[TMO + RSRDC] Where and when do you find big fat convoys???

[rosentorf]

Hello fellow captains,

I searched the forum on several occasions to get an answer...never found anything specific to this question. I would like to know when and where you find big merchant convoys that you can track for days and weeks to get lots and lots of tonnage. Usually I find only two-merchant-convoys with one or two escorts...ME WANTS FAT UGLY CONVOYS WITH MEAN ESCORTS!!! :damn:

Please tell me what year and general area I can find those beaches! :arrgh!:

The mods I use are the current versions of TMO + RSRDC with all the fixes and patches !

[Armistead]

You can find them about anywhere, but best stick to the shipping lanes. If you want specifics, just open the ME. I would rather find them.

RSRD is more historically correct. If you study some books and maps, you can almost always find the large battles.

Most large convoys are invasion forces. Takes some study, but if you know what date they're going to invade a certain island, just search online and get the path. The Java Invasion force is huge.

They get as large as 50 ships and often two groups will come together and you can have 80 or more ships.

Large battles, again just search. Here is one map I use http://combinedfleet.com/battles/
For earlier invasions, map..
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Pacific_War_-_Dutch_East_Indies_1941-42_-_Map.jpg
...http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-07-25_000040_640.jpg





http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-07-25_000040_640.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-07-28_071103_015.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-08-06_031755_234.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-07-31_020756_234.jpg

[Distortion]

Also, be sure to check te messages you receive about convoys and task forces.

[rosentorf]

So... no nice and slow merchant convoys? :o I have only encountered some Task Forces with up to 8 ships... what you show me here is much larger. I have never seen anything like that in my careers in SH4. And I try to stick to the shipping lanes. I guess I learn when big battles are happening and try to go there. But as you said...I'd rather just find them too.

[rosentorf]

@Distortion:

Most messages about Task Forces reported them over 1000 nm away from my position. How can I intercept some thing like that?

[Armistead]

So... no nice and slow merchant convoys? :o I have only encountered some Task Forces with up to 8 ships... what you show me here is much larger. I have never seen anything like that in my careers in SH4. And I try to stick to the shipping lanes. I guess I learn when big battles are happening and try to go there. But as you said...I'd rather just find them too.

Most of those we're convoys. Here's how I learned. Do a search on Japanese convoy routes. You'll get hit's like this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Ichi_convoy. You can get lot's of hits on most large convoys or invasion forces if you will search them and get detailed map routes. Lurker did a great job and most are fairly close.

Again, most large convoys are invasion forces. Use the map at the beginning of the war. Look at all the places Japan invaded and try to be on the path the map showed at the right date.

Also, most patrol zones are places where convoys will be coming. Problem is you miss many of them. Make sure you take time to listen on sonar yourself as you can hear targets twice as far as any crew member. If you see planes, when you dive do a sonar scan. Anytime your PC starts slowing down in game, something is near, but often you miss it. If you get a slowdown, take sonar.

Here's a SS of the Java Invasion Force.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2009-03-27_154639_203.jpg

Here's a easy target, Kurita's Center force.

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/5811074877?r=5811074877#5811074877

[rosentorf]

numnumnumnumnum :o

I'll definitely try to find some information about some troop movement and routes. :salute:

Problem is you miss many of them. Make sure you take time to listen on sonar yourself as you can hear targets twice as far as any crew member.

Okay I did not know that...I will give that a try too! :up:

Thanks Armistead!

[I'm goin' down]

I don't know where the ugly ones are, but try Jenny Craig for the fat ones.:DL

[gAiNiAc]

My latest campaign has been out of Freemantle. I've been reading "Silent Victory" as I play the game. So far everything pertinent to my ops area has showed up on time! Quite fun to be in the middle of some of these battles.


:arrgh!:

[Armistead]

Yep, you time it right you can see some great surface battles between ships. Nothin like a night surface battle with two TF's fighting it out. The sounds are awesome. Just save some torps as you can pick off a lot of wounded stragglers.

[Distortion]

@Distortion:

Most messages about Task Forces reported them over 1000 nm away from my position. How can I intercept some thing like that?

That`s ok, most of the time you get a 2 or 3 day warning before the task force enters a specified zone. Then plot you course heading that direction, and prepare the intercept.

[rosentorf]

I wonder, if something is very far away but still in reach of the manual hydrophone (you know when you man it yourself), will a contact appear as very, very faint sound, or will the green light turn on and you hear it no problem?

I believe in silent hunter III a contact always started out as being very faint...had some great moments back then finding something out there :D

Somehow I got to believe SH4 was different and I stopped doing it...but maybe I was a bit lazy too :oops:

[Armistead]

We just discussed this some where. SH4 sonarman will not give a contact on an unknown target, it has to be warship or merchant. That being the case a crewman will not report an unknown target that you can hear yourself...

[magic452]

The green light will turn on but the sound will be faint.
Also you can get a bearing line on the map if you go to the box in the upper left and select a ship type and than hit the red arrow. You must guess what type of ship but if you use the sonar a lot you can often guess right. :know: The line will not update but will fade eventually but it can give you a starting point.

Magic

[rosentorf]

The green light will turn on but the sound will be faint

That's what I meant...so you'll see for sure if there is something out there.

It's kinda lame as there is never an uncertainty if you have found a contact or not, but on the other hand I have no problems finding contacts when I am playing the sim and my lady is watching her shows. Problem there is that there is always background noise which makes it hard to listen to a hydrophone...oddly it doesn't mess with my feeling of immersion when there is one of those Top Model/Chef/Designer shows in the background. You know, my sub-crew is just a lil'gay! :D

[Armistead]

You must be dating and not married. All married men know to wear headphones. Be surprised all the sounds you're missing.

[Wijbrandus]

You must be dating and not married. All married men know to wear headphones. Be surprised all the sounds you're missing.

Actually, this can be hazardous as well. I've incurred a few head wounds over the years this way. If you don't listen when she talks, she will eventually throw something at you. TV remotes, phones, etc.

[Distortion]

:gulp: Here she goes when u dont listen

But seriously, wearing headphones is the way to play with SH`s

[Armistead]

Give her a credit card.....With all the tv's on, several dogs barking, every kid from the hood at my house, my friends with no kids ask me how I'm not nuts.

Basically all your nerves go over time. They can't understand when I say I don't hear all the noise.

So if she ever threw a remote at me, I probably wouldn't feel it anyway.

[Randomizer]

You must be dating and not married. All married men know to wear headphones. Be surprised all the sounds you're missing.
Pass on the headphones, they may allow you to ignore the Wife but they also mean that you end up ignoring the Cat who might just use a leg for a scratching post to get your attention when she needs Cat maintenance or to be let out long after Wife has gone to ground.

On topic however, winter 41-42 search the Makassar Straight (between Borneo and Celebes) or Karimata Straight (between Sumatra and Borneo). Some big convoys run through these areas.

Good Hunting

[Armistead]

Cats...I have or had a cat that was 22 years old. I guess she finally died.
Haven't seen her for over a week and nothing has touched her food. Overall I hate cats, but loved this one. Not many cats live that old.

[Randomizer]

22 is a pretty good run for a cat, here's hoping she hasn't suffered. We had one hang on for 16-years and it broke my heart to finally put him down. Current Cat Mark II is a horrible little creature who manages to be annoying and amusing at the same time. We're actually cat-sitting her for my son who dropped her off on his way to the Orient to teach. That was four-years ago. Stupid Cat...

[Armistead]

My wife show's Yorkies and Maltese. I walked her champion Yorkie late one night on a show lead, which doesn't fit tight around the neck. He got loose and took off. We looked for hours at 2AM. She finally drove up to the main road....he got run over and killed.She actually saw it and said the car went into the other lane and sped up to hit him, bunch of rednecks in a hotrod. ..When she pulled up I knew it was bad. I went and got him, put him in a shoe box and buried him. She just got offered 20K for him and said no.....wish we would've took the money.

[rosentorf]

Haha... I do wear headphones but they are not the best model as they do not cover my ears completely. It is necessary to not shut off reality entirely as it's our little unspoken deal. This way she doesn't mind (or at least minds less :haha:) me spending time on something she thinks is just a waste of time :nope:. But when she just want's to watch TV I need more than just watching...I want to make my own story...

Anywho...

I do hear the faint noises, regardless of the background noise...I just wanted to be sure I do not miss anything and what to look for. So if the green light comes on I do not need to worry!


On topic however, winter 41-42 search the Makassar Straight (between Borneo and Celebes) or Karimata Straight (between Sumatra and Borneo). Some big convoys run through these areas.
Good Hunting

Thanks Randomizer... I'll check that out...