How, or Can, You Fix Hull Damage?

[Folducker]

I was assigned to photo the anchorage at Surabaya bay. So far, the most difficult task in my first patrol. Coming in from the east, there is one DD who is a real problem getting around. He sunk me three times before I managed to get by him, and the only way I did that was apparently we tried to occupy the same part of the ocean at the same time. (Collided?)
My boat seemed to be OK, the hull damage indicator said “4” I went in, took the photos and got the hell out of there. Looking at the destroyer, he was down at the bow and could not turn. Resisting the temptation to blow him out of the water, I beat feet for the Java Sea. Made it to deep water about the time I had company in the form of a patrolling plane. Went to 80 feet and then the excitement started. The boat seemed to be doing a death plunge, which I usually do not survive from. I blew all the tanks, and, wonder of wonders it surfaced! Luckily, it was now night so I headed for Australia ASAP. Everything fine until I ran into three patrolling planes. We had us a drama on the surface, apparently they weren’t too interested as driving them off wasn’t a problem.
I re-fitted at Exmouth Gulf, but still had the hull damage. Went to Fremantle, had to end the patrol to get the boat fixed.
Is there a way to have the damage crew work on the hull? What do the hull damage numbers mean except the bigger the number the faster you are going to sink?
Thanks.

[peabody]

I was assigned to photo the anchorage at Surabaya bay. So far, the most difficult task in my first patrol. Coming in from the east, there is one DD who is a real problem getting around. He sunk me three times before I managed to get by him, and the only way I did that was apparently we tried to occupy the same part of the ocean at the same time. (Collided?)
My boat seemed to be OK, the hull damage indicator said “4” I went in, took the photos and got the hell out of there. Looking at the destroyer, he was down at the bow and could not turn. Resisting the temptation to blow him out of the water, I beat feet for the Java Sea. Made it to deep water about the time I had company in the form of a patrolling plane. Went to 80 feet and then the excitement started. The boat seemed to be doing a death plunge, which I usually do not survive from. I blew all the tanks, and, wonder of wonders it surfaced! Luckily, it was now night so I headed for Australia ASAP. Everything fine until I ran into three patrolling planes. We had us a drama on the surface, apparently they weren’t too interested as driving them off wasn’t a problem.
I re-fitted at Exmouth Gulf, but still had the hull damage. Went to Fremantle, had to end the patrol to get the boat fixed.
Is there a way to have the damage crew work on the hull? What do the hull damage numbers mean except the bigger the number the faster you are going to sink?
Thanks.

Hull damage can only be fixed at your home port. Hull damage of '4' in game is usually minor. But any hull damage can affect how deep you can dive. Your flooding was probably from 'Bulkhead' Damage and as long as it is not destroyed it should be fixable at sea, or at a refit station or another base. As long as you don't flood and sink before the bulkhead gets fixed.

Peabody

[MonTana_Prussian]

Peabody is absolutely correct. Most damage is repairable at sea,or at a refit port. Hull damage can only be repaired at your home base.

[Frame57]

Next time you run into this type of mission. Stay at PD and get the DD's attention. They seem scripted to run right at you without much zig zagging so I have found they are easy fodder for a down the throat shot. Then complete the mission. :salute:

[peabody]

Just to add my 2 cents. I use a 'modified' version of Frame57's technique. If I have too much damage to risk a dive, I will try sink the DD's. But if you fire when they are too far away they will (can) swerve to avoid the torp. If you let them get too close, they speed up when they attack so they close the distance before the torpedo arms. So I put the sub in Full Speed reverse and then let them get closer before I fire without getting too close for the torpedos to arm.
I am talking 'stock' here, in some MODs the DDs are a lot more dangerous. And Webster has done some work on correcting the "Dragrace speedup" of the ships, not sure if he did the DDs, so they would be less apt to avoid.

But, a couple of things to note:

The Somers DD is dumber than a box of rocks. (There is a mod that fixes this somewhere) The Clemson is very fast and manuverable and always seems to know where you are. The Fletcher is persistant, it will follow you for a lot longer than the others. (usually).

Another thing to remember, if you know it. There is a disucssion in here somewhere. The steering has changed from 1.4 to the 1.5 add on. In 1.4 even going in reverse, the bow of the boat stayed and turned to stay pointed at the heading you incicate. In 1.5 if you go in reverse the stern will try to go the heading you select, which can create a big problem if you don't know it. For example, if you are heading north and then go into reverse, the game will turn the sub around so that the stern points north which would ruin your chance of firing at the DD attacking you. So if you go in reverse be sure to click on the bottom of the compass rose to keep the Stern headed in the correct direction, add use mouse click at the bottom of the compass to make the stern turn left or right to line up the shot.

Peabody

[Folducker]

Another thing to remember, if you know it. There is a disucssion in here somewhere. The steering has changed from 1.4 to the 1.5 add on. In 1.4 even going in reverse, the bow of the boat stayed and turned to stay pointed at the heading you incicate. In 1.5 if you go in reverse the stern will try to go the heading you select, which can create a big problem if you don't know it. For example, if you are heading north and then go into reverse, the game will turn the sub around so that the stern points north which would ruin your chance of firing at the DD attacking you. So if you go in reverse be sure to click on the bottom of the compass rose to keep the Stern headed in the correct direction, add use mouse click at the bottom of the compass to make the stern turn left or right to line up the shot.
Peabody

Sounds like something that I would need to practice.

Coming in to take photos of the anchorage at Surabaya from the east I only encountered one DD. When I finally got on station and took the photos, I noticed a whole bunch more destroyers around. I think that if I had shot the one, I would have never made it out. The one destroyer I encountered patrols across the bay, north to south. I was going to try to get as close to him as possible, wait for him to turn away and then go to flank speed while I was behind him. Never got the chance to do that as apparently running into me did more damage to him.