I'm really dumb!!!!!!!!!

[clayp]

I have a cofession to make...As long as I have been around here I still dont know how to do things the real way.....:oops: How is the best way to learn and in what order should I try to learn?

[magic452]

Howdy clay ol' buddy. :salute:

Well there is no real way to play, everybody likes it a different way.
I tried the 100% thing for a time but didn't enjoy it all that much, so I made it a little easier. Mostly it depends on what you want out of the game.

What set up are you running now, TMO, RSRD, etc. that's a start.
What areas are you interested in improving, patrolling, tracking, convoy approach or torpedo attacks?

For my money the best learning tool is to go on a single mission such as Hellcat and forget about completing any objectives but just try different things to see what you want to do.

When you get a situation where you want to improve just post and there are dozens of guys that will help you out.

If you have a specific question I'll do what I can to help or at least tell you how I handle a situation.

Magic

[kylania]

This thread is a great place to start learning manual targeting:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=146795

[clayp]

Howdy clay ol' buddy. :salute:

Well there is no real way to play, everybody likes it a different way.
I tried the 100% thing for a time but didn't enjoy it all that much, so I made it a little easier. Mostly it depends on what you want out of the game.

What set up are you running now, TMO, RSRD, etc. that's a start.
What areas are you interested in improving, patrolling, tracking, convoy approach or torpedo attacks?

For my money the best learning tool is to go on a single mission such as Hellcat and forget about completing any objectives but just try different things to see what you want to do.

Magic , I need to learn it all,Locateing,tracking torpeado attacks..I'm running RFB,a very hacked up verison with a ton of my own stuff.

RFB_v1.4S
Living breathing Ocean VS_3 with new lighting and reflection work
Addon for Reflections On The Water
ROW Sound Effect v_9
Clayp's Optics for RFB 1.4
GreenLamp
METAL_HUD_KIT_GRAYBARS
MHMSC-MetalHUD-workaround
20mm Oerlikon Gun Sight Mod by Krishna
Brighter torpedo wakes
GATO BLACK HI-RES V1.0
Improved Night Visibility Mod Stage 1
Radio Message Mod
Remove grain effect
Webster's Better Waterline Colors for v1.4 and v1.5
AI Sen Toku
Extra ASW ships for Japan
Myoko & Smaill seaplane tender
Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton for v1.4 and v1.5
Webster's Faster TC Near Land for v1.4 and v1.5
Webster's Reduced Radio Traffic for v1.4 & v1.5
Webster's Selected New Sounds for v1.4 & v1.5
Webster's Ship Manuvering Fix for v1.4 and v1.5
Webster's Smaller Rain v2
Webster's Sub Draft Fix for v1.4 & v1.5
Webster's Underwater Visability Mod for v1.4 & v1.5


When you get a situation where you want to improve just post and there are dozens of guys that will help you out.

If you have a specific question I'll do what I can to help or at least tell you how I handle a situation.

Magic

:damn::damn::damn::damn::damn::damn::damn::damn::d amn::damn:

[magic452]

That's quit a mods list but the only things that change game play are RFB and Webster's Ship Maneuvering Fix. Also you're playing v1.4 I'm using TMO in v1.5 but the basics are the same.

Patrolling and locating targets. It depends on what year you're playing.

Once you get to a patrol area, check the shipping lane map to find a likely spot in the shipping lane, a choke point or a port.

Patrol at 10 knots on the surface at all times unless a plane forces you down. Come back up as soon as you can. Air search radar is your best friend.

If you do not have radar, set up a scratched out Z pattern, each leg about one hour at 10 knots as you get near the end of each leg do a manual sonar sweep.
Go to the sonar station and click in the dial on the right, click on a bearing and the sonar will sweep to that point, just work your way around 45° at a time. When the green light comes on you have a contact. You can use the mouse wheel to zero in on the contact.
Turn your boat towards the contact bearing and close at high speed.

If you have map contacts on you will soon see a bearing line on the nav. map. If you do not have map contacts on I would suggest you turn them on for a time.

If you have radar set up a similar Z pattern but stretch it out more.
The contacts will show up on the nav map.

Use the three minute rule to get course and speed. Zoom in on the contact and you will see it jump every so often, 30 seconds for sonar, 20 sec. for radar. When it jumps start the clock and mark the position, wait 3 minutes and mark the new position. measure the distance between marks and that will give you speed. 100 yards = one knot, 500 ys. = 5 kt. and 1000 yd. =10 kt, etc. Do this 3 times and you will also get a very good course as well by drawing a line through all the marks.

More to follow Magic

[magic452]

Intercepting: The most important part of the game.
Once you have course and speed extend the course line out about 20 miles and plot a intercept point somewhere on that line. In TMO the contact will change course about every 20 miles, don't know about RFB. You don't know how long they have held their present course so they may change at any time.
If you can't get there in time trail the contact to see where it changes course and go from there. Keep them at about 12+ miles to be safe. Flank speed is most useful here.

Fast moving task forces or troop ships are a different thing, you just have to go with what ever you can, you'll only get one shot at them.
Convoys and singles you can set up a good ambush on your terms.

You need to get well ahead of the target so you have time to get into a good firing position undetected, depending on conditions about 8 or so miles. Go to periscope depth and let them come to you. Set up your boat as you wait, set torpedoes to high speed, contact or influence, set depth at about 15 feet, can change later if necessary. OPEN the outer doors.

More to follow Magic

[magic452]

The attack:

What happens here is very dependent on several factors.
Type of target; single, escorted convoy or task force.

Conditions; day or night, good weather or bad.

Type of firing solution; Auto targeting, TDC/PK, vector analysis, Dick O'Kane, etc.

These are the factors you must consider when you plan your intercept and set up. Always try to get as much advantage as you can, night, bad weather, etc. If the weather is good I'll trail the convoy till dark.

Single ships just set up about 800 to 1000 yards off the target course at about 80 to 90 °. Shoot about 12° before the target gets to your 0° bearing, right in front of your boat.

For convoys and TFs it depends entirely on conditions and what type of targets. I approach at about 60 to 70° from their course and most often if it's a high value target I use vector analysis attack from about 2800 or more yards. Keeps me clear of the flanking DD. I don't like DDs or depth charges. Once you get the hang of a vector shot you seldom miss.

With radar and vector analysis it's almost too easy, lately I've been using the TDC more.


The TDC/PK is the most realistic, Vector analysis/ O'Kane the most accurate.

Hope all this helps, if not just ask away I'll be glad to help and so will many others.

Magic

[clayp]

Well I'm just going to have to try..The first thing I need to learn is how to track and intercept targets.The second is how to fing targets when they give the location on the radio....What kind of mission do you suggest for practice?

[magic452]

I would suggest that you load up the Hellcat single patrol.
You have a Balao so you have radar, that will help in finding targets and tracking them. Also it will go to 600 feet, always a good thing.

Set your options up with no duds, map contact on, you want to learn patrolling and finding and tracking contacts first.
Limited fuel and batteries as they really won't play a part in the mission.

Forget about the star in the Sea of Japan. Just plot a course to the Luzon Strait and use that as a Tutorial. You can use very high time compression till you get close to the Philippines than slow down to about 256 to 512 TC. Save the game at this point so you don't have to do it all over again, you can start from the save and try different things.

Set your speed at 10 knots for transit and patrolling. Dive only when necessary to avoid planes or set up an attack, slow speed only to save batteries and fuel. Use TC of 128 in the day to 256 at night.

You can find contacts anywhere in the Luzon St. and down towards Manila
Here is a search pattern I use but it's different every time. There are planes in the strait so I move a little south or west.
http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt296/Magic452/Patrolmap.jpg
Radar can see 20 Nm. either side of your boat so don't get too close to shore.

The shipping lane map will give you many good places to patrol and you can see where ships are starting from, where they are going and what routes the may take. If you don't have one there is a download around here somewhere. This is information real captains had, so I use it.

Dinner time so I'll take this up later.

Magic

[clayp]

What is the "shipping lane map"..One of my main problems is if I get a contact on the map that is 2 or 3 hrs old I dont know how to find it..If they give the location of a task force on the radio I dont know how to find it...I think you have bitten off too much tring to teach me....

[magic452]

The shipping lane map is a paper map that came with the disk version of the game. I'll see if I can find a download map link.
Hopefully here is a link for the map.
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp200/captgeo2703/shippinglanesJAP.jpg

As far as the radio called in contacts that show up on the Nav. map, I don't pay much attention unless they are within about 100 to 150 miles of you and are headed in your direction. You will never catch them otherwise. Like you said they are old, moving and in most cases zigzagging so you never know where they will be. It takes some experience on how convoys and TF move before you can predict where they might be by the time you can get there.

One good thing about the distant contacts called in is that they say that a convoy passed there once and may do again in a few days. Kind of gives you a idea of where the shipping lanes are.

Good patrol areas are Luzon Strait, Formosa Strait or the southern tip of Formosa, the Java Sea east of Surabya and into the Flores Sea,
Markassar Strait at the choke point to the north end of the strait.
The South China Sea, there's a lot of shipping from Singapore and Sigon.
Of course as the war goes on Japan looses much of this ground so the time is important. Late war most shipping is in the South China Sea.
Early war anthing near the Philippnes or Java is good.

The secret is to find a good shipping lane near a large port or between ports and set up a good search pattern, with radar about 30 Nm. between legs.

I think you have bitten off too much tring to teach me....
Noproblen clay glad to help. I've got the time if you do. :yeah:

Magic

[clayp]

Hey Magic I'm just not gettin it..I guess I'm just too stupid and old..:timeout: Also it been buggin me that I dont think I have thanked you for the help thus far so thank you..:yeah: I dont know what I'm going to do,just play it however I can I guess...:damn:

[magic452]

Glad to help anytime my friend. :salute:

Just stick with it, get to mid 43 when you have radar and it's a lot easier.
Patrol on the surface at 10 knots and stay away form de planes.
Java sea and Flores sea are good at that time.

Magic