Starting out with Silent Hunter 3

[LakatosI]

I recently came into contact with the subsim genre by watching a trailer and gameplay footage of Silent Hunter 5. I was really impressed by the graphics and gameplay, and instantly wanted to get my hands on it. Luckily I read about the high system requirements and the ocean of bugs that plague the game. I was really looking forward to be a part of the Battle for the Atlantic, which is why I decided to go for Silent Hunter 3 instead.

Now my only problem is with learning how to play decently on this damned thing :P Now I was thinking of starting out playing on 100% realism after completing the academy, trying to do everything manually, no updating marks on the map or anything, just to start off learning good habits and the science behind sinking ships :P However, I'm starting to have doubts regarding my approach, mainly because of the steep learning curve I would be about to face. So my question here is is what I'm trying to do feasible?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could point me to some tutorials covering the main aspects of the game, not covered in Naval Academy, or explaining more complex techniques, theories, etc. I found a link to Wazoo's tutorial here on the forum, however most of the links there pointing to the various handy mods are broken, so I was wondering if anyone could point me to a place where I can still download them?
And what's up with this elusive "Community Manual" that I see popping up on the forum, yet no decent link pointing to it.

I hope you can help out a poor noob in distress. I am literally amazed that despite the age of this game this community is still so active, although a bit "closed in", seeing that most of the information available isn't noob friendly because the link are outdated.

Anyways, Cheerio!

[maillemaker]

I recently came into contact with the subsim genre by watching a trailer and gameplay footage of Silent Hunter 5. I was really impressed by the graphics and gameplay, and instantly wanted to get my hands on it. Luckily I read about the high system requirements and the ocean of bugs that plague the game. I was really looking forward to be a part of the Battle for the Atlantic, which is why I decided to go for Silent Hunter 3 instead.

Now my only problem is with learning how to play decently on this damned thing :P Now I was thinking of starting out playing on 100% realism after completing the academy, trying to do everything manually, no updating marks on the map or anything, just to start off learning good habits and the science behind sinking ships :P However, I'm starting to have doubts regarding my approach, mainly because of the steep learning curve I would be about to face. So my question here is is what I'm trying to do feasible?

Also, I was wondering if anyone could point me to some tutorials covering the main aspects of the game, not covered in Naval Academy, or explaining more complex techniques, theories, etc. I found a link to Wazoo's tutorial here on the forum, however most of the links there pointing to the various handy mods are broken, so I was wondering if anyone could point me to a place where I can still download them?
And what's up with this elusive "Community Manual" that I see popping up on the forum, yet no decent link pointing to it.

I hope you can help out a poor noob in distress. I am literally amazed that despite the age of this game this community is still so active, although a bit "closed in", seeing that most of the information available isn't noob friendly because the link are outdated.

Anyways, Cheerio!

Welcome aboard!

One of the first things I would recommend is to download and install the GWX 3.0 megamod. This really makes SH3 a new game. I'd also recommend the Lifeboats and Debris mod, and the Torpdeo Damage Final mod.

GWX comes with this thing called JSGME which allows you to enable and disable mods with ease. You will need to use it to enable some of the mods that come with GWX but are not enabled by default, such as Enhanced Damage, and 16Km rendering. Of course the horsepower of your computer will dictate whether or not you want to enable some of these mods.

I run 100% realism, though with map updates still turned on.

An easy way to manually target ships is to use the Fixed Wire method. Fixed Wire negates the need to know the ship's range.

Here is fixed wire:

1) Turn sub on a heading just in front of target ship's track. Set scope bearing to 000.
2) As target ship's bow crosses the vertical reticule, start the stopwatch. As target ship's stern crosses the vertical reticule, stop the stopwatch.
3) Identify the target in the Ship Recognition Manual. This lists target length.
4) Determine target speed by the following forumla:

(Ship Length In Meters) * 1.94 / (Time in Seconds)

5) Go to TDC menu. Enable manual data entry. Dial in target speed. Set Angle on the Bow (AoB) to either 90 degrees port or starboard, depending on whether you are to the port or starboard of the target. Turn off TDC.
6) Go to scope. Set bearing until gyro angle is 000.
7) Go back to TDC. Turn on TDC. Tweak AoB back to 90 degrees. Turn off TDC.
8) Go back to scope. Tweak bearing until gyro is 000. Repeat 6-8 as necessary until you've got your TDC set to 90 degree AoB and your scope bearing gives you 000 gyro angle.
9) Open tube door(s). Wait for target to cross vertical reticule and fire.

The torpedo should strike the target where the vertical reticule was on the ship when you fired.

Some historical things I have learned here that you can observe or ignore:

1) Historical uboats only carried steamers in their external stores. The game lets you carry steamers or electrics externally.
2) Historically the periscope could only withstand the pressure of traveling at a couple of knots.

Sink 'em all!

Steve

[Gerald]

Good Hunting!

It may be a good idé for you to start with Weapons Officer Assist, and Contact Map Updates only On.

From this you can teach yourself what is involved with setting up an attack.

You can loose the Contact Map Updates after a patrol or two, as it doesn't take long to get a general picture.

When, and if, you loose the Weapons Officer Assist requires a judgement call from you.
It's the toughest crutch to give up, but it also raises the immersion the most.

I would reccoment that you stick with Stock SH3 to get the feel of things you do, and don't, like. Read the available literature about any mods you may become interested in. Sometimes fixes come at a price, so it's a good idé to learn as much as possible BEFORE making a decision.

GWX has a great downloadable manual. This is recommended reading, AFTER familiarizing yourself with the strengths, and weaknesses, of Stock SH3. There are also many small mods that may fill your requirements to the fullest. The choice is very individualistic, and should be yours alone.

(I'm an old school letter writer, not a modern chat room enthusiast.
Caps are for emphasis.)

Welcome aboard.

[JScones]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

GWX comes with this thing called JSGME which allows you to enable and disable mods with ease. You will need to use it to enable some of the mods that come with GWX but are not enabled by default, such as Enhanced Damage, and 16Km rendering.

Yes, GWX has a license to distribute JSGME (an unrelated application). Pls keep in mind though that it is an old version, so the first thing to do is to update it to the latest version, available from my website, link below.

[sergei]

Welcome aboard.
Whilst I admire your commitment to just jump straight in at 100%, as you have discovered there is a steep learning curve.

Might I suggest playing some single missions at less than 100% first to get a good feel for the game?
As Snestorm has suggested, maybe start with map contacts and WE Assist on at first.
Then you can put all your concentration into getting into a good attack position, and evasion procedures after the attack.
Once you are comfortable with this, then maybe turn off the WE assist, so you have to calculate your own torpedo solution.
Finally turning map contacts off as the last step.

Just a suggestion mate

When I started out I found 'The Hunt' to be a very useful link.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961

Good Hunting Kaleun

[Pisces]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

...
5) Go to TDC menu. Enable manual data entry. Dial in target speed. Set Angle on the Bow (AoB) to either 90 degrees port or starboard, depending on whether you are to the port or starboard of the target. Turn off TDC.
6) Go to scope. Set bearing until gyro angle is 000.
7) Go back to TDC. Turn on TDC. Tweak AoB back to 90 degrees. Turn off TDC.
8) Go back to scope. Tweak bearing until gyro is 000. Repeat 6-8 as necessary until you've got your TDC set to 90 degree AoB and your scope bearing gives you 000 gyro angle.
...

Sorry Steve. That tweaking is not neccesary. IF the uboat is on a course perpendicular to the target's track, AND IF the periscope/UZO is pointed to 0, (both requirement which I highly advice to do with type 1 torpedos) THEN you should set the AOB dial to 90 port/starboard. If the uboat course is different, or periscope not on 0 (anymore), then 90 AOB is not correct. In any event the AOB dial should be set to whatever the target shows when he will be on the periscope line. (or the angle that follows from the mapdrawing) There is no tweaking neccesary, not even after the gyro angle is set to 0. Other than realising you made a mistake due to the visual image not matching at all. The change of the AOB dial because of it is automatically (assuming the TDC switch was indeed set to AUTO), and appropriate. Since when the gyro angle is set to 0, then the periscope is pointing away some degrees from 000 (and the AOB dial will correct for this), which is exactly the lead needed to make the torpedos arrive on time on target.

@LakatosI

I pretty quickly went over to GWX and the OLC series of GUI's. So I don't remember much of stock SH3. It's definately advisable not to set the realism level too high initially. Step up with progress through the learning curve. And allow yourself some means to show the good answer, like the mapcontact updates, or the free camera to show you how things went wrong.

The modifications I found most important when I started were bigger, better resolution speed, course and depth dials. And the mousecursor maptools. The better resolution is obvious why. It's difficult to set and read course. The mousecursor maptools are a big improvement over mapdrawing in SH1 or SH2/Destroyer Command. But it was still cumbersome to make lines in certain directions. You have to use the proctractor (angle/corner thingy) to set up an angle with reference to N,E,S,W. Most bigger mods now include a reversed compass scale, which allows you to start a line somwhere, draw out the line, and the line overlaps the angle on the reversed scale which you desire. Once you see it it works very intuitively. However, for some reason nobody ever felt the need to make all tools use such a reversed scale. That's why I made this:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...postcount=1308

It uses JSGME and should work with all mods and flavours of SH3.

I also liked to have a nomograph to calculate speed/distance/time conversions (but now I mostly use this), and a better resolution periscope bearing ribbon (1 degree/tick).

[EDIT]I learned the ropes too with 'The Hunt' threads. Together with Paul Wassoo's article. Must see for manual targerting rookies.

[maillemaker]

Sorry Steve. That tweaking is not neccesary. IF the uboat is on a course perpendicular to the target's track, AND IF the periscope/UZO is pointed to 0, (both requirement which I highly advice to do with type 1 torpedos) THEN you should set the AOB dial to 90 port/starboard. If the uboat course is different, or periscope not on 0 (anymore), then 90 AOB is not correct. In any event the AOB dial should be set to whatever the target shows when he will be on the periscope line. (or the angle that follows from the mapdrawing) There is no tweaking neccesary, not even after the gyro angle is set to 0. Other than realising you made a mistake due to the visual image not matching at all. The change of the AOB dial because of it is automatically (assuming the TDC switch was indeed set to AUTO), and appropriate. Since when the gyro angle is set to 0, then the periscope is pointing away some degrees from 000 (and the AOB dial will correct for this), which is exactly the lead needed to make the torpedos arrive on time on target.

So you're saying the Periscope should be set to bearing 000 before manually adjusting the TDC to AoB 90?

Steve

[maillemaker]

I'd say going 100% realism is really not that big a deal. Manual targeting using the Fixed Wire method is pretty easy.

I would recommend, though, keeping your external camera turned on. This will knock you down to 90% realism. The reason for this is 1) you get to see cool stuff! 2) You can get better situational awareness that helps overcome the fact that you are not actually physically in the simulation. You get a better sense of what your torpedoes are doing, what the ships are doing, and what things look like. After you get good you can turn off the external camera to make life harder for yourself.

I DO recommend, though, starting out in 1939. The game is much, much easier earlier in the war.

Steve

[Jimbuna]

Too much info at the off can make you dizzy so I'll simply advise you get used to the gameplay using stock/vanilla version for a career or two then give GWX£.0 and the host of additional mods a try.

Small steps, one at a time.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

GWX£.0 and the host of additional mods a try.

I thought it was a free mod!

Jim's advice is good, though. There are dozens of ways to play the game, dozens of mods to make it very personal, and dozens of opinions on what constitutes 'realism'. Take your time. The game isn't going anywhere and you have plenty of time to explore all the possibilities.

Oh, and WELCOME ABOARD!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I thought it was a free mod!

LOL

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

I'd say going 100% realism is really not that big a deal. Manual targeting using the Fixed Wire method is pretty easy.

I would recommend, though, keeping your external camera turned on. This will knock you down to 90% realism. The reason for this is 1) you get to see cool stuff! 2) You can get better situational awareness that helps overcome the fact that you are not actually physically in the simulation. You get a better sense of what your torpedoes are doing, what the ships are doing, and what things look like. After you get good you can turn off the external camera to make life harder for yourself.

I DO recommend, though, starting out in 1939. The game is much, much easier earlier in the war.

Steve

Two thumbs up for the external camera. Before would always have it turned off, this time around left it on largely to see the new massive overkill enhanced damage bodies flying everywhere mod. Wish I'd made some popcorn before enabling that the first time with the camera, some of the explosions, carnage and comedy are worth double the price of admission

Choosing the start with the 13th in Koinsburg imo is the best starting option. Get to begin with a nice VIIB, plus your first patrol is (live) target practice well over a month before the start of the war. On good days you can make use of the deck gun, the rest of the time the weather is so lousy no escort ship makes the effort to go after you.

[Sgt_Raa]

Welcome aboard

[Pisces]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

So you're saying the Periscope should be set to bearing 000 before manually adjusting the TDC to AoB 90?

Steve

Yes, assuming you are perpendicular, or will be at the time of firing. And, if you are shooting with the front tubes. 180 if using the rear tubes. Any turn with the scope wil show the same adjustment on the AOB dial.