Did I just get lucky?

[WhiskeyBravo]

I started a career in Manila in an S boat, Dec 41. I had 2 patrols with 2 ships for 6000tons as a result. I had close calls on the invasion fleet near Lingayen Gulf and I just missed the Chitose north of Aparri. So far so good, it all seemed very realistic. Indeed, my second patrol was fruitless - lots of time stooging around, few contacts, and zero sinkings.

I was redirected to Freemantle on completion of my second patrol and was rewarded with a new Porpoise class boat.

My first assignment was to patrol the northern end of the Luzon Strait and it seems like I struck gold. I transited via the Makassar Strait and up the west coast of Luzon. Before I even reached my patrol station I had sunk 6 ships for around 25000 tons and I was concerned I would run out of fish before completing my mission.

Anyway, I got to my assigned area, sunk one ship and then decided to head home due to fuel and torpedo shortages. I returned the way I came and sunk another 4 ships for 16000 tons.

On return to Freemantle I was awarded the Medal of Honour for sinking 11 ships for 41000tons.

OK, I thought, maybe I got lucky and stumbled on the main route for Japanese ships, so on my next patrol which was into the South China sea I routed the same way through Makassar Strait. I'm about a week into this patrol and I'm currently about half way along the Makassar Strait, so far I've sighted and sunk 3 ships for around 10,000 tons.

Now I like to play my sims as realistically as possible. I play 'full real' with manual targetting etc.

So my question is: did I just get lucky? I really don't want to rack up a huge tonnage - I want it to feel realistic.

I'm currently using:
SHIV 1.5
TMO with SPs
RSRDC with latest patch
PE2

At night I use surface attacks and I can get to within 1000yds easily. I use submerged persicope attacks for daylight sightings. None of the ships I've attacked seem to have taken any sort of avoiding action.

Have I been lucky or am I related to Dick O'Kane or Mush Morton? :o

Cheers,

WB.

[gimpy117]

ive run into 3 large convoys at once...i attacked two of them i think i saved a screenie of it.

[AVGWarhawk]

Something does not sound right. If your victims and DD are not doing anything to avoid you or the DD are not dropping DC it sounds like stock reaction for the AI. Not sure. I know Duci TMO DD are aggressive. Are DD actively going after you?

[WhiskeyBravo]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. With the exception of the 2 warship contacts mentioned above (for which I was out of position and hence couldn't make an attack) all the ships I sunk were single merchants, apart from one attack which was 2 merchants in column - this was the only time I saw a merchant change course and I suspect this was to avoid his mate in front of him (going boom) rather than me!

I've not so far come up against any destroyers so can't comment on them - yet!

Am I right in thinking that at this stage of the war the Japanese merchants did not travel in well protected convoys? If that's the case then it's not an issue for me but surely they would at least try and evade if they saw a torpedo wake or perisope?

Cheers,

WB.

[AVGWarhawk]

Some will evade and some will not. Some will attempt to ram you and others don't. You never know what you will get. So, no DD encounters? Sounds to me like a good patrol really. But, beware of the Bungo Pete style DD you will encounter! :up:

[tedhealy]

If you know where the shipping lanes are in RSRD (or in the real war), you can rack up lots of unescorted or minimally escorted easy kills, or at least that has been my experience with RSRD.

[WhiskeyBravo]

Perhaps I've just stumbled into the shipping lanes then. It's starting to look like my fourth patrol is going to be just as fruitful as my third.

Another thing is that I have had zero dud torpedos - has Ducimus removed them from TMO I wonder? If I'd had trouble with my torps like the real skippers had back then I would have been lucky to get even half of my tonnage so far.

WB.

[tedhealy]

You may have offended the dud gods :damn:

Duds come and go in bunches. Sometimes you'll get none for a long time. Sometimes you'll get dud after dud. If you aren't hitting ships with the perfect setup at or around 90 degrees, your dud rate should go down too.

[Rockin Robbins]

Don't follow the advice of some in my Dick O'Kane targeting discussion and perform intricate trig calculations to get a perfect right angle strike. It's a perfect prescription for duds.:damn:

[WhiskeyBravo]

My problem is I haven't had ANY duds. I'd like a few just to add to the realism. As I've had my nice shiny new Porpoise class fleet boat since Feb 42 and its now Jul 42 I think I should have had at least a few duds by now? :D

WB.

[Capn_Sinky]

Stinky's formula for increased dud production.

#1 Set torps to run at 5' below keel depth

#2 Set torps to mag/contact det

#3 Always run torps in high speed setting

#4 Always hit the target at a 90 degree angle

(Oddly enough these were the procedures taught to Sub Commanders as the gospel truth.)

Good Luck and may the Shwartz be with you!