Too many Aircraft???

[RVPilot]

For those who feel this game models too many aircraft during a patrol, this historical account (http://www.jmlavelle.com/gunnel/patrol7.htm) of the USS Gunnel's 7th War Patrol may be a fascinating read. If patience is short .... skip to November 4th and 5th for a snapshot of just how many aircraft pestered the U.S. subs over a given day or two. As for me, the frequency of aircraft now appear to make the game even more immersive rather than unrealistic. Furthermore, the patrolling aircraft appeared to be able to hone in on the radar of the US subs, or pick up the periscopes on their own radars. Grab a coffee, relax and have a read - then see what you think. Patrol Log (http://www.jmlavelle.com/gunnel/patrol7.htm)

[ReallyDedPoet]

They make it interesting for sure. This was lacking in stock SH3, GWX changed that. Nice to see this feature from the start in SH4.

RDP

[AVGWarhawk]

I do not believe there are to many aircraft at all. I'm very satisfied with the amount I see. I also like that some are very accurate and some are not. I dive anyway if I have the time to do so. My radar does work but most say it does not detect aircraft after patch 1.2 was installed.

[Soundman]

What a cool read! Gives you the feel of what it must be like to skipper in real life. All should check this out.

About the peception that the Japanese could "hone in" on radar, here is an exerpt......


Former C.O. "The SD radar, used to detect aircraft, sent an all around signal and provided range only. At that time we were all convinced the Japanese aircraft had radar detectors installed, because almost every time we turned our radar on, we very shortly afterward detected an airplane. We therefore used it sparingly, usually in short pulses. After the war we found the Japanese did not have such gear, nor did they have radar on their aircraft. They just had a lot of planes out searching, and we didn't know they were there until we turned on our radar. In daylight our lookouts could spot them in time. Moonlight nights were a problem without radar."

[deamyont]

In some areas there are way to many aircraft. I had one new betty every in-game two minutes comming after me in a couple of hours...

[joea]

In some areas there are way to many aircraft. I had one new betty every in-game two minutes comming after me in a couple of hours...

Which areas though? The good SH3 mods tried to reflect ever increasing aircraft ranges..available land bases and CVE hunter killer groups. We could mod the "reverse" for SH4...near Japan should always be dangerous though.

[AVGWarhawk]

In some areas there are way to many aircraft. I had one new betty every in-game two minutes comming after me in a couple of hours...
Which areas though? The good SH3 mods tried to reflect ever increasing aircraft ranges..available land bases and CVE hunter killer groups. We could mod the "reverse" for SH4...near Japan should always be dangerous though.
This is the way it works for me in SH4. If I'm in the Luzon there are a lot of planes. In the Celebes Sea, not to many. If a taskforce is around I get a lot of aircraft. When I come out of Midway after fueling I see aircraft but not to many and more as I reach the coast of Japan. I do submerge after 0800 or when the first aircraft is spotted and I stay down until dark. I do not have night attacks.

[cmdrk]

I haven't had much game time so this is just speculation.

From the above comments, I wonder if the number of aircraft depends on the AI knowing the area the sub is operating. That is before being sighted, aircraft fits normal air activity for nearby bases. After being sighted, the AI throws a lot more into your area.

[Lagger123987]

I hate this increased airpower mod. How can you guys decreased the number of planes coming to you?

[Sailor Steve]

That was one of the discussions on SH3: if you have a plane attacking every hour, it's a high-traffic area; if you have twenty at once, it's unrealistic (unless of course you're in the middle of a carrier air battle).

[jhelix70]

Check the mods forum, there are supermods there that include fiddling around the parameters controlling airstrikes. My own preference is to knock down the range and the night attack frequency in the airstrike.cfg file under the Data/cfg/ folder.

[Lagger123987]

if you have twenty at once, it's unrealistic (unless of course you're in the middle of a carrier air battle).

Yes, I been attacked by like twenty planes and I was in a carrier battle.

[vindex]

First patrol (Dec 10, 1941) I saw no enemy aircraft until I reached the coast of Japan, where there were a handful of AS overflights. Second patrol (Feb 10, 1942) and about a 1/2 day west of Midway there are Vals and Zeros all over the place. They buzz me every 15 minutes, usually solo, sometimes two (although usually only one attacks). Their flight vectors don't look like they come from Wake, they look like they're from NW. There's a big American task force to my south, but I can't see any evidence of a Japanese carrier group (I saved and roved around at high speed, high TC out of sheer curiosity -- nothing). Is this normal? Or is there some kind of engagement going on?

[azn_132]

First patrol (Dec 10, 1941) I saw no enemy aircraft until I reached the coast of Japan, where there were a handful of AS overflights. Second patrol (Feb 10, 1942) and about a 1/2 day west of Midway there are Vals and Zeros all over the place. They buzz me every 15 minutes, usually solo, sometimes two (although usually only one attacks). Their flight vectors don't look like they come from Wake, they look like they're from NW. There's a big American task force to my south, but I can't see any evidence of a Japanese carrier group (I saved and roved around at high speed, high TC out of sheer curiosity -- nothing). Is this normal? Or is there some kind of engagement going on?

Battle of Midway shouldnt start till June, and whats AS? Becuz u said something about AS overflights.

[vindex]

AS = anti-sub. Okay, maybe it should be ASW, I dunno. Anyway, I mean pairs of floatplanes. I assume they were looking for subs in coastal waters. Seemed to be timed for dawn and dusk, although some midday too.

Yeah, I know when the battle of Midway took place, that's why I was surprised to see all the activity. In addition to the Jap planes, I've also seen a few American ones heading in the opposite direction. But it's 90% Japanese activity. Hoping someone who has modded the sea and air traffic patterns and/or historic surface battles might have some insight.

Probably what I'll try is send in a status report and see if they tell me to head towards a nearby battle. Maybe the Japs are invading Hawaii :huh:

[FAdmiral]

First patrol (Dec 10, 1941) I saw no enemy aircraft until I reached the coast of Japan, where there were a handful of AS overflights. Second patrol (Feb 10, 1942) and about a 1/2 day west of Midway there are Vals and Zeros all over the place. They buzz me every 15 minutes, usually solo, sometimes two (although usually only one attacks). Their flight vectors don't look like they come from Wake, they look like they're from NW. There's a big American task force to my south, but I can't see any evidence of a Japanese carrier group (I saved and roved around at high speed, high TC out of sheer curiosity -- nothing). Is this normal? Or is there some kind of engagement going on?

I went thru something like that back in SH3, here is the transcript report:

January 28, 1940
----------------
1151 - Spotted 3 swordfish, dived to 20 meters, they did not attack.
1220 - Have been sighting numerous swordfish, possible Carrier TF nearby?
1306 - Observed 2 swordfish coming from NW, turned around & went back.
1350 - Spotted more swordfish coming from NW, will head in that direction.
1657 - No more planes sighted till now, 2 more swordfish but different direction.
1717 - Sighted another swordfish, getting dark now, should end carrier flights.
1830 - Fairly dark now, surfaced to charge batteries & get some fresh air, Grid AN43
January 29, 1940
----------------
0847 - Here we go again, more swordfish sighted, dived to 20 meters, no attack.
0924 - Sound contact, surface & turn south to investigate, Grid AN28
0952 - Sighted British merchant, dived to PD for submerged attack.
1010 - Fired 1 torp., solid hit forward on starboard side, ship sinks fast.
1213 - Spotted 3 swordfish (getting monotonous) dived to 20 meters, no attack.
1215 - All swordfish dropped bombs near my location, 6 explosions, no damage suffered.
1450 - More swordfish were spotted but they did not approach so stayed surfaced.
1510 - 4 more swordfish spotted again but they did not see me, continued on.
1619 - SWORDFISH !! (there has to be a carrier nearby) fairly dusk now, not seen.
1627 - Making observations on directions swordfish are patroling & returning. (NE)
1630 - Plotting course towards NE, will look for carrier at night, no sound on TF.
January 30, 1940
----------------
0815 - Spotted swordfish to west, returning on WNW course, Grid AN23.
0906 - Sighted C2 merchant but flying flag of Norway, continued on.
1300 - There has been steady stream of swordfish going east, then returning west, all AM.
1700 - Surfaced & headed south with swordfish sightings all afternoon.
1705 - Attacked by swordfish, dived to 20 meters, bombs did no damage.
1830 - Much darker now, surfaced to head south again at good speed, Grid AN28.
January 31, 1940
----------------
0140 - Submerged to PD for sound check, still in Grid AN28.
0230 - no contacts heard, surfaced to resume course towards last direction.
0730 - Submerged to PD for sound check, no ships sounds heard by soundman.
0810 - Swordfish sighted thru periscope, observed making south to north flights.
0830 - Coming to course 000, Carrier TF must be in that direction, will investigate.
0841 - Sound contact, merchant to the south, will investigate this contact.
1106 - Sighted Coastal Merchant moving WNW at 8 kts., British !, will attack.
1135 - Fired 1 bow torp., good hit forward, ship sank very quick, resume course to TF.
1145 - More swordfish sighted coming from north, moving north to continue looking for TF.
1510 - 2 MORE swordfish spotted (ENOUGH is ENOUGH) man the flak gun, 1 shot down, 1 flamed.
1700 - Following returning swordfish, should lead me to their carrier (I HOPE)
1717 - DD sighted to the northwest, probably a lead escort of the Carrier Task Force.
1719 - Spotted 2nd DD, more to the northeast of the 1st DD & more distant.
1725 - JACKPOT !!! Task Force on the northwestern horizon, dived to PD, come to 270 deg.
1730 - Enemy column on scope, BB is first in line, Carrier is 2nd. (Carrier: Main Target)
1751 - Breached DD screen, proceeding slow & silent, wait for carrier to come into range.
1803 - Fired 4 eel spread at 850 meters, all hits along port side, SCRATCH 1 FLATTOP !!!
1805 - Diving to 140 meters, course 270 deg., flank speed, will use big ships for shielding.
1809 - Speed done to 3 kts., running silent, turning starboard to go under the ships column.
1818 - Many search lights scanning the sea, no DD's close enough to hear pinging.
1850 - dark now, moving very slow to the northwest using silent running, DD fairly near.
1910 - Came up to 100 meters, DD moving away and circling, was never pinged.
2000 - Came up to PD, scanning the horizon, making sure no ships near, no sound either.
2130 - Finally surfaced to charge batteries, moving to the east at 12 kts. (Fresh Air)
2200 - Grid AN31, heading for Kiel with 2 eels left, 1 forward & 1 aft.

I just knew there was a carrier out there somewhere with all those Swordfish

JIM

[vindex]

Okay, so what you're saying is there's probably a carrier out there somewhere. Do others concur? Because I saw some posting yesterday mentioning "carrier aircraft spawning where there is no carrier" -- but I can't verify if that's accurate or not.

If there's a carrier, man, I'm gunning for it.

Other questions: can you pick up Jap fliers who have parachuted? Because if not, what's the point of them floating there? Will I lose renown if I "engage" and destroy a downed Jap pilot or a lifeboat? Because the game keeps identifying them as merchants and asking me if I want to engage them (probably just a bug).

[FAdmiral]

Well if SH4 works the same way SH3 did, I would bet that there is a carrier
out there but they will move around fast so its hard to get a good fix.
I wouldn't pick up a Jap flyer and deprive my AA gunner some fun :up:

JIM

[vindex]

I came across the following comment in the screenshot thread:

"Speaking Midway, someone took a look at the code as theres a bug in there. Apparently a lot of the Japanese taskforces sail for Midway in January and not June, get near and then sail back to Japan and disappear."

That could explain.

[Volum]

Submerging during the day, keeps pilots and Davey Jones locker away!

[vindex]

Yeah, I hear you. At some point you don't really have a choice, because you'll very quickly run out of AA ammo.