US fleet boats - best frontline sub of ww2?

[jazzabilly]

I happen to think that the Balao was a wonderful machine ~ if the sim is accurate, of course. I have to do some reading on the subject, which is a little weak. I much prefer it to the VIIc that I used to drive (mostly) in 3. The Battle of The Atlantic, I know very well. The Pacific, not so much.

The combination of speed, maneuverability and the EW capabilities of this boat make it my best sub pick. I don't know anything about the Tench class, though I imagine it was an improvement.

It's hard to say how differently the USN subs would have fared had the IJN had a more coherent and capable ASW force. They were certainly behind the game technologically speaking. An interesting "what if" would equip the Japanese with 10cm radar, Hedgehog and Squid DC mortars, and more capable ASW crews.

The Japanese also had no leader on par with Sir Max Horton, so the leadership wasn't there either.

As far as I can recall, it wasn't until after the war that most nations took ASW seriously, and career officers weren't normally drawn to the study of it.