Can anyone give any good tips or strategy regarding the late game naval units. I get confused when I think of the upgrades and tradeoffs on abilities (i.e. stealth destroyer can't see subs?)

Also, what are the major benefits of stealth? Just pillaging resources sneak attacks?

I dunno, I like that there are more units, I just need some examples of how people are creatively using them.

(I have used cruisers to carry missiles and used those to assist in coastal invasions)

I'm in an Emperor game on an islands-type fractal map. So far I have been doing quite well with building a gazillion of Battleships and later Missile Cruisers (they upgrade to that - I didn't use missiles).
Use them in stacks of around 5, with a destroyer added for spotting subs. These groups can bombard any city defense in one turn, and if you stick to the coast you shouldn't have much trouble with enemy navy either. For some reason the AI seems to be very fond of Destroyers and subs - which lack the strength to stand up to Battleships.
Try to get control of the oceans at least in those areas where you want to attack, then send 4 or 5 transports with marines/modern armor plus more with support troops over. I found a carrier or two can be useful, too, to bring down their defenders' health a little.

I have been using a few subs for pillaging, but because of the AI's love for Destroyers, there are always some of them around to scare the subs away, or kill them.

My major suggestion with subs is to make particularly sure you build all your subs from a city producing at least 5xp (via drydocks+gg or theo/vassalage or whatever). Their obvious promo is Flanking II, giving them a massive 80%(!) withdrawal chance. They're perfect for weakening enemy battleships/missile cruisers so that your own battleships (or even destroyers) can finish them off with very little risk (particularly if you can't project air power for whatever reason). Attack subs are even better for this, since they punch pretty hard too. Just make sure they're covered by another ship at the end of turn if they've got more destroyers floating around.

It appears that a stealth destroyer can also blockade with no fear of reprisal until enemy AIs have stealth destroyers, too, correct?

This isnt strategy, but I thought you might like this mod

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=249129 (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=249129)

It's an expansion of the units around 1840 -1900 which included a lot of naval units. Early modern navies get interesting.

Agreed with the promotions -- I try to make my 'military city' a coastal city, so that I can settle GG's, build Heroic + West Point.

so if a sub gets 80% withdrawal with flanking 2, a GG sub with tactics and flanking 2 could never die when attacking?

That's an interesting idea :p

I only have a tiny bit of advice. Don't use stealth ships like subs or stealth destroyers to guard your sea resources. The enemy ships will just float through them and pillage away.

try this link:

Modern Naval Startegy for BTS (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=243068)

Hm, Battleships and Transports are all you need IMO. Anything else is a waste of :hammers: that could have been used for something more useful.