Contact Reports - What do I do with them?

woodenboat · 02-03-16, 12:05 PM

I notice that I often spend quite a bit of time patrolling areas where there seems to be no shipping. It's just like going fishing. My fishing buddies will often tell me about how many fish they caught and where on the lake they were catching them. I will reply that I will just come down to the lake and put a stop to that!! Haha.

So when I'm patrolling an area trying to find enemy shipping, I usually will compress the time so that my wait times are less burdensome. But then I keep getting these contact reports that always set my time compression back to one. Are these contact reports something that I can use? Or are they just a darned source of constant annoyance?

I find myself constantly doing a tap dance on the + key to keep speeding up the time compression. Invariable, just when I need it the most, I'll inadvertently do a tap dance on the enter key just below the + key thinking that I have the correct key and I will fire off all six of my forward torpedoes. OMG I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS!!

So how are we supposed to use these contact reports when they give the longitude and latitude of a convoy sighted? I have tried to plot courses to these sightings using the longitude and latitude markings on the map and by estimating the enemy's trajectory. But I have yet to be successful at this. I will be making mad dashes across sections of the ocean only to learn that I've been chasing ghosts.

If these contact reports are no good, is there anyway to disable them?

I suppose all of this also applies to radio messages. Often, when I'm waiting to cross large expanses of ocean, I'll be reading my radio messages and it would be nice if I knew how to capitalize on this info.

dashyr · 02-03-16, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodenboat

I notice that I often spend quite a bit of time patrolling areas where there seems to be no shipping. It's just like going fishing. My fishing buddies will often tell me about how many fish they caught and where on the lake they were catching them. I will reply that I will just come down to the lake and put a stop to that!! Haha.

So when I'm patrolling an area trying to find enemy shipping, I usually will compress the time so that my wait times are less burdensome. But then I keep getting these contact reports that always set my time compression back to one. Are these contact reports something that I can use? Or are they just a darned source of constant annoyance?

I find myself constantly doing a tap dance on the + key to keep speeding up the time compression. Invariable, just when I need it the most, I'll inadvertently do a tap dance on the enter key just below the + key thinking that I have the correct key and I will fire off all six of my forward torpedoes. OMG I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS!!

So how are we supposed to use these contact reports when they give the longitude and latitude of a convoy sighted? I have tried to plot courses to these sightings using the longitude and latitude markings on the map and by estimating the enemy's trajectory. But I have yet to be successful at this. I will be making mad dashes across sections of the ocean only to learn that I've been chasing ghosts.

If these contact reports are no good, is there anyway to disable them?

I suppose all of this also applies to radio messages. Often, when I'm waiting to cross large expanses of ocean, I'll be reading my radio messages and it would be nice if I knew how to capitalize on this info.

You must mean hydrophone contacts. Yeah you pretty much have to get used to it. They are almost always useful and most of the time the first warning you got of approaching ships. Not always easy to tell where they are going either. Of course when they report the location of a convoy you can try to chase it but keep in mind that they may be going AWAY from you. In those situations its better to ignore the report because the waste of fuel isn't worth it. The reports ARE worthwhile... it all depends on WHERE you are at that given time.

aanker · 02-03-16, 12:43 PM

Like the Germans, the Japanese gave frequent reports to headquarters of their position that were intercepted and decoded by us - then sent to you and other submarines. These reports that you get were known as Ultra ( in a nutshell).

The US boats didn't report much, if at all, and were known as the 'Silent Service' because of this difference.

When given an Ultra report, note the time, location, speed, and reported course, roughly plot it and see if you are in a position to intercept them without wasting fuel.

If so, plot a course to intercept, if not, disregard them.

Completing your Objectives is your primary duty, tonnage is secondary and may be required by the Objective.

Hope this helps, Happy Hunting!

Sniper297 · 02-03-16, 03:36 PM

"I notice that I often spend quite a bit of time patrolling areas where there seems to be no shipping"

Big ocean, ain't it? Best way is to go to straits - narrow passages between islands or land masses, lot of traffic passing through Luzon Straits for example. As for the radio report contacts, you should be able to see the icon on the map when it's first reported, along with the time of the report. The icon fades over time, because after a few hours that's where it WAS, not where it IS, it's a moving object. The icon will have a "tail" sticking out to indicate direction, use the tools to draw a line starting at the tail and running out the front, so you can get an idea where it's GOING. You don't want to set a course to where it is NOW, you want an intercept course for where it WILL BE - 12 hours from now? 24 hours from now? Depends on how far away you are from the course line. Assume 6 knots for a convoy, 12 knots for a task force, that will get you in the ballpark when plotting an intercept course 100-200 miles ahead of where it is when first reported.

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

02-03-16, 12:05 PM	#1
woodenboat Mate Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 51 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Contact Reports - What do I do with them? I notice that I often spend quite a bit of time patrolling areas where there seems to be no shipping. It's just like going fishing. My fishing buddies will often tell me about how many fish they caught and where on the lake they were catching them. I will reply that I will just come down to the lake and put a stop to that!! Haha. So when I'm patrolling an area trying to find enemy shipping, I usually will compress the time so that my wait times are less burdensome. But then I keep getting these contact reports that always set my time compression back to one. Are these contact reports something that I can use? Or are they just a darned source of constant annoyance? I find myself constantly doing a tap dance on the + key to keep speeding up the time compression. Invariable, just when I need it the most, I'll inadvertently do a tap dance on the enter key just below the + key thinking that I have the correct key and I will fire off all six of my forward torpedoes. OMG I HATE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS!! So how are we supposed to use these contact reports when they give the longitude and latitude of a convoy sighted? I have tried to plot courses to these sightings using the longitude and latitude markings on the map and by estimating the enemy's trajectory. But I have yet to be successful at this. I will be making mad dashes across sections of the ocean only to learn that I've been chasing ghosts. If these contact reports are no good, is there anyway to disable them? I suppose all of this also applies to radio messages. Often, when I'm waiting to cross large expanses of ocean, I'll be reading my radio messages and it would be nice if I knew how to capitalize on this info. Last edited by woodenboat; 02-03-16 at 12:14 PM.

02-03-16, 12:43 PM	#3
aanker Pacific Thunder Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yellow Sea Posts: 1,896 Downloads: 236 Uploads: 14	Like the Germans, the Japanese gave frequent reports to headquarters of their position that were intercepted and decoded by us - then sent to you and other submarines. These reports that you get were known as Ultra ( in a nutshell). The US boats didn't report much, if at all, and were known as the 'Silent Service' because of this difference. When given an Ultra report, note the time, location, speed, and reported course, roughly plot it and see if you are in a position to intercept them without wasting fuel. If so, plot a course to intercept, if not, disregard them. Completing your Objectives is your primary duty, tonnage is secondary and may be required by the Objective. Hope this helps, Happy Hunting! __________________ " Bless those who serve beneath the deep, Through lonely hours their vigil keep. May peace their mission ever be, Protect each one we ask of thee. Bless those at home who wait and pray, For their return by night and day." Last edited by aanker; 02-03-16 at 12:48 PM.

02-03-16, 03:36 PM	#4
Sniper297 The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philadelphia Shipyard Brig Posts: 1,386 Downloads: 160 Uploads: 19	"I notice that I often spend quite a bit of time patrolling areas where there seems to be no shipping" Big ocean, ain't it? Best way is to go to straits - narrow passages between islands or land masses, lot of traffic passing through Luzon Straits for example. As for the radio report contacts, you should be able to see the icon on the map when it's first reported, along with the time of the report. The icon fades over time, because after a few hours that's where it WAS, not where it IS, it's a moving object. The icon will have a "tail" sticking out to indicate direction, use the tools to draw a line starting at the tail and running out the front, so you can get an idea where it's GOING. You don't want to set a course to where it is NOW, you want an intercept course for where it WILL BE - 12 hours from now? 24 hours from now? Depends on how far away you are from the course line. Assume 6 knots for a convoy, 12 knots for a task force, that will get you in the ballpark when plotting an intercept course 100-200 miles ahead of where it is when first reported. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.