[Fidd]

117. Improvement to alerting?

Currently, when any u-boat is sighted, or there's a torpedo trail spotted, or an impact, or an escort in asdic contact with a u-boat, the convoy "alerts" and it's subsequent behaviour makes it difficult to hit targets within. This creates an opposing tension between the game experience of the located u-boat, and the rest of the u-boats in a multi-boat game. Specifically, the located u-boat only suffers (usually) a single DC attack, in what would otherwise be the period of most excitement and drama, namely evading repeated asdic searches and dc attacks, dealing with damage and so forth; and the gameplay of the other u-boats who are left twiddling their thumbs waiting for the convoy to "settle" so they can derive their fun by attacking it.

Something needs to change here? I'd like to see the fact that a u-boat is recently held on ASDIC, as no longer being grounds for the convoy as a whole to remain alerted, and much longer periods of asdic searches by escorts to regain a lost contact. Escorts would nonetheless seek asdic contacts in their areas. Coupled with no safety from asdic contact being made at any depth, (but with DC's dropped to depths of 150-200m being of general low accuracy) the preconditions are then in place for damage-models, crew damage-control, and the stress and anxiety of being under prolonged DC/ASDIC attack/searches; crucially, without inconveniencing other players, in other u-boats seeking to attack the convoy in the interim.

I would suggest that "alerts" be of shorter duration than currently, or that length be configurable, so that an alert is constituted of a heading change, but no speed change. A boat detected that caused the alert however remaining under active asdic search and dc attack for a much longer period than currently with no limit to the depth at which it may be attacked with either hedge-hogs (when fitted) or DC's. I'd also like to see maximum ping-rate increased to circa 3/4 of a second, overheard escorts (or other ships) being plainly audible in the boat, and the noise of DC's going off MUCH louder. 3rd party DC water-plumes would be good too. An alert so caused would last perhaps 6 minutes only, however with a gap opened up in the escort screen as the escort conducting asdic searches/dc attacks falls astern.

I'd also like to see a very severe vertical or lateral "camera shake" - as was the case in "Das Boot" ideally with crew being knocked to the floor, being injured etc. Why the game doesn't already mine the rich vein of content that the experience of being depth-charged confers is something that mystifies me to this day.