How do you attack submarines?

[WraithMagus]

Playing as Allies, Germany sends submarines over to the supply convoys. I send out Arc Royal with some destroys to go sub-hunting. I read that the range on these things is 5 hexes, but I can't attack the subs directly, and just leaving the carriers near the subs does nothing but make the sub reposition to another convoy next turn. How do I even launch planes from carriers at all?

[gwgardner]

1) assign escorts to convoy lanes;

2) Carriers and destroyers can be placed on convoy lanes. If a sub attacks that convoy, within a 24 (I think) hex range of the carriers and destroyers, a percentage addition to the escort strength for that convoy is added;

3) subs can always be attacked by land-based air;

4) subs can be attacked by carriers or surface ships when they are in shallow/coastal waters.

[WraithMagus]

OK, how do I attack with carriers at all? I can't click on a target like with land-based aircraft, and there is no "launch planes" button I can find.

[ago1000]

you require at least one OP point to attack.
Within 5 hexes, targets will light up.
Just right click on the target you wish to attack.

[WraithMagus]

This does not happen for me. I can sail within range of the submarine, but all I get is that I can't occupy enemy hexes.

[ago1000]

Carriers or any fleet cannot occupy the same hex as the enemy.
However, Carriers do not need to be in a hex next to an enemy like other fleets(BB,CA,DD)to attack.
Subs(in fleet mode) and Carriers can attack from a distance of 5 hexes from the enemy.
Stop a couple of hexes away with 1 OP remaining, then right click on the enemy fleet.
Note: Enemy fleets in fleet mode will be able to interdict you on your turn within 5 hexes.

[WraithMagus]

That's what I've been trying. My carriers never have hexes light up to show they can attack anything.

[ago1000]

You can't attack subs but you should be able to attack other fleets if you have an OP remaining? What's the weather?
(Can't be heavy rain and CV cannot be in raider mode)

[WraithMagus]

It's clear this turn in the Atlantic. I just have no option to attack submarines, even though the manual says I should have the chance to do so. I even try sailing up along the coast to see if I can bomb some land units, and I can do that, but I have no option to attack submarines.

[ago1000]

Rules have changed with new sub hunter rule. Direct Sub attack by carriers only exist if enemy sub is placed along a coastal hex. Then any fleet can really attack it. I was trying to answer "how do I attack with carriers at all?"(I misunderstood you, didn't know you were just talking about subs). In open waters a CV unit cannot directly attack a sub. It's like gwgardner said above.

[WraithMagus]

I see. Thank you, then. Until I went and tried out going along the coast to attack some Germans on land, I hadn't seen a chance to attack anything with a carrier at all. (The Germans move their ships out to the Baltic and don't come back within smiting range, so I've lacked a chance to attack surface naval units. The German subs are sadly not dumb enough to beach themselves so I can get free shots on them, either.) I was starting to wonder if carriers only worked for support missions the way that submarines themselves only attack convoys between turns.

[ago1000]

ORIGINAL: WraithMagus

I hadn't seen a chance to attack anything with a carrier at all. (The Germans move their ships out to the Baltic and don't come back within smiting range, so I've lacked a chance to attack surface naval units. )

Against surface raiders you can use Pursuit Combat (it sometimes does damage) when range is beyond 1 OP and within 2OP. Just make sure your carriers are protected with BBs, CAs and DDs(to lower it's target profile), just in case the enemy surface fleet is not in raider mode.

[Swifty0x0]

Hi All,

Been playing Warplan and enjoying it. Something still confuses me about submarines and how they are attacked, etc. I've read the discussion above, and understand most of it, but here's the situation.

First of all, I only ever see Beach or Ocean identified when I mouse over water hexes. I never see "coastal" or "shallow". I can assume beach is coastal/shallow, but it would be more helpful to use the terms the game actually uses.

Now, my sub, in raider mode, at 176,77 was surface attacked (log says Ambushed) by an enemy destroyer fleet. Hex 176,77 is identified as ocean when mousing over it. How can the sub be surface attacked in raider mode in an ocean hex?

Thanks

[Nirosi]

Hi,

Whether in raider or fleet mode, subs can always be attacked (or at least an attempt to) by land-based air units.

Naval units or CVs can also attempt to attack the subs unless they are in an all-sea hex also surrounded by all-sea hexes. In that case, they are immune from naval units including CVs.

[Swifty0x0]

Thanks Nirosi,

That explains why my sub got surface attacked (even though in ocean, all the hexes around it were not all sea). It's an important thing to know.

[AlvaroSousa]

Subs were a tricky bit to get right. I am looking to simplify the sub wars in WP2 so there are not so many rules with them.

[sveint]

For me the sub rules were the most unintuitive to learn. That and split/merge corps. As a new player I mean.

[ncc1701e]

Playing WPP, I have re-learned the naval rules. And honestly I like subs to protect my surface fleets.

[Swifty0x0]

In my case my sub was in an ocean hex, but next to one of the small islands (that no one ever lands on). This brings me to a clarification. To be immune from surface attack, need to be in ocean and all surrounding hexes must be sea. Are beaches considered sea? (ships can enter those hexes).

I ask because there are some narrow sea areas where you could be technically in ocean, but some of the "sea" hexes surrounding it might be designated beach.

Thanks

[Nirosi]

You must see only blue in the sub's hex and all 6 surrounding hexes.