[Stiebler]

Many thanks for the feedback.

You all made some very good points, most of which I had not considered (ahem...).

1. (Hitman) Commander should choose when to scuttle. For example, U-boat might have run out of fuel.
Yes, very good point indeed, and that event has happened to me on a few occasions with SH3.

2. (JeromeHeretic). How can you dive to destruction in shallow water?
Another excellent point I had not considered.

3. (NGT). U-boat reduced to a wreck, but hull integrity undamaged.
And another very important point.

Clearly, then, the hull integrity, at which the U-boat can send a radio status message seeking to abandon ship, needs to be steeply raised. Hitman has suggested to 100%. I am reluctant to make the level as high as this, since then *every* radio message sent by the player will be a request to abandon ship. I cannot think of how to provide an extra toggle or button to press to change the radio status message.

Perhaps 50% damage would be a good compromise, and would fit with the existing code which causes BdU to order the U-boat to return home to base with severe damage.

There is another issue, which I have considered, but could not then find an answer:
If you are sunk in action next to a convoy, it is nearly certain you will be rescued by the Allies. If you sink yourself in mid-Atlantic (eg, run out of fuel), then it is nearly certain you will be rescued by U-boat. If you sink yourself in the Bay of Biscay after serious air attack, then you might be rescued by Allies or U-boat.

In other words, the probability of who rescues you depends on location (closeness of enemy, position in ocean). This is very hard to code, and I have not attempted it.

But reading your replies has given me an idea!
The probability of being rescued by U-boat (the best outcome) should depend on the extent of hull integrity when you send your emergency message. The higher the hull integrity, the more likely you are to be rescued by U-boat.

Thus, if you self-sink after running out of fuel, it is very probable that you will be rescued by U-boat.

If you self-sink after surfacing with heavy damage after an attack on a convoy, you will be shelled heavily, resulting in low hull integrity. So it is very likely you will be rescued by the Allies.

This new idea seems to fit the facts fairly well, although obviously it is possible to imagine circumstances where the result will be wrong. It will cause some difficult decisions for the Dead-Is-Dead players. When is best to surface, and when is best to try to escape?

Concerning NGT's problem - U-boat wrecked, high hull integrity. The best solution is to dive to deep depth, until the hull is also damaged, then blow ballast to return to the surface to send your abandoning message. If anyone can think of a better idea, then I should like to hear it.

Concerning Jerome's problem: how to self-sink in shallow water. As you suggested, you could keep rising and dropping onto the sea bottom, but that is not very acceptable. But I can think of nothing better.

What is really needed is another player action before sending the emergency radio message, which I can program to simulate setting off a scuttling-charge. In other words, after you commit this action, then send the radio message, the hull integrity is set to (say) 2% after 5 minutes. I shall think about that.

Thanks again for all the suggestions - very thought-provoking!

Stiebler.