Naval battles are as complex as land so you need almost every ship type.
1: Support units
- All of the support unit`s auxiliary units are put in reserve.
- The effects of all auxiliary units also work from the reserve.
- Can contain an unlimited amount of units.
- The support units do not take part in the combat action.
2: Carrier Ship
- Can only contain units from the 'Carrier Ship' class.
- The weakest units are positioned first.
- Can contain an unlimited amount of units.
- Attack sequence: First Strike, Long-range battle line, Front Line, Flank
3: First Strike
- Can only contain units from the 'First Strike' class.
- The strongest units are positioned first.
- Attack sequence: Front Line, Flank
4: Long-range battle line
- Can only contain units from the 'Long-Range Battleship' class.
- The strongest units are positioned first.
- Attack sequence: Front Line, Flank, Long-range battle line
5: Front Line
- Is initially only occupied by heavy battleships. If no heavy battleships are available, the following units will take their place:
- Light Battleships
- Long-Range Battleships that do not have any munition left
- The weakest units are positioned first.
- Attack sequence: Front Line, Long-range battle line, First Strike, Flank
6: Flank
- Can only contain units from the 'Light Battleship' class.
- The strongest units are positioned first.
- Attack sequence: Flank, Long-range battle line, First Strike, Front Line
7: Carrier Ship Evasion
- Can only contain units from the 'Carrier Ship Evasion' class.
- The strongest units are positioned first.
- Attack sequence: Carrier Ship, Carrier Ship Evasion
8: Reserves
- The reserve takes all the units that do not fit on the battlefield.
Basically:
1. Tenders are your cooks+docs. If you don't have these your units will withdraw after a few rounds
2. Carriers attack first strike.
3-5. Heavy battleships/ranged/first strike attack the front line.
6. Light battleships attack their counter part, if there are no present they flank the front line and attack 4-5.
7. Carrier ship evasion ships attack carriers->other evasion ships.
So every type is useful, in the battle above his front line was getting hit with lines 3-5 while my front line was taking damage from 3,5. His 5th line was getting hit by 2 and 6 while the rest of my navy was untouched. My carrier evasion ships were useless since he didn't have carriers or other evasion ships.
Land battles follow the exact same sequence of attacks but have different unit names.
Steam rams>flames.
Mortars>cats>ballista but mortars are slow. I prefer cats, but mortars are better if time isn't a big factor (defense).
Rockets>diving boats but rockets have limited ammo (and hit like a truck). I mostly use diving boats but there's a time and place for rockets (if you can end combat quickly).