Shipping and Blockade Boxes

[Daxil]

Couple questions:

1.) Does it make any difference whether you're in passive or aggressive mode in these, or do raiders automatically hunt and escorts automatically hunt for the hunters?

2.) Does it help to make convoys for defensive purposes and/or if you're commerce raiding?

3.) How are speed and evasion/detection values factored in? Frigates have the fastest speed coeff and evade/patrol values so are they the best commerce raiders/commerce raider hunters?

4.) Do transports bring back more supplies than brigs? Could the Confederacy conceivably form its own convoy system with regular transports and steam frigates?

[Rafiki]

1) There's not difference between defensive and offensive posture: the former is recommended due to less wear and tear on the ships (cohesion-wise)

2) Putting things in the same stack, you mean? Smaller stacks are harder to detect, more stacks are better at detecting, but with the risk that if combat is joined, you get fewer ships to join in.

3) AFAIK, yes

4) Yes, they transport more. However, I imagine that faced by serious opposition, teh Union could concentrate their forces and outnumber/crush and CSA convoys.

[arsan]

About CSA transports... CSA cannot utilize the shipping lanes box except for raiding. So CSA transports/convoys should be used on the blockade boxes.
I think they work ok (and bring more $ and WS), but are much more vulnerable to USA hunters becasue of lower evesion. They are not good at running.
But if the CSA can manage naval superiority on the box...
By the way the button that really counts on the boxes (if i'm not mistaken) is the evade combat one. Don't forget to use it on your raiders/runners/transports.
Cheers!

[Rafiki]

By the way the button that really counts on the boxes (if i'm not mistaken) is the evade combat one. Don't forget to use it on your raiders/runners/transports.

Doesn't combat evasion kinda defeat the purpose of raiders?

[arsan]

Doesn't combat evasion kinda defeat the purpose of raiders?

I hope my raiders are smart enough to know that i mean "evade hunters, not transports"
I usually do it this way, but maybe i'm wrong.

[Rafiki]

I'm pretty sure it means "if you see sails on the horizon, do whatever you can to get away from them"

[arsan]

Maybe, but what i'm sure is that you still get the raider effects turn after turn (USA loss x $ and WS)
Certainly my raiders don't directly engage other ships too much, but I'm not sure if a lone CSA frigate or two would be too efficient against the big USA transports fleets and escorts in direct combat.

[Rafiki]

Maybe, but what i'm sure is that you still get the raider effects turn after turn (USA loss x $ and WS) .

Ah, of course. No idea about that.

*casts "Summon Pocus"*

[Daxil]

4) Yes, they transport more. However, I imagine that faced by serious opposition, teh Union could concentrate their forces and outnumber/crush and CSA convoys.

I wonder if lots of little convoys might be an option. Two transports/1 steam frigate. This way the transports are protected somewhat and operating independently would have less odds of interception. I guess it would just depend on how muich emphasis the Union wants to put on their blue water blockade. If they want to they have the resources to completely shut down the blockade boxes.

[arsan]

I wonder if lots of little convoys might be an option. Two transports/1 steam frigate. This way the transports are protected somewhat and operating independently would have less odds of interception. I guess it would just depend on how muich emphasis the Union wants to put on their blue water blockade. If they want to they have the resources to completely shut down the blockade boxes.

Hmm... i don't have the numbers right here bit wouldn't be more cost effective just mass produce brigs?

[Daxil]

Hmm... i don't have the numbers right here bit wouldn't be more cost effective just mass produce brigs?

Well I guess that's the big question. How many supplies do transports bring back vs brigs?

Also, in TX as the CSA you have TPs to build that won't have to run a brown water blockade (usually) to get out in the boxes.

[arsan]

Well I guess that's the big question. How many supplies do transports bring back vs brigs?

err... no idea Never tried it!

[Ejack]

Quick guess, but don't transports have 10X the capacity of brigs? So if it was 10X that would probably make it worth it. The only problem I see, is that as a Union player if I saw you put transports in that box I would come down pretty hard to try and wipe you out. Daxil, if I can I will experiment with that and see if I can notice the bump one transport gives me.

The evade button works for raiders in the games I've played. I guess they know the mission is to pick off stragglers and avoid the serious teeth of the escorts.

When I don't use the evade, my raiders usually get beat up after a few turns out there.

[Daxil]

Brigs are actually more expensive than transports too. 20-2-12 vs 11-4-6.

[Ejack]

Daxil,

I asked Rafiki to verify in another thread, but I tested it in a game where Athena had left the blue water. The transport added nothing to the brigs. Took the brigs away and nothing came in at all.

Yes the transports are cheaper, but then you have to factor the cost of the protection as well and the risk of many more encounters.

[Daxil]

Aww I didnt see that thread. Thanks. they should be merged.