What's the best way to use the raider ships that Germany starts with? IIRC I've read somewhere that they can raid while being in the sea zones, but if left there (even with green/green and avoid orders) they seem to always get easily caught by the Entente and sunk.
Yeah, it's a trade-off - but for me it's not worth the candle. I have so much trouble keeping track of all my other units (a positive feature of the game I'd argue) that I'm more than happy to forego the marginal benefits that the raiders offer and just mothball them.
That's a good tip but when everything's boiled down I can't see any way the the CP are going to win through a war on commerce. I use my battle fleets to support land operations in the Baltic and Black seas but other than the odd outing there most of their time is spent in port whittling and whoring.
Ground movement, on the other hand, is an exceedingly laborious task as apart from my West Wall defenders I tend to keep every unit that can raise a step on the march or in combat. That's a lot of work, so every keystroke I can save is golden.
You are certainly right about what the Germans can do, but it sounds very historically grounded in outcome. For me, finding the one blinding opening for the German fleet makes the waiting and whittling worthwhile (mine are disciplined sailors as, apparently, opposed to yours)
Durk wrote:For me, finding the one blinding opening for the German fleet makes the waiting and whittling worthwhile
You're so right! Oh, to put the High Seas Fleet behind the battlecruisers in their death ride, break the British line, and litter the bed of the North Sea with Newcastle steel. Such stuff as dreams are made on.