Rule the Waves 3: Submarines

by Fernando Diaz / Articles, Rule the Waves 3 / 20 Jan 2021

In Rule the Waves 3, understanding the strategic role of submarines is crucial. Submarines can dramatically affect the outcomes of your battles, disrupt enemy trade, and provide tactical advantages that surface ships cannot.

Understanding Submarine Types

Coastal Submarines: Coastal Submarines are most effective when operating near your bases due to their limited operational radius. Their torpedo capacity is limited, and they are not ideal for strategic movements during wartime.

Medium Range Submarines: These are your standard, versatile submarines.

Minelaying Submarines: Similar to Medium Range Submarines but have the added ability to lay mines. Their torpedo capacity is somewhat diminished. However, prior to 1930, they are less likely to incite opposition from neutral nations because mines are less provocative than torpedoes.

Long Range Submarines: These submarines can operate efficiently in areas with limited friendly base capacity. However, they are slightly more susceptible to ASW attacks.

Missile Submarines: Equipped with anti-ship missiles for use against appropriate targets, along with torpedoes.

Strategic Impact of Submarines

Submarines can attack enemy merchant shipping during strategic turns and occasionally torpedo enemy warships. Their effectiveness is influenced by the enemy’s trade protection and destroyer-to-heavy ship ratio.

Role of Submarines in Battles

Submarines can participate in battles, their involvement proportional to the number of submarines available. They can torpedo ships and have a chance to attack enemy ships returning to base after an engagement.

Submarine Policies During War

Fleet Support: Submarines focus on enemy warships, attacking merchant ships only under certain circumstances (you may want to provide examples of these circumstances).

Prize Rules: Submarines target shipping while trying to follow prize rules. Despite best efforts, incidents that upset neutral nations may occur. Submarines will strive to balance fleet support and merchant ship attacks.

Unrestricted: Submarines conduct unrestricted submarine warfare against enemy merchant shipping, which might cause starvation and unrest in enemy nations. However, this approach risks angering neutral nations and potentially drawing them into the conflict.

Limitations

When you’re blockading the enemy, submarines’ impact on enemy merchant shipping decreases significantly as it’s assumed the blockade has already reduced enemy shipping to a minimum.

The Influence of Technology

Technological advances in submarine development can enhance the serviceability and attack effectiveness of your submarines.

Tips for Effective Submarine Use

Submarines perform best when operating in areas with friendly bases. However, their effectiveness decreases when operating in areas adjacent only to friendly bases, with the exception of long-range submarines.

Remember to use your Minelaying submarines’ ability to lay mines. This can help deter enemy movement in key areas.

Be mindful of your submarine warfare policy during war times. Aggressive actions can lead to unintended political consequences.

Keep up with submarine technology advances to ensure your fleet remains competitive.

Fernando Diaz

Fernando is doing what he always did, sharing his honest opinions about games whenever he can. The difference is now he is writing and not talking about it.
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