Career: am I missing something?

[monkeymagoo]

Hi

I've been embarking on Career mode for the last few days and to be honest very little is happening despite me travelling vast distances. As an example I have been patrolling Celebes Sea (in the zig zag pattern I saw in a video) and have not encountered a single ship.

If it's just a case of patience then fine, but I was wondering if I was meant to be reacting to the news broadcasts I get occasionally, or sending status reports more often? E.g I got a broadcast saying Japanese forces has invaded Borneo, so I started going around the coast of Borneo but didn't encounter anything.

Lastly, a plane flew overhead and then crashed into the sea. I didn't do anything so did it crash because my crew were shooting it down?

Sorry for the noob questions :)

-Richard

[Fearless]

Welcome monkeymagoo. If you are playing the stock game version, perhaps use the "new set of campaign layers" mod created by Tater. Check post Here (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=116283)

Alternatively, there some great mods worth checking out in the mods workshop forum.

[tater]

You won't find contacts easier though, I reduced traffic.

tater

[ReallyDedPoet]

Check out Captain Coxs' Pull Down Pacific Map Mod, it illustrates shipping lanes, etc in the Pacific Theatre. It gives you a good idea on where to patrol.


RDP

[raifg]

Same problem.
So there are two parts in my patrols:
1. Achieve the SH4 mission (ie patrol, or take some photos ...)
2. Empty my sub of all my torps by sinking ships...

The Tater's mod looks nice; I think I will quicly install and try it .

[FAdmiral]

Ok, lets use some common sense here. Japanese shipping would travel from
port to port. Choke points between enemy ports would be a good place to
hang out. Also near the entrance to one of these ports would be a good bet too.
I hung out at Rabaul for a week in June 1943 and had targets day and night.
Some were leaving and some were coming, mostly merchants but HEY, they
go down without a fight unless you have to contend with those pesky escorts...

JIM

[raifg]

Ok, lets use some common sense here. Japanese shipping would travel from
port to port. Choke points between enemy ports would be a good place to
hang out. Also near the entrance to one of these ports would be a good bet too.
I hung out at Rabaul for a week in June 1943 and had targets day and night.
Some were leaving and some were coming, mostly merchants but HEY, they
go down without a fight unless you have to contend with those pesky escorts...

JIM

I agree with you FAdmiral.
I guess the main message of monkeymagoo is : "If you doesn't look for ships, your sub will be full of torps at the end of your mission".
Indeed , your are right there are different spots where you can make a good job. Personally I perfer the attack of passengers liners convoys...

[Sailor Steve]

Of course that is part of the problem of playing with a sim: it tries to simulate the situation from real life. In real life there were many patrols in which no enemy ships were ever spotted.

[FAdmiral]

Of course that is part of the problem of playing with a sim: it tries to simulate the situation from real life. In real life there were many patrols in which no enemy ships were ever spotted.

Early on in the war that would probably be very true cause Command just didn't
know where the enemy was and where he might be going. But later on, patrol
areas would be changed to reflect the more traveled routes and of course, the
breaking of the Japanese navel code would tend to put allied subs in the right
place at the right time....

JIM

[monkeymagoo]

Hi guys

24 hours later and I'm ready to have another go. Thanks for the replies: I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something in the game. Now I know that I should expect it to be quiet at times that's fine - in fact looking forward to finding the best hunting grounds!