Three detailed questions about GWX 3.0

[thoomsn]

Ahoj Kaleus and modders!

Right now I'm on my 19th operation and it's February 1944. During my last trips some questions arised which I would like to ask the experts. Here we go:
1: The Hedgehog bombs in GWX explodes when? At contact with the target or always? It's a little bit confusing 'cause in game they sometimes seem to explode all without contact (what you can check in the external view) and sometimes not: The sonar guy tells me "DCs in the water!" but no explsions follow.
2: As far as I know the "Air Gap" in the North Atlantic was closed around summer 1943 and from there on the Germans lost most of their subs due to air attacks. I'm now in Feb 1944 and have absolutely no problems 'cause my Naxos always warns me in time. I simoply dive for an hour and that's it. Is it posible that there are not enough air craft in GWX which can't be detected by Naxos, Metox and so on? I've heard that TC should not be higher than 128 to see "enough" air attacks so I do not use a higher TC.
3: If I use the Lowered DF Antennas, how does that affect the game play of GWX? For realism reasons I use the "Peilrahmen" only when it was used in real history (when holding contact to a convoy or "Fühlungshalten"). Do I lose any game features when this mod is activated?

Would be great if someone of the experts could answer my questions.
Thank you very much (for this great software and your support).
thoomsn
(at sea)

[magicsub2]

well the first question is that: hedghogs are just like mortar bombs, they explode on contact, so if they dont hit anything they sink down to the bottom

as for the other 2, i can not tell because i have not made it up to thier!:arrgh!:

[A Very Super Market]

Hedgehog? Forward launching tiny depth charges? They aren't worked into the game. You must mean depth charges.

The maximum limit or depth charges is 300m. After that, they will disappear. You have to be below 300m, because the destroyer will set the explosion depth to whatever you current one is (or where they think you are). The reason you aren't hearing them is because they're completely off-target.

No idea about number 3, but what are your realism setting? The game seems a bit too easy.

[Sailor Steve]

Sure there are Hedgehogs in the game. They were there from the start. Several people have posted screenshots over the years of them being fired and of them hitting the water in their pretty little 'ring' pattern. As mentioned above, they aren't depth charges but contact bombs, only going off if they hit your boat.

They might of course go off when they hit the bottom, which is what thoomsn was asking about.

For question 3, the DF loop being raised and turning in GWX is eye candy only - it has no effect on the game. The only options are always raised or always lowered.

[Weiss Pinguin]

Hedgehog? Forward launching tiny depth charges? They aren't worked into the game. You must mean depth charges.
Hedgehogs have been in game since stock. :hmm:

I can't remember if the sonarman will call out a DC warning for hedgehogs, but they only explode on contact, so if you get a spread dropped around you with no explosions, you can breath a sigh of relief.

At least until the next wave is launched...

[A Very Super Market]

Well then, I must have been the luckiest kaleun ever to exist. Never saw those hedgehogs. Then again, I've never even tried a convoy attack, just pickin' off loners. Say what you will, but I've had careers that survived..:D

[jimmie]

They were proudly introduced in the SH3 original teaser movie which was, I can't remeber when, maybe December 2004? :rotfl:

[thoomsn]

ahoj mates and thanx a lot for your replies!

My realism settings are 80% (external view activated and "manual targetting" switched off). That doesn't change anything about the number of air attacks, does it?

Somethingh else I would like to ask (and couldn't find in the manual): How many Bolds do I have? I guess 5 or maximum 6. Am I right?

thoomsn (at sea)

[Murr44]

Well then, I must have been the luckiest kaleun ever to exist. Never saw those hedgehogs. Then again, I've never even tried a convoy attack, just pickin' off loners. Say what you will, but I've had careers that survived..:D

I got "killed" in the Indian Ocean last year by a hedgehog, not long after I got GWX 2.1. My IXD2 was struck on the bow by one charge & it ripped a big hole in my boat. Massive flooding, no chance of surfacing...:cry:

[Jimbuna]

You'll find hedgehogs fitted predominantly to sloops and frigates in game.

The Black Swan class in particular becomes 'deadly'.

[Faamecanic]

The Black Swan class in particular becomes 'deadly'.

Thats good intel to know.... I will start avoiding them like the plauge :yep:

[TarJak]

Unfortunately Metox is a lottle too reliable in game. From memory a fair amount of work went into getting the senors as good as they could be but this was one sensor where you either picked up everything with rador or nothing at all. I'd say having it is better than not otherwise gameplay would tend to be very much shorter in 44 than it is now.

You will still have to watch out for some aircraft that do not have radar though.

I think you have 6 Bolds from memory.

[GOZO]

If you follow the attacker via hydrophone you learn to recon the sound when the hedgehogs hit the water (Very special splash. Differs from ordinary DC:s) = Run at flank bell unless you are shallow meaning you are 90% probability toast.:lol: :lol: :lol:

/OB:know:

[Jimbuna]

Your best defence (if your deep) is actually to go to emergency back because the hedgehog is a forward throwing device/weapon.

Boats should come equipped with 12 bolds.

[Keelbuster]

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3571/sh3img2422006174js8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[thoomsn]

Thanx for your statements!

I would like to ask something else a lot Kaleus were wondering about: Is it true that using the Atlas Lot to check the depth under your keel will alert the enemy (if he's near)? It's an active sound device and thus VERY LOUD under water. By realism means an listening destroyer near by can't ignore such a sound.

Thanx in advance.
thoomsn

[gordonmull]

The atlas does not alert the destroyers to you, sadly. I've happily pinged the bottom plenty of times with it while near escorts.

[KeptinCranky]

Indeed it doesn't, but then, if you were being hunted you wouldn't even consider using your depth-sounder for the reason that it would give you away...

best not to use it at all with warships within hydrophone range, for realism's sake, same goes for active sonar....

[Jimbuna]

Much quiter just to drop a leaded line through the bold tube :DL

[Lanzfeld]

Your best defence (if your deep) is actually to go to emergency back because the hedgehog is a forward throwing device/weapon.

Jimbuna,

I think you are confused maybe? The "forward throwing" part of the description of the weapon means that it is thrown forward of the attacking ship and NOT thrown forward, always, of the sub being attacked so going emergency back may not always be the answer. It depends on what direction the attacking ship is comming from and where the bombs actually land in relation to the target sub which, in real life, we wouldnt be able to pinpoint so well.

I am sure you know this already.:arrgh!:

[Jimbuna]

Your best defence (if your deep) is actually to go to emergency back because the hedgehog is a forward throwing device/weapon.

Jimbuna,

I think you are confused maybe? The "forward throwing" part of the description of the weapon means that it is thrown forward of the attacking ship and NOT thrown forward, always, of the sub being attacked so going emergency back may not always be the answer. It depends on what direction the attacking ship is comming from and where the bombs actually land in relation to the target sub which, in real life, we wouldnt be able to pinpoint so well.

I am sure you know this already.:arrgh!:

Apologies I should have said when being prosecuted from aft.

I have carried out extensive tests using external view and observed that under the above conditions, slowing down or reversing your boat means the trajectory (being fired ahead of your expected position) actually ' overshoots.

Naturally, the deeper you are, the longer the time taken for the bomblets to sink and the longer time period you have to affect the manouvre.

Can't advise trying the above without external view though :DL

[Keelbuster]

I've always been terrified of hedgehogs. They sinks so fast, and are essentially shot 'directly' at you, that there's little you can do but pucker up and pray. Usually I get hit by at least 1 of them, which isn't critical, but it adds up. Only occasionally I've managed to thread the hedgehogs - just slip through the cracks:

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4913/sh3img2320062139fy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)