attacking zero supply sub

[gamer78]

I've attacked multiple times in pbem. Maybe at 0 supply point should it be destroyed by any ship? For game play terms. But survived. They seem as super naval unit.

[Dalwin]

I think zero supply means that they are out of torpedoes and their fuel is low, not that they are out of fuel and their batteries are drained as well. I think the current OOS penalty is adequate.

[Bylandt11]

Destroying subs is more difficult than in any other SC game. They seem to bypass my ships without any problem. And never hit a mine either.

Anyone found a decent strategy to deal with the German subs when playing the UK?

[BillRunacre]

Anti-Submarine Warfare was virtually non existent at the start of the war and took some years to develop though it never really got anywhere near WW2 levels. But researching that, upgrading your Destroyers and Torpedo Boats, and using Seaplane Carriers for reconnaissance of suspected subs should all help.

[Xsillione]

I have no problem that it is hard to hunt them with supply, but when out of supply they still invincible is a bit too much IMHO. If nothing else, a min one point damage would be nice if you attack them out of supply, so at least you can slowly grind them into dust.

Currently the subs are better than any other naval units, and if you manage to take out the destroyers of the opponent, you just won the naval game, the enemy forced to retreat into port or suffer massive losses.

[gamer78]

Whole German fleet attacks. Maybe subs should destroy themselves like land units, they give info even(1 hex range) with zero supply.

[Sugar]

Whole German fleet attacks.

What are they doing? Sitting on their cannons and throwing handgrenades over the railing? [:)]

Germany alone gets 6 destroyers for free, and together with a few torpedo boats you should be able to defend against subs (how many subs are there at all?) even without researching asw.

[Benedict151]

TBH as the Entente I had the opposite "problem" with German U-Boats insofar I found it relatively easy to hunt them down and sink them.
That said I did develop ASW warfare from the get go. I found getting to level 1 made a noticeable difference and level 2 and 3 were lethal to the German subs. I had approx. 3 'hunter killer' groups of destroyers (each of 3 ships) roaming around and with torpedo boats (also at max ASW) regularly sweeping the coastal convoy routes. When needed French destroyers helped out (France had ASW level 1).
It probably helped that the High Seas Fleet lost most of its capital units in 1916 in my game.
I was very careful with my destroyers and went out of my way to avoid losing them (possibly having just finished a recent book on Jutland which highlighted the initial British shortage of modern destroyers and the effect this had on the Grand Fleet! I never used my destroyers on the blockade lines - used mainly cruisers bulked out with pre dreadnoughts (not very historical, sorry)


Ben

[Snake726]

Playing a game right now where, through smart unit cycling (i.e. pressing an entire Navy onto 1 unit at a time), the Central Powers player has decimated the British, French, and Italian navies. Subs have been absolutely the most brutal and most common enemy unit I've encountered as the Entente. Sometimes my destroyers will do 1 damage to a sub, if it can catch it. The problem is, once you try to chase the sub, you risk running into an ambush.

Really, unlike real life, the Germans have a good opportunity from the get-go to dominate the seas rather than keep a fleet in being, whereas the British should absolutely not attempt to leave the Channel and start a blockade unless you are sure you will smash any opposition. My opponent clearly understands this, as he has built up quite the sub fleet now.

[majpalmer]

I do research ASW warfare early on. I've also learned to attack subs with anything. BBs won't do any damage, but every attack, even a failed attack, cost the sub 1 supply point. Every lost supply point limits the effectiveness of the sub. Also, when you develop ASW warfare, any ships so upgraded may damage an attacking sub.And do you know how long it takes for a zero supply sub in the mid-Atlantic to get back to Germany to resupply?

Keep in mind, as has already been stated, early on surface ships were largely incapable of destroying submerged submarines. The U-boat ace with the all-time record for tonnage sunk was a WWI, not a WWII, Kaleun!