Good strategies involving subs (in unusual ways)

[Trivette]

I have noticed that almost every player places all their submarines in 2 fleets. Only subs. Now this seems to work most of the time but I have been wondering. Anyone do something different with their subs that works?

[rus|Mike]

Works? Ofcoirce placing subs in the fleets of 2 works. Actually, placing subs in any fleets from 1 to 6 works
I can't say I got your question

Anyone do something different with their subs that works?

Different from placing them in fleet of 2? Yes, I use them for nuking oponents' silos and cities. And yes, it works

[Trivette]

I think you misread the question. I am talking about 2 fleets completely filled up with subs. Now this strategy works pretty well. What I am asking is, are there any strategies that involve placing a few subs in different fleets so that you have a mixed fleet.

[Nightwatch]

I have noticed that almost every player places all their submarines in 2 fleets.

How long have you been playing this game? A couple of days?
Its totally unusal and rather stupid to deploy your subs in groups of six.

mixed fleet

No experienced player uses mixed fleets.

I use the following placement strategy:

Battleships: Groups of two or one (depending on the theater and skill of your oponent)
Carriers: Groups of three or two (depending on the theater and skill of your oponent) for surface warfare, single carriers for ASW
Subs: Groups of two for nuking. Single subs for hunting missions.

[rus|Mike]

I think you misread the question. I am talking about 2 fleets completely filled up with subs. Now this strategy works pretty well. What I am asking is, are there any strategies that involve placing a few subs in different fleets so that you have a mixed fleet.

Oooohhh okay... I don't really think that many people do two subs fleets. From what I've noticed, people usually try to keep all the subs together for the reason that deviding those 12 subs greatly reduces their power and is capable of making them unable to compleat goals. For example, you send 2 fleet, of 6 subs each, one of them arrives to the enemy coast and you recon his silos but 1 subs was lost somewhere along the way. The rest 5 subs will be totaly unable to launch successfuly on silos. I personally prefer 1 fleet but void, for example is comfortable with two 6-sub fleets.

Was it correct answer this time?

EDIT:
Many sub fleets will probably going to work good in case you're going to take out unprotected cities wth them and use your silos on those few that are left.

[trickser]

The most obvious reason to not mix subs into your other fleets: Mixed sub fleets will move with submarine speed.

[Trivette]

I see. Yeah, I have only been playing this game for a couple of days so I am still new
Thanks for the responses. Nightwatch, I see a lot of people use 6 groups of subs in a fleet all the time and they seem to do a pretty good job of it. But your strategy sounds pretty effective.
Now Mike and Trickser have some good points too. So I guess both strategies are pretty good then? Haha sorry for asking questions like this. After all, I still am new to this game

[X-Ray]

...Haha sorry for asking questions like this. After all, I still am new to this game

Nothing to be sorry about Trivette.

Ask any questions you have and most people will be glad to offer their ideas and help.

[Why?]

Small sets(1-2) have a major advantage over larger sets. It opens up your play book so much, it's like you're playing a different game. They're more versatile and maneuverable. You can pull them together, or spread them out. You can be in 6 places at once, as opposed to one. You can pass through tight spots.(between Iceland & Greenland, through the Bering Strait, into the Sea of Japan, into the Caribbean Sea etc.) You can hide from your enemy more effectively.

Also, when your enemy catches you off guard, you only lose 1-2 units, instead of 6. This is especially important with subs. People split them up into smaller groups, and go different routes; so they don't lose them all when an enemy carrier/sub gets lucky, sub-hunting. If you lose 6 subs, against a decent opponent; it hurts. You're prolly not gonna win.

The only disadvantage is that managing so many individual units can be very time consuming. So in multi-player games it's often smarter to go with sets of 2, 3, or 4. In the interest of time.

NO MIXED FLEETS! You just end up throwing away valuable pieces, this way.

[Trivette]

Small sets(1-2) have a major advantage over larger sets. It opens up your play book so much, it's like you're playing a different game. They're more versatile and maneuverable. You can pull them together, or spread them out. You can be in 6 places at once, as opposed to one. You can pass through tight spots.(between Iceland & Greenland, through the Bering Strait, into the Sea of Japan, into the Caribbean Sea etc.) You can hide from your enemy more effectively.

Also, when your enemy catches you off guard, you only lose 1-2 units, instead of 6. This is especially important with subs. People split them up into smaller groups, and go different routes; so they don't lose them all when an enemy carrier/sub gets lucky, sub-hunting. If you lose 6 subs, against a decent opponent; it hurts. You're prolly not gonna win.

The only disadvantage is that managing so many individual units can be very time consuming. So in multi-player games it's often smarter to go with sets of 2, 3, or 4. In the interest of time.

NO MIXED FLEETS! You just end up throwing away valuable pieces, this way.

Wait a minute... You can create fleets with less than 6 ships? How is this done?

EDIT: Okay I figured out how. Strange that I never realized you could do that until now.

[Why?]

Don't feel bad. I didn't figure that out for a long time.

[Pater]

Unusual eh.. hehe. Id like to talk, but Ill exercise my usual constraint this time

I admit I enjoy doing something with subs that has been branded newbish a long time ago in this board..

[trickser]

Do you mean this?:

---------Sub---------
Battleship Battleship
---------Sub---------

[Tsar Bomba]

I would like to preface by saying that i am relatively new to defcon, so i am not going to give advice on how to play. But, I can recommend that you download some games from the vets. This is immensely beneficial! You could also watch some games in real-time - hard to know when a good game will be played though. You can check out the top rated players at: http://dedcon.homelinux.net/ratings/. Good Luck!

-Tsar

[Blackbeard]

I tend to avoid groups of three of any seafaring vessel, as just one nuke in the middle of them can take them all out (with a group of four you can only take out two at a time - I think ).

Also, using Subs for naval combat is fine, but they should always be supported, as once isolated, they are extremely vulnerable to Bomber Nukes/Depth Charges from carriers .
Edit: Even when supported they are in a pretty precarious position .