Anti-sub

[Zhukov]

Without destroyers whst's the best way to protect the convoys and battleships?

[pzgndr]

Rockets. Britain should research rocket technology and build lots and lots of rockets.

Seriously, Hubert has indicated he has tweaked the sub warfare stuff. But no clue what this really means. Hopefully, subs should be harder to detect and engage, have a better chance of diving and evading, have more effect on convoys and a little less effect on surface fleets, and have less chance of being surprised by surface fleets. The strategy should shift from head-to-head battles of destruction like we see in the demo, to British fleets hunting the elusive subs in prolonged campaigns. We'll see.

[Zhukov]

Thanks, Bill. As you might have guessed I lost Hood, a cruiser and Nelson to subs. Guess i need to go back and read what Winston would have done.

[pzgndr]

Usually the subs are worthless. I played one game where I focused heavily on invading Britain and using subs agressively. Ended up wiping out the British fleet and taking Manchester. It was an interesting game, but not exactly what one should expect from U-boats. Of course the Russians came knocking at my back door, but the game ended before I had to atone for my sinful behavior in the Atlantic.

Now, if SC had weather effects for the north Atlantic ... But I digress.

[husky65]

Originally posted by Bill Macon:

Usually the subs are worthless.

To get the full value of subs you have to remember that WW2 subs were more of an economic weapon than a military one, that is they were far more effective at disrupting trade than they were at sinking warships.

In game terms that means avoid combat and try to put your subs in the convoy lanes to eat up enemy MPPs.

[Valadictum]

Which goes back to something I was thinking about a while ago, allow any nation (allied or axis) that need to get MMP from overseas to home before they can be used to set up physical convoy routes as a costed item on the map, rather than generic ones. Any submarine that is within x hex of one of one of the convoy routes has a chance to detect convoys on it and attack. Equally the generic convoy escorts have a chance to spot the submarine and to defend the convoy. Once the submarine is spotted either a cruiser group can attack the submarine is within range, or the nation owning the convoy can pay to re-route the convoy route in an effort to protect the next 2 or 3 turns of convoy's, until the subs find it again.

Improved sonar research will increase the protection of convoys, the ability to detect the subs and the ability of cruisers to strike at subs.

Improved sub research will improve the range at which sub units can detect and attack convoys, avoid detection and evade attack by cruisers when they have been detected.

Just an idea to solve the unreality problem of naval warfarea t the moment, though no disrespect to Hubert as I can't wait to buy the game whatever its like. I'm sold!

[pzgndr]

Designating and changing convoy routes would be a pain. The zones in SC are OK, but we need some way of having thse zones identified so you know if you're in them or not.

I've already commented on adjusting the probabilities and damge tables, which I agree need tweaking, so let's wait to see what the revised game looks like.

I had one inspiring thought during a game this morning. If a sub dives during a turn, why not simply let it stay submerged for the rest of the turn? Then it could live to fight another day and perhaps extend the survival rate, unless the British fleets have a high enough sonar level to detect and engage them.

[husky65]

Originally posted by Bill Macon:

Designating and changing convoy routes would be a pain. The zones in SC are OK, but we need some way of having thse zones identified so you know if you're in them or not.

I had one inspiring thought during a game this morning. If a sub dives during a turn, why not simply let it stay submerged for the rest of the turn? Then it could live to fight another day and perhaps extend the survival rate, unless the British fleets have a high enough sonar level to detect and engage them.

I like the idea of the zones/lanes being a lighter shade of blue.

I also like the idea of 'once its dived it stays down'.