Secrets of ASW combat

[CV Zuikaku]

I hope that in this thread we'll all post our little secrets and tactics concerning ASW combat. I like the new sub combat model very much, but don't fully understand the ASW part of the game. Today my AKL had gun duel with the dutch submarine- and she fended sub off (both AKL and sub were damaged). So I have a rather nasty idea [:D]. i intend to use armed merchant cruisers as a raiders in the south pacific... but now, I intend to use them as sub bait. Plan to create "convoys" consisting of pairs of merchant cruisers. Since US sub torpedoes are worth nothing early in the game, they will prefer to attack unescorted ships on surface- and then they'll find themselves outgunned by merchant cruisers. Think that is a very good way to fight early war submarines. at least in theory. Will see how will this work at sea [:)] Basically I stole a Q-ship concept of the RN. [:D]

[John Lansford]

I've noticed that the AI is very aggressive with subs; my ASW air patrols are finding subs one hex out of San Diego and Los Angeles, even with 6 ASW ships patrolling in the area.  I have begun sending the Canadian KV's on a patrol line between Seattle and San Francisco, using those two ports as waypoints and setting the option to "refuel tactically" for both.  They'll run the same route that ships will and hopefully sweep up any subs.
 
Having ASW TF's capable of reacting onto detected subs helps; it at least forces them to relocate and I have gotten successful attacks after a reaction.

[EUBanana]

Make sure you dont use expensive and valuable DDs in your ASW forces.   Even if they have mega high ASW ratings the subs will take them on, and get a decent kill ratio against your very finite resource of destroyers.

Expendables, like SCs, will get a few subs, and when the subs attack them and sink them, you really don't care so much.

[EUBanana]

Sucks to be a sub chaser.  [;)]

[CV Zuikaku]

SCs respawn?

[Elladan]

No, but they are definitely less useful then DDs. And you get a lot of them anyway.

[Mynok]

ASW TFs will react onto subs now? Wow.....

[CV Zuikaku]

All I need is that subs react to my merchant cruisers and get torpedoed or shot to pieces [:D]

[Elladan]

In my limited experience I have seen them react a lot but still have to see an attack after such react. So it's probably not as deadly as it seems at first. 

[John Lansford]

I think it depends on the sub's detection level; I've had several reacts, but only one or two actual prosecutions of the contact.
 
The little YP's I'm starting to get on the WC really aren't good for anything but local ASW patrols.  I couldn't put them in a transport TF even when there were bigger ships available for refueling them, so I've got them on patrol zones off of all the ports now.

[CV Zuikaku]

Aircraft too don't seem very effective. Have over 80 a/c on te Home Islands dedicated to ASW. After one month no hits and no attacks. So I reduced ranges and search arcs. No hits no attacks...

[Elladan]

What are the ASW skills of your pilots?

[CV Zuikaku]

in the 40ies... not too much, they are still learning the job- but no attacks... altitudes are set from 1000fts to 6000fts...

[Elladan]

I guess 40ish is not enough for a proper ASW job. See if the situation changes when they get some experience. From what I have read training in single skill is reasonably fast.

[Mynok]

Indeed...you can get in the 60s in a month. That's definitely where my Lily's are heading as soon as the initial conquests are done.

[John Lansford]

I get plenty of aerial contacts, but few attacks.  The Catalinas in Hawaii are starting to attack subs but no one else so far (late 1/42).  I'd like the horde of planes on ASW on the WC to start bombing those subs...

[mjk428]

ORIGINAL: EUBanana



Sucks to be a sub chaser.  [;)]

You've already won the battle when the sub fires 6 torps towards a dinghy. I can't kill the darn things but at least I can get them to waste ammo.

[stuman]

ORIGINAL: EUBanana



Sucks to be a sub chaser.  [;)]

I am old enough to remember the first time watching the original episodes that it dawned on me how short the lifespans of the " red shirts " were. [:)]

[helldiver]

When I first read the new rule limitations on ASW TFs, I wasn't sure about it.... but, playing Scenario 1,  the numerous YP, KV etc. types are turning the early going into a really interesting ASW game-within-the-game... those local ASW types combined with the apparently hyper-aggressive IJN AI sub force is making for great fun as I learn AE... I, like John Lansford, am trying to set the ASW patrol zones to mimic the routes of friendly TFs...
 
 I don't really understand the mechanics of the code in terms of DL and "who gets to shoot first," etc. but, in the early going it seems like all of those little ships on ASW patrol are "occupying" the IJN subs enough (despite their aggressive placement) to keep Allied losses to a reasonable level... not scientific, just a gut report so far...
 
Helldiver

[CV Zuikaku]

I'm unable to sink any sub! Don't really know what to do anymore- nothing works and the subs are on the rampage [:@]