When You Run Out of Fuel. What Next?

[Mowinz]

It happened to me once a few months ago and since then I've been running with unlimited petrol. Now I'm planning to go closer to the full real game and was curious what happens when I'm in a career patrol and I run out of gas?

Is the game over?

Cheers

[STEED]

No use your batteries but if your a long way from home it will take even longer to get home.

Go steady on the gas and keep an eye on it. ;)

[bigboywooly]

Rig sails
:rotfl:

I ask Onkel for a tow home but I usually get a an allied tug and destroyer escort :nope:

[KeptinCranky]

you know, I've never played with unlimited fuel, I've never run out either and never done the "return to base" trick for fuel reasons. even when badly bombed and lost about 75% of my diesel in BF17 I got back to Willi in 1940. (did have to take some fairly hairy shortcuts though:shifty:)

The trick is to figure out your optimum economy speed and stick to it, set it manually, don't just order 1/3 speed, order 8 knots specifically, it doesn't matter if you're only actually making 6knots due to bad weather, as long as you order the correct speed. that also means no rushing about at flank to get that radio contact, no 200km legs at 14 knots to intercept the convoy earlier. think about what you're doing and plan ahead.

I only go above this speed when absolutely necessary for making an attack or evading warships

best fuel economy for various boats I've found

IIa no engine upgrades 6 knots
IIa with upgrades 7 knots
IId don't know
VII no upgrades 8 knots
VII with engine upgrade 9 knots
IXb/c no upgrades 9 knots
IXb/c with upgrade 10 knots
IXD2 don't know both times I left port with one of those I got bombed 100km out from Bordeaux and had to limp back home minus half the hull integrity and most of my diesel

hope that helps :|\\

[danlisa]

Huge Game Bug!!

If you are using batteries only and you run out of charge, surface and hit TC. The batteries will magically recharge themselves.

[KeptinCranky]

that's just wrong:D:nope:

I don't think I would exploit that unless I'm already within 100km of a friendly port. then it could be used to simulate a tow.

But think about how it looks, getting towed into port, hardly heroic. and Dontiz would give you a serious chewing out for being incompetent enough to squander all your diesel (emergencies are different of course)

[siber]

Fuel's only been a problem for me in Type IIs. With Type VIIs I've always cruised at 8kts to/from action, unless I need to catch up a contact/convoy. With this system, I'm generally returning to base without any torpedoes before I've hit about 60% fuel level.

After taking damage, however, it's a different matter... :down:

[danlisa]

that's just wrong:D:nope:

I don't think I would exploit that unless I'm already within 100km of a friendly port. then it could be used to simulate a tow.

Yeah, I never use it either. Infact, I usually forget about it until someone asks.:D

I also really hate that it's not fixable.

[Sailor Steve]

IIa no engine upgrades 6 knots
IIa with upgrades 7 knots
IId don't know
VII no upgrades 8 knots
VII with engine upgrade 9 knots
IXb/c no upgrades 9 knots
IXb/c with upgrade 10 knots
IXD2 don't know both times I left port with one of those I got bombed 100km out from Bordeaux and had to limp back home minus half the hull integrity and most of my diesel

hope that helps :|\\
It's time to resurrect one of my pet peeves: engine upgrades in SH3 are totally bogus. Unrealistic and wrong.

The Type VIIa had no superchargers, and never got any. Type VIIb and all later u-boats came stock with superchargers. The 'Unsupercharged' speeds in the game are the speeds they actually made with superchargers. The 'Supercharged/Upgraded' speeds are total fabrications; they never went that fast.

Question: there's a Type II upgrade? I didn't know that. I'm pretty sure no Type IIs ever had superchargers.

[XLjedi]

Once I ran outta gas close to port and was able to finish on electric without cheating... that was cool.

One other time I ran outta gas way out there and I noticed the game did let me somehow recharge repeatedly and make it home (I assume using a makeshift solar array?)

Once I got DC'd off the coast of Spain and it damaged the rudder, I couldn't turn and I was pointed out to sea. I ended up beaching on the south end of Greenland to end my career, but we survived... Later it occured to me that engines are capable of running in reverse and my 2 week odyssey could've been ended in about 8 hours on a nice beach in Portugal. :doh:

[Indiana_Jones]

what's TC?

-Indy

[joegrundman]

It's not exactly the same thing, but once I had both rudders and one propeller blown off by a Wasserbomb in the firth of forth. Luckily I was facing due east and managed to evade several destroyers with just up and down controls, crawling along at 2knots underwater and 5 knots on the surface.

I got to the coast of denmark and really had to use return to base then. I figured that that would count as a legitimate rescue, having already gotten to friendly waters.

However, the weather was good. I would have had my crew sitting on the deck using planks of wood to steer the thing for Willhelmshaven. Needs to be included as a command in SH5: Hedgehogs of the Atlantic, i think.

[joegrundman]

TC= time compression

[Indiana_Jones]

ah, cheers :up:

-Indy

[TarJak]

You can always hit ESC and sail back to port on the magic teleporter that BDU has installed for your convenience.:rotfl:

Or you could radio your position until a passing KM ship comes by to lend you some diesel.

[Brag]

Outta fuel?
Out of fuel?
Fatsamatta you, doncha look at your gauge?
Call British Admiralty for assistance or air drop by Sunderlands :eek:

[bookworm_020]

Break out the oars and start rowing!:up:

[SmokinTep]

Unlimited fuel is like having a Nuclear Reactor............:lol:

[Vortex]

I suppose this is obvious, but just in case.

1.) Occasionally plot a course back to base.

2.) Go to ideal cruise speed (listed above)

3.) Use your navigator and ask for distance to course end, and then ask for max range at current speed. Oila.

Of course getting damaged could cause you trouble, but...

[Sebbe02]

Another one of those need-to-have things is the compressor.

A destroyer once DC'd my diesel engines AND compressor to Oblivion. So I found myself lying on the bottom, with an agressive destroyer 100m above me.:shifty:

I tried "blow ballast", and it worked. I got to the surface, only to start sinking again....:down:

[DrMilton]

The 'Unsupercharged' speeds in the game are the speeds they actually made with superchargers. The 'Supercharged/Upgraded' speeds are total fabrications; they never went that fast.



The surface speed of a supercharged VIIc is about 20 kts. IIRC this is what several commanders had reported as their top surface speed (I must have read that in an E. Topp's interview) :hmm: