Beta testers have an answer?

[mllange]

I've had several occassions when (regardless of season) I move either subs or light naval (ASW) forces into a region with an opposition sub and yet it won't allow me to attack. I'm searching through the (PDF) manual, but haven't found the answer yet.

I'm sure there's a good reason, I just can't figure out what it might be. (I checked to make sure the ships / subs had anti-sub capabilities and they did.) Some of my ships allow combat, others don't ... even on the same turn.

If it has to do with the engagement range of the battle, (which is my suspicion), is the range displayed anywhere I can see so I don't think it is a mistake?

[Paul Vebber]

ITs becasue with the ASW attack you have (usually just 1 die) you have no chance for a successfull attack (sub evasion =3 hence defence =9 - zero chance to roll 9 on 1d6)

DOn't feel bad - that bit me and I had to ask...

[Rocco]

I've had naval combats where some ships do not fight (even though they appear on the combat screen) while others do. Does this fall into the same category?

Thanks

Rocco

[MButtazoni]

Not all ships close to contact before the other side decides to withdraw.

[Rocco]

ORIGINAL: MButtazoni

Not all ships close to contact before the other side decides to withdraw.

Ah, that's pretty cool then. I REALLY have to get my mind out of axis and allies mode for this game [:D]

Thanks

Rocco

[Paul Vebber]

There is a routine that decides which fleets go into a given battle - the result is "running naval battles" where it can be important to start a fight early in your move so you "chase down" enemy fleets. This is very important in the Pacific where the Japanese need to force "decisive battle" on the US several times to whittle their propoderence of force down.

A large fleet can often fight in one area - say 1/3 to half the ships will fight, then you can move either the whole stack (or just the ships who haven't shot dependig on teh level of threat nearby and your strategy) to follow the retreating enemy and the unfired ships will now check for engagement again, in the new area. Sometimes a third round can be fought. These usually end with the "defender" (the chased fleet) ducking into port somewhere.

This can be costly though for a large fleet as it requires "extended movement" fuel charges to the attacker, but not the retreating defender (who just pay the one supply for the turn defending). If you can cut the fleet out of supply by killing adjacent tansport links (and asumming he is dumb like me and always forgts to send 1 supply to go "float" in the area with the fleet...[:-]) You can just mutilate an enemy fleet this way.

[mllange]

Thanks for the answer, Paul. I still wonder why some light cruisers for the Western Allies successfully attack and others do not. Don't they all use the same tech levels?

[Paul Vebber]

It depends what the evasion modifiers are on the target subs - you can get situations where a sub that has been previously shot can be hit, but one that hasn' (and hence doesn't have the -1 to evasion) can't be.

The light flts are all the same, but the evasion rating of the targets can change. You always want to commit more attackng fleets/air units than there are subs - subs are safer working in wolfpacks or 3 or 4 - starting the turn in a stack - radiating out to attack, and then returning to the common point so they get teh strength of numbers defending. That way when you are attacking with a numerical advantage, you are assured of getting "repeat shots" at a previously fired on target (and it suffereing teh -1 to its evasion. U-boats returning to a "den" make it difficult for the WA player to mass in te attack without risking large losses.

Once teh WA gets ASW3 carrier air, you have to ply the hide and seek game form ports, as staying at sea against 3 or 4 air wings is pretty suicidal.

[mllange]

Sounds good, thanks again for the answer. I'll pay closer attention to things in the future to get a better grip on the way the numbers work out.