Time Compression and Detection

[Paul Roberts]

Hello All,

I remember that higher time compression increases the likelihood of detection by warships, but can someone explain exactly how much of an increase is involved? (I'm running GWX 1.03 if that makes a difference.)

I ask because I'm finding it difficult to find enough real time to play out the crucial slow parts of the game--you know, stalking a convoy, waiting out circling destroyers, etc.. I've got two young kids and only limited gaming time, and I just can't afford to spend sixty real minutes waiting for the convoy to creep into range. I want to speed things up so I can get to the real engagement, but I know time compression will just give me away to the escorts.

Is there any way to mod the degree to which time compression affects detection? I'd love to be able to go to, say, 8x without taking a penalty.

[Heibges]

There has always been debate about this phenomenon.

Some say that it is easier playing at high time compression, because contacts spawn in and don't see you. But the devs said they would have to be stupid for it to work this way.

I personally have seen no evidence of this. I have had contact go right by me at 450m without spotting me while I was on the surface. I think that most of the evidence that this occurs can be explained by visibility.

It is annoying that the TC stutters when at high TC.

I personally believe there is no difference.

[bigboywooly]

The main difference is that units spawning close to you will be soooo much closer by the time the game slows to 1TC if running at high TC
Also at high TC you run the risk of missing them altogether as they will leap waypoints in order for the game to ompute where they should be

I stick to max 128 in populated ares and use high TC if travelling across the atlantic to the US or caribbean

In an attack situation I keep TC low as mistakes turn into disasters at high TC
That said I sometimes use 32 and 64 if down deep evading
Though if you do get a DC hit floods can sometimes get away from you

[ReallyDedPoet]

.
I ask because I'm finding it difficult to find enough real time to play out the crucial slow parts of the game--you know, stalking a convoy, waiting out circling destroyers, etc.. I've got two young kids and only limited gaming time, and I just can't afford to spend sixty real minutes waiting for the convoy to creep into range. I want to speed things up so I can get to the real engagement, but I know time compression will just give me away to the escorts.

Is there any way to mod the degree to which time compression affects detection? I'd love to be able to go to, say, 8x without taking a penalty.

In the same boat, have somewhat limited time to play, so I TC quite a bit. As Heibges said it has been discussed quite a bit here. To my knowledge there is not a mod dealing with the subject, can't see it being possible.

To add a bit, with GWX I did cut down TC in shipping lanes and air support areas to 256 as to avoid missing contacts.

RDP

[Paul Roberts]

Thanks for the replies.

My most pressing concern has to do with fairly low time-compression while stalking a convoy. For instance, I'm in the path of an approaching convoy but they're still 10 or 12 km away. I want to sit quietly and let them come to me, but in real time that will take perhaps an hour--time I just don't have for playing.

My understanding is that, if I bump TC up to 4x or 8x, the escorts will be better at detecting me, so my low-speed silent running will all be for nothing. Is this not the case? (If not, it will be a great relief to me!)

[johnno74]

I've never noticed any change in when I'm detected depending on TC. I usually do just as you describe (wait submerged ahead of a contact at 8x tc or so) and I've never been spotted at times when I wouldn't have expected it.

As BBW said, at high TC things can go wrong very fast. One second a DD spots you, next second you are DEAD :o

[abel29a]

I frequently use TC up to 64X or 128X while waiting for a convoy to approach me, and I have never noticed a difference in detection range as compared to no TC. When they get to about 3-4km away I generally dont exceed 16X much, just because I need to be quick if the escorts start behaving like they have detected me.

[Paul Roberts]

This is good news! I guess I've been wrong all this time in assuming that even low TC gives warships a detection boost.

Just now I stalked and entered a convoy, making my moves at 4x or 8x, and I noticed nothing unusual in the destroyer detection. I slunk away (80m depth, silent running) at 16x and they didn't pounce more than at 1x. Subjectively, it seems fine here.

:)

[TarJak]

I'm not sure it makes them detect any easier but it certainly makes it easier for them to get right on top of you when they do detect you and then you have very little time to react.

[Canovaro]

I don't believe the escorts will have better detection when at TC.
But of course, the game stutters and between the stutters the escorts will close in on you. So the higher the TC, the closer they will come before your crew will detect them and the bigger the change that they will spot you at the same time you spot them.

At least that's what I figure.

:know:

[Brag]

I've had no detection problems and frequently use 4 - 8 - 16 TC until the escorts are close (1500 meters) the one TC to avoid being jumped should they have detected me.

Same thing when under DC attack.