Newbie to SH4

[MudMarine]

Well Guys,
Ya got a new skipper going through sub school. I patched my boat (SH4 Game) up to 1.2 IAW regs.

So far the first class was about runnin the boat and navigation. Did a few practice dives and did some observations form the OBS Scope. That part of the cource completed. Just one comment, no rudder controls? Only hard port and hard starboard. I would like tobe able to command the boat, either left rudder or right rudder and come to new course bearing without going to the Navigation Map. Is this possible from the surface bridge or control center while viewin through the scope?
Another question what does the command rudder amidships do? I have not test that command yet.

That's it for now. Back in the early days my favorite sub sim was Silent Service II, a great game for it's time. I have been always looking for good flight, sub and ship sims. Lookin for a good carrier sim of the WWII PTO. Heck I played the hell out of the ole Avalon Hill, Midway with a buddy of mine years ago. Even played the computer version. Others were The Great Naval Battles series.

[CaptainHaplo]

Welcome Aboard!

To answer ya - below the engine speed, compass and depth gauges are buttons that change the gauges themselves. If you click on the compass, say click on NE - you course will come to that heading (roughly). If you click the button below the compass, you get a rudder angle gauge - where you can set +/- up to 35 degree rudder. Comes in handy when your dodging as the DD's have some problems anticipating a turning target.

Rudder midships will put the rudders in a neutral position - so you wont turn either way. Basically this command is the equivalent of steady as she goes. Note rudder commands are not instantaneous...

As for the "make you heading ------> thataway" while looking thru the scope - I use it alot myself during attacks. *Is really good for keeping your profile at a minimum.* All you have to do is point your scope in the direction you want to go, be looking thru it and hit the = key - this tells your helmsman to turn to the HEADING you looking at. Remember that Heading and Bearing are 2 seperate things!

This should get you started. Feel free to bounce a few more questions around - there are plenty of knowledgable and friendly folks here. And we all are learning from each other - even the crusty ole sea dogs...... *no names mentioned ARGH!*

Also you can search in these forums - and often get alot of info that way as well.

[AVGWarhawk]

Welcome aboard!

[MudMarine]

CaptainHaplo,
I thank you for your warm welcome and info. You mentioned heading and bearing, whats the difference? I thought I would bounce that off Ya.

There are only two sim boards that I have found that are friendly and Ya don't feel like a fool askin questions. Sub Sim boards and Flight Sim Boards. Right now I am not flyin because of this new horse I am ridin (New computer that has this darn*!@#$% vista on) For some reason my x52 controller acts buggy. I hate those gremlins! Just gives me more time ta learn this sim. I think I will practice each lesson for about a week. Just ta get it down pat.

For others readin my post I purposely drop my Gs and use ta instead of to. I ts the way I talk. So get use ta it.

[MudMarine]

AVGWarHawk,
Thank Ya for Ya welcome. I have another question for the Skippers here.

Which mods are a must? I see that the game is modable. What would be Your advice and why?

[ReallyDedPoet]

Welcome:up: MudMarine

Start here:http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=114650&highlight=mods

Ask questions, search the threads.

Good Hunting.

RDP

[Chock]

Welcome aboard MudMarine

Chock :D

[CaptainHaplo]

MudMarine - Heading and Bearing. Heading is the direction your going - the compass course your bow is pointing. Bearing is the direction your looking. Say your headed NE - dead on 045 degrees and spot a ship bearing 090. To steer directly at the enemy, your new course would be 135 degrees. To get bearings - your bow is always considered the 0 degree mark. Bearing is how many degrees from forward is your target. You add the bearing with your current heading to figure out whic direction to go. In this case - the vessel is to your southeast.

In the above example, lets say the enemy is headed in the opposite direction as you - make his heading 225 degrees or dead SW - if you steer 135 degrees you will get to where he WAS - but by that time he will have left that spot.

If you can tell which way he is headed - otherwise known as they way the bearing is "drawing" - you can plot an intercept. As above - setting a course due south would give you the cutoff - allowing you to close not where he IS - but where he is gonna be - this gets you close enough to shoot him. If you just head toward your target - you end up inevitably chasing him. Part of the challenge of submarines is getting a workable intercept so you can sock it to the other guy.

Since your familiar with flight sims, think of it as a knife fight with no missiles. Your intercept course in subs is like a deflection shot - you gotta lead your target. Since sub/target battles are MUCH slower, your putting your sub where the target is gonna be, instead of bullets.

Now you dont want to be right on top of where the target is going to steam, anywhere from 500 to 1500 yards off his "track" or base course is going to get you a decent shot. As in any firing excersize, closer is more accurate, but torps have a 300-400 yard arming distance - so you cant get under that.

As for mods - there are a number of them out there - but I would suggest that you get comfortable with controlling the game before you start worrying about mods. When you are fine with the "school" missions and can enjoy a single battle or 2 with a comfort level your happy with, then Mods are useful. But until then, why worry about changing things until you know whats going on and what you want changed?

Since you asked though, the RFB and TTF mods both are very good. RFB goes for extreme realism, TTF is more "balanced" between fun and history. Both are great, it just depends on what type of gamer you are. If you don't go for either of them, I would look at a few of the mods geared to fix issues, such as the reduced msg mod, campaign retirement bug fix mod (aka career fix), things like that. Then there are a load of graphical mods, what-if type stuff for pure blowing stuff up fun, etc. I use one called super guns (deck gun becomes an 4" machine gun with 32k shells...) for when I just wanna make something go KABLOOWEEEEE. Nuke tipped torps are great except my chine can't handle em!

One tool for mods that is a must - is JSGME - its on the main download page of subsim and is great for applying and removing mods with ease. Not just SH3 and 4 mods either!

Lastly, anyone that uses "ya" and drops a few letters I figure is an ole southern boy like me, so don't sweat your language. Its not our fault them Yankees talk funny!

[MudMarine]

Skippers,
This green Skipper has run his Boat thru the Navigation Course for the second time. Well, Thanks ta CaptHaplo I found the rudder. I found I can only access the Obs.Scope only. Tried the attack scope with no effect am I doin somethin wrong?
With that said will try the course a third time with more submerged time stirin the Boat usin the scope.

I found that the radar does not work or al I doin somthin wrong again?

[Chock]

There are two different buttons on the control panel at the bottom of the screen, one for the attack scope and one for the observation scope, and as far as I recall without having the sim running, insert and delete keys raise one and page up/down raises and lowers the other. Don't use the observation scope much myself.

Not doing anything wrong with the radar I presume. It's bugged at the moment.

Of course if you are early in the war, you might not have fitted one, but the stations will still be available even though they don't do anything because you aint got the thing fitted. There are some quick-fix mods that sort the radar out a bit (see the mods threads), or you can simply do what many people are doing; which is, wait for the patch whilst playing without radar, or play SH3 while you wait...

:D Chock

[MudMarine]

Chock,
Thanks, I just been readingthe threads and I see how poor this ole Devildog is at math. My dear ole Dad tried tateach me the use of a slideruler and bein a smart kid I though he was real dumb. Not so dumb after all. The kid was dumb not the dad.

Well I just need to practice Navigating and mauvering this here Boat until I am comfortable with the controls. I need a challenge right now.

[AVGWarhawk]

@Mud

As you can see the manual is pretty much useless. Makes a great coaster for you beverage though. Did you get the fold out keyboard diagram? This is somewhat more useful for what keys do what. It is going to be a learn while you sail type deal for the most part. On the job training. Anyway, always come on by if you can't figure out something. We will do the best we can to solve the issue!

[NefariousKoel]

Welcome Aboard MudMarine!

[MudMarine]

AVGWarhawk,
Ya Darn tootin right about that manual, makes a great coaster for my ice tea mug. I got the foldout, needs to be up dated. I went through other posts on this from and found out how ta use the dang sonar/hydophones usin the home/end keys and ya have ta be at least at periscope deepth.

Well that is the second update, the first was setting course ta periscope view, = key, I think.

That is two so far there must be others, I will ask that in another thread.

[Onkel Neal]

Welcome aboard, Mudmarine. Drinks are on the house, don't trash your room ;)

Neal

[MudMarine]

Neal,
Sorry this Ole Devildog has been on the wagon since June 15th, 1984 and has a friend named Bill W. Just point me the way ta that coffee pot or pitcher of bug Juice or Ice Tea.

Room all ready trashed learnin this Vista BS on my new horse(CPU).

[Onkel Neal]

Neal,
Sorry this Ole Devildog has been on the wagon since June 15th, 1984 and has a friend named Bill W. Just point me the way ta that coffee pot or pitcher of bug Juice or Ice Tea.

Room all ready trashed learnin this Vista BS on my new horse(CPU).

Thos are the only drinks for me as well, along with Dr Pepper, of course :ping:

[MudMarine]

Neal,
I am a Pepsi man, myself. When Pepsi gets to expensive I have to go to generic cola.

[Sailor Steve]

Neal,
Sorry this Ole Devildog has been on the wagon since June 15th, 1984 and has a friend named Bill W. Just point me the way ta that coffee pot or pitcher of bug Juice or Ice Tea.

Room all ready trashed learnin this Vista BS on my new horse(CPU).

Thos are the only drinks for me as well, along with Dr Pepper, of course :ping:
When did you steal my life? Well, my tastes, anyway?:rock:

[MudMarine]

Gads,
Chief Neal, what ya mean my passed away wife of 30 years got me hooked on Pepsi. That drink for years we drank. Bug Juice aquired in USMC and Ice Tea aquired livin in Califonia and the South, Florida. How old are Ya? Me, I am 53.

Well I got that Gizmo, Submarine Attack Course Finder (SACF) and the and the reverse side called Is-Was made. Also made a home made slide rule. Gona order one online. Finally a plot Board. Just need now ta learn ta use the contraptions ta shoot torpedies.

[AVGWarhawk]

Gads,
Chief Neal, what ya mean my passed away wife of 30 years got me hooked on Pepsi. That drink for years we drank. Bug Juice aquired in USMC and Ice Tea aquired livin in Califonia and the South, Florida. How old are Ya? Me, I am 53.

Well I got that Gizmo, Submarine Attack Course Finder (SACF) and the and the reverse side called Is-Was made. Also made a home made slide rule. Gona order one online. Finally a plot Board. Just need now ta learn ta use the contraptions ta shoot torpedies.

Ah, you need a red light for night operations as well;)

[GT182]

Hey there Mud, good to see at someplace new(for you). ;) This is the place to be for Subs, and lotsa help too. Make sure you read all you can to get the help you need for SH4 to run better. It's not at all like FS9 and WWII Fighters.... or as playable for some. ;)

[Major Johnson]

Neal,
Sorry this Ole Devildog has been on the wagon since June 15th, 1984 and has a friend named Bill W. (CPU).

That wouldn't by chance be old Wild Bill of SPWAW now would it?? :)

[CaptainHaplo]

Now guys - you drink whatever ya want - just nobody touch my Cheerwine! For those that don't know, there are only about 4 states in the US where you can get the stuff - and its the nectar of the gods when it comes to soda. Or for you oldsters - pop!

As for messin up rooms - for pete's sake (and who is this "pete" and why should we do anything for his sake anyway?) - any of us that spent time in uniform know how to mess up a room - but we sure as heck know how to clean up our messes come inspection time! (I always hated the annual AG visit - made me work dangit!)

I will give ya one piece of advice on SH4 in this post - so its not a total waste. As much fun as manual targetting can be - every once in a while just surface and use the deck gun. Or remember - when using manual targetting - the closer you are - the less accurate your firing "solution" has to be! 500 yards/meters is excellent for when you have to guestimate everything FAST!

[MudMarine]

Major Johson,
Wild Bill is not Bill W. The founder of A.A( Not Anti-Aircraft) was Bill W. I am just your common verity drunk\alcohalic, goin on 23 years sober.

Gt182, I must have meet Ya at one of the Hangers ( Flight sim forums). This Vista has put them Gremlins in my flight control system. Grounded until fixed.

CaptHaplo, Had heard the word pop in a moons age. I the Crotch those yearly inspections were called IG. Gads 500 yards, I thought there was a minimum range Ya had to launch torpedies to arm. Is there? Got ta hit the hay up 0400 EST taget ready for work.