried that. I always left clicked on the unit, which brought up the detail on its weapons loadout. Does this ASW rating (which took me awhile to find, hidden there in the middle of the screen!) include the sonar capability?

Originally posted by bradfordkay
I honestly had never tried that. I always left clicked on the unit, which brought up the detail on its weapons loadout. Does this ASW rating (which took me awhile to find, hidden there in the middle of the screen!) include the sonar capability?

I do not think so. I believe it is a measure of the ASW weapons loadout.

No, the ASW rating is just a count of ASW weaponry on the ship.

It does not take into account which weapons are better.

ASW weapons have 2 key characteristics, Accuracy and Effect.

For the Allies, here's how the weapons breakdown:

Mk6 Depth Charge: ACC=8, EFF=300
Mk7 Depth Charge: ACC=9, EFF=600
Mk7/m1 Depth Charge: ACC=13, EFF=600
MkVII Depth Charge: ACC=10, EFF=290
(there's also a Mk9 in the database ACC=30, EFF=200, but I haven't seen it on any ships to date).

Mk20 Mousetrap: ACC=60, EFF=35
Mk22 Mousetrap: ACC=80, EFF=35 (haven't seen this yet, either)

Now take a look at your Allied DDs. The Farraguts, Porters, Mahans, Gridleys, and Benhams all only have 2 Mk7 depth charges. These are very poor ASW platforms.

The Sims are the best you are going to have in the early going, with 2 Mk6 + 2 Mk7s. I hate it when I lose a Sims early.

Later on you get the good ASW DDs, the Bensons, Bristols, and Fletchers. They boast 2 Mk7s and 6 Mk6s. As an added bonus, these are also the best AAA destroyers (upgraded Porters are good at AAA too). These make up the bulk of my CV groups.

Please note that Mk7s are upgraded to Mk7/m1s after awhile (haven't pinned down an exact date yet, ship upgrades are still sort of a black box for me).

The Aruntas make good ASW platforms too, with 6 MkVIIs. The Kiwis are not bad either (4 MkVIIs). And the SCs have the Mousetrap, accurate if they fire it (get their experience up!). The Mousetrap may not kill the sub (low EFF), but it should drive it back to Japan, as good as a kill in my book.

The IJN is in much worse shape. Their depth charges breakdown like this:

Type 91 Depth Charge: ACC=5, EFF=220
Type 95 Depth Charge: ACC=7, EFF=324
Type 2 Depth Charge: ACC=9, EFF=357

No IJN DD carries more than 4 depth charge mounts. The IJN's best ASW platform is the Akitsuki class, with 4 Type 2s. It goes down hill from there...

4x Type 91s: Mutsukis, Fubukis, Kamikazes, Minekazes
4x Type 95s: Akatsukis, Hatsuharus, Shiratsuyus, Asashios, Yugumos
2x Type 95s: Kageros
2x Type 2s: Shimakazes

The PCs + PGs are pretty lousy too, with either 2 or 3 mounts, and none have the Type 2.