Allied destroyers

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Hartmann301
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Allied destroyers

Post by Hartmann301 »

What's the best way the Axis can handle them. They seem to be everywhere!
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Markiss
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RE: Allied destroyers

Post by Markiss »

I have seen several different Axis naval strategies lately. Some players keep their u-boats in large groups to raid, hoping to sink any dispersed destroyers that find them. This works especially well if they have a battleship or two mixed in with their subs. The Allies will be reluctant to send capital ships to hunt these groups, as the heavies are vulnerable to the massed subs.

Other players opt for the dispersal strategy, sending their subs alone to remote parts of the map to raid. The Allied player must weigh whether it is worth it to send a squadron of destroyers all the way across the map to chase one particular sub, who will probably be gone by the time they get there. The Axis player will keep his subs moving and not raid every turn, to make it hard to track any given subs movement.

But the one I have seen most lately is not using the subs to raid at all early in the game, and instead using them to augment the surface fleet. They will often go after the Royal Navy early in the game as part of a Sealion, real or feigned. Then they will attack the Soviet navy in the Baltic, only finally going out to raid after it is sunk. When they do raid, it is usually from the coast of Norway against the northern convoys, probably to keep them handy in case of an Overlord. This strategy does not seem to require the researching of advanced subs until later in the game, if at all.

I am not a fan of using subs tactically instead of strategically, as subs can play a big part in evening-up the Allies economic advantage, which is more important than any tactical advantage gained. Unless you really are going to do a Sealion, then maybe.
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Hartmann301
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RE: Allied destroyers

Post by Hartmann301 »

Thanks Markiss for all of those options. My luck with subs has not been the best. I'll see what I can do. (:
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LLv34Mika
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RE: Allied destroyers

Post by LLv34Mika »

I hope you are refering to our game ;)

actually it is like Markiss said. One strategy is to hunt in wolfpacks to help each other (attacking destroyers with subs means heavy losses) and/or take some capital ships with you. On the other hand that means that such a ship will probably never reach a friendly port again. As allied player I don't care about sea losses. Even trading them at a 2:1 ratio is ok for me because the Allies get cheap destroyers, a few subs and escort carriers anyway. That is enough to reach GB or North Africa. But the Kriegsmarine can never replace losses. Maybe a sub here and there but these MPPs are more useful to buy land units.

The other strategy is to place a few subs in many locations. Sure, I can hunt down one by one but that takes time. They dive a lot and destroyers do almost no damage. That means you lose around 200MPPs for every sub but I have to accept convoy losses in other areas. Probably for many many turns. This strategy usually leads to a slow decreasing number of subs. It's just a matter of maths if that is worth what you do.

With patch 1.16 the later strategy might be less useful because subs won't dive with 0 supply and even take damage (or can take damage) when diving. Makes sub hunting much more fun. I think later I will prefer the wolfpack thing. Especially early in the game when the allies don't have ASW research and the US ships did not join the war.

Hope that helps... (in your next game) ;)
"Oderint, dum metuant."
Hartmann301
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RE: Allied destroyers

Post by Hartmann301 »

Thanks for the tips. So far destroyers have not been my biggest headache in our game. ):

Any good news for Axis with the next patch?
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LLv34Mika
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RE: Allied destroyers

Post by LLv34Mika »

uh... sorry to say that but most (all?) changes are more interesting for the allies.
The only thing I can find that might be good for the Germans is that operating air units is more expensive now. That makes British air defense in Africa by far more expensive and risky (get there just to be destroyed later or escape for a high price again).
"Oderint, dum metuant."
PvtBenjamin
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RE: Allied destroyers

Post by PvtBenjamin »

ORIGINAL: LLv34Mika

uh... sorry to say that but most (all?) changes are more interesting for the allies.
The only thing I can find that might be good for the Germans is that operating air units is more expensive now. That makes British air defense in Africa by far more expensive and risky (get there just to be destroyed later or escape for a high price again).



Your comments are a great misrepresentation of the new v1.16 rules.





ORIGINAL: Hubert Cater

Hi Sugar,

Thanks for your posts as well, and sometimes despite the case for balance, there are some changes that we felt needed to be made due to them being perceived on our end as valid criticisms, that if we adjust just right can ideally improve gameplay for both sides. Your point on it potentially affecting balance is also valid, but we do feel that overall the changes will even out while at the same time fix a few areas that we felt could be implemented a little bit better.

For example, while the sub and air unit changes will potentially make things a bit more challenging for the Axis side, the additional encirclement and attrition changes will favour the aggressor, and the changes to the zones of control will potentially make things a bit easier for the aggressor and especially the Axis side a bit earlier on as well.

All of these changes have been in place for the World at War release and so far, at least there, it has muted most of the criticisms, while maintaining a fairly even game play experience throughout. We really do hope/feel it will be the same for War in Europe as well.

Hubert






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