[REL] Operation Monsun

[Threadfin]

Well so far my experience is that sea state and weather seems to be a big factor here. But thus far I have yet to encounter any situation, aside from that plane, that I couldn't get out of.

I asked about the cameras because I think that any mod that makes it challenging for players to evade when using externals and reacting to the DD's from above the water, can make it less forgiving for those of us that ride out evasions in the control room or conning tower. It's one of those situations that is difficult to have it right regardless of how the player chooses to play the game.

Of course I may still find it too easy as I move through the war, just thinking out loud, as it were.

Does anyone else find there are a lot of warships cruising around? My current career is U-47 in the 7th beginning in September 1939. I'm on my fifth patrol in August 1940. I play at 88% with only map contacts enabled. On my first patrol I sank the Illustrious. On the third patrol I sank a Kent/County Class heavy cruiser. On the fifth patrol I sank Hood. There were several other task forces that I couldn't get in position for. Seems to be heavy warship traffic in this mod. Not complaining of course, but curious if it's been luck or normal for all players.

[Threadfin]

Well I'd say there are certainly many warships sailing the high seas. On my 8th war patrol aboard U-47 we sank another capital ship, a Queen Elizabeth battleship west of Stornoway. Later in the patrol, down to three torpedoes and low on fuel, we encountered a group consisting of Renown, HMS Argus and two passenger liners making 20 or 21 knots northbound in the CG grid off the northwest coast of Portugal. I fired the remaining torpedoes from long range, 7000 meters, but missed. I fired at the leading battlecruiser, but should have chosen the trailing liner to allow somewhat better positioning, but no matter.

Back to the escorts discussion... after sinking the QE BB I found the four escorts to be persistent and determined if not entirely accurate. We did take some damage from a well placed string, but were able to slip away after being held down for 3 hours or so. They have trouble it seems holding us at 160 meters. This was in spring of 1941. Again, I play without externals, and therefore can't react to escorts like a player watching from the surface could, and am starting to find the escorts aren't a pushover, but not exactly TMO level as was mentioned earlier. We also took damage from a well placed string while getting run over by a convoy west of Gibraltar on the previous patrol.

If I continue to survive we'll see how or if the escorts improve, and I am expecting them to.

[steevo45]

Thanks, keep us posted on your progress, especially on the aggressiveness of destroyers. You're not playing without harder escorts mod I believe. I've started a career July 43 from Norway. Will see if I become one of the hunted!

[Kaleun]

Just reinstalled (got bored with TMO) after rebuilding my PC - I have a large fetish for the IXD2, so i'm going to start a career in Oct 42 when they become available and then transfer to Penang/Far East ports in '43, so hopefully i'll notice an increase in difficulty (slow diving times against improved allied detection) and then the relief of disappearing to the Pacific!

I appreciate the IXD2 isn't for Convoy work so i'll try and avoid them and their destroyers but planes are still going to be challenge!

FWIW my Install:

OpsMonsun_V705
OMv705_to_V720
OMv720_Patch5
OMEGU_v300
OMEGU_v300_Patch7
KiUB_English
Nav Map Make-Over for OM
DBSM_SH4
Alternate OM Loading Screen
EAXsoundsim_without_WebstersManeuver_STOCK_GFO_OM
U-boat Dynamics v1.1 for SH4 OM
Csengoi's EnemiesOfGermany
Fubar XXIupdate
CW_SKINPACK1_Fubars_Type_VIIB-VIIC_BattleOfTheAtlantic_20140322
SKINPACK2_VIIC41_20140325 (U995)
CW_SKINPACK1_Fubars_Type_IXC_weathered_20140323
DBSM_SH4_Speech_Fix

[Threadfin]

Originally Posted by steevo45

Thanks, keep us posted on your progress, especially on the aggressiveness of destroyers. You're not playing without harder escorts mod I believe. I've started a career July 43 from Norway. Will see if I become one of the hunted!

I will, and you are correct, I am not using the harder escorts. Your July '43 career should reveal the answers long before I get there, if I get there at all!

I should add that I play Dead is Dead, no reloads and as a result I put survival as the top priority. I still take chances, but calculated ones. So that means I don't attack every convoy or task force I encounter. I have to feel there is an opening I can exploit, or I might fire from relatively long range on the surface. So if I get it right, and I don't always, the ability of the escorts to quickly counterattack is limited.

I started a thread a SimHQ to spread the word to the uninitiated about OM and I am detailing some of the current career's highlights over there if anyone might be interested

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4012656/[SH4]_Operation_Monsun#Post4012656

Hey Kaleun, please let us know how you get on with that Pacific/Indian Ocean transfer. Seems very interesting and I plan to do the same when and if my current career comes to an end. Same for you Steevo, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the July '43 start. Are either of you using the harder escorts?

FWIW, this is my current install

OpsMonsun_V705
OMv705_to_V720
OMv720_Patch5
OMEGU_v300
OMEGU_v300_Patch7
KiUB_English
Magnified Hud Dials for OM+OMEGU_Medium
Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton

[niwo]

Hi, this is a grat mod and i enjoy it to have the german uboats in shIV.
Maybe I am a bit spoiled from playing LSHIII but are there Supply ships (Milchkühe) for OM?
I looked through google but i didn't find something.

If not, maybe they can be inserted from LSHIII to SH4OM?
If yes, how?

Another little thing that bothers me a bit is that the crew can man the deck guns at rough sea and can load external torpedoes in storm as well. H.sie fixed that brilliantly with his exe patcher. I am looking for something similar for sh4.

One last thing is the missing Papenberg at the attack-scope. at the watchscope there is one.
Any thoughts?

[steevo45]

My current mod install below;
RSRDC_SH15_V550
RSRDC_V5xx_Patch1
OpsMonsun_V705
OMv705_to_V720
OMv720_Patch5
Traveller Mod v1.7 for OM 7.20
OMEGU_v300
OMEGU_v300_Patch7
OM_SH3_Command_Keys
OM_Harder_Escort_L2
KiUB_English
OMEGU_English
DBSM_SH4
DBSM_SH4_Speech_Fix
EAXsoundsim_without_WebstersManeuver_STOCK_GFO_OM
U-boat Dynamics v1.1 for SH4 OM
Atlantic Water

Well, yes, I'll keep you updated on the July 43 start, and yes, niwo, there are lots of regular 'milch cow' supply ships in OM. As for your other questions afraid not sure....
By the way, looking to add to this mod list especially on the graphics, skins, sounds departments, any suggestions?

[Threadfin]

Originally Posted by niwo

Another little thing that bothers me a bit is that the crew can man the deck guns at rough sea and can load external torpedoes in storm as well. H.sie fixed that brilliantly with his exe patcher. I am looking for something similar for sh4.

As Steevo said there are supply boats, and you will receive radio message as to their locations, for example in early 1942 I was getting message that U-495 I think it was is in CC grid for such and such dates.


As to you deck gun and external load questions, why can't you just man the deck gun in the weather you deem appropriate, and don't man it in weather that you feel is too rough? Does it really require that the sim does this for you?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Threadfin

As to you deck gun and external load questions, why can't you just man the deck gun in the weather you deem appropriate, and don't man it in weather that you feel is too rough? Does it really require that the sim does this for you?

Always an excellent suggestion.

"Realism is in how you play, not in the game settings."
—Rockin Robbins

[niwo]

Originally Posted by Threadfin

As Steevo said there are supply boats, and you will receive radio message as to their locations, for example in early 1942 I was getting message that U-495 I think it was is in CC grid for such and such dates.

Ok, i didn't know that. I have to confess I didn't read the readme complete. But it's good to read that and I will do so. Just to get it right: Are there only Milkcows or are there supply ships internated in neutral harbours, too?

Originally Posted by Threadfin

As to you deck gun and external load questions, why can't you just man the deck gun in the weather you deem appropriate, and don't man it in weather that you feel is too rough? Does it really require that the sim does this for you?

No, its not required. Its completely up to my choice. But this is a good idea for a mod that injures the crew when on deck in heavy weather.

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Always an excellent suggestion.

"Realism is in how you play, not in the game settings."
—Rockin Robbins

Yes you are right.

[Kommandant_Wesser]

I would just like to say thank to the person who made this wonderful mod

[ReallyDedPoet]

Great mod by the author of RSRD, another great one.

[Threadfin]

Picking back up on the conversation about the capabilities of the escorts.... I just finished my OM career. Well, more accurately, an enemy destroyer finished it for me. I posted the patrol reports in this sub-forum, but if you missed it, and based on the number of comments, most people did, lol, it can be found here

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=215991

I commanded U-47 for 18 patrols, from September 1939 through November of 1943. The last 15 months or so were played in the Mediterranean. My take on the AI is that they are good. They are especially good at detection of surfaced boats, and boats at shallow and medium depths. At very deep depths, they are not good at tracking the player. When below 150 meters, the AI had trouble tracking me. To me, this is the behavior I want to see from ASW AI. Most of us have played TMO I'm sure, and I find I sometimes get frustrated at the ability of the Japanese ASW to keep a lock on my boat at depths approaching 600 feet. In OM, there is safety at extreme depth.

The capabilities of the AI ramped up as you'd expect as the war moved forward. Aircraft are the most dangerous. An aircraft sunk my boat on my fourth patrol in my first OM career, but I became much more wary in my second. The installation of the Biscay Cross was the single most important on my boat in my opinion, saving U-47 countless times.

For me the OM AI is close to where I want it to be. When playing without external cameras, you don't want exceptionally difficult AI. Or at least I don't.

Aside from the Metox and submerged patrols, the key for me was sea state. Heavy sea states were extremely important in successful attacks against escorted enemy formations. I found the AI's ability to detect and hold me was exponentially greater in calm conditions.

Over the course of the career my boat was damaged many times, temporarily sunk once, 3 men were killed and quite a few wounded, all before the boat was permanently sunk with the loss of all hands. For me, OM faithfully reproduces the 'Happy Times' and likewise the change in initiative and the downfall of the U-Boat force as the Allies get the hardware to deal with them.

[steevo45]

OK, maybe the AI is close to realistic although 18 patrols in historical terms would have been close to a record! You're right there is a big difference with TMO, which VERY tough although I find OM relatively easy late war compared to SH3 GWX in which escorts are more persistent in hunting you down and hanging around pinging you right down to 250 metres and beyond! I find the depth charges are less accurate in OM too. Talking of aircraft, yes, they are dangerous, chased back to port after my transfer to St Nazaire just after leaving by swarms of mosquitoes and Beaufighters and nearly sunk! What next, another OM patrol?

[steevo45]

By the way, great patrol, RIP U47, on eternal patrol!