Successful u-boot war.
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:10 pm
I was posting this originally at Matrix forum: http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.as ... =�
Few points about successful SUB warfare (1.4 patch) afther playing game:
To be successful you need to attack with force and concentrate. Do not deploy them piecemeal. Two subs you start with is not enough.
Do not restrict yourself on attacking convoys, two/three subs can damage convoy for 15-30 points but can sunk destroyer for 60 or carrier for 100 points. Go for escorts every time you have good chance of sinking it. This will also mean there will be one less enemy ship to hunt your subs next round. In fact, convoys should be considered secondary target until you have complete superiority over seas.
Use ambush tactics against escorts, attack convoy with one sub as a bait, place rest on likely approaches of escorts so when they rush after your sub, they run to your hidden subs and gets surprise attacked. Surprise attack gets odds favorable to your sub even against destroyer. Once damaged finish them next round with remaining subs.
Do not forget combined arms tactics, invest in strategic bombers, place one or two on western most tip of France to spot and attack Allied naval units moving around (preferably out of fighter cover else support them with fighter). With some tech, you will be able to attack naval units as far as northern England. Cooperate your air and sub units in attack, defence and spotting.
This sad, your underwater offensive can be very effective if combined with air offensive against England. Main objective of air should be to destroy/reduce Allied air units in southern England.
If you decide to wage naval war on Allies, your main goal is to weaken and reduce his naval units and gain superiority. If you are successful Atlantic may be open to your subs later in war. Allies will also have harder time invading France without navy. Russia gets huge convoys in later stages of war (more than 100 pps each). If you managed to reduce Allied navy you can use pack of 6 subs to surround such convoy (will not be able to move) and annihilate it during few turns. This will hurt Russia a lot and help you there.
Overall you will need 8-9 subs (in mid-late game) to win against AI, 2-3 beeing repairing/upgrading with 6 on sea at any one time.
Even if you are not successful in gaining complete superiority take in mind that Allied ships patrolling Atlantic will be missing elsewhere: Norway and Mediterranean.
Of course such campaign is costly and especially with oil shortage can limit your actions in Russia. Therefore you have to be careful and go for oil fields in Caucasus before doing anything else in the East. Caucasus must have priority for you even higher than Moscow. Of course that is valid only if you play with oil rules on. You may consider to stay passive in Atlantic to help save oil in early stages of war while building up your u-boot fleet (and supporting air). Once you secured some oil in Caucasus go on offensive in force.
Against human player (not sure if AI reacts in this way) you can consider distract approach: your goal is not to win naval war, just shove your presence and force your opponent to commit his resources and units to ASW warfare. Destroying his units is not only way hove to damage him. If you lure him in spending more resources in to ASW than you spend in submarines, you might reached your goal.
Build few subs, and keep them pop up here and there from time to time without risking too much. Your goal is to be of nuance to him and fore him to spend lot against your seeming thread and letting you free hands elsewhere (Africa, Norway).
Play few turns with fog of war off or as Allies to get idea where convoys starts and howe they travel. Map of atlantic in Commander is slightly different in scale and shape from real one so this might be usseful. Look for example where Murmansk is and howe convoys travel there.
Subs can be usseful also for Italy if Allies decide to showe in Mediteraean in force. You can add 1-2 to one you already have and use them to monitor Allied naval movement, screen your transports for Africa (remember that supprise attack?) and attack Allied ships when possible.
Of course, Allies can find similar use of their own subs in this sea.
Good hunting
Few points about successful SUB warfare (1.4 patch) afther playing game:
To be successful you need to attack with force and concentrate. Do not deploy them piecemeal. Two subs you start with is not enough.
Do not restrict yourself on attacking convoys, two/three subs can damage convoy for 15-30 points but can sunk destroyer for 60 or carrier for 100 points. Go for escorts every time you have good chance of sinking it. This will also mean there will be one less enemy ship to hunt your subs next round. In fact, convoys should be considered secondary target until you have complete superiority over seas.
Use ambush tactics against escorts, attack convoy with one sub as a bait, place rest on likely approaches of escorts so when they rush after your sub, they run to your hidden subs and gets surprise attacked. Surprise attack gets odds favorable to your sub even against destroyer. Once damaged finish them next round with remaining subs.
Do not forget combined arms tactics, invest in strategic bombers, place one or two on western most tip of France to spot and attack Allied naval units moving around (preferably out of fighter cover else support them with fighter). With some tech, you will be able to attack naval units as far as northern England. Cooperate your air and sub units in attack, defence and spotting.
This sad, your underwater offensive can be very effective if combined with air offensive against England. Main objective of air should be to destroy/reduce Allied air units in southern England.
If you decide to wage naval war on Allies, your main goal is to weaken and reduce his naval units and gain superiority. If you are successful Atlantic may be open to your subs later in war. Allies will also have harder time invading France without navy. Russia gets huge convoys in later stages of war (more than 100 pps each). If you managed to reduce Allied navy you can use pack of 6 subs to surround such convoy (will not be able to move) and annihilate it during few turns. This will hurt Russia a lot and help you there.
Overall you will need 8-9 subs (in mid-late game) to win against AI, 2-3 beeing repairing/upgrading with 6 on sea at any one time.
Even if you are not successful in gaining complete superiority take in mind that Allied ships patrolling Atlantic will be missing elsewhere: Norway and Mediterranean.
Of course such campaign is costly and especially with oil shortage can limit your actions in Russia. Therefore you have to be careful and go for oil fields in Caucasus before doing anything else in the East. Caucasus must have priority for you even higher than Moscow. Of course that is valid only if you play with oil rules on. You may consider to stay passive in Atlantic to help save oil in early stages of war while building up your u-boot fleet (and supporting air). Once you secured some oil in Caucasus go on offensive in force.
Against human player (not sure if AI reacts in this way) you can consider distract approach: your goal is not to win naval war, just shove your presence and force your opponent to commit his resources and units to ASW warfare. Destroying his units is not only way hove to damage him. If you lure him in spending more resources in to ASW than you spend in submarines, you might reached your goal.
Build few subs, and keep them pop up here and there from time to time without risking too much. Your goal is to be of nuance to him and fore him to spend lot against your seeming thread and letting you free hands elsewhere (Africa, Norway).
Play few turns with fog of war off or as Allies to get idea where convoys starts and howe they travel. Map of atlantic in Commander is slightly different in scale and shape from real one so this might be usseful. Look for example where Murmansk is and howe convoys travel there.
Subs can be usseful also for Italy if Allies decide to showe in Mediteraean in force. You can add 1-2 to one you already have and use them to monitor Allied naval movement, screen your transports for Africa (remember that supprise attack?) and attack Allied ships when possible.
Of course, Allies can find similar use of their own subs in this sea.
Good hunting