AmiralLaurent -> (7/23/2003 5:31:39 PM)
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Use of IJN subs should be left to player appreciation. So I play with doctrine off. Subs may be used in five ways : _ minelayers: a waste of time in my mind, given the distance between Truk and the Allied bases. I used to load fresh subs arriving in Truk with mines, send them to an Allied base and then come back to an IJN base for loading torpedoes. Now I stoll load mines but send them to an IJN base in Solomons or NG direct, where they lay a small defensive field and then load torpedoes for patrol. For extensive defensive minelaying, IJN has plenty of ML that are faster and carry far more mines. _ transports: could be useful in 1943, when ASW Allied will be far too much good to risk forays in enemy spce and LBA too deadly for ships to go under it. _ merchant raiding : waiting near Allied ports or on convoy routes. Subs may sink ships but the main impact is that the Allied should commit warships to protect convoys and hunt subs in "safe" waters and he should use convoy. Subs like to attack lonely transport or unescorted convoys. _ Combined fleet support. Before sending south with your CV, sending a sub patrol line 15 hex and some days in advance is a good idea. They can provide intelligence by meeting enemy TF and after battles they can chase cripples. The only way to sink CV with subs in UV AFAIK. _ defensive duties : having subs patroling near or at your base to intercept bombardement, invasion or FT TF. Especially efficient against FT. I use this also when I invade an enemy base, to protect my ships and troops against enemy ships. In the first months of 1942, my subs do only merchant raidings and occasionnal cripple chasing. Then in late summer/fall, with Allied ASW rising, their main task is Combined fleet support. In 1943, transport and defence. In late 1942 and in 1943, from time to time a sub will go in Allied waters see if the ASW defences are still there. The difference of doctrine between USN and IJN should be seen in numbers of subs available: IJN use them mainly in combat aeras, either against warships or transports or to carry supplies and troops, while USN use them mainly against the merchant shipping north of UV aera. So IJN should have more subs than USN in UV aera. The 'sub doctrine' game to ignore merchant ships you meet is inappropriate. This doctrine will only give the numbers of subs that may meet this ship here.
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