A few of noobish questions regarding the TDC, crew, torpedos...

[TrtSmrt]

Hi Guys!
I've installed the game (clean install, with no updates whatsoever couse the installation is srewed and i can't update.. so i have to install it again from the scratch).
Anyway... majority of my questions have no connection with version or mod.
Ok.. here we go :)

1. The red (or green) lines at the crew compartments

- I suppose that these are representation of state of compartment as average of the crew capabillity to preform their duty...but... what does this actually mean? 0.3... WTH??? Is that from 100% or from 0%... please explain.

2. Sometimes... well.. more than few times crew cant reload torpedos. If i send the status report it sais the i have XX torpedos left... these are at replacement slots but no one is reloading. No yelowish color in the tubes.... I wait for few days and still no reload.

3. What is the max depth of the subs.. ok.. the class is probably important, but on the dial i can't go below 50m (that is the max reading of the dial)

4. Thermal layers... I know that these exist but on what depth?? I can google it out but are these properly represented in the game??

5. I am using automatic TDC for now, and it happened during my second mission ('43... out of freemantle) that i've been targeting slow movig subhunter with 5 torpedos.. al of them going in the right direction but missing the trarget. I can't enable event camera to see what gone wrong as i am in the middle of career and can't make adjustment until i go back to the port. It seems that the depth is not good. So.. i reload... get the hell out of there and found the convoy... perfect positon... got green triangle, locked the target.. fired... all torps hitting correct place but still no KABOOM?! If i am using the auto aiming... what i can change in the settings? Also... what is PK, beside that it's supposed to be off :)

6. When i return to port, crew is still not 100% fit. If i read 15/100 efficiency for some crew member.. does this means that the dude is really stupid and has to be thrown over the fence into the sea, or he's just tired? Some compartments are never green.. except for the conning tower. Even after a whole day with no fight...

7. When do I sound the Battlestation command?

wow.. this is getting long. I should stop for now :)

I tried to search the forum for answers on these question and found out a lot of usefull info, but as this is my first Sub sim i have to ask a stupid question of two :D

Anyway... SH4 is from my opinion a GREAT game.. i enjoy it and with every hour wasted i begin to like it more and more!

Cheers!

EDIT:

Just one more..
Woh do i open the torpedo tubes? Just click on the tube or somethign else?

[maerean_m]

3. click on the vertical bar below the 3 dials in the HUD. The dial will be replaced with another, similar, one (e.g. depth for shallow/deep water; the red marker represents the periscope depth or the maximum depth for that sub; note that a damaged sub can't dive as deep as a new sub).

[Powerthighs]

1. It means things like reloading torpedoes faster, fixing damage faster, spotting contacts better, doing speed estimation in manual targeting more accurately, etc. They don't tell you the exact formulae they use, it's hidden inside the game, but obviously a higher green bar is better.

2. You can turn off torpedo loading, or it gets turned off for you when you go to silent running. There is a torpedo button under one of the menus (I think its the first one, the one with the wheel). This button must be activated for your crew to load torpedoes.

3. As maerean_m indicated, if you click under the depth wheel, it will go to a version that goes a lot deeper. On this version, the red line is your test depth.

4. If, while diving you pass a thermal layer, a crew member will tell you. They are often between 200 and 300 feet. They don't always exist, especially in shallow water.

5. Subhunter ships often have very shallow drafts. Set your torpedoes for their shallowest depth, and they may pass underneath anyway. Especially early in the war when torpedoes ran deeper than they were supposed to. The PK is the Position Keeper. If you are using manual targeting you can turn it on and it will "track" a target by evolving the firing solution over time based on a set of intial inputs.

6. Not sure. Make sure you turn off battle stations when done fighting so your crew doesn't get exhausted.

7. Any time you want your crew to perform more efficiently. I usually go to battle stations when an enemy enters visual range. When at battle stations, your crew will perform duties more quickely and more accurately. However, no one sleeps at battle stations so monitor crew fatigue and don't leave them on too long.

To open the torpedo tube door, select the tube and press 'Q'. Pressing 'Q' again will close it.

[TrtSmrt]

Frist of all - thanks for the info! :)
I just downloaded few videos with explainations and after wathcing them i have a better view of things.
Almost all of my questions are now clear... that leaves me a plenty of work to do tonight when my kid is finaly in bed heheh :lol:

Thanks again on support!!

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes, you have been selected for a tuition free scholarship to the WernerSobe Advanced School for Submarine Attack Tactics (WASSAT). http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=118923. Three video courses there on Torpedo Data Computer targeting and sonar only targeting await, along with strategy tutorials like the Dick O'Kane attack method. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=652326&postcount=67
Then armed with all this information you will be able to search around SUBSIM to find more good information than you can handle!:doh:

[Roger Dodger]

6. When i return to port, crew is still not 100% fit. If i read 15/100 efficiency for some crew member.. does this means that the dude is really stupid and has to be thrown over the fence into the sea, or he's just tired? Some compartments are never green.. except for the conning tower. Even after a whole day with no fight...

'Fatigue' should go to Zero when you get to port. If it doesn't, the man may be injured (check Health).

When you return to port after a patrol, you will be given the option of promoting some of the crew. Usually your SRs (Seaman Recruit/one stripe) and SAs (Seaman Apprentice/two stripes) are auto-promoted, i.e. Time In Grade. Once in a very great while you will be given the option of promoting a Chief PO to Officer (Ensign), but that's very rare.

The #1 Rule on my boat is: If you aren't at least 60% effecient in your pay billet, you don't get promoted.
Rule 2: If you are below 30% effeciency for your pay billet after two patrols, YOU'RE FIRED! Move the crewman from his billet to the 'pool' of personel (left side), and select another man that 'may' be better.

After 6 patrols or more, you are going to wind up with more chiefs than indians. 'Transfer' these men to other boats (same method), and get a few Seamen so you will have someone to promote next time.

Top medals usually go to the #1 man in the watch, lessor medals to the lower rated men. It gets tough picking out which man gets a Silver Star or Bronze Star. You can't tell in the game who is doing the best work. If you haven't had any AA Gun action, obviously your AA Gun crew doesn't get any medals.

Run Silent, Run Deep