SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - AOD/SH1/SH2 - What do you do to maintain challenge level?

MadMike · 08-01-05, 08:00 AM

I keep a KTB or war patrol book that pretty much follows SOP for U-boats or US subs.
I believe CB's website had a blackout map download. I resorted to copying pages from an atlas and using that as the basis for navigation (using the coordinates on the map screen to plot movement, quite fun).
Since PA has some limitations, I skip "routining" torpedos every seven days (submerge to unload and then reload tubes simulating maintenance).
Another limitation is that you can't run at radar depth in Pacific Aces, so I cruise on battery power at 8 meters simulating this practice when running radar.
Of course, on Gato and Balao boats the passive sonar could be used while surfaced, although running at very slow speed. There is no ranging, so I don't even worry about it.
There is no PPI display in PA, what I do is zoom the map screen to scale with the sub centered when radar is active.
I haven't used auto TDC for several years, and never plan to. Manual TDC is quite challenging and once you learn it, it makes the game all the more realistic. My most recent patrol I managed to hit a battleship with one fish after firing all ten tubes at a task force (quite frustrating).
Just finished the patrol, sank two sampans with gunfire and hit an armed troopship with a Mk27 (I finished it off with my remaining two shots from deck gun and 40mm)- the deck gun set off a large secondary.
I average about 20,000 tons each patrol (if I'm lucky). My manual TDC skills need some refresher training (estimating target speed).
SH2 and PA are still a blast, I may pick up SH3 in the future (only if they have a US submarine campaign though!).

Yours, Mike

IYAAYAS!

08-01-05, 08:00 AM	#6
MadMike Watch Officer Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 342 Downloads: 232 Uploads: 0	I keep a KTB or war patrol book that pretty much follows SOP for U-boats or US subs. I believe CB's website had a blackout map download. I resorted to copying pages from an atlas and using that as the basis for navigation (using the coordinates on the map screen to plot movement, quite fun). Since PA has some limitations, I skip "routining" torpedos every seven days (submerge to unload and then reload tubes simulating maintenance). Another limitation is that you can't run at radar depth in Pacific Aces, so I cruise on battery power at 8 meters simulating this practice when running radar. Of course, on Gato and Balao boats the passive sonar could be used while surfaced, although running at very slow speed. There is no ranging, so I don't even worry about it. There is no PPI display in PA, what I do is zoom the map screen to scale with the sub centered when radar is active. I haven't used auto TDC for several years, and never plan to. Manual TDC is quite challenging and once you learn it, it makes the game all the more realistic. My most recent patrol I managed to hit a battleship with one fish after firing all ten tubes at a task force (quite frustrating). Just finished the patrol, sank two sampans with gunfire and hit an armed troopship with a Mk27 (I finished it off with my remaining two shots from deck gun and 40mm)- the deck gun set off a large secondary. I average about 20,000 tons each patrol (if I'm lucky). My manual TDC skills need some refresher training (estimating target speed). SH2 and PA are still a blast, I may pick up SH3 in the future (only if they have a US submarine campaign though!). Yours, Mike IYAAYAS!