Running With Decks Awash

[K-61]

I've started to experiment with the decks awash concept. I have been playing around with manually moving the depth gauge needle to the "7" indent on the depth gauge and watching the boat from external view. It is awesome to see this happen, as the boat gradually settles down lower in the water. I've read that this has an effect in the game, but I have yet to prove this for myself. I'm waiting for my first enemy encounter to try it for real.

Now, I haven't had the time yet to read through each page of the GWX2 manual, but is this modelled and is there a shortcut key that allows one to run decks awash or must this be manually input? Thanks for any help offered. And sorry if this has already been covered, but I have only recently begun again to start hanging out and posting here.

[Brag]

With decks awash you become more difficult to see (but you're not invisible) The penalty for running decks awash is higher fuel consumption.

Another advantage of decks awash, is reduced diving time.

[K-61]

It all makes sense, of course; a sub with more of its hull in the water should meet more resistance and thus burn more fuel to maintain the same speed. I just wasn't sure if all of the logical factors are reflected in the game. Thanks for your reply. I don't expect it to be a Klingon invisibility cloak, but it should at least make me a bit harder to spot. I'm really looking forward to my next night time convoy attack to try this.

[HEMISENT]

K61 I did a pretty extensive test with Decks Awash quite awhile ago, back when the concept first came out. If you want I can pull up the copy and post it here. Kind of a long post though. The bottom line id DA definately does help in detectability by the AI escorts in certain conditions.

[K-61]

K61 I did a pretty extensive test with Decks Awash quite awhile ago, back when the concept first came out. If you want I can pull up the copy and post it here. Kind of a long post though. The bottom line id DA definately does help in detectability by the AI escorts in certain conditions.

If it's not too much bother, I'd love to read that, thank you.

[Schwuppes]

Was the decks awash concept actually really used by Kaleuns back then?

[K-61]

Yes, it was. I have seen it mentioned in a number of books. It had a real world origin and application. As mentioned, it lowered the silhouette of the U-boat, which was already difficult to see at night. It also became a standard practice for inbound and outbound U-boats near France once the Allies began to saturate the Bay of Biscay with aerial ASW patrols. It decreased the amount of time to dive, as the sub was already partially flooded. Of course, this increased drag and fuel consumption, but there were occasions, such as those above which warranted that.

[Nerazzurri]

Was the decks awash concept actually really used by Kaleuns back then?

Just one example -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Turner_(DD-648)

[Schwuppes]

Thanks guys!

But wouldn't that also mean the U-Boats propeller noises would be easier to detect via hydrophone (while conducting surfaced convoy attacks)

[KeptinCranky]

Schwuppes, I don't know but so far, I don't think so although that is what you'd expect but those 2 meters don't make that much difference, you're still in the surface noise.

The dive time thing is definitely useful in the IX boats especially the IXD2 which takes more than a minute for a normal dive,

[Von Schmidt]

I was operating around Freetown I decided to try decks awash, i wanted to avoid a River class. I was succesfully avoiding him, when out of nowhere a VW cut on a searchlight and ruined my day. he was about 3500m away so i guess she had radar. I dived to Periscope depth. put the VW aft of me and waited for her to get within 1000m. Stern shot sunk her. The river strated zig zaging but I got her to, to shallow had to make a stand.

[Sailor Steve]

Yes, decks awash was used in real life. On patrol they usually didn't us it since, as was already pointed out, it was very wasteful where fuel was concerned. Since the main use was as stealthy an approach as possible at night, they usually also switched to electric motors to kill noise and smoke. Too bad the game doesn't allow us to manually choose e-motors while surfaced.

[Wreford-Brown]

You can get the same effect later on in the war by fitting a snorkel. This allows you to keep the hull under water but with the speed benefit of running your diesels. The snorkel does have a radar signature but it is far less than the conning tower and if you are detected then your speed allows you to submerge quicker.
Pictures of it in use are at:
http://www.uboataces.com/uboat-type-work.shtml

[Hakahura]

Decks awash works remarkably well in game.
When the night is dark enough I have managed to get within 1600m of dd's without being detected.
Of course once they get radar.....

[Hondo314]

You can get the same effect later on in the war by fitting a snorkel. This allows you to keep the hull under water but with the speed benefit of running your diesels. The snorkel does have a radar signature but it is far less than the conning tower and if you are detected then your speed allows you to submerge quicker.
Pictures of it in use are at:
http://www.uboataces.com/uboat-type-work.shtml

The caption on the photo with the two scopes and the snorkel claims the observation scope is on the far left (the narrow one). Isn't the attack scope supposed to be narrower than the observation scope? I think the attack scope is on the far left, the observation scope in the middle, and the snorkel on the right. Correct me if I'm wrong. Anybody know of another photo that confirms/corrects this one?

[minute]

Was the decks awash concept actually really used by Kaleuns back then?
Just one example -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Turner_(DD-648) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Turner_%28DD-648)
Interesting is that the "decks awash" incidend and the subsequent U-Boat sinking mentioned on the link above is not listed on uboat.net, and I can't find any other reference...

[sasquatch]

How come my watch crew goes below deck when running "decks awash"?

[K-61]

If your watch crew goes below, then you have tickled the depth gauge just a bit too far.

My first experiences with decks awash have been interesting. I just approached about 800 metres from a freighter, surfaced, and fired off a torpedo. Weather is high winds, but no fog or rain. And it is a moonlit night. I free-viewed to the ship's perspective and I couldn't see my own U-boat. This is neat!

[KeptinCranky]

If you don't mind using the freeview option do what K-61 did, looking from the targets perspective is definitely something to try. It's useful to know how visible your uboat is in different weather conditions. For example, in flat calm, clear weather and daylight your Uboat is reasonably visible without magnification at about 3km, decks awash this is somewhat reduced, I found that out just now off Newfoundland :D

Tarjak came up with the following trick which I'll repeat here:

When running decks awash, man the forward torpedo room, putting more weight in the front of the Boat will reduce your bow wave which is very visible,

it also pays to reduce to slow speed, say 3 or 4 knots, especially when approaching convoys in calm weather. all this enables you to succesfully pull off Night Surface attacks well into 1941 :rock:

:know: now go sink something :up:

[Gezoes]

...
Tarjak came up with the following trick which I'll repeat here:

When running decks awash, man the forward torpedo room, putting more weight in the front of the Boat will reduce your bow wave which is very visible,...

Slow approaches sure, but hang on. And forgive my possible ignorance into new possibilities, but my brave crew's pixels actually carry some real-life weight? :hmm:

[KeptinCranky]

Yes, the placement of your Photonic Friends does seem to affect the trim of your Virtual Uboat, It also helps when diving, it may only shave a second or two off the time, but that could make the difference between life and death.
I had the same reaction as you did at first, but it's been tested repeatedly and there is a difference....not much but every little bit helps

[Jimbuna]

Keep your crew well fed....every little helps :lol:

[WilhelmSchulz.]

Glad to see you can keep your sig here K61.

[minute]

Does the same apply when you are fighting with emergencies to slow down a sinking boat? I've lost trim of the boat a number of times after close encounters with DCs aplenty, it would sure help to know that moving the crew around may help with stabilizing the boat...

[Gezoes]

Yes, the placement of your Photonic Friends does seem to affect the trim of your Virtual Uboat, It also helps when diving, it may only shave a second or two off the time, but that could make the difference between life and death.
I had the same reaction as you did at first, but it's been tested repeatedly and there is a difference....not much but every little bit helps

Thanks a lot, I'm happily stunned :huh:

Never thought it was modelled into the game... when I get back into a IX this will come in mighty handy :up:

[Fincuan]

I don't know about normal dives, but I just tested the above theory with crash dives in a VIIC. The mission used was the Sub School torpedo training mission. The test begun with the boat running on the surface at 8 knots, and I started the clock when I hit C. First three dives were done with the crew in the back, then 3 dives with the crew in the front. 15 minutes(most of it in TC 32) between dives. Time was recorded at every 10 meters, and there was no difference at all. The times from all the six dives were actually identical, so I consider this myth busted :lol:

m s
10 32
20 41
30 50
40 58
50 66
60 75

Since the crash dive is down to 70 meters and the boat takes a while to float down the last few meters, I didn't record that.

[KeptinCranky]

hmmm:hmm:

Very well, the nays have it....for now

Nevertheless it is a good placebo thing to do, anything that'll make you feel like you're getting away from those nasty planes faster is a good thing I say. Especially in a big wallowing type IXD2

[Albrecht Von Hesse]

If you don't mind using the freeview option do what K-61 did, looking from the targets perspective is definitely something to try. It's useful to know how visible your uboat is in different weather conditions. For example, in flat calm, clear weather and daylight your Uboat is reasonably visible without magnification at about 3km, decks awash this is somewhat reduced, I found that out just now off Newfoundland :D

Tarjak came up with the following trick which I'll repeat here:

When running decks awash, man the forward torpedo room, putting more weight in the front of the Boat will reduce your bow wave which is very visible,

it also pays to reduce to slow speed, say 3 or 4 knots, especially when approaching convoys in calm weather. all this enables you to succesfully pull off Night Surface attacks well into 1941 :rock:

:know: now go sink something :up:


Actually, I was the one who discovered that little trick. (www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=99415 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=99415))

[KeptinCranky]

My bad Albrecht, credit where credit is due of course :up: