it is probably that your subreport is called from the detail section of report, and you are suppressing the detail section if there is only 1 record...so it is supressing the subreport.
If you want the subreport to display, regardless of the main report being suppressed, I would create a new section in the details, and place the subreport there, then even if you have suppressed the 'original' detail section, the subreport will run.
If this doesn't layout in the report as desired, I would suppress the individual objects in the section, instead of the entire section, then the subreport will still run, but the information that is not desired will be suppessed.
As for assigning the links from the main report to a subreport, no, not that I am aware of, you need to set them for each subreport. CR gives the flexibility to have multiple subreports, and there is no requirement that the parameter list name in a subreport has to match the main report, even if it the same field. You have the freedom to choose your naming convention on a report by report by subreport basis.
HTH