Fleet composition with TRP 0.91.1?

[unmerged(23721)]

I'm playing my first game as the USA with this great mod and just wanted to know what would be the ideal fleet composition, seeing as the AI doesn't seem to be too big on using subs and the command limits are much higher.

Here's what I'm thinking (Based on some I got from the HOIwiki):

- 30 ship (so I can patrol more regions but enough in case I need to combine two GA's)
Carrier Task Force:
8xCV
2xBB
3xCA
9xCL
8xDD (thinking even this is too much due to the lack of subs but maybe good for air defence)

Surface Action Group (Also 30 ship):
1xBB
8xCA
4xCVL
10xCL
7xDD

Then for some 15-ship groups I'd go for:
CTF:
4xCV
4xCA
5xCL
5xDD

SAG:
6xBB/CA
2xCVL
5xCL
5xDD

I don't plan on using subs too much because I heard convoy raiding is useless as the AI never runs out of supplies anyway (is that correct?). The ones I have I'd just park along some sea lanes or maybe mix them up with my fleets for the so-called surprise bonus.

So are those good enough for playing a decent game as the USA? What are some good fleet compositions you guys like to use? (Or does everyone just play as Germany ?

 

[swippy]

well im not a naval expert but i dont think you should use bb in carrier task force....and also i notice you use very few DDs? why is that?

oh and i think subs are pretty useful, they are so cheap and fast to produce (dunno about that AI supply issue though)

 

[unmerged(23721)]

Yeah the use of BBs is probably a mistake in the long run...I just figured they could soak up some damage especially in the early 1940's when I'm still limited to 6 CVs and 18 CAs due to the treaty events.

I should probably use more DDs, but I'm thinking they are easier to sink than CLs, right? Plus with the lack of enemy subs I'm thinking they aren't that useful, but I could be wrong...

I also think that even though subs are cheap they'd also be kind of wasteful to mass-produce seeing as their attack values are kind of crap now and the AI doesn't seem to be affected by convoy raiding due to the huge stockpiles they accumulate pre-war anyway.

 

[little_napoleon]

You should definitely not have BB in your CTF.
CA are good in all fleets as they tend to soak up a lot of damage that would otherwise hit your major vessels such as your CVs.
Always have several more screens than you have capital ships in case some are lost. The penalties for not having at least 1:1 are pretty severe.
Your fleets with BBs should really do well at night or in bad weather. The CV fleets are vulnerable at this time.
The ai tends to add one SS to each fleet for extra positioning bonus, although this may reduced your speed and effective travel range.
I believe aircraft are overpowered when attacking ships at the moment, so all fleets desperately need some land based fighter cover if there is a possibility of them being attacked by enemy bombers. You will lose your precious capital ships rapidly if you do not look after them.
Also make sure they are well supplied. A ship with no oil is as good as sunk.
Good leaders do make some difference.
The general make up of the fleet is important but certainly not the only thing you should be thinking about.
What is its mission ? What enemy force is it likely to encounter ? Weather/time of day/night ? Enemy aircraft ?
The game is not exactly rock/paper/scissors, but you will notice by looking at each ships stats what it is good at.
Probably the most important thing is to set your messages so that the game pauses if a fleet is attacked. This gives you chance to zoom in on it and maybe withdraw it in time before any precious vessels are sunk. The last thing you want is for the clock ticking by and then a message telling you that your entire fleet off the coast of Libya has been sunk by a combined surface fleet and aircraft. Especially when this could have been avoided.
Due to ic limitations you will probably never get all your fleets into some sort of 'perfect' combination, and so you make them the best you can.

 

[unmerged(23721)]

You should definitely not have BB in your CTF.
CA are good in all fleets as they tend to soak up a lot of damage that would otherwise hit your major vessels such as your CVs.
Always have several more screens than you have capital ships in case some are lost. The penalties for not having at least 1:1 are pretty severe.
Your fleets with BBs should really do well at night or in bad weather. The CV fleets are vulnerable at this time.
The ai tends to add one SS to each fleet for extra positioning bonus, although this may reduced your speed and effective travel range.
I believe aircraft are overpowered when attacking ships at the moment, so all fleets desperately need some land based fighter cover if there is a possibility of them being attacked by enemy bombers. You will lose your precious capital ships rapidly if you do not look after them.
Also make sure they are well supplied. A ship with no oil is as good as sunk.
Good leaders do make some difference.
The general make up of the fleet is important but certainly not the only thing you should be thinking about.
What is its mission ? What enemy force is it likely to encounter ? Weather/time of day/night ? Enemy aircraft ?
The game is not exactly rock/paper/scissors, but you will notice by looking at each ships stats what it is good at.
Probably the most important thing is to set your messages so that the game pauses if a fleet is attacked. This gives you chance to zoom in on it and maybe withdraw it in time before any precious vessels are sunk. The last thing you want is for the clock ticking by and then a message telling you that your entire fleet off the coast of Libya has been sunk by a combined surface fleet and aircraft. Especially when this could have been avoided.
Due to ic limitations you will probably never get all your fleets into some sort of 'perfect' combination, and so you make them the best you can.

Cool, thanks for the advice. What about DDs? Do you think they're still as useful as in vanilla?

Also playing as the USA with close to 1000 IC by 1943 even if I can't build *everything* I want it would still be pretty close

 

[little_napoleon]

DDs are useful. They are still the best unit for hunting SS.
They are relatively cheap and quick to build.
Their convoy raiding skills (strangely) are almost as good as SS.
As an escort for your major surface vessels, they are much needed along with CL.
Researching later DDs really makes a difference in your ASW and survivability of your convoys.
At the moment with TRP it cannot be stated enough that your fleets are best left in port if you cannot provide air cover.
I have seen fleets totally destroyed by combined air and surface attack by an inferior enemy.
The only way to prevent this is to have a decent airforce for attcking ships and for air superiority above where your fleets operate (if they are near land based enemy aircraft).

 

[Lothos]

You know what is even more funny is when I played Germany and I bombed an enemy fleet with Nav bombers HE WILL send fighter cover eventually to shoot me down hehe.