Out of gas!!!!!!

[RyanS7616]

Hello i am fairly new at this game and i am running real fleet boat v1.4. My realism is around 60 and i was patroling and i ran out of gas in the middle of the pacific. Is there anyway i can send for rescue? Please help i sunk alot of ships and want to make it back to base.

Thank you

[A Very Super Market]

Sorry, but you can't make it back... The game does not simulate that.

Reload to an earlier point, or consider yourself lost at sea..

[MonTana_Prussian]

Yer done my friend. As AVSM said,either reload an earlier save,or start a new career.

[Frame57]

When you have about 50% of fuel left start heading to another friendly port or base. Steam at about 10 knots for best efficiency.

[Webster]

ahead standard is best fuel ecomomy and is about 9 kts

also if you get damaged watch your battery recharge, it will keep recharging damaged batteries and burn up all your fuel.

engines run full speed anytime you need to recharge so run flank when doing so because your burning the fuel anyway.

[Schroeder]

Er, you can switch the battery reload off if they are damaged. There is a menu in the control panel that's named "standard propulsion".
It is also very handy if you are sailing in a S-Class sub that only runs on one propeller when recharging and you are trying to catch up to someone (running away doesn't work with this thing:D).

[RyanS7616]

Well that really sux. That is not realistic either i mean if one of our boys were stranded in the pacific i would think they would send some sort of rescue. I think this problem needs to be addressed in silent hunter 5. But thanks for all of y'alls help.

[Torplexed]

Well that really sux. That is not realistic either i mean if one of our boys were stranded in the pacific i would think they would send some sort of rescue. I think this problem needs to be addressed in silent hunter 5. But thanks for all of y'alls help.

Can't disagree with you there. It's bizarre to be stalled out of fuel 100 miles from home base and they can't bother to send a replenishment tanker or a tow. I've looked to see if there are any historical incidents involving subs running dry near or far from base and needing aid, but haven't found any. They must have always done the math and kept a good eye on the gauge.

[Tony845]

I have no doubt running out of fuel, regardless of cause, was a real career ender in real life.

[Sailor Steve]

I have no doubt running out of fuel, regardless of cause, was a real career ender in real life.

I'm with you on this one. In Silent Hunter 1 you could call for a tow, but I think you had to be very close to base. They weren't going to send an unescorted surface ship into hostile waters for any reason whatsoever.

[Schroeder]

In real life one could have met up with another submarine and "borrow" some fuel. I don't think this would be too unrealistic. Especially if one runs out of fuel after loosing some to damage.

[Sailor Steve]

"Could have", yes. But did it happen?

I honestly don't know. It would be interesting to find out.

[Frame57]

Damaged boats were escorted in. Such was the case with the Bergall.

[Schroeder]

"Could have", yes. But did it happen?


I don't know.
But let's do the math.

1. One 7,000,000$ Submarine + crew lost

or
2. One sub that is near the stranded one sent to it's location for refuelling, resulting in the safe return of the formerly stranded sub and a shortened patrol for the second one.

I think the Navy would be better of with the second option.:woot:

[Sailor Steve]

I don't know.
But let's do the math.

1. One 7,000,000$ Submarine + crew lost

or
2. One sub that is near the stranded one sent to it's location for refuelling, resulting in the safe return of the formerly stranded sub and a shortened patrol for the second one.

I think the Navy would be better of with the second option.:woot:
Nice math. But the question is still "Did it ever happen?"

[Frame57]

I seriously doubt that Lockwood would have allowed one of his boats to just sit somewhere if they "ran out of Gas". Now if a skipper allowed such an event to take place which would be ridiculous, he would not be a skipper after such a blunder. The Bergall was escorted in after sustaining damage as was the Salmon. Even though the Salmon was deemed cost ineffective to repair . We did not want our technology to fall into the hands of the enemy. Scuttling would be ordered before such a thing would happen. Now I have too read and read (Thanks Steve....) to see if any of the fleet boats ran out of gas.....Where do i start?:salute:

[Max2147]

I know that U-boats would refuel at sea, and sometimes they'd get an emergency tanker or a tow if they ran out of gas near a friendly port at the end of a mission. I know that one U-boat captain finished his patrol on batteries because he didn't want the embarrassment of needing a tow into base.

[Schroeder]

Nice math. But the question is still "Did it ever happen?"
Does it matter?
Maybe there has never been a case that a sub ran out of fuel. But that would not mean that no help would have been sent if it had happened. To me it is just logical to help a stranded (and maybe even undamaged) submarine. Besides you have to sent a vessel to get the crew anyway so why not refuelling it?

[Sniper31]

This used to happen to me alot in the early days when I first got SH4. What I do now is keep a better eye on my fuel level and watch my speed (as mentioned above, Standard is the best for fuel economy). Also, if on a long mission, during day light hours I will travel submerged to save fuel, then run on the surface in the dark and recharge. This of course also helps with staying undetected, but the fuel savings with this method are not huge by any means. All that surfacing and diving is a good way to work on your incoming air raid drills and emergency diving for sudden surface detections.

[Schroeder]

Actually you even loose fuel by doing this because the batteries have to be recharged by the diesel engines once you are on the surface again.;)

[SteamWake]

Actually you even loose fuel by doing this because the batteries have to be recharged by the diesel engines once you are on the surface again.;)

One of my 'tricks' is when your assigned one of those 'patrol this area for x days' I will spend alot of time bobbing around on the surface, batteries fully charged, full stop. Even then a small amount of fuel is used.

To run the ice cream maker I guess, but its alot less fuel than if I spent all that time running too and fro.

Extending range by running submerged is not possible, as mentioned the fuel consumption increases while charging batterys.

As mentioned before look out for when your batteries are 'stuck' at 95% or something. You will continulally try to charge the defective batteries killing your milage.

[Sniper31]

Actually you even loose fuel by doing this because the batteries have to be recharged by the diesel engines once you are on the surface again.;)


True, but as your batteries are charging, you are still moving along your planned route. Maybe it's only marginal, but that is why I only use that for long missions.

[Etienne]

True, but as your batteries are charging, you are still moving along your planned route. Maybe it's only marginal, but that is why I only use that for long missions.

It sitll uses up more fuel, since you're using the generators both to turn the props and charge the batteries. Thermodynamics and all that : If you use more energy, you use more fuel.

In the end, running submerged costs you fuel. Probably more than running surfaced...

[Akula4745]

So if I am to understand correctly... best OPS strategy is:

1) Ahead standard offers best fuel mileage and fuel conservation always a consideration.
2) When recharging batteries I might as well run flank speed because the max amount of fuel is used anyway.
3) Ensure you are using standard propulsion when batteries do not need to be recharged.
4) Once you are down to 50% fuel - head for the nearest friendly port.

Do we have a consensus, gentlemen?

[Sniper31]

I do agree with that consensus... my points were just mine, but I do also stick to those points also. :)

[NEON DEON]

Improvise.:D

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv170/NEONDEON1955/SAILSUBR14.jpg


"During a search for the sea-going tug Conestoga (AT-54) in May 1921. R-14 (SS-91) ran out of fuel southeast of Hawaii. Sails were made from blankets and mattresses, and the submarine arrived at Hilo on 15 May after 5 days under sail."

[Fincuan]

So if I am to understand correctly... best OPS strategy is:

1) Ahead standard offers best fuel mileage and fuel conservation always a consideration.
2) When recharging batteries I might as well run flank speed because the max amount of fuel is used anyway.
3) Ensure you are using standard propulsion when batteries do not need to be recharged.
4) Once you are down to 50% fuel - head for the nearest friendly port.

Do we have a consensus, gentlemen?

Those are generally ok, with certain considerations:
1) The best mileage on fleet boats is around 9.5 knots. Afaik this isn't "Ahead standard" in stock game. In RFB ahead standard is 10 knots.
2)No no and no. The less power you use for other things the faster they charge(in SH4). So ahead slow or similar when charging batteries.
3) :up:
4) That's a good rule of thumb for starters. With experience you'll develop your own rules anyway.

one more:
5) Use the "max range at current speed"-option when in doubt. It's not activated in stock game, but comes with most major mods.

Nice pic and story there NEON :D

[Torplexed]

Interesting pic indeed Neon Deon.

In 1944 the USS Grenadier also tried to jury rig a sail after severe bomb damage from a Japanese plane, but to no avail. She was scuttled when Japanese surface craft approached.

[Max2147]

I don't use the 4th rule. When I get to my patrol area, I take a quick note of how much fuel it took to get me there, so I start heading back to base when I've got a bit more than that much fuel left (I usually use around 10% as the 'fudge factor'). So if I get to my patrol area with 80% of the fuel I started with, I turn for home when I'm down to 30%.

Obviously this changes if your final patrol area is a long ways from your initial patrol area, but I think it's a decent rule of thumb.

Another thing to consider is planned refuelling stops. For example, if you're based at Pearl and you're going to patrol in the East Indies, it might make sense to stop in Darwin (or Tulagi, once it's open) and top up your tanks before you go to the patrol area. You can also stop there on your way home. That can extend your time on station by quite a bit.

Of course, if you're patrolling around the Japanese home islands, there's really nowhere for you to go.

[RyanS7616]

I just want to say thank you for all of your inputs. Y'all have been a great amount of help. Some of y'all asked if I had any damage and the answer is yes but very minor and it was fixed very quickly. I still find it very hard to believe that during the time we spent in WW2 that not one of are boys didn't make it back due to fuel shortage wheather they were damage or not. I read one thread saying something about a US submarine cost somewhere around $7,000,000 back in those days that was a great amount of money and sorry I don't think they would have left them to the sharks if they would have ran out of fuel accidentally. I was only like 65NM from Midway. So what I am getting at I think if you are a certain distance from a friendly base and you run out of fuel due to damage or not due damage you should be able to get a tow no matter if it is realistic or not just like in Silent Hunter 1. That game I play for years until they came out with silent hunter 2. But once again thanx for the help. And next time I will keep a very close eye on my fuel situation.

[Grizzybear]

Maybe someone should make a tug mod...this is the best game I have ever seen for mods wonder why none have thought of it..maybe a refueler or option for borrowing gas from someone.
MOD it

[Torplexed]

Guess you could call AAA. Those tow guys always price gouge though.

http://neptoon.homestead.com/TOWED.jpg

[MonTana_Prussian]

I don't use the 4th rule. When I get to my patrol area, I take a quick note of how much fuel it took to get me there, so I start heading back to base when I've got a bit more than that much fuel left (I usually use around 10% as the 'fudge factor'). So if I get to my patrol area with 80% of the fuel I started with, I turn for home when I'm down to 30%.

Obviously this changes if your final patrol area is a long ways from your initial patrol area, but I think it's a decent rule of thumb.

Another thing to consider is planned refuelling stops. For example, if you're based at Pearl and you're going to patrol in the East Indies, it might make sense to stop in Darwin (or Tulagi, once it's open) and top up your tanks before you go to the patrol area. You can also stop there on your way home. That can extend your time on station by quite a bit.

Of course, if you're patrolling around the Japanese home islands, there's really nowhere for you to go.

Very good advice,and I muse most of what you said myself. I top off whenever possible,going out and back,and keep a very close eye on fuel consumption.

That's really all you can do.

[Schroeder]

I do agree with that consensus... my points were just mine, but I do also stick to those points also. :)

When I was in school we made a nice experiment. We got a little hand powered generator which could be operated by moving a crank. With nothing connected to it the crank could be moved easily. But when we connected it to a little lamp the crank was more difficult to move.

Or simple: If electricity is used than your generators have to use more power to keep turning.
So if you are recharging your batteries and are moving on the surface you are consuming more fuel than just cruising on the surface without recharging.

If you have an older car you might want to do the following test (might work on new ones too, but I don't know how the electronic engine management reacts there):
Start your engine and look at your RPM gauge (if you have one that is) in idle throttle and neutral gearbox . Now switch on all your lights and other consumers of electricity. The RPMs should drop now slightly. The generator has to do more work and will therefore slow the engine down if you don't give more throttle.

It is a common mistake of people to think that the electricity in a car is for free.

Same goes for the submarines. If using the battery could safe fuel it would have been done in RL, wouldn't it?

[Max2147]

I just want to say thank you for all of your inputs. Y'all have been a great amount of help. Some of y'all asked if I had any damage and the answer is yes but very minor and it was fixed very quickly. I still find it very hard to believe that during the time we spent in WW2 that not one of are boys didn't make it back due to fuel shortage wheather they were damage or not. I read one thread saying something about a US submarine cost somewhere around $7,000,000 back in those days that was a great amount of money and sorry I don't think they would have left them to the sharks if they would have ran out of fuel accidentally. I was only like 65NM from Midway. So what I am getting at I think if you are a certain distance from a friendly base and you run out of fuel due to damage or not due damage you should be able to get a tow no matter if it is realistic or not just like in Silent Hunter 1. That game I play for years until they came out with silent hunter 2. But once again thanx for the help. And next time I will keep a very close eye on my fuel situation.
If you're that close to Midway, submerge and finish the last few miles on battery power.