A few questions about subs

[jeffrg270]

Hi there,

First, just want to thank the people that have taken the time to post their tactics to those of us that are relatively new to the game...many thanks!

I have a few questions about submarines...I just don't think I'm using them effectively. Maybe you guys can help:

1) when you order a launch from a sub, is it exposed during the time that it is actively switching to launch mode? ie. Is there a period of time when it is exposed and isn't even able to fire off the first nuke?

2) People have mentioned using SHIFT to fire from the whole sub fleet simultaneously. Could somebody explain how to do this? And I'm assuming this means 6 nukes all at one target, correct? is this really an efficient use of sub nukes?

3) When subs fire on surface ships, are they automatically exposed (even when there's not a carrier in antisubmarine mode?

Thanks in advance for answering these questions!

-Jeff.

[ERTO]

Hi there,

First, just want to thank the people that have taken the time to post their tactics to those of us that are relatively new to the game...many thanks!

I have a few questions about submarines...I just don't think I'm using them effectively. Maybe you guys can help:

1) when you order a launch from a sub, is it exposed during the time that it is actively switching to launch mode? ie. Is there a period of time when it is exposed and isn't even able to fire off the first nuke?

Yep! From the moment you click "Switch to SLBM Mode", the subs surface and are visable and vulnerable to anything nearby that shoots.

2) People have mentioned using SHIFT to fire from the whole sub fleet simultaneously. Could somebody explain how to do this? And I'm assuming this means 6 nukes all at one target, correct? is this really an efficient use of sub nukes?

Basically, you need to hold down shift when you click "switch to SRBM mode". This makes all the subs surface at the same time, meaning that once you select your targets (you don't have to make them all launch at the same target, though it's usefull if you're launching at a silo or a big city you want to knock down) all the missiles will launch at the same time.

3) When subs fire on surface ships, are they automatically exposed (even when there's not a carrier in antisubmarine mode?

Nope! Subs are freakin' lethal for taking out surface ships not in antisubmarine mode. You remain invisible -- all the other player sees is his ships sinking, one by one.

Thanks in advance for answering these questions!

-Jeff.

No prob!

[The_Mhor]

When a sub is surfaced to launch nukes, can depth-charges still hit them? I had three subs launch all their nukes within range of a fleed of anti-sub carriers without loss, but as soon as they were done and returned to passive mode they died instantly...

[Montyphy]

When a sub is surfaced to launch nukes, can depth-charges still hit them? I had three subs launch all their nukes within range of a fleed of anti-sub carriers without loss, but as soon as they were done and returned to passive mode they died instantly...

I believe you just answered your own question.

[Spacemonkey]

Thats another thing, when subs are surfaced, they can't be hit by depth charges, so if your subs are being attacked by carriers, and there are no enemy battleships around, you could surface them and start firing on the carrier, and there nothing the enemy can do about it unitl they switch over to bomber launch mode, if you lucky to can kill them before they can launch, or just unsurface then the bombers can't get you.

of course all that is useless if the enemy has two subs on different modes.

[Ozy]

Thats another thing, when subs are surfaced, they can't be hit by depth charges, so if your subs are being attacked by carriers, and there are no enemy battleships around, you could surface them and start firing on the carrier, and there nothing the enemy can do about it unitl they switch over to bomber launch mode, if you lucky to can kill them before they can launch, or just unsurface then the bombers can't get you.

of course all that is useless if the enemy has two subs on different modes.

But subs cant fire torps when they are surfaced right? So all you could do is sling some SLBMs at said carriers and, if they are trying to depth charge you, chances are you will be doing so at almost point blank range!

[Kill Chain]

Hey guys, im pretty new to game and Ive been having a problem with launching from my sub fleet simultaneously, Ive played a fair share of games, and the people who keep beating me are the ones launching tight clusters of missles right on top of each other from subs and taking down my silos practically effortlessly. I really need to learn how to do this and have been trying but its just not working, I hold shift when I select the missle option and then when I pick the targets, but the targeter still says 5 missles, and it only launches the missles from one sub, not all the subs, any help is appreciated thanks.

[shinygerbil]

Even when pressing Shift, you have to go round and fire each sub's nukes manually. Pressing shift just makes the subs all surface and go into "MRBM mode", but you'll only be targeting with the 5 nukes from the sub you actually *clicked* on. The secret to making the nukes all fire at once is, once you have pressed shift, to allocate all the subs' nukes before the first round of nukes launch. You'll then find that the subs will launch simultaneously, which is great for punching a hole in all but the best enemy defences.

I hope that made sense to you.

[Captin Fitz]

Just wondering but does the SHIFT trick with carriers as well?

[Ace Rimmer]

Carriers and subs. You still have to do as shinygerbil said though.

[Kill Chain]

So basically instead of going around and manually putting each sub in the proper mode, you do em all at once, and then if I understand this correctly, going around and firing one nuke from each sub as quick as you can, and they will all launch at the same time, there wont be the delay that it took you to go between each one between teh nukes?

[Lastof]

The first nuke will be fired as soon as the sub enters launch mode. Since all the subs will enter launch mod simultaneously, they will all fire at the same time.

[shinygerbil]

Actually, the first nuke is fired 120 seconds after launch mode is entered. So it follows that if you can set all 5 nukes of each sub before the first one fires, the subsequent nukes will also fire simultaneously, as each nuke takes 120 seconds to load. So, in theory, you can target one nuke from each sub, wait for them to fire, then target the next nuke from each sub, and so on. But it's easier if you set the targets all at once, although you are potentially missing out on some efficiency, if some of your already-targeted nukes become redundant.

[Ace Rimmer]

But it's easier if you set the targets all at once, although you are potentially missing out on some efficiency, if some of your already-targeted nukes become redundant.

This can be a real pain when you have timed a bomber/sub(and perhaps silo) strike and overestimated the amount of nukes you need to hit a target and remove it. Having several nukes land on an already destroyed Silo or a city that was just moments ago reduced from 21m to 0.2m isn't fun, especially when there are targets still available.

It can be even more so when just after you give orders (and wait for the onslaught), somebody else's sub fleet/bombers appear and their nukes overlap yours.

[MegaDeathKill!]

Just wondering but does the SHIFT trick with carriers as well?

I'd like to know as well, also does this method work with bombers? Is there a way to tell a certain amount of bombers to go to launch mode as changing them all manually is tiresome.