N00b questions regarding aircraft...

[DeuceHalo]

Ok, first off, I want to say that Subsim is the bomb! :up: You guys are great. I'm a bit of a long time lurker since I've been playing since Silent Hunter 3. Any questions I've ever had, I've been able to search and find answers here.

Now, with that being said, does anyone else find the aircraft to be stupidly accurate? On my first patrol out, I was assigned to patrol the area off Honshu. Thanks COMSUBPAC - why not just have me pop up outside Tokyo and flip them the bird? Anyway, I digress. About 200nm off the coast, a single enemy plane spotted me. Eh - no big deal. In SH3, I could take down an entire carrier's worth of aircraft...so I engaged him with my AA and started putting holes in him. Unfortunately, he had time to drop his payload which was deadly accurate. All of a sudden, fuel leaking...batteries dead...compartments filling....I didn't even have the opportunity to get a damage control crew assigned. :huh:

Thinking it was a fluke, I started afresh out of Pearl. This time, I made it to my assigned area when I was spotted by two aircraft. Now after the last experience I would've preferred to dive, but TC didn't give me ample opportunity to dive. Once again, same results....argh! :damn:

Can folks here tell me - is this just bad luck? Or should I be doing something specific? Increasing speed? I'm usually running around 10 kts on the surface for fuel conservation. In Japanese waters, what sort of TC should I consider max to avoid this?

[AVGWarhawk]

Radar will help you later on in spotting AC long before they see you. Plenty of time to dive. Also, your green crew might not be seeing them as quickly as a season crew. Also, the subs dive slowly. Sounds like some bad luck really. My TC will drop me to 8 when I have the radar and it does it quite frequently. Plenty of time to dive or set up to use the guns. Another thing, plane spotted or ship spotted....send everyone to battle stations...it increase efficiency of crew. Also, get a crewman or two in your damage department while in base. Most subs at a crew of 70. You start with about 67 crewmen. I use the extra three in the damage control screen and this is all they do.


Anway, the planes are a little too good in some instances. I'm sure this will be worked on by some of our famous modders:yep:

[tedhealy]

When Japanese airbases are near, or just when you are worried about planes in enemy water, run submerged 1/3 speed during daylight hours. Stay below periscope depth so the sonar man can do his job and warn you about contacts. Then surface at night. That's how the real skippers did it.

When worried about air attack, I usually only go to 512 or 1024 max TC.

If a plane engages your, count on his buddies showing up in the area, so get the heck out of there at surfaced flank or slink away submerged 1/3.

[fair_weather]

If you see an AC, go to flank and put a gunner on the flak, DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Unless you're damned good and can see through the tub on the earlier subs. and do some eratic moves.

[Silent Munter]

I had the exact same experience.

I dropped out of TC automatically. Even still I have to be quick. I hit the crash dive key, then change my course by 45-90 degrees (to throw their aim). I also jump on the AA gun myself and start blasting away.

Its close every time though! I got hassled like this by 3 different planes on the way back from my 1st patrol.

[E.Hartmann]

Let teh AI crew shoot at planes. I built up the following quickly:

Spent Renown on AA gunner and Sonar.

When your crew spots or the radar does, wait and change direction on the plane as well.

Tell your gunner to FIRE AT WILL on PLANES ATTACKING SUB.

Last mission I was on, I scored 15 planes shot down and didn't take a single dent. :rock:

I gave my gunner a medal and a promotion and now he is like at a 120 for gunnery and hits targets at insane distances.

[danoh]

The AI plane movements will almost certainly be changed in a patch - right now they seem to appear locked in on your position - which makes for lots of action but also probably too much danger. Also some threads report the radar will sometimes not report - not sure if this is a bug or not.

In any case, when I pick the planes up on radar I order a crash dive, then underwater I'll run at 100 feet and 1-3 knots, adjusting speed so that I can run underwater until about dusk. You can also run periscope depth, and after the planes disappear visually surface again.

If I have a visual on the planes, I order flank speed but to not dive until the plane has made it's attack. This is because diving slows your speed, whereas, if I stay on the surface I manuever at flank speed. I will also order hard port/starboard toward the planes. After their pass I then dive.

I also recommend saving the game every day or two, since given the current dead-on air patrols if you are cruising somewhere near Japanese airbases it seems to be only a matter of time before you'll loose the air attack lottery. Especially because I'm getting similar dead-on attacks in the middle of the night.

[Powerthighs]

....send everyone to battle stations...

I just realized, I have no idea how to do this. I don't see a key or anything listed that does. Can someone tell me how?

Also, what are the benefits\limitations of crew at battle stations?

[DeuceHalo]

....send everyone to battle stations...
I just realized, I have no idea how to do this. I don't see a key or anything listed that does. Can someone tell me how?

Also, what are the benefits\limitations of crew at battle stations?

Go to your sub management to activate it. The crew becomes more efficient, but while it's active, your off-duty guys won't get rest.

Anyway, thanks for the responses all - gonna give it another shot. Figured it was just me. I'm loving the game so far.

[jerryt]

One thing to keep in mind though, especially in calm seas. You can be spoted from the air at periscope depth pretty easilly. Use the free camera and go directly overhead and look. I usually dive to 140 and cruise there.