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Submarine

Submarine

Prerequisites

Requires:

• Radio

Summary

• Can Bombard Sea Units

Gameplay

Submarines strike fear into the hearts of anyone on the surface of the ocean. They lurk beneath the waves, launching torpedoes at unsuspecting vessels and laying waste to Trade Routes and navy flotillas.

The Submarine is a Stealth unit.

Historical

The first submarines, developed and tested by both navies of the American Civil War, were extremely primitive "manned torpedoes". By the turn of the century, however, European and American companies developed a number of improved submarine designs. Submarines employed a combination of diesel combustion engine and battery power to alternate between surface and underwater modes. After approaching their target on the surface to avoid draining their batteries, they submerged only when just out of sight of their target, attacking at very low speeds. Commanders did this to conserve battery power for after their attack when they would have to use full underwater power to evade counterattack. Even after this, a full battery charge would last only an hour or two at top underwater speed. This limitation suited submarines to attacking slower, less defended ships, and meant that they could not engage fast surface warships, such as battleships and aircraft carriers.