When the sim mirrors history...6 ships, 12 escorts..June 24, 1944..

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO 2.5 RSRD 100 realism.Contacts on, external cam off.


Added the convoy USS Tang attacked in Koshiki Straits on June 24, 1944, started a career with Balao Class(Pampanito) in June 44, skipped orders to the Philippine Sea to head for Yellow Sea and stopped over in the Koshiki Straits(as Tang did, looking for a battleship I believe it was) and after a day or submerged patroling in Koshiki Straits, surfaced.Shortly after, at 2145 made radar contact(just as tang did at exact time) on a large convoy, six large ships and 12(!) escorts as convoy emerged from the straits.While waiting for nightfall and moon set, moved to starboard side of convoy which while closer to the coast and in waters with little to no depth., the screen looked weaker on that side, easier to penetrate. Luckily, night was dark, some clouds, light fog.Moved in but was unable to penetrate the screen but closed to 2500 yards from merchants, targets were a large troopship and a large tanker. Fired 3 torpedoes at each. Three fish hit the large troopship which exploded in possibly the largest explosion i have seen in SH 4(mustve been one of the two loaded with ammo i added, lucky me) the explosion left a merchant in the center column dead in the water.I was turned away at flank speed when escorts began opening fire, AA fire was hitting sub and cannon fire was splashing near but no hits while 3 escorts pursued me as I put them astern.I attempted to fire down the throat shots at the lead escort chasing but mark 18's kept missing, the bow of a type c escort is rather small target.After a pursuit, my 2.5-3 knot speed advantage won as i moved out of sight.The escorts began circling, dropping huge patterns of charges, then rejoined the convoy.I sped ahead attempting to get back into attack position but was unable as the convoy was now in very shallow waters, only miles from Nagasaki, and two new blips appeared on scope from nagasaki, a harbor patrol no doubt responding to the chaos.I decided to call it off and head for my area in Yellow Sea, I then noticed the merchant that went dead in the water was underway again but slow and considered an attack but an escort began shepherding her, it was a time to go.

I was given credit for a Conte Verde Liner Troop Transport of 18,000+ tons.The torpedoes missed the tanker for unknown reasons, possible speed error.

This attack mirrored the Tang's actual attack in many ways...

A)Made contact at same time and date(by design they were in historical position but just happened to be in the correct place)

B)Target exploded in a dramatic fashion

C) Escorts pursued then gave up/lost contact

D) Follow up attack was spoiled by proximity to Nagasaki...shallow waters and patrols.

Differed in sense didnt get two ships but one large one

Was not able to get inside the screen due to limitations in the game(enemy visual sensors are too sharp for that, but working on adjusting that)


Either way, lots of fun and pretty amazing how game can mirror history.Also interesting how escort was "smart" enough to hang around and shepherd the straggler that was damaged by the explosion of the troopship.

Unfortunately, with cams off and busy fighting the battle, was unable to get any great screen shots but I got this one shortly after making contact, somewhat of a daunting image.

http://i.imgur.com/WIlJy7D.png

[Stealhead]

You know that you can check the "save replay" option when you go to save and it will record everything.You can then load the replay and take all the photos you want without any realism restraints.

I would not call it mirroring history though we sit and play a game in 100% safety and have none of the real unknowns and concerns nor the balancing of fear we do not really have 70 lives in our hands that anyone commanding in real combat must feel and contend with.

[Bubblehead1980]

You know that you can check the "save replay" option when you go to save and it will record everything.You can then load the replay and take all the photos you want without any realism restraints.

I would not call it mirroring history though we sit and play a game in 100% safety and have none of the real unknowns and concerns nor the balancing of fear we do not really have 70 lives in our hands that anyone commanding in real combat must feel and contend with.

I am aware of that havent tried it in a long time, seemed to slow things down but then again that was way back with V 1.4.

I mean mirror in the sense things unfold somewhat similar.Of course its a sim/game and there is no danger.Far as unknowns, well I do make it where there are variables, I didnt know their speed because like O Kane mentioned in his book, convoy changed speed few times, I set speed ranging from 10-16 knots, put some course changes etc, its all pretty random.Didnt know which ships would be blow up, where the tougher escorts such as the DE Matsu which would easily run me down was .Anyways, I get your point but was just saying it's "interesting" when things happen that read about, esp the AI having an escort hang around to guard the damaged maru, seen it before on ships damaged by planes or my torpedoes but never damaged by the explosion of another ship.

Anyways, soon as have a mod for darker nights and more realistic visual sensors, going to hit that convoy again and try to get inside the screen, will try to recording thing and see how it goes.

[Stealhead]

Try saving the replay at least I am pretty sure that you have free movement of the camera but it has been some time since I tried it.

Another option is to run FRAPS or a similar video capture program there are also screen capture programs that can be set to a single key of course you would have to leave the menu toggled but it would allow easy key stroke photo capture.Of course with those you only get the subs perspective.

[MarkCt]

In between games I'm reading "Clear the Bridge. War patrols of USS Tang" and just read about that exact attack. Your right about the game sensors. There have been times when I did a surface attack at night turned around and the spotlight on the ship I was attacking came on just before the Torpedios hit. How would they detect that at night.

[CptLoonee]

It's funny, I JUST read about this in "The War Below" last night. Awesome.

[raygamhu]

I am playing the same mods with OTC added, no contacts, 100 realism, and with WIKI WW II history checking, in October 42, I managed to sink two seaplane tenders, which were sent to support the Japanese troops, before Battle of Henderson Field in mid October 42. Wiki says that they were indeed two.After two days two Japanese battleships will bombard Henderson Field, so I will rearm at Tulagi and go for them.

[CptLoonee]

I set up outside the San Bernadino Strait on October 24, 1944 and, sure enough, Kurita's Center Force came barreling through.

It was too exciting (for me anyway) not to video!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9gVthSNPBY

(initial attack comes at 17:20. Final attack at 40:30)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9gVthSNPBY)

[Bubblehead1980]

In between games I'm reading "Clear the Bridge. War patrols of USS Tang" and just read about that exact attack. Your right about the game sensors. There have been times when I did a surface attack at night turned around and the spotlight on the ship I was attacking came on just before the Torpedios hit. How would they detect that at night.


Great book, cant decide if I enjoyed his book about his patrols on the wahoo more or clear the bridge, both are excellent.

Well when you turn away and expose your broadsides, you give them a larger moving target to see than your bow, your profile has a lot to do with how youre spotted, give them something small to look for in the dark, tougher to spot you.What I do is as torpedos get close enough I know they will hit, I go ahead 2/3 to build some momentum, then swing full rudder in appropriate direction, go ahead flank just before they hit, that way already on the move, torpedoes hit, i usually escape in the chaos, may take a few light AA hits but as long as the big cannons dont get me, no problem.

[Bubblehead1980]

It's funny, I JUST read about this in "The War Below" last night. Awesome.

Nice, really one of the more "exciting" attacks, getting inside the escort screen.Definitely took some cajones.

[Bubblehead1980]

I am playing the same mods with OTC added, no contacts, 100 realism, and with WIKI WW II history checking, in October 42, I managed to sink two seaplane tenders, which were sent to support the Japanese troops, before Battle of Henderson Field in mid October 42. Wiki says that they were indeed two.After two days two Japanese battleships will bombard Henderson Field, so I will rearm at Tulagi and go for them.

I assume OTC uses RSRD? RSRD does a decent job of simulating major fleet actions and some minor movements, the work lurker did still amazes me as I opened RSRD up with ME, ran the sim through and see ships are at right time and right place.I have fooled with this a bit, such as with that convoy, its a lot of fun.

[Bubblehead1980]

I set up outside the San Bernadino Strait on October 24, 1944 and, sure enough, Kurita's Center Force came barreling through.

It was too exciting (for me anyway) not to video!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9gVthSNPBY

(initial attack comes at 17:20. Final attack at 40:30)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9gVthSNPBY)
:salute:

[TorpX]

Your right about the game sensors. There have been times when I did a surface attack at night turned around and the spotlight on the ship I was attacking came on just before the Torpedios hit. How would they detect that at night.
IMO, the torps are much more easily spotted than they should be. I've also seen ships try to dodge torps at night. I don't know if it is a correctable problem or not.

[raygamhu]

I assume OTC uses RSRD? RSRD does a decent job of simulating major fleet actions and some minor movements, the work lurker did still amazes me as I opened RSRD up with ME, ran the sim through and see ships are at right time and right place.I have fooled with this a bit, such as with that convoy, its a lot of fun.

Yes correct, RSRD is present.

[Stealhead]

IMO, the torps are much more easily spotted than they should be. I've also seen ships try to dodge torps at night. I don't know if it is a correctable problem or not.



I dont know they did apparently manage to dodge torpedoes at night during the war.It would depend on the conditions.I do not know what is different about Operation Monsoon but with that you can get much closer at night.Of course the AI is not as sharp.Limitations of the sim you either have sharper more challenging AI or you have dumber AI but more realistic night surface attacks.

Seems to me that once they see you they cant loose you even though in real life they most certainly could and the sub could slink away.