Just a couple of questions

[XfoXshoX]

Hey, I was just curious. In SH4's ship recognition manual, in addition to the US, Japanese, Merchant, Australian, New Zealand, and British sections I'd expect to find out in the Pacific, there's also entries for French, German, Indian, Dutch, and Russian ships. For some like Russia, it's just a armed trawler. While for others, like the Dutch there's a couple more like the River-class frigate and Flower-class corvette. I was just curious if anyone else as ever run into any of these other nations' ships before. I can't even imagine where to begin looking for a Russian trawler or what not ha.

Also, does anyone know just how accurate or varied SH4's claim of reenacting major battles of the Pacific War is? What I mean by that is that are only really major battles like Midway just simulated or are smaller, early war actions like the Battle of the Java Sea, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the various naval missions during the Guadalcanal Campaign also simulated? Cause I'd really love to help prevent the destruction of ABDACOM's Eastern Strike Force during the BoJS and stuff like that.

[torpedobait]

What version of SH4? Which mods, if any?

[XfoXshoX]

Originally Posted by torpedobait

What version of SH4? Which mods, if any?

Just stock SH4 with U-Boat Missions.

[torpedobait]

You have v1.5, which is good. The top major mods available on this site require v1.5. Everyone has their own preferences as to historical accuracy vs. random events, and you can find these in most mods. The one that I've used to find history-based actions such as what you are looking for is in the one called RSRDC (been so long I can't remember what those letters stand for!). I have always used it in combination with TMO. You can find plenty of info on this site in the discussions related to TMO and TMO+RSRDC.

Most engagements of any significance are built into the RSRDC campaigns. The thing is, and here is where preferences come into play, after a couple of careers of searching out and engaging in those actions, it gets predicable and repetitive. That's why many of us are moving on to Fall Of The Rising Sun Ultimate (FOTRSU), currently in an advanced Beta stage and being actively worked on.

Bottom line: I think you can find what you want by adding TMO (plus the small patch) and RSRDC (plus it's required patch), all found in the Download section on this site. Give it a shot, and enjoy!

[propbeanie]

RSRDC = Run Silent Run Deep Campaign, and Lurker did get the Battle sequences to pull off rather well. You just can't be in certain places, else the groups won't spawn correctly. But for the most part, he does spawn them far enough away to not have that a factor. The Stock game has the battles, but the groups involved may or may not show up on time, and Stock doesn't have the choice of ships that TMO / RSRDC does. Another good choice along those lines though is Bleiente's mix of those two in Ralles RealModPack for TMO_RSRDC_OTC. He has some tweaks in the mix that he likes, and a few extra mini-mods for some variety.

As for the ships of other nations, you'll find the Russian ships up above the Kurile Island chain, and also sometimes West of Japan, over by Vladivostok. The Russians and Japanese had a neutrality agreement for a good portion of the war, and the Russians would use Tsuragu Strait during the winter months when their northern route was frozen over. Dutch ships of course, would be seen down around the Dutch East Indies until early 1942. Some of their ships helped the Allies over around Guadalcanal and West. The French were in what was then known as French Indochina, which was basically what is now Vietnam. Some of the Vichy French bases were used (ie: Camranh Bay) by the Japanese as jumping off points for the start of hostilities and further invasions of DEI and other areas. There were a few German ships that would be in the area, mostly attempting to exchange war materials, tools and medicine with the Japanese, and then they have the Gruppe Monsun Uboats that operated out of Penang Malaysia, and some of their support vessels... Stock doesn't try to "model" that too much either, but that's what the V1.5 Uboat missions is about...

[torpedobait]

To add to Prop's comments, on several occasions during the war (in FOTRSU) I have encountered a German DD escorting a single large European liner, usually somewhere west of the Ryukus. Can't give a time frame, but I have found more than one on different patrols. There also may be the occasional single German-flagged vessel running around the Pacific.

Good hunting!

[XfoXshoX]

Originally Posted by torpedobait

Most engagements of any significance are built into the RSRDC campaigns.

Could expound on just what is simulated with this mod? I know for example Midway would be but just how small of a battle could have happened and been simulated? For example, the Battle of Savo Island (Aug 8-9, 1942) wasn't really all that big. American and Japanese cruisers duked it out through the night with the Japanese emerging victorious. Of course, it meant the US transports had to pull out and leave the Marines in a precarious position but it wasn't really significant in the grand scheme of things. Or the Japanese diversion during Midway(Battle of Dutch Harbor, Attu, Kiska), where escort carriers were about the biggest ships involved. Are events as small as these involved or no? Also, would TMO be required because I thought of using TMO but I didn't like how much harder it seemed like it would make the game (I like being able to relatively easily slip enemy DDs and slid into enemy harbors. I don't really like a load of challenge in my games because I play them to relax, not challenge myself. I got my own crappy life to do that for me ha.)

[Fifi]

If you want an easier TMO 2.5, give a try to TMOWTW 2.5 (TMO with training wheels)
Thermal layer is a bit stronger to be able to evade dds, AI sensors are a bit less accurate for detection, but whole campaign and environment stuff remain the same…
Currently using it, it’s a joy to play even for veteran

[torpedobait]

Originally Posted by Captain Private high

Could expound on just what is simulated with this mod? I know for example Midway would be but just how small of a battle could have happened and been simulated? For example, the Battle of Savo Island (Aug 8-9, 1942) wasn't really all that big. American and Japanese cruisers duked it out through the night with the Japanese emerging victorious. Of course, it meant the US transports had to pull out and leave the Marines in a precarious position but it wasn't really significant in the grand scheme of things. Or the Japanese diversion during Midway(Battle of Dutch Harbor, Attu, Kiska), where escort carriers were about the biggest ships involved. Are events as small as these involved or no? Also, would TMO be required because I thought of using TMO but I didn't like how much harder it seemed like it would make the game (I like being able to relatively easily slip enemy DDs and slid into enemy harbors. I don't really like a load of challenge in my games because I play them to relax, not challenge myself. I got my own crappy life to do that for me ha.)

Honestly, I didn't find TMO/RSRDC all that hard if you used common sense. I don't usually take on aircraft, and try not to be detected by escorts, especially in shallow waters. That said, everyone has their own tastes, what's easy for some is hard for others and vice versa. TMO/RSRDC has some of what you want. It's been a while, but I have laid off Savo Island and intercepted the Tokyo Express (can't remember the dates, but maybe September-October 1942, and there are almost always nightly runs of 5 or more IJN DD's to tangle with. Tulagi is very near by for rearming if you like to pile it on). IF you are far enough NNW of the island (3-5 Nm or so) you can catch them coming in with a lot of success. Not sure how it affects the outcome. In the following morning going just SE of Savo Island I've found damaged US cruisers, and several more IJN forces (DD's and CA's) that also are sinkable. Also, in May (around the 4th, I think) if you are exactly 17Nm due south of one of the small bays (the one that extends farthest inland) at the SE end of San Cristobal you will almost get run over by an IJN force of three DD's and two fleet carriers. Get inside the one DD screen on the north and both carriers are sinkable with three torpedoes each. Then if you can make your way to the channel leading up to Rabaul, on May 10 you will intercept the returning Port Moresby invasion force, mostly transports.

I'm sure there are many more, such as around Surabaya and points west in January-February 1942, but that's awfully shallow water. I've encountered unescorted IJN CAs there, along with large invasion forces. This is all just before the Allies lose the base at Surabaya. Frankly, it all get repetitive for me, so I switched to FOTARSU for something less predictable. Some of the real encounters are in there, including Kurita's IJN force coming through the channel at the south end of Leyte Gulf in October 1944. Probably way more, but why spoil the fun. After all, it's not meant to be a arcade game, is it? I say load it up and jump in. The water's fine!

[XfoXshoX]

Ok, thanks for the info. I'll have to give it a try sometime. Maybe after my new computer is built so my performance isn't so spotty.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting.