How did I die?

[cleverusername]

I was patrolling near the channel between Hokkaido and Honshu (Sea of Japan side) when I detected an airplane on radar. Crash dived and was beneath the surface while the plane was 10 miles out. I leveled off at 150 feet, and sailed underwater a bit waiting for the plane to pass. A few minutes later, every compartment pops, serious flooding, half my men are dead, all my equipment is broken, and I'm sinking like a rock.

What happened? (This was with RFB and RSRDC)

There were no ships in the area, the plane was 10 miles out so it couldn't have seen me, and I didn't hit bottom.

[snakeyez]

First thought is that you hit a mine. That's probably the cause.

I'm not familiar with any mod other than TMO, and I know in TMO I've been blown to bits by a plane at 150 ft., which seems unreal. Not often, but it happens sometimes.

[cleverusername]

Yeah I guess hitting a mine would be the easiest explanation.

Any tips and tactics on avoiding mines?

[Sirkam]

This area around Japan is highly mined (for defense reasons). Be careful next time :up:.

[mcf1]

Something similar happened to me to, I was cruising around Japan while on TC and suddenly the TC went back to 1 and and the rudder was destroyed:damn:, probably a mine.

[AVGWarhawk]

RFB does incorporate the mod Duci made were planes will bomb you if you are spotted while submerged. I'm guessing the plane might have seen you and dropped the bomb load.

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes, it is most certainly the work of the evil Dr Ducimus. He awoke screaming from a nightmare one night about being bombed while at periscope depth, not having any way to know he was about to die. Fortunately (?) he wrote his idea down and the next day set about to build it.

Subject to sea conditions and airborne visibility, the planes can see below the surface of the water now in TMO and RFB. Normally they can see down to about 60 feet, occasionally they see to 100' and very infrequently they see deeper than that, as deep as 400' This was an unintended side effect, but happened so infrequently that fixing the problem was a larger problem than just leaving your fate up to.....cruel fate.:doh:

There are a couple of implications from the evil airplanes. First, the business of hiding at periscope depth during the day, wasting your opportunity to hunt in favor of safety, is thankfully dead. You do that now and you're dead. I suppose you could do it at 150' and survive most days. I say you deserve to die for your cowardice if you do this anyway.:hulk:

The second implication is that your radar is your best friend. It can detect any approaching airplane far before it can possibly detect you. If you're running around at 9 knots on the surface with radar on and in TC you're perfectly safe. You'll drop out of TC and have plenty of time to do what you have to to avoid being seen. And you can see plenty far enough that you can dive to avoid and resurface immediately without worrying whether another plane will be on you then. This is Eugene Fluckey's yo-yo strategy and it is genius. Suddenly your hunting radius is 9 times greater and your safety is amazingly increased. What's not to like?

[Beardy Bob Black]

Yup, had exactly the same thing happen to me: spotted an aircraft on radar and crash dived.

Hit the TC to spin an hour past as usual and in no time I am kicked into realtime with no fuel and severe flooding.

Strange thing was that there was no visible damage on my ship - not conclusive I know, but odd.

Helm, set a course for dinnertime...

[Loud_Silence]

I've never seen a mine in SH4. I once saw a minefiend in SH3 while trying to emulate Gunther Prien, and some anti-submarine net in wich i got trapped:know:
I was at PD so i evaded the mines with the observation periscope. Is there a more decent way to avoid minefields? Also, the floor in SH3 is flat, but in SH4 theres a lot of stuff and mines are more difficult to spot...

[banjo]

I find that I can dive to periscope depth, raise the SD radar antenna and watch the a/c from there. If he is heading right for me I will lower the antenna and perhaps dive. If he will pass a couple miles from me I stay at periscope depth with the SD antenna up and watch him until it is safe. Both RFB and TMO.

[Tamok123]

I always thought it was just diving too deep or something.

Lots of my questions have been asnwered :o


-Captain Taco

[Hylander_1314]

When planes are detected, crashdive, but don't level off at 150ft. Go as deep as you can, over 250 to 300 ft and further if possible. Tambor Gar Gato and Balao can do these deeper depths easily. I usually go down to 350 to 400 ft on average, as it keeps the bombs or depth charges the planes drop from damaging the boat.

[Loud_Silence]

I've never had problems with planes. If i dont want to be detected, i go to PD and use the observation periscope. I only have been detected once, because the sea was rough and the mast was out of the water.
But most of the times i wait in the surface...:rock: