US Fleets -- Optimal Placement?

[Bamelin]

I've been experimenting with different setups. I find that splitting fleets between the Pacific and Atlantic ends with both overwhelmed.

I think fleet placement is going to end up being the key to US survival I'm curious what you guys think the best placement is?

[estel]

It depends what territories you're playing against, and where you think they'll go

[MrFoo]

It depends entirely on who you're fighting, if it's a 6 man fight, you need South America as an ally at the very least. Europe is good too, then you can concentrate on defending the west coast.

USSR tends to place most fleets in the Pacific, because they don't have too much to lose from European fleets, unfortunately that means Europe has little to gain from fleets against the USSR, so they'll mostly be off your east coast.

So your best bet.. keep your fleets near to land, so your silos/land based bombers can help you out, since you're likely to be outnumbered.

[Bamelin]

OK let's assume NAmerica and SAmerica are allied, it's usually what happens in a 6 player game.

Do you guys still recommend splitting the fleet in half? Sometimes I wait abit before fleet placement to see how alliances pan out ...

[Ruges]

Which ever side you put your fleets on put more air bases on the other side. Now the side without the fleet place 3 seperate carriers all running anti sub. Now with your air bases run out fighters ( maybe a bomber too) to scout the area to make sure no navy units are sneaking up on you. If you find any carriers or destroyers pull back your 3 carriers close to shore and away from those ships. Send out fighters and bombers from your air bases and maybe some form those 3 carriers to take out the ships (attack carriers first, Fighters secound, Destroyers third and bombers last(unless it apears the bombers are moving into nuke you in which case bombers first)).

This strat only works good in realtime speed.

[notforsale]

USSR tends to place most fleets in the Pacific, because they don't have too much to lose from European fleets, unfortunately that means Europe has little to gain from fleets against the USSR, so they'll mostly be off your east coast.

Thats great. can I be Europe & your ally? I have some subs that need a polar workout.

[VANGUARD]

I usually play as Russia, and this is what usually happens. I suck up to Europe and ally with him, and go for USA at the beginning. I place most of my fleet in the pacific and the USA crumbles after one battle, I secure the coastline and use my naval bombers to nuke the west coast for very little loss. Against a hostile USSR player, the USA MUST secure the pacific or it will lose. I always beat the USA by winning in the pacific.

[Bamelin]

Against a hostile USSR player, the USA MUST secure the pacific or it will lose. I always beat the USA by winning in the pacific.

The problem is that the same could be said about a hostile Europe or Africa in the Atlantic. Perhaps even more so, as the bulk of the US's population is located on the eastern side of the country.

This is my quandry when playing the US. In order to ensure the security of one coast, you have to sacrifice the other. And not only are both coasts imperative to the security of the nation, EVERYONE and their mama makes a beeline straight for the US ... except maybe South America, and even then usually SA quits the alliance once the nukestorm over the US starts, in order to get a couple prime hits in.

[Rich_Zap]

If you are surrounded then play defensive, use your airbases to launch bombers at the enemy fleets. Let them waste their time attacking you and sacrificing their forces. Its never a good idea to try to go on the offense if your under attack on 2 fronts .

[KingofSporks]

American players typically need to play fairly defensively against attacks from 2 coasts. Try splitting your battleships and carriers in half, 1/2 for each coast. Keep the carriers as close as possible to your coast, with the battle ships out in front. Continuously launch bombers out parallel to the coast, their long range will allow them to destroy enemy ships without risking damage to themselves. Staying close also allows you to use airfield fighters/bombers and AA defenses. If you can keep those carriers alive past the initial attack, fighters are EXCEPTIONAL at shooting down bombers. This eliminates 1 source of nukes, and if you sweep for subs with either your own subs or carriers, then you can only be hit by ICBMs, which should be easy to knock down without SRMB and MRBM support.