Port defenses

[Nirosi]

Hi,

I attacked a sub in port with two French squadrons (CL/DD + CA) as the temptation was too high. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I scored 2 hits but did not get hit myself even if it was a level 9 port.

Was I very lucky? Was it because port defenses are based on surface ship defenses in port? Or was because it was a captured port (German owned in the Netherland) and that captured ports have less defense?

[AlvaroSousa]

Very lucky.

Attacking a pot has some tactical strategy to it.

So say you have a 9 port with just 2 CVs in it. Then jamming your fleet in there to sink 2 CVs is worth the loss

Or say the opponent has 3 surface and 2 CVs in a port 2. Again jamming a larger fleet in there is worth the loss

Attacking subs in a 9 port. Bad lol.

[malkarma]

I can think of 3 bigs port attacks in WII (Tarento, Pearl Harbour and Mez el Kebir) and some minor action against with subs.
Tarento was a lucky shot against and unprepared foe (British carriers of 1940 have really few planes).
Pearl Harbour is a massive operation that involved all the carrier fleet of the japanese Navy...against an unprepared foe (luckyly for the USA they aimed at the battleships instead at the oil storages).
Mez el Kebir is a surface action from the Britsh Navy against the Vichi Fleet, that didn't achieved except risk Vichi entry in the war as an Axis.
There is also the sinking of the Ark Royal in Scappa Flow by a german sub, and the italian minisubs run in Alexandría that crippled the Warpiste and Queen Elizabeth. But both of this attacks are an oddity out of the scope of this game.

What I´m trying to say with this is that attacking a port is a serious bussinnes that can go really wrong...and if the opponnnt is prepared and have air units in the surrounding can end in a disaster.
Also, as I said in another thread, some units were nearly impossible to attack. For examble, Germans built dock with concrete roof to protect their subs in the frech ports. Tht´s one of the reason of the St Nazaire's raid by Britsh Commandos.
I don't know the geography of Scapa Flow, but I have the feeling that is a place so nasty as Gibraltar (even in the naval base was in the mainland, the real deal was and is the rock, a place full of gun batteries).

[boldairade]

is there any way to off load amphibious troops in a hostile port?(i realize this is unrelated)

[Nirosi]

Thanks! Good to know for the future. Still, subs are so effective early on that the temptation was just too much for me when I say the lone sub [:)] Especialy since I only risked two small French squadrons.