Newbie question: How to patrol?

[kevarms]

Hi guys, Just started to play SH4 and finding it quite enjoyable. I haven't played a sub sim for a looooong time (Hunt for Red October anybody?) but very impressed so far.
I'm not having much trouble with combat tactics. I still remember a lot of stuff, as well as finding a lot of things in the forum useful. What I'd like some help on is how to go about the campaign missions realistically. Probably obvious things to you guys, but not to me I'm afraid. Things I'm interested to know:
- should I be sailing on the surface or submerged?
- what speed?
- when should I submerge? when should I surface?
- why/when should I send my position to base?
- should I attack enemy ships on the way to a patrol area?
- is it worth responding to fox reports (eg, Japanese invading Phillipines) if I'm far away and assigned another mission?
- sonar and radar.... when and why?

I've searched the forums to no avail so I hope somebody can lend a guiding hand here. In the meanwhile I'm going back to the quick missions. Never can get enough shooting practice.

TIA

EDIT: Actually I was thinking of Red Storm Rising, not Red October

[SteamWake]

Check the sticky "guides" thread at the top.

Heres a shortcut http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111509

[jtm55]

Hi All,

Kevarms, there's a wealth of Information right here. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=108931

In Addition there are some excellent books witten by RAdmiral Richard O'kane & Capt Ed Beach about tactics patrol stratagies & such.

[kevarms]

Thanks, but that's not quite what I was looking for. I want to know how to get to a mission area rather than how to complete a mission.

[AVGWarhawk]

- should I be sailing on the surface or submerged?
Submerged by day in enemy waters, surface at night.
- what speed?
2kts for the submerged/10kts surfaced is most economical
- when should I submerge? when should I surface?
Sun up submerge/sundown surface
- why/when should I send my position to base?
Send in when on station you will receive further orders. Report convoys and receive orders.
- should I attack enemy ships on the way to a patrol area?
Entirely up to you.
- is it worth responding to fox reports (eg, Japanese invading Phillipines) if I'm far away and assigned another mission?
Some say yes as there are things happening when Fox calls in.
- sonar and radar.... when and why?
Sonar for underwater sound and available at the beginning of war. Radar later on in the war and excellent for finding targets.

[kevarms]

:up: That's what I needed! Thanks.

[AVGWarhawk]

No problem Captain, at your service.

[UnSalted]

I follow the day/night routine as above except when I see a ship on my map on the way to a patrol area. Then I come up and chase until I can close enough to either use guns or torps. I've yet to see an order telling me go "proceed at flank spped" anywhere so I guess I'm legally complying with the deploy or patrol orders.

BTW once you get used to setting up your boat when you surface after nightfall you can include the radio home duty. I come up, turn on the radar, do a quck binoculars scan in case the %^$S&*^ radar doesn't work, call home, pour a cup of coffee and hope something big, fat and loaded with airplanes sails by. Boring yes, but somebody has to do it.

[Silence]

I spend most of my patrols on the surface, only diving when harassed by planes or when I am close to the position I want to be in for my approach to the oncoming convoy or ship. I like to use my radar as much as possible, as I find it provides better data for planning my attack. Then when submerged I will only pop up my periscope to get a snapshot of speed, AOB, and identify the target.
Don't have too much trouble staying on the surface, just need to make sure I don't get too close to others.
:arrgh!:

[Capt. Shark Bait]

there are times you can run on the surface, particularly in friendly waters and enemy but you'll rish a patrol plane trying to sink you and sending in a contact report, which might be to your advantage:ping: . :hmm:, would the AI send units you the area your in? you can also stay on the surface in foul weather, and it's pretty much everything the others have said too

[FAdmiral]

- is it worth responding to fox reports (eg, Japanese invading Phillipines) if I'm far away and assigned another mission?


These reports are just for the historical flavor of the game. If you were there,
nothing would be happening (so far). I'm hoping some modder will redo the
campaign layers to actually let these historical events happen but thats a
MAJOR job that requires lotsa time....

JIM