I have such huge issues detecting and getting rid of subs. There's always a small group of 2-3 old subs that haunts me all game. Which made me search many threads on how to counter the issue. It should be fairly simple, doctrines and dd with asw.
Yes.
But most threads also often says to use cve, but why? They have inferior sub detection and attack than relative modern dd, so what's the use? I see they have very good sea detection, but that doesn't matter against subs right? Also slow which I hate.
Please enlighten me.
I guess if I meet other raiding fleets than subs they could be useful for soaking damage and detecting. Otherwise I see no purpose.
Correct, adding CVE to a sub-hunting DD fleet isn't primarily vs subs but vs an enemy DD-hunter-fleet.
Example:
5 DDs/asw + 1 CVE
Against subs they will automatically use the prefered firing range of the screens (=DDs) but against anything else they will use the prefered firing range of the capital ship which in this case is the CVE with 36 (CVE II) or 38 (CVE III). 36 or 38 is quite good and can keep away all CL, CA and with some luck even older BC and BB if those are not equipped with FC and/or FP brigades.
A DD fleet with 1 CVE has even a good chance to have a lower visibility and higher sea detection than the enemy fleet which again gives a good chance to really fight the battle at the prefered firing range of the CVE. In this case the CVE might not soaking up damage but keeping even out of range of the enemy ships while doing a very minimal damage itself... in any way it buys some time to retreat the fleet with none or only minimal damage taken.
Nevertheless I'd call the addition of a CVE completly optional.
But it is one of the very few useful things to do with a CVE... so, I guess, worth mentioning.
And while DDs are better sub-hunters than CVEs, the CVE is the only capital ship with at least a decent sub-attack and detection.
A bit off topic but naval bombers will not damage submarines at all right ?
Because they have no specific sub-attack value?
Mmh, to be honest... my fuzzy memory, I am not 100% sure but I'd say, yes, they do attack subs and quite well (which is only historically). Subs have a good air defense but only a lowly air-attack of 1.