Any Gameplay advice for RA?

[cmbconcretefire]

Here are my main questions......and the way I play mixed together.

I'm Red, White and Blue American all over but I freakin' LOOOOVE driving the Akula. That's one awesome sumbitch.

Specifically I really want to use the layer for sneaky (er?) attacks. Example: I have a surface ship I have to sink that is 5nm away. Let's say the layer is 200 meters. I'd like to go to 300 meters and fire a torp and have the torp STAY AT my 300 meter level until it "enables" at roughly 4.5nm and then the torp would pop up above the layer ----- giving the surface ship very little time to evade.

I suppose this theory would work for submerged contacts too.

So, 1st question: Is this even possible in DW-RA 1.45?

2nd question: what is the stealthiest torp to use (driving the Akula) and any tips on how to set up the attack would be appreciated.

3rd question: I love using the missiles with torps on them. I know I shouldn't do it because it's loud and .....a plethera of other reasons but I can't help it. I love using them against enemy subs. What missile would you use and why?

4th question - is there any way to tell what depth a submerged sub is at?

I'm an RA virgin and I'm in the process of setting up some ridiculously easy training missions just to kind of re-learn DW and everything. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Mike Abberton]

It's been a while since I played RA (I think it was still 1.44 at the time), but here is my attempts at answers. Hopefully others can fill in more details/correct me if I am wrong.)

1. RA has a lot of torp settings that can be coded into the presets. Definitely check there for options (there is a whole PDF about RA weapon settings). But if you're using a wire-guided torpedo and set it to run below the layer, you should be able to change its depth when you feel it is close enough.

I believe that RA models the layer differently than stock though, and the surface ship might hear the torp coming at some point, definitely if it has its own tail out.

2. Not sure if there is such a thing as stealthy torps in RA. In theory a lower torp speed will make it harder to hear, but not sure that helps very much. Also use a torp with a propulsor if you have one. Attack from behind if the target does not have a towed array.

3. I don't remember the differences well enough between the SS-N-15 and SS-N-16 to offer you much guidance.

4. Other than determining whether it is above or below the layer and the sub's crush depth, it is not really possible to determine a sub's depth in the game. Typically the available depth band (layer to surface or layer to crush depth) is not big enough to matter much versus the torpedo search cone, if you had a good solution ahead of time and set the depth in the middle of the band.

Best recommendation is take it slow. Play some missions without worrying about accomplishing the mission and just practice TMA. Occasionally use "show truth" when training to see how good your solutions are. Read the "Red Book" in the downloads section while you are practicing TMA.

Next, read the weapons manual and play with the settings. They can be tricky to get right. Use Show Truth to see how they change the weapon behavior.

[p7p8]

1. As @Mike wrote, in RA many weapons uses coded settings. All subs are more or less the same - most important is weapon loadout. Weapon should determine your tactic. For example in RA we have some versions of Akula:
- Akula I
- Akula I imp
- Akula II
- Akula III
I and I imp uses different weapon than II and III.
Reading weapon guide is not only recommended - its mandatory

2. All torpedoes are quite loud. Best way for delaying detection is to guide them on opposite side of layer
Some advanced torpedoes (only with wireguiding) allows you to change their search depth. Code for this feature is in weapon manual :P

3. SS-N-15 and SS-N-16 are NOT antiship missiles. Ther are SUBROCs - only for ASW
Akula II and III can use Sizzler ASM - this is best missile in game with terminal supersonic speed and waypoints. You should use them from range greater than 10 nautical miles.
From closer range i always prefer torpedoes.

4. You can check how strong is acoustic signal under layer and above layer. This is only 1 method but needs time for changing depth. Good advice is to stay always close to layer.

[cmbconcretefire]

Alright. Thanks guys

[tAKticool47]

On the one hand, it's amazing. Cannot say that enough. And obviously the work that is put into it must be vast.... I cannot say I'd be smart enough to do all the stuff (frequencies and Hertzes and sonar profiles and layer depths and missiles and all that stuff) even IF I knew how to program stuff, which I do not. So it's amazing.

On the other hand, it's becoming borderline unplayable to me. The "Russian Bias" has become so prevalent and patently ridiculous, it's nearly lost any fun. It was funny at first but not so much anymore.

I have tested stuff at LENGTH, truth on, to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong etc.

The Yasen is an invisible, unsinkable, missile-laying machine of death. Torpedoes literally do an immediate 180 when they're about to hit it, I spent 5 minutes enabling/pre-enabling/enabling torpedoes and they just literally won't hit a Yasen. Like it's repelling a magnet or something. And they spew missiles like a chicken lays eggs.

Oscar IIs lol... same deal. Just chills all game, doing nothing. Fire a torpedo at it, right before the torpedo gets close to it, suddenly it lays it's 24 eggs of death!

And I have built Carrier Strike Groups with a Nimitz-class surrounded by ALL THREE versions of the Arleigh Burke-class (FLT I, FLT II, FLT IIA), PLUS a Ticonderoga VLS, *PLUS* a UK Type 45 Air Defense Destroyer, **PLUS** A FREMM.

Every. Single. Russian. Ship. Beats. Them.

From old school ships like Karas, Slavas, and Sovremennys & Udaloys to the new Frigates & Corvettes, every missile the Russians shoots go through Aegis ships like cutting a paper bag, whereas the Russian SAMs shoot down TASMs & Harpoons & SM2s easily. I thought the older Soviet big bad ships like Slava, Kirov, Kuznetsov, Sovremenny's etc. were hard to deal with. Then I tried adding the new Russian frigates & corvettes, they're like indestructible. They have amazing anti-torpedo torpedoes that shoot down any torpedo that gets near it, and their SAM systems are like inpenetrable.

Kilos/Kilo Imps are nearly undetectable, but they can detect me and hit me with a Shkval easily. The specs say a Shkval has like a 3-6 mile range. Obviously the ones the Russian AIs use have a much longer range, they shoot those beeatches like 10-15 miles.

And don't even bother using a LA-FLT III anymore. Anything from a Sierra or Victor-class kills it.

Meanwhile, using a Seawolf and/or Virginia, the two best submarines ever made in the world (The Seawolf being bigger, faster, holding more weapons, more of an imposing warrior/brawler, the Virginia being more quieter, perhaps better sonar, and maybe more of a sneaky assassin) are just ho-hum against any Russian platform. The Virginia-class several ships in the game, including Block III boats. By rights and facts, the Block III Virginia-class are the most advanced waterborne combat platforms on the planet. If the game is supposed to be a simulation, it's not unfair to make them the best if they are in fact the best...


The aircraft is the same. The F-22 Raptor is *useless* --- instant death. Put them in the game in just about any scenario, they'll get killed immediately.
Not like it's considered the best air-to-air combat aircraft on the planet or anything. Useless. Whereas, the SU-34s are pretty much able to defeat any aircraft OR ship in the game, and the SU-57 lmfao. Don't even bother to try describing them. "Invincible" lol.

I mean there are just so many times I can watch Strobiles flying at 105000 feet at 2200 MPH from across the map, then come darting down and destroying Aegis-protected strike groups.

And so that brings another great point -- if the Russians are getting all the latest weaponry and technology in the game, why is the US , you know ,the dominant power in the entire world, not also getting comparable stuff? Where's the SM-3s and SM-6s? SM-2 Block IV and SeaRAM etc. Aegis Baseline 9 and all that stuff. RAM & ESSM are in the game, but not very effective. Whereas, in real life, they're some of the best anti-air missiles on the planet, for short and medium range, respectively. According to Wikipedia, there is one Yasen-class submarine currently, and 10 prototypes of the SU-57. Yet there are a fleet of Yasens available in the game and the SU-57 is the dominating air platform. Yet the F-22, in active service for a decade+ , sucks, and the F-35, currently deployed in all three variants in all 3 services, not even in the game.



-- and let me be clear, I get it. "If you want to make a Pro-US version, do it yourself" ...obviously I have no idea how to do that, and I should just shut up and play, which I will do. However, still... I realize Russia is a major military power. But they don't have the best of everything in every category in every way and exist in a state of invincibility and superiority of all firepower across the planet.

[p7p8]

Originally Posted by tAKticool47

And I have built Carrier Strike Groups with a Nimitz-class surrounded by ALL THREE versions of the Arleigh Burke-class (FLT I, FLT II, FLT IIA), PLUS a Ticonderoga VLS, *PLUS* a UK Type 45 Air Defense Destroyer, **PLUS** A FREMM.

Every. Single. Russian. Ship. Beats. Them.

Its true - i saw this earlier and report it to Crazy Ivan. It will be fixed in next 1.46 version. (fix is ready but some other works are in progress)
Almost all major US ships works bad because... they shot down own SAM missiles by own CIWS. Second reason is: during 120 missiles attach they launch only 2 missiles from 6 nmi!!!
Even simple russian corvette can launch more.
Kirov is unbeatable - in test scenario 120 missiles engage Kirov and no one hit - all were destroyed.

Wait for next version - should be realase soon.

I disagree about AI shkval longer range - i did some tests and they works fine.

And so that brings another great point -- if the Russians are getting all the latest weaponry and technology in the game, why is the US , you know ,the dominant power in the entire world, not also getting comparable stuff? Where's the SM-3s and SM-6s? SM-2 Block IV and SeaRAM etc. Aegis Baseline 9 and all that stuff. RAM & ESSM are in the game, but not very effective. Whereas, in real life, they're some of the best anti-air missiles on the planet, for short and medium range, respectively. According to Wikipedia, there is one Yasen-class submarine currently, and 10 prototypes of the SU-57. Yet there are a fleet of Yasens available in the game and the SU-57 is the dominating air platform. Yet the F-22, in active service for a decade+ , sucks, and the F-35, currently deployed in all three variants in all 3 services, not even in the game.

You have right. Many newest russian ships, almost all older are in modernised versions but all US ships are from vanilla DW time.
For me as MP player and mission designer those newest russian ships are useles - because they have oponents only from 90' systems. I havent choice - i have to ignore all newest russian ships in my scenarios.

The same is about land SAM systems - many russian close, mid and long range - with ultramodern versions but no US/westwern SAMs in game. Only Patriot (old version) and Hawk impr, Roland, Rapier and Avenger (on Hummve) - lack mid range SAM!

Airplanes always works bad - now in RA aircrafts works much better than in vanilla (where all of them earlier or later crushes in water)

[tAKticool47]

Fair enough brother thank you very much!

Sorry for ranting, I was still hungover and drinking too much caffeine and just let it all out lol.

Anyway thanks -- I very very much appreciate your work and efforts and did not mean to sound ungrateful. Thank you again!