aglozier said:
Agree entirely. As it stands, you don't have to have much skill to avoid scarcity. And if scarcity does occur, it is crippling - a shortage of any one resource screws you. I'd prefer either a more complicated production function 'behind the scenes' - allowing more substitution between the different resources - or a model like Viki's where your military consumes twenty different resources and a lack of one of them stops or slows your production of a few unit types. The first need not be much more complicated but would allow resources to be scarcer without mucking us about too much. The second would be very complicated.
In terms of Germany vs the UK:
I find that ASW by destroyers/cruisers is very effective and that convoy raiding is also very effective.
I have lost whole stacks of U-boats after one or two encounters with destroyer-heavy RN battlegroups.
Equally I have found that a fleet of 6 Type IX squadrons under Donitz managed to sink 74 transports and 5 escorts in 24 hours.
My main advice after 1 game is:
- Build subs heavily. Start in Germany '36 with two or three very long (20+) serial runs of SS3 (Type VII). Keep building SS3 after you develop SS4 - they are still cheaper, particularly with the gearing bonus. Start a few long runs of SS4 as well, but keep going with the SS3s.
- Get some Naval Air units. They complement the subs well.
- Avoid the Channel. The radar stations along the British coast and the inevitable fleet in Portsmouth make it suicide for your subs, and for surface units unless the whole Kriegsmarine sorties at once. Until you have conquered France, this means telling your subs to Move to somewhere NW of Scotland and then Convoy Patrol down south. Be careful about their return journeys as well.
- Once you have conquered France, rebase a lot of units to Brest and Bordeaux. Much safer and more convenient, though the UK will try to launch air raids against the harbours; station some fighters there as well!
- Issue your U-boats Convoy Raiding orders in Bay of Biscay or Cape Finnisterre. Both are heavily populated by convoys ad cose at hand. Tell your subs to attack only at night to increase their chances and to break off at a strong strength level (40%ish).
- When a sub group returns to port, cancel its orders until it has regained plenty of strength and org. You should ideally have two sub groups to each area you are patrolling; one on patrol and the other recuperating at any time.
- Expect heavy sub casualties. You will probably not be able to withdraw if engaged by a superior surface fleet and it may feel like you are getting a very poor rate of exchange. Your only option is to have another sub squadron standing ready. Don't forget that a British Light Cruiser costs as much as 3 U-Boat units. Also don't forget that your subs are trying to sink high-value enemy units and often won't even fire at the enemy's screening units. After your initial 20 subs are sunk, the gearing benefit from those long runs of SS3s becomes very apparent.
- Use Naval Bombers for daytime convoy interdiction in those sea zones or the English Channel. Switch their orders to Naval Strike if you detect an Allied fleet nearby. They will inflict decent Org losses on you but very few Strength losses.
By doing this you will inflict heavy transports and escorts losses. You will also be wearing down the Royal Navy, which is forced into continually patrolling and engaging your units. Their Org and Strength levels will fall to the level where your subs start sinking their combat ships in some numbers, and your own battle fleet can start engaging the Home Fleet and winning.
Just some thoughts...
