Japanese fuel deficit and shipbuilding

[Yaab]

Why didn't Japan build mores submarines instead of fuel-hungry CV/BBs? In the game one Kaga class CV uses 30 fuel points to move one hex. You can move almost 30 KRS type submarines over the same distance using the same amount of fuel.Since subs tonnage is much lower, you are not limited by shipyard size in their production. Are maritime nations just enamoured with big, capital ships?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Why didn't Japan build mores submarines instead of fuel-hungry CV/BBs? In the game one Kaga class CV uses 30 fuel points to move one hex. You can move almost 30 KRS type submarines over the same distance using the same amount of fuel.Since subs tonnage is much lower, you are not limited by shipyard size in their production. Are maritime nations just enamoured with big, capital ships?

I agree about building BBs but subs will not win war while CVs can.

[wdolson]

Subs can deny the enemy control of a body of water, but they can't control it themselves. That takes a surface fleet.

Experience also showed subs were best going after merchant ships, not warships. The USN and Kriegsmarine built a large sub force for that mission, but Japanese doctrine never put a high value on attacking merchant ships, so building a large sub force didn't fit their doctrine.

Japan would also have been better off building a lot of escorts, but they didn't do that until it was too late.

Bill

[dr.hal]

And investing in technology along with the people who operated it...

[crsutton]

Big ship always were and will forever be prestige items.