Career Nearly Killed by Base Bug

[Calbeck]

After completing my second patrol out of Cavite, and with bingo fuel and no torps, I headed back to base for a well-deserved rest and refit...only to find that nothing, including physically pulling up to the docks, would trigger the base return dialogue.

The closest other base is Surabaya, and I make a beeline for it --- dying from lack of fuel enroute. No option to call for help shows up...apparently my otherwise perfectly good sub is expected to rot at sea. I restart the mission and try to dock again. Same problem. Same for the next three tries.

In fact, it wasn't until I was attacked by a Jap Zero flying from INLAND that I realized the base had fallen. Belatedly I realized there was no longer an anchor next to Manila, although no Japanese vessels were operating in the port and the port text continued to show in blue. Double-checking the message log revealed absolutely no notification of Manila's fall.

So I "cheat" (using foreknowledge) and restart with a decision to run straight for Surabaya. I submerge periodically to use the electrics in order to conserve diesel. In the end, I'm literally running on fumes, putting into port at ONE KNOT, but I MAKE it.

On my NEXT patrol, as soon as I leave port, I'm finally notified that Manila has fallen. Why THANK YOU ComSubPac! -:stare:

So, two bugs: lack of timely notification, and the out-of-gas-you-die thing.

[tycho102]

Dude, S-boats out of Manila had a rough time in the war. There are stories of them managing to pull diesel in wierd ways, and plenty more having to be abandoned. It is the most challenging way to start the game (out of Manila).

Props to you for confirming the historical accuracy of the simulation. You just need a crusty old chief cussing the fuel levels, and a psychopathic machinist-mate talking about sneaking into a civilian harbour and hand pumping diesel out of a small merchant boat in the middle of the night.

[Calbeck]

Sorry, but it's not "historical" for ComSubPac to forget to notify its skippers that their primary base has been rendered unusable. If nothing else, Manila itself would send the word if the port became unusable.

Not to mention that this has indeed been confirmed as a bug; Manila is disrupted and unusable as a port before it falls, and there is in fact a message in the game for that express situation --- which does not normally trigger when it should.

Although I admit that the two "extras" you mention would be an excellent addition to the game. -:>

[SteamWake]

Sorry, but it's not "historical" for ComSubPac to forget to notify its skippers that their primary base has been rendered unusable.

QFT :rock:

[gg5056]

Change Your Options To Umlimited Fuel, Bateries, Etc. So U Wont
Have That Problems In The Future.

[DirtyHarry3033]

Calbeck you were notified all along that Manila had fallen, you just missed it. Pay attention to your incoming msgs, it is important, trust me!!!!

I sailed out of Cavite on Dec 9 and, reading my msgs, got a msg that the Phillipines had fallen and my new base was Surabaya. So I knew where to go, knew how to manage my fuel.

When Surabaya fell during my 3rd patrol I was reassigned to Fremantle. All I had to do to know this was watch my msgs!!! Or if I forgot, just scroll back thru them until I found it.

Assuming that something is crapped with your install, and you're not getting these msgs to start with, there is a thread here somewhere telling you where to look in your save game files to find your currently-assigned base.

Good hunting :up:

DH

[SteamWake]

Calbeck you were notified all along that Manila had fallen, you just missed it. Pay attention to your incoming msgs, it is important, trust me!!!!

I sailed out of Cavite on Dec 9 and, reading my msgs, got a msg that the Phillipines had fallen and my new base was Surabaya. So I knew where to go, knew how to manage my fuel.

When Surabaya fell during my 3rd patrol I was reassigned to Fremantle. All I had to do to know this was watch my msgs!!! Or if I forgot, just scroll back thru them until I found it.

Assuming that something is crapped with your install, and you're not getting these msgs to start with, there is a thread here somewhere telling you where to look in your save game files to find your currently-assigned base.

Good hunting :up:

DH

Its very very easy to miss these buried amongst all the contact calls.

Also it seems all previous messages are "erased" when loading from a save.

It should be pointed out a little more clearly.

[DirtyHarry3033]

Its very very easy to miss these buried amongst all the contact calls.

Also it seems all previous messages are "erased" when loading from a save.

It should be pointed out a little more clearly.
Steamwake, I wonder if something's damaged in your installation? I just loaded my most recent save before entering port, and scrolling back thru the msg log my reassignment to Fremantle was still there. Even though the base reassignment happened at least 10 saves ago.

Also, every time I've been reassigned, I've been running at high TC and that msg if no other, brings me out of TC and back to 1:1 time every time so it's not easy to miss. The usual contact reports and "filler" msgs don't bring me out of TC.

At any rate, here is the file to check for reassignment:

C:\Documents and Settings\<your user name here>\My Documents\SH4\data\cfg\SaveGames\<most recent save folder here>\SaveData.rmr

Open up that file and search thru it and you'll see any base change, i.e.:

[Log Entry 2]
Type=0
EntryText=From: COMSUBSOWESPAC|To: ASIATIC FLEET BOATS|EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY SHIFT BASE OF OPERATIONS TO PERTH FREMANTLE ON WESTERN AUSTRALIA X
EntryTitle=18:01 Operational News
Date=19420225
Time=1801
Categ=3
DH