Defeat...? I sank TWENTY-ONE CAPITAL SHIPS!

[ForsakenSoldier]

He only had subs left, so it is no surprise that they retreated.

I actually still had 21 destroyers left at the end of this battle and 19 subs. 2 light cruisers, you can see the rest, its all in the screenshot

 

[208]

Curious as to how the game defined this as a defeat, maybe someone with some behind the curtain knowledge could fill me in a little. I count 21 capital ships sunk, while i only lost 2 capital ships... I mean i lost 40 destroyers, and that's a lot, but in my recent experience that's normal for a large naval engagement. To me, this is a pretty decisive victory, nowhere close to a defeat.

Pretty sure it just counts the number of ships lost, if you lost more ships it's a "defeat".

 

[Opanashc]

Pretty sure it just counts the number of ships lost, if you lost more ships it's a "defeat".

I had plenty of naval battles, where loser lost 5-6 ships to winner's 10-12.

 

[Tacticus101]

Withdrew after totally kicking ass

Me: "LOOK YOU STUPID BASTARD, YOU'VE GOT NO ARMS LEFT!"

Them: "YES I HAVE!"

I mean, technically you lose more ships. Just the British ones were bigger.

My thoughts exactly. No idea how the UK, AI or player, could replace 21 capital ships before they get invaded.

I still have a whole nother fleet of equal size and quality in perfect shape, that would be Raeder's Fleet.

Well, just with their starting fleet they have what, 3 carriers, 5 battleships and a bunch of other stuff left? The Ai will most likely feed that at you ship by ship, but for a player they could still stop an invasion.

 

[safe-keeper]

I don't really understand why this is so important to you, given that as far as I know, there is no consequence gameplay-wise to losing or winning a battle. It's not like losing a major naval battle causes your national unity to decrease or anything. And something has to determine victory or defeat anyway, and this something will inevitably often be wrong given all the variables involved, some of which only you as a player will know. If your goal was to clear a sea zone for an amphibious invasion, then a retreat means defeat. If your goal was to lose as few destroyers as possible because you need them for ASW duty, losing 40 would be a massive blow. If your goal was to sink 20 capital ships, mission successful.

 

[ForsakenSoldier]

I don't really understand why this is so important to you, given that as far as I know, there is no consequence gameplay-wise to losing or winning a battle. It's not like losing a major naval battle causes your national unity to decrease or anything. And something has to determine victory or defeat anyway, and this something will inevitably often be wrong given all the variables involved, some of which only you as a player will know. If your goal was to clear a sea zone for an amphibious invasion, then a retreat means defeat. If your goal was to lose as few destroyers as possible because you need them for ASW duty, losing 40 would be a massive blow. If your goal was to sink 20 capital ships, mission successful.

At what point did i say that this was important to me? This is casual internet banter with people who like the same game as me.

 

[Samilou]

As I said before, it is just the concept of tactical and strategic victory. You suffered a tactical defeat by having to retreat but won a strategic victory by dealing a crippling blow to their navy. It was also a pyrrhic victory, in that you suffered so much casualties that you can't afford a repeat.

 

[ForsakenSoldier]

As I said before, it is just the concept of tactical and strategic victory. You suffered a tactical defeat by having to retreat but won a strategic victory by dealing a crippling blow to their navy. It was also a pyrrhic victory, in that you suffered so much casualties that you can't afford a repeat.

For Dönitz fleet that might be true, but Raeder still has a fleet of similar composition at full strength one sea tile away.

 

[Samilou]

For Dönitz fleet that might be true, but Raeder still has a fleet of similar composition at full strength one sea tile away.

Which is what makes it a strategic victory, assuming you are correct that this fleet can easily overcome the remaining enemy fleet. Had that second fleet not existed, the battle would be a strategic defeat as well as tactical.