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Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:08 pm
by Q-Ball
I think a change needs to be made in Sub activity.
Subs will "follow" a TF into an enemy port, attempting to attack it. You cannot set your subs to do otherwise.
This becomes a problem if the defending player is smart enough to use mines; mined ports are deadly for subs. Sub follows the TF into a port, there are mines there, and BOOM! Sub is gone.
There needs to be a setting, or behavior change, so that Subs DO NOT automatically move into an enemy port hex, because that's going to be fatal if there are mines there
Historically, subs did NOT enter harbors if they thought there were mines there (and usually they knew if there were)
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:34 pm
by RangerJoe
Q-Ball wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 6:08 pm
I think a change needs to be made in Sub activity.
Subs will "follow" a TF into an enemy port, attempting to attack it. You cannot set your subs to do otherwise.
This becomes a problem if the defending player is smart enough to use mines; mined ports are deadly for subs. Sub follows the TF into a port, there are mines there, and BOOM! Sub is gone.
There needs to be a setting, or behavior change, so that Subs DO NOT automatically move into an enemy port hex, because that's going to be fatal if there are mines there
Historically, subs did NOT enter harbors if they thought there were mines there (and usually they knew if there were)
You can set this somewhat indirectly but not directly.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:29 pm
by melvi
RangerJoe wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:34 pm
You can set this somewhat indirectly but not directly.
RangerJoe, explain that please.
I am thinking in tell the subs to not to go up to XXXXX yards from coast maybe?
Regards:
Melvi
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 4:00 pm
by RangerJoe
melvi wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:29 pm
RangerJoe wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:34 pm
You can set this somewhat indirectly but not directly.
RangerJoe, explain that please.
I am thinking in tell the subs to not to go up to XXXXX yards from coast maybe?
Regards:
Melvi
Exactly that! No closer than 10k yards which should keep them out of the coastal hexes where the ports are located.
You see, you are getting the hang of setting things up even if there is no explicit "Do not enter ports" selection.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 6:31 pm
by alenalenalen
RangerJoe wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 4:00 pm
melvi wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:29 pm
RangerJoe wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:34 pm
You can set this somewhat indirectly but not directly.
RangerJoe, explain that please.
I am thinking in tell the subs to not to go up to XXXXX yards from coast maybe?
Regards:
Melvi
Exactly that! No closer than 10k yards which should keep them out of the coastal hexes where the ports are located.
You see, you are getting the hang of setting things up even if there is no explicit "Do not enter ports" selection.
Does this actually work reliably? I've been trying to keep my cruisers and destroyers from chasing Nationalist transports into the teeth of coastal defenses with very mixed success - trimming down how far they'll react doesn't work when they seem to be able to chain reacts together to get to odd places you don't want them to be, and I haven't noticed the XXXX yards from coast stop this from happening. The only reliable method I've found so far is to just go back and run the end of the turn again every time my ships do something I'm explicitly trying to order them NOT to do.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 6:46 pm
by RangerJoe
alenalenalen wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 6:31 pm
RangerJoe wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 4:00 pm
melvi wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:29 pm
RangerJoe, explain that please.
I am thinking in tell the subs to not to go up to XXXXX yards from coast maybe?
Regards:
Melvi
Exactly that! No closer than 10k yards which should keep them out of the coastal hexes where the ports are located.
You see, you are getting the hang of setting things up even if there is no explicit "Do not enter ports" selection.
Does this actually work reliably? I've been trying to keep my cruisers and destroyers from chasing Nationalist transports into the teeth of coastal defenses with very mixed success - trimming down how far they'll react doesn't work when they seem to be able to chain reacts together to get to odd places you don't want them to be, and I haven't noticed the XXXX yards from coast stop this from happening. The only reliable method I've found so far is to just go back and run the end of the turn again every time my ships do something I'm explicitly trying to order them NOT to do.
I would report that. Document what you were doing and include a zipped save file.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:25 pm
by WingedIncubus
RangerJoe wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 4:00 pm
melvi wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:29 pm
RangerJoe wrote: Mon Jul 27, 2026 8:34 pm
You can set this somewhat indirectly but not directly.
RangerJoe, explain that please.
I am thinking in tell the subs to not to go up to XXXXX yards from coast maybe?
Regards:
Melvi
Exactly that! No closer than 10k yards which should keep them out of the coastal hexes where the ports are located.
You see, you are getting the hang of setting things up even if there is no explicit "Do not enter ports" selection.
While my experience is far, far, far less than RangerJoe, I set them to my blockading TFs not to go up to 20 KYDs (as 5 NM ≅ 10 KYD) from the coast to mitigate the risk of them encountering coastal batteries. Seems to work fine but it might be just luck.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:36 pm
by RangerJoe
WingedIncubus wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:25 pm
RangerJoe wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 4:00 pm
melvi wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2026 3:29 pm
RangerJoe, explain that please.
I am thinking in tell the subs to not to go up to XXXXX yards from coast maybe?
Regards:
Melvi
Exactly that! No closer than 10k yards which should keep them out of the coastal hexes where the ports are located.
You see, you are getting the hang of setting things up even if there is no explicit "Do not enter ports" selection.
While my experience is far, far, far less than RangerJoe, I set them to my blockading TFs not to go up to 20 KYDs (as 5 NM ≅ 10 KYD) from the coast to mitigate the risk of them encountering coastal batteries. Seems to work fine but it might be just luck.
That is what I also do for surface ships but submarines are less vulnerable to CD guns.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:38 pm
by WingedIncubus
RangerJoe wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:36 pm
That is what I also do for surface ships but submarines are less vulnerable to CD guns.
Are they? As they tend to surface and use their guns to attack unprotected vessels, I put 20 KYDs for them as well.
Re: Best ASW Device: Mines, combined with dumb Subs
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2026 10:33 pm
by RangerJoe
WingedIncubus wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:38 pm
RangerJoe wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2026 8:36 pm
That is what I also do for surface ships but submarines are less vulnerable to CD guns.
Are they? As they tend to surface and use their guns to attack unprotected vessels, I put 20 KYDs for them as well.
I have yet to see any CD guns fire on submarines. I am not stating that it can't happen. I believe that the first shot from any CD gun would encourage any submarine to depart rather quickly.