Quote:
Originally Posted by Tabris
Also, an old SH dream is to be able to manually control which motors are doing the work. In Iron Coffins the author describes using the e-machines while in port and starting the diesels only later. I know American boats in the Pacific would use them during night surface attacks to prevent being heard when the seas were calm. It'd be amazing to get to choose when to use which.
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To some degree this is a difference in the design of the American and German subs. American subs had the diesels power a generator and used only electric motors for propulsion, similar to a diesel-electric locomotive. German subs had the electric and diesel motors both attached by clutches to the propulsion shafts and used the same machinery as either a generator or a motor, more like a hybrid car. The American system was bulkier but simpler and more flexible. For example the awkward arrangement where the Germans would have to run on one engine for propulsion while the other charged the batteries was not necessary for the Americans (and was actually only done at slower speeds by the Germans - at high speeds they would drive both propellers with the diesels and clutch in one or both electric motors as generators). The Americans could just run the diesels at full power and always have the most efficient distribution of energy. But both approaches had advantages. German subs could be "jump started" by towing with the electric motors engaged, making it easier to capture them
It's likely that the Germans had to use electric motors in port because their system would require a minimum speed when on diesel power. This is not implemented in SH3 but any combustion engine has a minimum speed at which it can run.