What do *your* fleets look like?

[von Streusser]

This isn't a question I need help on, I'm just curious. How do you build your fleets? Just reading some of the stuff in here, I've noticed some people have specific naval rules they follow when constructing a fleet, and I'm curious to learn more.

Personally, I usually put 2 or 3 battleships, 3 destroyer flotillas, and the rest cruisers or one aircraft carrier (if i have to make a carrier fleet) into a 12 shp fleet. Usually this is because I tend to play smaller nations, so I have to make do with cruisers to provide mainline firepower. I'll have the BBs in for big fire support, and the DDs for detection and cover from special cases.

I usually go for the Battleship Offensive firepower doctrine, and the Battleline Cruiser Doctrine, just to get the most hitting power out of my fleet, then the Screening Destroyers for better detection.

What do you use, and why? Since I always have a lot of fun with the naval aspect, I'd like to see some new effective systems.

 

[rado907]

Well typically i don't bother with ships and concentrate all my fleets on one spot to guard all my transports in case I need them.

If I DO decide to control the seas, I make a horde of battheships (15+) and some naval bombers. I don't bother with carriers because of micro. In an advanced game the airplanes have the range anyway. Also I never bother with a navy before securing the continent, and by then I have more than enough IC to develop both the naval research and the ships themselves...

Navy sucks in HoI... IMO.

 

[unmerged(16930)]

My fleet strategy: allied

1) no subs

2) probing fleet(s) 2-4 Crusiers the rest destroyers(easy to replace)

3) Invasion Fleet(s) 4 destoyers, 2 crusiers, and 6 Battleships(mix)
(may be replaced with Carriers)


The probing fleets do most of the sea combat losses of BB, CA, and CV are to costly for time of build.

 

[AugCaesar]

Well I love naval combat, and am sad at its state in HoI, and withholding my hopes for the potential of HoI 2, I seem to fall in a rp like state. In that I favor my best leaders with carrier based fleets.

i.e. As Japan my MAIN battle fleet consists of 2 Akagi Carriers, 7 Takao Cruisers and 3 Kagero Destroyers. But that is just b/c I can't in good taste but Battleships in my main battlefleet. But I actually try to balance the rest of my fleets...After my main Akagif fleet I have 3-4 fleets of Battleships w/ Cruisers and Destroyers, of a high mileage, and then make my "transport" fleets out of the slower ships.

But I only really play Germany, or Japan, and Japan is my favorite.

As Germany I play HIde and go seek, where I focus on subs and use Cruiser/BB main fleets as a hammer when a weakness is created.

All ina ll I can't wait for HoI 2 b/c the naval battle there looks so fun, and Naval battle is what I live for, particulalry as a huge Japan officianado.

 

[unmerged(27426)]

In HoI I'use only my fleet to secure my mainland to not get invased. That's why I built lot of subs and CC ones to stop some planes.

 

[unmerged(18043)]

I try and make one Uber fleet of 5BB 1CV and 6CA's

Right now my OOB is 12BB 6CV 40CA's and 80DD. Of course I'm up against te mighty JIN, and the German and Italian Navies.

 

[unmerged(28057)]

I know this isnt efficient or whatever but I like to have a 'Battleship Squadron' which is 6-12 battleships and then have a 'Cruiser Squadron' aswell but they travel together in groups of 6, just my personal preference.

 

[unmerged(12760)]

hi,

i play quite historic i think.

as US
------

that i play now f. the first time i manage as follows:

1. battlefleets: all kind of ships, but focus on BB´s and CA´s.
the have 1-2 CL´s and the rest destroyers ( fletcher and sumner classes ).

2. carrier fleets: 2-3 CV´s, some CA´s + CL´s, 2-3 destr. ( fletcher + sumner )

3. transport fleets: 4-6 TR´s, rest destr. ( fletcher and older classes ). also they sometimes get a few cruisers...

4. u-boat fleets: mostly 3 squadrons of gato classes, also some f. coastal or european water uses with older S class boats.

5. mixed: if i have ships to spare i build cruiser and DD ( hunter killer ) groups.

sadly i could not try much of the fleet ATM, the german fleet was no match f. the royal nave, the italians sunk also quite quick. i´m now trying to DOW japan....


as GER:
-------
in 1 game i tried to build a battlefleet, but figured the USSR is
to stong to do so. so i mainly build only a few cruisers, and mostly SS +
DE, if i want to try a op. sealion perhaps more..

GER better relies on airplanes and subs as in reality.

in earler game versions i think you could aford a battlefleet as GER and take on the USSR but in new versions the USSR is too strong...


as italy:
-------

there is not much hope to tak eon the british fleet.

so mostly build no cruisers and BB´s only subs.

mostly hiding in the ports and sometimes make a
surprise attack is the fate of italy if the allies made
no catastrophic error in losing a postion of there med. sea
fleet.....

 

[unmerged(27426)]

Also I have special squadron for invading other country to secure my transport ships.

 

[Sabre Man]

I usually only build submarines, which I gather together in various numbers to sink transports, and other ships when they're more powerful.

Maybe some transports to replace convoy losses and a few destroyers for convoy protection.

I feel that other ships take too long to have an impact (I usually start in '39 or later now).

If I play a country with a big navy, I usually group battleships and cruisers together as powerful 12 unit fleets.

 

[unmerged(32688)]

as italy:
-------

there is not much hope to tak eon the british fleet.

so mostly build no cruisers and BB´s only subs.

mostly hiding in the ports and sometimes make a
surprise attack is the fate of italy if the allies made
no catastrophic error in losing a postion of there med. sea
fleet.....

In 1936 do you suggest cancelling the BB/CA/DD already in Italy's build queue to change to subs? The ones in the queue already seem to be much-much cheaper than it actually costs to build them? Things like 2 IC and 0 IC?
I kept them anyway but maybe they are not worth it due to oil consumption?

 

[unmerged(32135)]

In 1936 do you suggest cancelling the BB/CA/DD already in Italy's build queue to change to subs? The ones in the queue already seem to be much-much cheaper than it actually costs to build them? Things like 2 IC and 0 IC?
I kept them anyway but maybe they are not worth it due to oil consumption?

Oh keep them absolutely. I play Italy almost exclusively, and even on VH/F it's not too difficult to destroy the British navy. First upgrade your fleet with Decimetric Radar the like, then when hostilities start, close off the Mediterranean by taking Gibraltar and Egypt, cutting off supplies to the British fleet in your bathtub. Then you can raid out of the Med, taking on such battles where you have the superior numbers, and avoiding conflict when you do not. Build lots of medium-range subs and use your basic tactical and naval bombers fearlessly. You usually don't have to build any extra of those, just upgrade the ones you have. The last game I played, I had the Brits down to two destroyers, five subs and 43 transports by Jan of '42.

-- Beppo

 

[unmerged(19352)]

My lasy game as the USA i sent everyship i had to Los Angeles to make one super fleet. I added to this over a few years 85 battleships(missouri class) and 125 cruisers and over 200 destroyer groups.
So my super fleet was 131 battleships, 193 cruisers, 226 destroyer groups, 16 carriers, 85 submarines, and 102 transports.

I find that this huge size eliminates the large fleet penalty and counters the enormous Japanese feets.

 

[unmerged(17617)]

Although not very efficient in terms of IC's my favorite fleet consists of 1BB, 4 Heavy CV's, 4CA's and 3 destroyers, all advanced. Load them up with 9 torpedobombers ( 9 navalbombers would be very unsporting ) and 3 fighters and watch opposing naval forces disappear.
If I manage to build them, the game is usually al but over, so mostly my fleets consists of the starting units formed into;
battlefleets, consisting of the heavy hitters.
carrierfleets, which are at first mostly geared to provide aircover and will usually sail together with the battlefleets, they will get a more offensive role later, see above.
cruiserfleets, ASW and for protection of more remote areas.
assaultfleets, a mix of old battleships, old carriers and transports, for shorebombardments and CAP.
transportfleets, 6 or 9 transports with some of the older cruisers.
submarinefleets, either in units of 3 for convoyhunting or upto 12 for fleetactions.

Edit; apart from the subfleets, I use dd's to fill out the ranks, preferable the improved dd. For most countries with serious naval aspirations it's relatively easily optainable and gives a lot of bang for the buck.

 

[Wämö]

I usually give my carriers separate task forces with two bb's and four cruisers as an escort... the other's varies, though.

 

[unmerged(24841)]

Naval... I have. even numbers of BB and Cruises. usally 10 and like 20 subs... b/c easy to build and cheap! AirCraft Carriers are fun but take a long time to build and once u started building one u are readdy to build the next type... So i try and get to a reasearch level and stay there and build a large force... But by then I am ruler of all the main land or died...

But i also don't use them... Becouse the cost too much money and don't win u land... only best to have ships if u are an island... North America.. or Axis to stop Canadan invesions (which are so anoeing) Along with USA, and G/B If I am none of the above.. I build troops and :rofl: :rofl: paratroopers!!! :rofl: :rofl: Which are a neccessery for USSR!

 

[unmerged(31127)]

I split my navies into carrier groups. Each Carrier group consist of 2 Carrier with 4 naval bomber, 5 battleship, and 5 subs, led by a Grand Admral!

i usually has about 4-5 carrier groups in the games. + some small hunting group of subs!

 

[unmerged(24320)]

subs, subs, and more subs.

but then, i almost only play Germany. LOL

 

[unmerged(24028)]

Depends on which nation...

For Britain:

I organise a couple of 'Main' fleets of 2 Battleships, 4-6 Cruisers, 2-4 Destroyers and 1 Aircraft Carrier. I try to build one of these for each Ocean, but the war always gets in the way and I can't because I need IC for better things... Oh, a couple of Naval or Torpedo Bombers useally accompany these fleets.

Then there's my Submarine Fleets, of 12 subs each. I place these at Singapore, Malta and Southern England so that I can sink any Japanese, Italian or German invasion attempts or convoys. When the Dutch East Indies get invaded by Japan it gives Britain a rare attempt to become an offensive Naval player, rather then defensive.

Then my Cruisers and Destroyer fleets made up of 12 of either Cruisers or Destroyers, or 6 of each. These I place wherever I feel there's a threat, but useally they just stay near England to support the Home Fleets (Built in the style of how I build 'Main' fleets, see above).

With this I can easily, and justly hum 'Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the Seas, Britons never, never, never shall be slaves!'

Britain, with her many colonies, doesn't really need a "Carrier' Fleet.


For France:

Clearly France is not going to be a major player when it comes to the seas. There's two hostile super powers who neighbor her, and she needs to worry about other things then keeping a powerful navy! But she does start out as a Naval Power, and that power must be maintained (Even if it's only minimally). Besides, if you lose France, you have to keep them from attacking what's left of you!

French 'Main' Fleets are exactly like Britain. They're useally based at Algiers, Marsailles, Nantes. If based at Marsailles and Algiers can pincer any Italian Fleet movements West of Sardinia. Nantes is basically just in case Britain needs help. If France falls, I move them to Algiers, Casablanca, Dakar, or Saigon.

Submarine Fleets of 12 subs are based here and there to block any transports or convoys, but this is only used after France falls.

France can't really do anything else fleet-wise but sit and hope. It's really not a Fleet-building nation, and has no real strategy to fight a Naval War because it has a land war going on, and if France falls it's colonies don't have enough IC to support further Fleet building... It should be noted I never accept Vichy!


For Germany:

Subs... It's just too annoying to do anything else. You can go ahead and build a battleship, but I always figure that 12 IC could have been used for so many Infantry divisions in the years it takes to build a BB.


I don't play America, it's boring to me... Italy I useally build air forces over Fleets because you can just bomb the British ships into submission rather then sink them with your own. Japan the same. And there's no real other Naval power except Spain, who is too preoccupied with the continent.

 

[unmerged(12544)]

1. All Fleets have maximum size 12.

2. A Fleet should always contain 2 destroyers (against subs), when your opponents is heavily using subs, then even 3, or you can create a special DD fleet, e.g. 10 DDs.

3. My first Fleet as e.g. Germany contains as many BBs, as possible, the rest will be CBs. E.g. 6 BBs, 4 CBs, 2 DDs.

4. If available, I add a carrier with planes. As Japan almost all fleets get one carrier.