A few questions

[DavidFaust]

I have been trying to get a better understanding of the oil rules but can not find what I am looking for in the rule book.

1, I do not understand how to calculate a nation's oil upkeep.
Example, Finland has 1 oil upkeep but it has hit winter and there oil upkeep has jumped to 3. I have been caught with not enough oil and not sure how to plan for it. Finland has no oil units as I scrapped its fighter to see how this impacted the oil upkeep.

2, I have had mixed results with subs and stopped using them in mid 41 as I found the loss rate of 1 sub for 2 merchants not to be a good exchange rate. I decided to kill off the subs and sent 2 stacks of 3 subs. I managed 4 combat results with 2 attacks app killing 8 merchants and 1 escort each and this shocked me. I have never seen such results. So the question, is there a good guide on using subs?
I had both subs stacks next to each other and it was mid 42.

3, I have noticed that at certain points in the game that Germany gets manpower additions. If Germany's manpower is at 99% is this additional manpower lost?

4, I recall reading a rule about fighter bombers but can not find it. Is a fighters air to air factors 1/3 if they are performing a bombing mission?

[stjeand]

Oil upkeep...

1) You pay 1/3 per naval unit(s) you have.
2) You pay the oil cost for any ship at sea...it is listed on the unit.
3) You pay oil for each air mission. Oil is listed on the air unit. This could be used during your enemies turn and/or your if air flys.
4) You pay 1/3 oil for each 3 units NOT on a rail line.
5) You pay 1 oil when an armor or mech unit moves...and you pay 1 oil for each attack they make.

I may be missing one as it is early and I am not fully awake.


SO for Finland...their normal oil cost is due to units NOT being on a rail and the air unit moving / flying combat missions.
Germany needs to send them a couple oil each turn to keep them supplied.

Subs

Rule 1...ALWAYS stack them as much as you can. You should always have a stack of 3 IF you can. They are safer that way.
Keep subs in Raider mode to make them harder to find.
Subs should try to have a movement left when they reach their combat destination. It gives them more ability to damage.
There is no bonus I know of if they do not move but I could be wrong.
Subs should be useful into 43...Germany should build 9 to 12 of them. The likely should port in Germany outside of British air. They should hit the Russian convoys at this point since they are closer to Germany.
Try to keep them as far from the UK coast as you can. Closer means easier to spot and attack.
Always keep them out of air range.
Normally they start in Germany...I move them as far as I can but not land on a convoy route. Next turn I move them 1 move onto a convoy route either towards the US or towards Africa. Next turn I do the same to get further from the UK.
Then they start to move back since they only have 5 supply.
Only 1 French port is safe early on for the Germans to base subs at for resupply / repair.
ALWAYS repair your subs. Early on if you get lucky you can cripple the UK forcing them to build MM and Escorts. If you do not then they will build air and land and that will not end well.

Yes this is not the greatest guide but I tried to hit the highlights.


Manpower

Yes if Germany is full it is lost. Normally I try to build at least one corps per turn so that you are not "losing" manpower because in 44 / 45 you will need it.

Fighter / Bomber

To be honest I do not know. That would make sense...
I don't use Fighter Bombers at all or ever.
In fact I change the Finnish one to an Interceptor first chance I get. Same with Hungary / Romania if I have the points.
I don't put any research to them so they never get batter.
THAT is just me...others I know use them.

Hope that helps.

[DavidFaust]

Thanks for your response.

4) You pay 1/3 oil for each 3 units NOT on a rail line.

I must of misread or not remembered this rule correctly, I thought it only applied to oil dependent units.

Fighter bombers. (reworded)

If a fighter attacks a target regardless of its advancement is its air to air combat reduced?

Subs should try to have a movement left when they reach their combat destination. It gives them more ability to damage.

I have not been doing this

[Nirosi]

Fighter bombers. (reworded)

Welcome to the game.

Yes, when used to bomb, the air combat value of an air superiority group is 1/3 only (footnote under the default value for air units table). However it seems that its defense value remains the same, so I do not thing it will receive more damage. Just not as good at firing back