Naval Strategies

[Uncle_Joe]

Grotius:

You have to be careful that you are actually flying CAP and not loaded as cargo. I made that mistake a few times. Make sure the plane has a green (not blue) movement icon after it gets the sea zone. If you are low on supplies, or accidentally are plotting the CAP out of the aircraft's range, then it will automaticaly convert to a 'strategic move' and put the plane as cargo the transport instead...

[tai4ji2x]

just wondering, why can't subs attack subs?

[Grifman]

ORIGINAL: tai4ji2x

just wondering, why can't subs attack subs?

It was too rare of an event.

[tai4ji2x]

thanks, that's what i assumed. i guess it's good to know that the game design wasn't swayed by hollywood [;)]

[Grifman]

I think the other reason is that it would be too easy to counter subs then - you'd just build your own, with the same advantages of movement and range to counter other subs. And that's not how the Allies did it historically.

[Espejo]

ORIGINAL: parmenion

I don't think the complaint is that using subs this way can cut off supply and give the defenders of the main battle a penalty. I think most are willing to accept that.

The problem as I see it is that a fleet that is forced to retreat but is surrounded just surrenders (I think). One sub in your rear should not be a death sentence to a stack of CVs and heavy fleets.

Why would subs be able to cut off a fleet from supply?
(a) The Pacific is big. Mind bogglingly big. If you think it is a long way to the corner store... well, that's nothing compared to the Pacific. (i.e. hard time even finding shipping that isn't on a normal shipping lane & that is moving in military ships (i.e. in transports that are as fast or faster than the sub!)
(b) There are no supply ships for fleets. Fleets carry their supplies with them.
They have big bunkers of fuel, and by and large, in this era, didn't rely on fleet
oilers/ammo ships too much.

the idea that subs can somehow cut supply to a fleet is just plain silly.

[;)] I see you never worked on warships? At least during my time on a warship we got supplies every 3-5 days from specialized ships. Take it simply that the transports indicate the logistic level needed to operate far from home.
I think it is a nice touch to see that fleets a hell of supplies to move fast from one point to another. The allies can do it but the german navy can sail only one glorious time. I think the sub warface is superbly done in WAW

[ratprince]

Grotius;

Yes - just as planes can attack subs at sea, they can in port as well. THis is a great way for the allies to slam Germany's sub fleet in their docks (if you have air superiority)

As for CAP, if they lose the battle they go back to their home base, whereever that is. A CAP can continue to fights as long as it does not lose the round.

hope that helps

MIke

[Grotius]

Thanks Mike and Joe. I guess I've sometimes been trying to fly CAP when in fact I ended up strategically-moving a fighter onto the transport as cargo. Duh. As Joe says, tactical-movement into the transport's province should solve that. Matrix also says that it the fighter and cargo are "linked", beware: that means your fighter is not flying CAP but instead is crated up as cargo.

Incidentally, my fighters are the heroes of my current PBEM game against Rome. I invested heavily in research for them -- probably got the ME-262 early or something -- and so I enjoy air superiority in Western Europe in Fall 1945.