Is there any point in having a navy?

[Antless]

In this thread I have seen some references to the IC cost of a fleet. However, if my understanding of the economics of HOI4 is correct, producing ships will technically be "free", as long as they are at the bottom of the production queue and therefore only get ressources if those aren't tide up elsewhere. Therefore, any country with at least one shipyard should be able to supply itself with a small amount of convoys, destroyers and subs, as those do not require large amounts of ressources. Am I wrong in that assumption?

 

[potski]

You are not. And since the "IC" ie. naval dockyards, can't be used for anything else, then you may as well use it. There is no gamey stuff like disbanding fleets, nor just not bothering to build any new ships for 10 years. Plus the logistics model doesn't reward you for keeping your fleets in port.

Any one who attempts to play without a fleet that is actively patrolling can any longer carry out any amphibious landings. For this reason, plus the ease with which you can set a group of ships to protect your convoys, attack other countries' convoys etc should encourage more active engagement in the naval aspect of the game.

 

[Secret Master]

Don't all shipyard projects at least use steel?

If I understand dockyards correctly, they will produce ships at a miserable rate even without steel, since steel is just a strategic resource. But doesn't that seem a little... weird?

 

[potski]

Production lines don't require a minimum amount of resources to be provided to produce equipment, including ships. But if they have neither steel nor oil available, then the efficiency production could be so low you might get a capital ship taking more than 10 years.

I guess it's abstracted that they scrounge around for scrap metal, stuff that can be recycled and left overs from other production lines. But for much of the time no active work is being done on the ship because the men don't have the resources.

 

[Beagá]

Don't all shipyard projects at least use steel?

If I understand dockyards correctly, they will produce ships at a miserable rate even without steel, since steel is just a strategic resource. But doesn't that seem a little... weird?

How exactly ships are built in HOI4?

 

[Sir Garnet]

The best game I ever played in HOI3 was taking on Japan as Australia with an early Japanese entry and delayed US entry into the war, nothing is quite as fun as asymmetrical naval warfare. I don't know how navies in HOI4 will play, but in HOI3 asymmetrical naval warfare was interesting and challenging, but, above all, possible.

The larger sea regions in HOI4 suggest that spotting enemy ships may be easier and thus reduce the survivability of inferior forces.

 

[Secret Master]

The larger sea regions in HOI4 suggest that spotting enemy ships may be easier and thus reduce the survivability of inferior forces.

Except that just because you are in the same sea zone, it does not mean that you can engage the ships in question. The showed us a DD where ships from one fleet were trying to engage raiders in an opposing fleet, but were not getting into combat in time to make a difference due to ship speed.

I'm guessing it will be really important to close the Atlantic Gap regardless of whether subs or surface raiders are involved. You can't intercept and sink what you can't see in HOI4.

 

[Sir Garnet]

I understand the issue of getting in range. My point and concern is that the Clausewitz engine over the years has centered on enemies in a given province/area space fighting it out until one or the other is destroyed or retreats out, not paying much attention to issues of detection and stealth in the same area. That is OK when the areas are very small, but those in the Pacific are huge.

But some board games work the same way since they can't model detection well, and still play out OK, so looking forward to seeing how it works.