[REL] Increased ASW (revised)

After unzipping, place the increased ASW mod in the MODS folder of your SHIII directory. You must be running SHIII with the 1.4 patch and with GWX 2.0. The increased ASW mod was designed for use with GWX 2.0 and has not been tested with any other installation and probably will not work with them. The recommended installation method for the increased ASW mod is to use JSGME. Otherwise, back up your data folder, copy the mod files and paste them in their appropriate folders. Do NOT install this mod mid-patrol. You must first exit SHIII completely before enabling/installing this mod.

*** This release of the increased ASW mod has made some major changes to the depth charges. Escorts will no longer 'suicide' or blow their own depth charge racks off (at least, they haven't, so far, in all the tests I've run). Depth charges are now more accurate in terms of their detonation depth. Their damage radii has been reduced by quite a bit, while their explosive power has been increased quite a bit.

The net effect is that if/when a depth charge goes off very close to your boat you will be heavily damaged, but detonations at even a slight distance will only superficially damage you. Minor course changes during a depth charge attack should be sufficient to generate misses. However, if you just stooge along and have a string drift down next to you . . . .***

I've tried to keep this as historical/realistic as possible, yet also add a bit of additional 'thrill'. The changes made fall into two categories: Air and Sea.

Air:

1) setting all bombs so that they detonate when they impact the water, or just below.

2) setting the air depth charges to detonate at 9 meters (which isn't exactly historic, I'll admit; from what I've been able to research 7.9 meters seems to be the 'normal' depth setting, although I've only been able to find the tech details for British air depth charges so far).

3) setting the 'explosiveness' of air depth charges to match up to the weight of explosives they normally carried.

4) setting the sink rate of air depth charges to match the historical sink rates.

5) modified the Catalina, Sunderland, Wellington, select Liberator and select Fortress aircraft with ASW loadouts.

6) changed the Campaign_RND.mis and Campaign_SCR files so that theabovementioned aircraft carry the ASW loadouts (where appropriate).

7) ASW patrol aircraft now have the potential of spotting a submerged U-boat running at periscope depth. Their chances of spotting a U-boat and/or maintaining visual contact depends on several factors: day versus night, wind speed/weather conditions, clear versus foggy, whether they've already visually spotted the U-boat before it submerged, etc.

Basically, if you spot an aircraft at long range and dive right away you should be fine. If you delay diving you may wind up being bracketed with bombs going off on the surface above you and air depth charges going off below water *around* you. And if you get bushwacked and jumped (say, at night, or in a storm) and you get caught on the *surface*, well . . .

Sea:

Most British DDs and DEs begin carrying the Mark VII heavy depth charges starting September 1942. The Mark VII heavy had a somewhat improved sink rate from the addition of lead to the depth charge.

US DDs and DEs begin carrying the Mark 9 'fast sinker' depth charge starting June 1943. Designed to sink fast and detonate at up to 1000 feet, the Mark 9 was aerodynamically shaped, lead-weighted and finned. The lead weight and teardrop shape more than doubled its sink rate, while the fins spun it for stabilization while it sank and also produced a more reliable sink rate resulting in predictable depth charge patterns. Unfortunately I wasn't able to decrease its horizontal 'wandering' so I tightened the vertical as a compensation of sorts. And, of course, the Mark 9 actually *looks* like a Mark 9!

I'd like to thank the GWX team for providing such a wonderful expansion mod. I would have stopped playing SHIII long ago if it hadn't been for their work.

Thanks and credit:

skwasjer; without his wonderful Silent 3ditor I'd never have managed (or attempted!) to do any of this!

Kpt. Lehmann for permission to release modified GWX files

And special thanks and credit to: fury of a seraph; the Mark 9 graphics are entirely his work.

Feedback, comments and critiques are always appreciated!

~Albrecht von Hesse
albrecht_von_hesse@yahoo.com

http://hosted.filefront.com/vonHesse/
http://files.filefront.com/Increased.../fileinfo.html

Damn, just started my WaW patrol. But rest assured I will be loading this up the minute i get back.....thanks mate

[Grayson02sept1980]

haven'd had time to test the first version... so... dumb question.

Why means "revised"? exactly.....?

anyway I say thanks already... your improved ASW for the planes was cool... this promises even more

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Grayson02sept1980

haven'd had time to test the first version... so... dumb question.

Why means "revised"? exactly.....?

anyway I say thanks already... your improved ASW for the planes was cool... this promises even more

To alter something already written or printed, in order to make corrections, improve, or update.

To alter something already written or printed, in order to make corrections, improve, or update.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

To alter something already written or printed, in order to make corrections, improve, or update.

Errrrr . . . what Jimbuna said.

It's revised because, after digging into the 'nuts and bolts' of the depth charges, and because of something Sailor Steve had mentioned regarding the original release, I wanted to adjust the depth charges to be more historical yet (as much of what transpires) workable within the framework of the game.

Although tis true that, historically-speaking, escorts did, time-to-time, damage themselves due to shallow-water depth charging, with the depth charge settings I was originally using it was almost a given that they'd do so using the new Mark 9 'fast-sink' depth charges. Plus, after running about 80 different test missions and analyzing the results, I'd wanted to have depth charges that: 1) if they exploded within 2-3 meters they'd substantially, critically damage the U-boat (especially the pressure hull) yet, 2) if they exploded 3-9 meters away they'd only do minor to superficial damage.

Hopefully these new settings will do just that. --fingers crossed--

I haven't been able to get a DD/DE/escort to suicide with these, or blow their own racks off. Not even when running periscope depth at a dead stop and no manuevering. The warships often wind up with smoke-smeared behinds (--grins--) but they haven't blown themselves up.

With the depth charges, if you get depth charged at periscope depth, you will most likely get critically damaged. There just isn't enough time to evade. At depth, if you make even a small course change the depth charges (usually!) 'miss'. You'll still shake and rock from the near misses but not take damage.

Again, comments and critiques are appreciated!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Uber Gruber

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

What did I do ?

[Grayson02sept1980]

Originally Posted by Uber Gruber

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

well... matter of perspective:

from the view of a english spoken person assuming you address and english spoke this is a lot like sarcasm --> laughter
from the view of a "not so good" speaking english person... well... just an explaination
from the view of a not native english speaking person with A-LVL papers in english you just explaine the "pure" meaning ... but that was futile ... still a bit sarcastic --> laughter
from my point of view.... still sarcastic... but I find it funny, too.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

(my own fault... why do I put it into quote marks "" "" )

[Grayson02sept1980]

Originally Posted by Albrecht Von Hesse

Errrrr . . . what Jimbuna said.

It's revised because, after digging into the 'nuts and bolts' of the depth charges, and because of something Sailor Steve had mentioned regarding the original release, I wanted to adjust the depth charges to be more historical yet (as much of what transpires) workable within the framework of the game.

Although tis true that, historically-speaking, escorts did, time-to-time, damage themselves due to shallow-water depth charging, with the depth charge settings I was originally using it was almost a given that they'd do so using the new Mark 9 'fast-sink' depth charges. Plus, after running about 80 different test missions and analyzing the results, I'd wanted to have depth charges that: 1) if they exploded within 2-3 meters they'd substantially, critically damage the U-boat (especially the pressure hull) yet, 2) if they exploded 3-9 meters away they'd only do minor to superficial damage.

Hopefully these new settings will do just that. --fingers crossed--

I haven't been able to get a DD/DE/escort to suicide with these, or blow their own racks off. Not even when running periscope depth at a dead stop and no manuevering. The warships often wind up with smoke-smeared behinds (--grins--) but they haven't blown themselves up.

With the depth charges, if you get depth charged at periscope depth, you will most likely get critically damaged. There just isn't enough time to evade. At depth, if you make even a small course change the depth charges (usually!) 'miss'. You'll still shake and rock from the near misses but not take damage.

Again, comments and critiques are appreciated!

cool... so no more cat and mouse at peri depth... will test it at different years

again: thanks

[Paco]

thanks, downloading now

Paco

[Grayson02sept1980]

little question...

the Increased ASW Mod has a "Conflict" with GWX Lite Harbor traffic and the RealWeatherFix.... are those two included in your mod... guess not....

any idea?
(with the real weather fix I have the solution using the files with the Real weather exe... but I guess I'll have to get used to laggy departured )

Just wanted to mention that

Originally Posted by Grayson02sept1980

little question...

the Increased ASW Mod has a "Conflict" with GWX Lite Harbor traffic and the RealWeatherFix.... are those two included in your mod... guess not....

any idea?
(with the real weather fix I have the solution using the files with the Real weather exe... but I guess I'll have to get used to laggy departured )

Just wanted to mention that

From a quick glance it seems the conflict with the GWX Lite Harbor mod is with the Campaign_SCR file. It's going to be (for now) an either/or situation: either you run with a full harbor with ASW-ordnance loaded patrol aircraft, or a lite one without. --wry grin--.

Considering most of the aircraft (as far as I can tell, anyway; I'm rather new to modding ) in the original Campaign_SCR that are 'patrol aircraft' already carry air depth charges as their loadouts, enabling the GWX Lite Harbor mod after enabling the increased ASW mod should have little effect.

Once GWX 2.1 is issued, and if people want me to, I can set up 'tweaks'; for instance, a Lite Harbor-inclusive variation, and a variation for Mediterranean play.

Face it.
After 2.1 is released?
Many of us will have the free time to look at conflicts with different mods.
And offer suggestions and fixes to make them more compatible.
I believe many of us have wanted to for sometime now.
But there just are not enuff hours in the day.
And who knows the files and what was done better then
a Grey Wolf?

Originally Posted by privateer

Face it.
After 2.1 is released?
Many of us will have the free time to look at conflicts with different mods.
And offer suggestions and fixes to make them more compatible.
I believe many of us have wanted to for sometime now.
But there just are not enuff hours in the day.
And who knows the files and what was done better then
a Grey Wolf?

I really wasn't casting aspersions you guys way, honest.

I know that.
I'm just saying that we'll be more able to help
where needed soon.