The good, the bad, the ugly.......

[Stonedog]

Good....

AI seems much improved but still needs tweaking for sure. A larger portion of the moves it is making is more along the lines of what one would expect. This huge improvement over just a couple weeks ago.

Bad...
Selecting a unit on map is simply a chore, it is infuriating at times, and has caused me to save the game, and log out more than any other single thing . Though I will say this next topic is very close to taking its spot!

FUUUUUUGGGGGLLLLLYYYYY !!!!!!!!!

Subs, more useless than a wet cat !!!!! Do near nothing for damage even though they have suprise. At the utter mercy of the AI, because I dont care where a DD is, if the AI wants a sub on the other side of the world dead, it will drive to within a few hexes , hit sonar and the kill it in a few shots with ease. I dont care what any one says, you come here to my house, watch what I am seeing and you will know there is something wrong with the AI DDs/ Ally Sub interaction. My CA can not ID a ship its in the next hex from and been engaged with for 2 turns, but a enemy DD 4 hex away from my sub can drive to the hex next to it, pop sonar, and kill it at will. That SUB NEVER HAVING MOVED ,FIRED .

They are useless except for suicide scouting and thats about it. Id rather not even have them, its so frustrating to have to even watch .

[Oleksandr]

Thanks for the feedback.
When you select units by clicking on them, you can do that more easily by clicking on their strength plates (it is especially useful if there are several units in one hex.
As for the AI Destroyer versus your Submarines, I can give you an explanation.
There are two main ways for the AI Destroyer to locate your Submarine (AI does not cheat):
First one: if your submarine attacked on your turn the AI remembers the hex from which it attacked. And it will do its best to send one or more of his Destroyers to check that hex out (whether your Submarine is still around).
How to counter it: After each attack immediately move your Submarine more than 2 hexes away from the hex you were firing from. That way when the AI Destroyer comes to that hex it will not find your Submarine as it would be outside of Sonar range.
Second one: AI Destroyers can find your Submarine BY CHANCE. What does that mean? They do not know where are your Subs, but every time each Destroyer finishes its movement (if it was not looking for Subs in a specific spot) it uses Sonar "just in case". So, if it was just passing by and finished turn near your Sub it will accidentally find it.
How to counter: there is no 100% way, but try to avoid placing your subs where the incoming enemy fleet with Destroyers escort may appear. Choose hexes which are unlikely to be close to the enemy Destroyers when they finish their turn.
I hope that helps.
If you find any inconsistencies with what I explained above, please, let us know.

[Xray38]

Originally posted by Alexandr:

Thanks for the feedback.
When you select units by clicking on them, you can do that more easily by clicking on their strength plates (it is especially useful if there are several units in one hex.
As for the AI Destroyer versus your Submarines, I can give you an explanation.
There are two main ways for the AI Destroyer to locate your Submarine (AI does not cheat):
First one: if your submarine attacked on your turn the AI remembers the hex from which it attacked. And it will do its best to send one or more of his Destroyers to check that hex out (whether your Submarine is still around).
How to counter it: After each attack immediately move your Submarine more than 2 hexes away from the hex you were firing from. That way when the AI Destroyer comes to that hex it will not find your Submarine as it would be outside of Sonar range.
Second one: AI Destroyers can find your Submarine BY CHANCE. What does that mean? They do not know where are your Subs, but every time each Destroyer finishes its movement (if it was not looking for Subs in a specific spot) it uses Sonar "just in case". So, if it was just passing by and finished turn near your Sub it will accidentally find it.
How to counter: there is no 100% way, but try to avoid placing your subs where the incoming enemy fleet with Destroyers escort may appear. Choose hexes which are unlikely to be close to the enemy Destroyers when they finish their turn.
I hope that helps.
If you find any inconsistencies with what I explained above, please, let us know.

Alexandr,
My research indicates that ASDIC/SONAR had a very limited range (~200 meters) which would require the ship to actually enter the sub's hex for any chance of detecting it by sound. Subs can also be detected by spotting the periscope- but still need to be in the same hex to do that too (before centimeter radar). Torpedo wake(s) can give the direction of attack, but again, the wakes could only be spotted in close. Knowing which direction the attack came queues the DD were to search, but it should still be required to enter the subs hex.
P.S. My information also indicates none of the IJN DDs had ASDIC/SONAR at Coral Sea.

[Xray38]

My own thoughts on this. Historically, US subs had a "field day" in the Pacific, being the most survivable war ships. This was due to the IJNs poor anti-sub capabilities and doctrine. For your game to be realistic, submerged subs (the slowest moving boats in the ocean) should only be able to move one (1) hex when submerged and half (1/2) as fast as DDs when surfaced. Just because a DD found and attacked a submerged sub using ASDIC/SONAR does not mean the attack would be successful. The sounding device looses the sub at close range leaving the DD to guess where the lay its depth charges.