Contact Reports

[Quillan]

I think most of us hated filing Contact Reports in SH3, because they were pointless. Nothing happened, and the enemy could DF you along the way. Well, they certainly did something about that in SH4.

I was tooling along in the East China Sea tonight on my latest patrol, ordered to engage enemy merchant shipping. Weather was horrible: no rain, but extremely heavy seas, so much so that on the surface it wasn't unusual to hit the 33 foot keel depth mark, and I decided to skip the goal and head up to Japan proper and see if I could sneak into one of the eastern ports. As I was leaving, I stumbled across a southbound convoy. A little observation once I'd achieved an attack position showed that it wasn't much of a convoy really, half a dozen medium merchants (mostly modern split) and 3 destroyers as escort. I decided to leave it along, but surfaced behind and decided to send a contact report about it. A few minutes later, as I was leaving, I get the following message on the radio:
From: COMSUBPAC
To: USS Tuna

ULTRA X CONTACT ESCORTS ARE TO BE CONSIDERED PRIORITY X CLEAR THEM UP FOR FOLLOWUP ATTACKS X
Let me tell you, having a response like that sure helps the enthusiasm and the immersion level. I didn't even stop to think, just started plotting an end-around to get back in front and go destroyer hunting.

In the end, I sank two Mutsuki destroyers, a Medium European Composite Freighter and a Medium Modern Split Freighter out of that convoy, but it was extremely satisfying nonetheless. I didn't take a screenshot when I had the big popup on the screen, but the message did show in my radio book afterwards.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/927/newordersmd4.th.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=newordersmd4.jpg)

[Camaero]

I had the same experience, but a different message. I sent in the report after I had already made my attack and it said something like "friendly forces on the way, break off and RTB". It was cool!

[Chrall]

Wow I didn't know that!:rock:
Guess I'll have to start using contact reports more often.

[partyboy]

Yeah, it's amazing how much of an impact the little touches can have, eh? Things like that can go a long way.

[WFGood]

I think most of us hated filing Contact Reports in SH3, because they were pointless. Nothing happened, and the enemy could DF you along the way. Well, they certainly did something about that in SH4.

I was tooling along in the East China Sea tonight on my latest patrol, ordered to engage enemy merchant shipping. Weather was horrible: no rain, but extremely heavy seas, so much so that on the surface it wasn't unusual to hit the 33 foot keel depth mark, and I decided to skip the goal and head up to Japan proper and see if I could sneak into one of the eastern ports. As I was leaving, I stumbled across a southbound convoy. A little observation once I'd achieved an attack position showed that it wasn't much of a convoy really, half a dozen medium merchants (mostly modern split) and 3 destroyers as escort. I decided to leave it along, but surfaced behind and decided to send a contact report about it. A few minutes later, as I was leaving, I get the following message on the radio:
From: COMSUBPAC
To: USS Tuna

ULTRA X CONTACT ESCORTS ARE TO BE CONSIDERED PRIORITY X CLEAR THEM UP FOR FOLLOWUP ATTACKS X
Let me tell you, having a response like that sure helps the enthusiasm and the immersion level. I didn't even stop to think, just started plotting an end-around to get back in front and go destroyer hunting.

In the end, I sank two Mutsuki destroyers, a Medium European Composite Freighter and a Medium Modern Split Freighter out of that convoy, but it was extremely satisfying nonetheless. I didn't take a screenshot when I had the big popup on the screen, but the message did show in my radio book afterwards.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/927/newordersmd4.th.jpg (http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=newordersmd4.jpg)

I have received similar saying, "The chance of a lifetime. Make good use of it." It really does add something to the immersion. It is also nice that filing postion or status reports actually serves a function in order to complete patrol areas, etc.

[clayton]

Does clicking on the send contact report button show up on the message sent log? I'm not seeing it and I have yet to get any reply's. I usually just hit the button and hope something goes out...

[tater]

It's very cool except for the fact that US submarines didn't file contact reports the way the KM did. They operated almost exclusively under radio silence. When we experimented with mini wolfpacks (3 boats) the CO of the pack was aboard one of the boats, and they only used imimum local communications.

The only time a US sub would have sent a report would be for maybe an invasion force, or battle group of some kind. Least that's the feeling I get from my reading.

tater

[Bilge_Rat]

very nice touch!

US subs maintained much stricter radio silence than U-boats, but they still sent a fair number of contact/status report. I am re-reading Silent Victory and its mentioned often.

Qillan, what year was your patrol?. In early 1944, Destroyers were designated a priority target after it was realised Japan was running out of them. I am just wondering if this is random or if the game goes into that kind of detail.

[ParaB]

Does clicking on the send contact report button show up on the message sent log? I'm not seeing it and I have yet to get any reply's. I usually just hit the button and hope something goes out...

It works, but you have to scroll UP the log to see the messages you have sent. The radio log doesn't show all messages in a chronological order, instead it displays first all the messages you've sent, then the ones you recieved.

[Quillan]

It was June 7, 1942, Bilge Rat. The thing I found really neat about it was I also got an objective to go with the message. That objective was completed when I sank the second destroyer from the escorts.

You can also filter the radio messages. If you look at the screenshot I posted, above the date on the clipboard is a dark box that reads "ALL MESSAGES". That's a dropdown box that has three options: ALL MESSAGES, MESSAGES SENT, and MESSAGES RECEIVED. You can switch it to MESSAGES SENT and it will only show you the contact or status reports you've sent off.

[clayton]

Thanks man. :up:

[-Pv-]

"Yeah, it's amazing how much of an impact the little touches can have, eh? Things like that can go a long way."

The devs promised we would like the in-game HQ messages.

"Does clicking on the send contact report button show up on the message sent log? I'm not seeing it and I have yet to get any reply's. I usually just hit the button and hope something goes out..."

There is a restriction to how CRs are made. You must target a main force ship (other than escorts) and be very close, almost within being sighted. When you have it right, you will see the message popup in your "sent messages" as soon as you click the send button under the right conditions. I keep the sent messages filter on so I'll instantly see when I have it right.

This feature is a two-edged sword. Yes, you get more interactiveness. Sometimes, it's the only way to end a patrol when you are out of torps.
On the other side, later in the war the IJN got very good at radio direction finding (as well as radar direction finding) and will vector planes and assets at you. So when you feel the itch for this added level of loneliness aversion, make sure you will benefit from the action and be prepaired to leave the area with great haste. Try to do it only once or you will leave a track of your momements across the waste. I once had flyers dogging me for three days. After all, we are the Silent Service.
-Pv-