Realism- and gameplay-related hardcode fixes for SH3.EXE

[Stiebler]

@LGN1:

I have been on holiday, sorry for delay in reply:

Do you have some more accurate information on radar usage? From what I gathered it seems that the first really useful device against u-boats was the 'Type 271' 10cm radar. It was first installed in March '41 on a ship and the first 'kill' attributed to it was in Nov. '41. I also found that by May '42 236 ships carried it. I'm wondering whether after spring '42 night attacks were still useful/possible? Do you know details about this?

I can never remember the numbers of types of radar. However, the early successes by warships against U-boats were achieved with 150cm radar. The British had found a way to miniaturise the components, which previously had to be carried on very large warships. Thus, in March 1941, five U-boats were detected and sunk by surprise around just one or two convoys in the Atlantic, by only two radar-fitted destroyers. Three of the U-boats sunk were commanded by aces: Kretschmer, Prien and Schepke.

It was not until mid-1942 that BdU accepted that Allied warships were fitted with radar (still 150 cm), and by August 1942 Allied aircraft were carrying 150 cm radar too. This led to the development of the German radar detector Metox. The Allies introduced 10 cm radar to aircraft and warships starting around September 1942, but this radar only began to make an impact (compared with 150 cm radar) when fitted to aircraft over the Bay of Biscay in 1943. Metox could not detect the lower frequency.

Radar carried by destroyers was less effective at detecting U-boats, because the seas are high and the top of the destroyer is low (compared with an aircraft). Thus U-boat commanders continued to make wolf-pack attacks at night even when they knew that the escorts were fitted with radar. Firstly, the nearest warship might not have detected any U-boat. Secondly, even if it had detected 10 U-boats, it could still attack only one U-boat at a time.

As late as 1944, standard U-boat training emphasised night-surface attacks, and I have seen many accounts of U-boats that surfaced at night in 1944, even in calm waters, in order to attack a convoy or single ships. The U-boats were often detected by radar, but could still complete their attack, then escape detection (from long-range radar) by diving. The U-boats would hope to escape the subsequent asdic search, with its much shorter range.

@Hitman:
Concerning effect of time compression (TC) on aircraft attacks in SH3:
It has always been the case that high TC results in fewer air attacks. The reason is that U-boat and aircraft move in jumps across the sea (in SH3), and the higher the TC, the larger the jumps between each test of detection by the SH3 code. Therefore, the higher the TC, the more likely it is that the aircraft has jumped over the U-boat without either side being detected. (I'm sure you knew all this already. I mention it only for the benefit of newer players of SH3.)

However, I have found a more interesting discovery. With NYGM and SH3, it used to be that aircraft *never* attacked at TC above 1024. From NYGM 3.4, aircraft *do* attack at TC 2048 and 4096, although these attacks are much less common than attacks at TC 1024 and lower, for the reason stated above.

I have no idea why this change has occurred.

Stiebler.

[Hitman]

However, I have found a more interesting discovery. With NYGM and SH3, it used to be that aircraft *never* attacked at TC above 1024. From NYGM 3.4, aircraft *do* attack at TC 2048 and 4096, although these attacks are much less common than attacks at TC 1024 and lower, for the reason stated above.

I have no idea why this change has occurred.

I found similar effects when switching mods and even stock game.

Apparently the key is the detection range, i.e. early in the war units only have the visual sensor so at high TC they quickly jump over the area where they could detect mutually. Later in the war, however, you start receiving many reports of radar detection that drop TC from high figures. The reason is that the detection range of radar detectors is much larger, and the unit's jumps at hight TC do not take it out of detection area before the next "pass" of the sensor's system.

Did you by chance make modifications in the detection ranges or effectiveness of anti-radar?

I made some experiments long ago giving aircraft a super visual sensor of 100 miles or so, to see if they would overcome the jumps and detect the uboat but no joy. However, the radar detector coupled with radar emissions from the airplan did work flawlessly to enlarge the detections range, so I suspect that somehow detection must be given mutual chances by the game engine, i.e. that the enemy unit detects the uboat is not enough to drop TC if it is not within uboat's sensor ranges. Obviously, enlarging them to enable detection of airplanes at greater range will screw the general gameplay, but a solution would be to experiment with a limited sensor, with a minimum heigth that does not allow it to detect ships, but only airplanes, and that can't identify friend or foe and will not trigger reports, but just make TC drop.

[andqui]

With regards to aircraft and TC detection- I thought of something that would be best fixed in a hardcode patch- I'm using GWX3 with MEPv3, and I am never surprised by any aircraft in good weather. Under these circumstances I have not once spotted a plane at a range below 10 km or so, and the only time I've been surprised has been at night when I heard the aircraft engines before my watchcrew spotted the plane. However, this has occurred only once, at night, whereas I think that even in daylight there would be a chance that an aircraft could approach undetected until it was close. Is that assumption valid, and is this just me?

[h.sie]

Originally Posted by complutum

Could it be possible to have electric propulsion while surfaced?
And could also be possible to manage each engine indIvidually?
I mean you can put starboard engine full ahead and portboard stop or whatever combination you want.
Just only one suggest to study when you have time
Thanks for your great work

That would be possible, but the hardest part would be to add new Dials which are needed for controlling this new bahaviour! And: IIRC, someone in the past mentioned that this would not bring any gameplay benefit, since the detection probability would not be changed (because of poor modelling of engine sound?)

But I put it on my growing ToDo-List. Priority: High!!
----------------------------------------------------
(The priority levels of my ToDo-List are: Extremely High, VeryVery High, Very High and High)

[complutum]

many thanks for your reply, as i posted it was only one suggest.

I'm using your V15G2 version and in my oppinion it gives a lot of inmersion on the role of a real u boat commander. it's just other game, not SH3.

[h.sie]

@complutum: sorry for not being able to fulfil all suggestions/wishes, but I'm glad you like it anyway. Happy hunting!

[h.sie]

I would be very thankful if some native english speaker could help me to make some messages. Sure, I am able to write in english, but I'm not able to make the messages sound military-like.......thus, I need help. Thank you!!

For the forthcoming Wolfpack Mod there will be 6 different categories of BDU responses to the players contact reports. For each category, I need more than only one message, in order to have more variety:

Category 1 (4 messages required):
-------------------------------------------
BDU orders player to attack the convoy alone without mentioning details. Example: "Attack convoy in your sole discretion. Awaiting status report after attack. Good luck."

Category 2 (4 messages required):
-------------------------------------------
The 1st response of the BDU on a new contact report. Some praise for the player. Other Uboats are not far away and are ordered to form a wolfpack and intercept the convoy. Contact reports should be sent hourly. Example: "Good work! Hold contact and sent contact reports every hour."

Category 3 (10 messages required):
-------------------------------------------
The 2nd and further response of the BDU on an report on an established contact. Contact reports should still be sent hourly. Example: "Contact report received. Continue sending hourly. Beware of aircraft."

Category 4 (4 messages required):
-------------------------------------------
The wolfpack Uboats have reached their interception positions. Attack will start in the next time (no exact time known). No further contact reports in order to prevent from detection. Example: "Uboats are in operation area. Will attack soon. Radio silence from now on. Good luck!"

Category 5 (4 messages required):
-------------------------------------------
For certain reasons (bad weather, fuel problems, infrequent contact reports) the wolfpack Uboats are not able to reach the interception point in time, thus, the player is ordered to attack alone. Example: "Wolfpack is unable to find the convoy. Attack alone. Good luck."

Category 6 (4 messages required):
-------------------------------------------
Wolfpack Uboats have been sunk/damaged/chased away by enemy (hunter-killer groups or similar, in 1943 and later). Thus, the player is ordered to attack alone. Example: "Contact to wolfpack Uboats lost. U-145 sunk, U-443 missed. Attack alone in your sole discretion."

[Hitman]

Sounds great

For further reading on standing orders to the UBoats regarding wolfpacks, you can see the UBoat Commander's Handbook here:

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/uboat/index.htm#par340

See paragraphs: 310 onwards, 340 onwards

[complutum]

I need to know how to change the names of german supply ships to allow them be used as u tankers. this is mentioned in the frist post of this thread, but i'm not sure how to do it. I mean which file i must look for.

thanks in advance.

[Robin40]

Originally Posted by complutum

I need to know how to change the names of german supply ships to allow them be used as u tankers. this is mentioned in the frist post of this thread, but i'm not sure how to do it. I mean which file i must look for.

thanks in advance.

Go to

Data/Campaigns/Campaign_SCR

Open file

Find with Find option

Python
Belchen Supply Ship (2 items)
Corrientes
Thalia
Bessel
Max Albrecht
Charlotte Schliemann

Make a backup of the file

Change names

Save it

[Stiebler]

@H.sie:

I would be very thankful if some native english speaker could help me to make some messages. Sure, I am able to write in english, but I'm not able to make the messages sound military-like.......thus, I need help. Thank you!!

For the forthcoming Wolfpack Mod there will be 6 different categories of BDU responses to the players contact reports. For each category, I need more than only one message, in order to have more variety:

Here are my ideas for signals from BdU for wolfpack attacks.

Please note that there is a slight misunderstanding about contact reports and homing signals. The procedure was this: 1. The U-boat making contact with a convoy would make a sighting report. 2. BdU would then EITHER release the U-boat for individual attack OR order the U-boat to send out homing signals on which other U-boats could converge.

Thus, there is no need for your ‘Category 3’ signals. BdU should remain silent, or the code should say simply ‘Homing signal transmitted’ to confirm that the contact message has been sent.

Also, your categories (5) and (6) can be merged. BdU would never tell a U-boat holding contact that a wolfpack would not arrive because all the boats had been sunk or damaged! Think of the effect on morale! Besides, probably BdU would not know itself the fate of the wolfpack.

Category 1:
a) Full freedom of manoeuvre granted.
b) Individual attack recommended for tonight.
c) No support available - attack at discretion.
d) Looks like you’re on your own - attack at will.

Category 2:
a) Good work! Maintain contact. Homing signals every hour.
b) Well done! Transmit hourly. Other boats on way.
c) Curb your impatience! We’re sending U-Hsie. Hourly transmissions needed.
d) At last a convoy! Stick with it until pack arrives. Request hourly updates.

Category 3:
[Not needed] ‘Homing signal transmitted.’

Category 4:
a) Pack has assembled. Expect joint attack tonight.
b) Pack reports contact. You are released for attack.
c) U 123 to take over as shadower of convoy. Attack at will.
d) Boats in position. Commence operation tonight. Attack! Sink!

Category 5/6:
a) Cannot assemble wolfpack in time. Freedom of manoeuvre granted.
b) U 123 reports mechanical difficulties. Attack alone tonight.
c) Pack is low on fuel. You are on your own - good luck!
d) Pack reports local fog. You are cleared for solo attack.
e) Pack has disbanded. Attack at will.
f) U-123 reports strong aerial activity around convoy. Assume you must attack alone.
g) Enemy reinforcements will join convoy tomorrow. Don’t wait for others, attack tonight.
h) Weather expected to deteriorate. Attack at dusk.

Stiebler.

[LGN1]

Hi Stiebler,

thanks for your reply about the radar questions!

Concerning the messages: The problem is that we cannot have homing signals in SH3 (without much work) and therefore, the contact report feature is used to simulate homing signals. Neglecting the signals/contact report is also not possible because a) it's used to calculate the chance for a wolfpack and b) in areas with aircover sending the message increases the chance for being attacked (or does this only hold for the status report???). This is a very good aspect of using the contact report feature.

Anyway, since anyone can later adapt the messages to his taste, it's not really important what the exact wording is. H.sie's current version allows a lot of flexibility and whether players use this or not is up to them.

Regards, LGN1

PS: I agree that BDU would not send a message that U-xxx has been sunk,..., but I'm sure that sometimes BDU had the knowledge (U-boats sending messages that they scuttle the boat, U-boats not responding for some time,...). Anyway, for immersion reasons some player might like it.

PS 2: I would not include any reference to planes or aerial activity because it might be that the contact is early in the war and in the middle of the Atlantic. In this case it might sound strange (and maybe use different U-xxx numbers so that it will not become repetitive).

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Hello all.

I may be late to the party here, but I don't think I've posted my thoughts on this thread... and I should have.

To H.Sie, Stiebler, and all who have put so much effort into this impressive body of work, thank you for undertaking it. Cheers to all of you.

Sink'em all!

[h.sie]

@Stiebler: Thanks, J. for the messages!!!!

I know about the difference between contact report and homing signals ("Peilsignale" in german I think).

BUT: We have to live with some compromises:

1) In SH3 we don't have the GUI- and code infrastructure for sending special homing signals, we only have "contact report".

2) There surely was some communication between the wolfpack subs. But since it was very hard / impossible to establish an intelligent communication between the wolfpack subs and the player sub (which fits each possible situation) we decided to use the already available code infrastructure for the communication between the BDU and the player sub (BDU responds to contact reports) instead, with some generic messages for game athmosphere reasons.

3) Since our AI-Subs are dumb, we have programmed a BDU-AI that leads the AI-Subs to the convoy. This BDU-AI (sometimes) needs the players course (and speed) estimations of the convoy in order to lead the AI-Subs into the correct area. This cannot be done with a simple homing signal.

Despite these simplifications I have now almost 1000 lines of assembler code (including comments).

[h.sie]

@Kpt. Lehmann: Thanks very much. Without the huge effort of the Supermod creators (GWX, NYGM, LSH, WAC, CCoM), who made sh3 a great sim, I wouldn't have started to try to polish it a little bit.