Ideas for possible upgrades to this great game?

[Big B]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

ORIGINAL: Big B
For what it's worth (and I've talked to the Dev's years ago about this - and it aint gonna happen without WitP:3)
The One big improvement would be to Give tactical flexibility to Surface Combat. To whit: allow creation of divisions with individual orders for range and tactics - DD's make torpedo attack/ BB's & Cruisers maintain X-yards gun range, Line Ahead formation, Trident formation, etc,.

Maybe I'm just not grognard enough but this sounds like a bit too much detail for me. I think I'm fine with naval combat as it is. Then again, I'd probably eventually enjoy it if that did get put in place.

Not really a headache as you may imagine.
You already accept setting altitude and bombing target types with air, then set sweep or close escort for fighters - then set each individual altitude.

In naval action you (1)set your destroyers and other escorts in divisions - as they really did.
(2) give that divison orders, free to torpedo attack - or maintain formation ahead or in the rear.
(3) Main battle force - A) maintain xxxx yards from enemy Main Force, B) close with Enemy main Force.
You Already do this with Bombardments - setting range and allowing escorts to bombard or not.

Formation - Line Ahead - 100% of the escort will engage, but chance of being surprise is increased;
or Trident which would decrease your chance of main body being surprised by the enemy, but perhaps a 50% chance half of the escort will not engage.
This is an example - all modified by experience.
This would really enhance the naval combat branch of the game, and Not be too intrusive to orders, and go a long way to understanding why naval actions occurred as they really did.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the scale of this game, the Air and Ground warfare aspects work surprisingly well as is - given a long overview (days and weeks) of results, with enough tactical input to be satisfying...especially when you really explore ground warfare options and tactics.
But Naval Action is Far More Single-Event Results determined and really needs an overhaul.

[RangerJoe]

Well, just recently in a game, a Japanese CA did launch a Long Lance torpedo attack. The Dutch DD went down from a single torpedo hit. [:D] But the attack was a surprise to the Dutch, range was 4,000 yards during low visibility. But yes, having the destroyers, torpedo boats, and such small fry go in close to launch torpedoes prior to the big girls firing their main batteries was a useful tactic that was employed by both sides.