RFB and The Deck Gun

[bruce282]

I followed the excellent advice here and install the RFB mod for 1.4. I ran the navigation sub school mission, and then moved to the artillery exercise.

My question is how do I get the deck gun crew to fire, or must I manually sink the ship?

I give the Man the Gun command, followed by fire at will, followed by short range (ship is 1300 yards away), and finally Aim at the hull.

I get an OK on each one, but nothing happens.

Did I do something wrong?


Bruce

[XonE:32]

Hmm, I never did that exercise till now and it doesn't appear to work unless you do it manually. I didn't move my sub though so maybe they're too close?

I know they'll fire for themsleves and work fine in the camapaign though.

[NEON DEON]

Maybe you did.

The stock version of the game lists 1000 meters as short range.

So if you give the command to open fire at short range from 1300 yards you are a bit farther out than short range.

Try giving the order closer than 1093 yards or try giving the order without restricting fire for short range.

The game files that govern this could have been changed in RFB however.

To verify that you would have to go to Data/cfg folder and open the CrewAi.cfg file with notepad and verify the distance listed for close range.

The stock file:

[CrewAI]
; Weapons.
Cannon range 1=1000 ;[m] close range limit
Cannon range 2=3000 ;[m] medium range limit
Cannon range 3=5000 ;[m] long range limit
AA guns range 1=500 ;[m] close range limit
AA guns range 2=1000 ;[m] medium range limit
AA guns range 3=1500 ;[m] long range limit
;selection
Cannon Selection Range=8000 ;[m] max range to contact
AAGuns Selection Range=2000 ;[m] max range to contact
Recomended Torpedo Range=2000 ;[m] max range to contact
Recomended Deck Guns Range=2000 ;[m] max range to contact

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The game file lists ranges in meters.

Conversion calculater can be found here:

http://www.metric-conversion.biz/convert+yards+to+meters.htm (http://www.metric-conversion.biz/convert+yards+to+meters.htm)

[Rockin Robbins]

In RFB the gun is empty. You must select the ammunition type before it will fire. I think the only way to do that is to actually go to the the gun station and load the ammo. Then you can go to the bridge and let the crew have at it.:salute:

[XonE:32]

In RFB the gun is empty. You must select the ammunition type before it will fire. I think the only way to do that is to actually go to the the gun station and load the ammo. Then you can go to the bridge and let the crew have at it.:salute:

Yeah, did that. I was gonna suggest it to bruce as well, but as I hadn't done that tutorial mission I wanted to check it out first to see the what the sea conditions were like as well. I know in RFB (maybe stock too? haven't played the stock game) if the seas are too rough the Deck Gun useability will vary from unuseable/unloadable to extremely inaccurate due to roll.

The seas were totally calm in the tut. I'll run it again and move the boat to a distance. The important point bruce is as I said.. It works in the camapaign. Now if I could only spell campaign... oh there, I did it...:doh:

This is what's listed in my MODS folder for the RFB data/cfg Crewai.cfg.

[CrewAI]
; Weapons.
Cannon range 1=1000 ;[m] close range limit
Cannon range 2=3000 ;[m] medium range limit
Cannon range 3=5000 ;[m] long range limit
AA guns range 1=500 ;[m] close range limit
AA guns range 2=1000 ;[m] medium range limit
AA guns range 3=1500 ;[m] long range limit

;selection
Cannon Selection Range=8000 ;[m] max range to contact
AAGuns Selection Range=1500 ;[m] max range to contact
Recomended Torpedo Range=2000 ;[m] max range to contact
Recomended Deck Guns Range=2000 ;[m] max range to contact

EDIT: Hmph. Bruce appears to be correct or at least I couldn't get the buggers to fire the DG by themselves either. Tried all the permutations I could think of starting with the obvious manual loading of the shells then tried different ranges, targeting different aspects of the ships, using the fire at will with and with short range, voodoo.

It's no big deal (for me) as long as it works in the campaign which it does, but it's weird all the same. Could it have something to do with not being able to lock on with the binocs (not the TBT) and use the command key on the bar (it's greyed out)? Could it be aliens?, ghosts? ...or worse... alien ghosts?!

[LukeFF]

In RFB the gun is empty. You must select the ammunition type before it will fire. I think the only way to do that is to actually go to the the gun station and load the ammo. Then you can go to the bridge and let the crew have at it.:salute:

The AI will load the first shell on its own - i.e., without any player input.

[WalterJConklin]

Hi Bruce,

I am also encountering the same issue with trying to get the deck gun to work. I reported on this problem around the same time as you: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=151169. I take it that you are new to SH4, like me, given that you are taking the artilitary training course. Accordingly, we might be unique in the sense of being the first to bring to the attention of the community of not being able to get the deck guns to work. The reason is that most people who have RFB have gravitated from SH3 and have had SH4 and the several versions of RFB for a while. Therefore, there is no need for them to take the artilitary course and as a result encounter the problem with the deck guns. I would be interested to know if the deck guns also do not work with the artilitary courses included with the other versions of RFB.

Sincerely,
Walter

[bruce282]

Well I tried something. I went to the torpedo training mission. I sank the cruiser, then surfaced the boat and manned the deck gun. I gave the fire at will command, and darn if those boys didn't lock and load and start firing at the big junk.


Bruce

[WalterJConklin]

It would be greatly appreciated if someone devised a solution for getting the deck guns to work with the tutorial.

Thanks,
Walter

[WalterJConklin]

I was wondering if the issue with the inoperable gun deck in the training missions has been reported or corrected in other versions of the Real Fleet Mod. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,
Walter

[XonE:32]

Hey Walter,

Just an FYI and hopefully it applies to you, but my previous posts in this thread were in error. As I mentioned above I too thought and agreed that the deck gun was broken in at least one of the artillery tutorials.

The fact is (at least for my install and you can see my mods in my sig), the deck gun works fine in all tutorials while using RFB 1.52. Although I tried several different approaches (as mentioned in my previous posts) when I thought it wasn't working, it turns out I was just not noticing stuff and thus doing things incorrectly.

I'll spell it out with pics and maybe you'll see what's not going right with your game or hopefully maybe you did as I did and just missed a step. That sentence sounds a little obnoxious, but I assure you I'm only trying to help you sort out what's up with your install if anything.:03:

So I chose artilliey tutorial number 4 for no reason other than that's were my mouse landed when the screen came up. The same applies to number two artillery exercise in my install. If you're doing everything I illustrate below and it's still not working than I'd suggest your install is buggered in some way. OR, you are correct and it is a 1.4 thing. I can't speak to that as I've only played 1.5 and RFB 1.52.

1)Load up the artillery tutorial exercise 4 (porpoise class I think)

2)I know you guys know all this, but I'll say it and show it anyways. Throw some guys into the Deck Gun slots and go to battle stations. I don't think going to battle stations is necessary, but why not get that extra boost to performance.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/th_DG1.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/?action=view&current=DG1.jpg)

3)Go to the bridge and have a look without using the binocs. Notice the pic below and notice that the deck gun icon button on the orders bar (9th from left) is "darkened out" (i.e. not useable at the moment).
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/th_DG2.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/?action=view&current=DG2.jpg)

4)Go to your binocs view. Now notice the pic and notice the same icon has changed. It is no longer darkened. It is now useable. This is where I blew it.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/th_DG3.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/?action=view&current=DG3.jpg)

5)Press the now undarkened and thus useable deck gun icon while looking through the binocs at a target. Notice I chose the fishing boat, but especially notice that once clicked the yellow triangle now appears at the center of and just below the target.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/th_DG4.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/?action=view&current=DG4.jpg)

6)Now (if you like) go to the Deck gun page and make any appropriate selections for the DG crew. I have selected fire at will, short range and aim for waterline. And as you can see the carnage begins shortly thereafter. I did not have to go to the DG myself and load the HE shells. The crew did it themselves as LukeFF suggests above.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/th_DG5.jpg (http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/xone32/SHIV/Deck%20Gun/?action=view&current=DG5.jpg)


As I mentioned above; I too thought the tutorials or at least one of them was broken, but what I was missing was the DG icon on the orders bar changing from darkened to undarkened when I switched from just looking out from the bridge to looking through my binocs (i.e. step 4 above). If when you do this (switch from regular view to binoc view) and the DG icon is still staying darkened I'd say you have an install issue or a 1.4 issue if thats the version you're using. If when your looking at a target through the binocs and the DG icon is NOT darkened and you click it but you DON'T get the yellow triangle, I'd say you have an install issue or it's a 1.4 issue if that's what version you're using.

There's no question that in my install of RFB 1.52, the DG works in both the Artillery Tutorials and the Campaign.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have questions or if you find out what's goin' on with your DG.

Good luck and best regards,

XonE:32


EDIT: I took a peek at your previous post you referenced above and noticed you're using (at the time of writing that post) RFB 1.4 and that you can't even use the guns manually (i.e. can't click on the HE shells to load the gun). That sound to me like an install issue or a specific RFB 1.4 issue. Unfortunately I do not know if the RFB team is still updating non 1.5 versions. I know one of the larger mods (can't remember which) no longer supports any version below 1.5. If you can scrape up the 12 bucks or whatever it is I recommend grabbing the uboat add-on.

[LukeFF]

I was wondering if the issue with the inoperable gun deck in the training missions has been reported or corrected in other versions of the Real Fleet Mod. Thank you for your help.

We are no longer supporting 1.4.

[Funduro]

Just thought I would mention that I am having the same problem with TMO1.7. The Deck gun can be manned and loaded but will not move towards the target. You just seem to limited to blowing the stern off your boat so be careful. Only seems to apply to the artillery training so no big deal but maybe somebody can fix it.