2 Ocean Navy v 1 Ocean Navy?

[Nukepooch]

More than once I've ended up fighting players who, from geography or alliances, can concentrate their whole navy in one ocean, when I can't do the same.

What are good strategies for naval engagements when seriously outnumbered?

This is especially true as NA - with SE Asia or S America to worry about - against Europe (often allied with USSR). I need some ships in the Pacific, allowing the 24-ship Euro navy a definite edge on the Atlantic coast.

Land based bombers help, but I find losses unacceptably high, and their usefulness is limited when the enemy also has land based coverage (again, NA v Eur).

Any ideas?

[xander]

Stay close to your own shore for anit-air support from the silos, and for air support from airbases. Shoot down any bombers that you see, and don't worry about the battleships until the end.

xander

[Visible]

pop your subs over to active sonar and prioritize enemy anti-sub carriers over everything else. I've been outnumbered more than 2 to 1, in the past, and been able to wipe out the entire opposing fleet with careful sub management. If you do this, it's crucial to engage the enemy fleet BEFORE defcon 1, at which point carriers begin dropping depth charges.

[xander]

pop your subs over to active sonar and prioritize enemy anti-sub carriers over everything else. I've been outnumbered more than 2 to 1, in the past, and been able to wipe out the entire opposing fleet with careful sub management. If you do this, it's crucial to engage the enemy fleet BEFORE defcon 1, at which point carriers begin dropping depth charges.

Um... carriers can drop depth charges long before Defcon 1. Also, you don't have to put your subs on active sonar to kill stuff -- stuff just has to appear on RADAR, and subs can target them.

xander

[blackwhitehawk]

you have to manaly target the enemy with each sub for them to attack.

[GeneticFreak]

Actually carriers can drop depth charges at about a few seconds before the start of DEFCON 2. And that is assuming he IMMEDIATELY switch the carrier to anti-sub right at defcon 3 start.

But anyway, plan ahead, think of a strategic spot for your fleet to hole up, make airbases positioned on the flank of where you think the enemy will be coming from, position subs somewhere they can strike at ships without getting in too much danger.

A good example for this is if you are USA, put some airbase in Alaska, and hole up your fleet next to LA, with subs above san fransisco. That's just 1 example. I once defended pacific with 4 battleships, 3 carriers and 4 subs, against Asia and Russia combined forces. In the end only my subs survived and cleaned up their remaining battleships. But that makes me able to make atlantic stronger with having more fleet.

Also when you are launching bombers don't click on the enemy ship. Just fly them to a spot where they can shoot while turning back to the airbase. Hence a flanking airbase position is good. Besides preventing the bomber losses, it also prevents the enemy from seeing your bombers or where you're shooting from, thus hiding the actual location of the airbase (sometimes even hide the fact that you're using bombers!)

[LarsMB]

And then there's of course the rather dumb AI, which will place a fleet far away from you, even if it is entirely useless. Take a look at the rolling demo to see what I mean, if you haven't yet ...

[Nukepooch]

All good advice, thanks.