pythos
03-14-10, 11:35 AM
I was thinking I would not be able to get some time in on SH5 after reading some posts here.
I was wrong. Sim loaded right up.
When I last saved I had just sunk four ships in a North Bound convoy off the coast of Eastern England. U-36 had one torpedo left, and it was not the stern tube. (in other words I am having success even with the new "auto" targeting system.)
The game loads up, and my character is in his usual haunt, standing by the captain's bed. I begin making my way forward to do my chat with the crew.
Thanks to that great sound mod UBSM, I hear a shout "Task force sighted, Bearing (course (?)) 246." I turn around and make my way into the conning tower, I hear the sounds of the diesels coming through from the engine room, and run up the ladder. I see that the hatch is closed, meaning the weather may be rough. I pop the hatch and the sound changes (has anyone noticed how hatches and doors actually insulate sound in this sim?)
I pop out of the hatch and hit shift V, and see the report for the nearest contact (Thanks again to UBSM, several functions are back). I look in that direction with binocs and see nothing for a bit. But then I sight two small tenderals of smoke.
This is where realism I thinks takes a hit. On the tactical map is a grey circle surrounding enemy contacts. I think this this the visual range of target......it is 10KM radius. I am a U-boat....a very small target....on a rough see. I should not be visible to the enemy any time before I get within 5 km.
Any ways, I sacrifice some realism and set up an intercept course to overhaul the targets at ful speed, which in this weather is a bit between 11 and 12 kts. TC to get ahead, then turn toward the smoke (that has been visible all along thanks the funnel smoke, and planes mod.
I get up to the edge of this ridiculously huge sight circle, and dive.
I then continue on that heading at flank at periscope depth. Getting an observation every 5 minutes.
Once at firing position I know I need to be roughly 2000 meters from the target's course to accurately target with the "auto" system. I time my approach to have the 3 just approaching the line (at 1 kt) as the target approaches (though gimmicky I do think this is not too bad, it is like getting lead instructions from the torpedo officer, though I do prefer a correctly working manual targeting system.)
I watch the target for intersection, and let it go just a tad further, and let loose the last eel, set at 2 meters, and impact.
The eel makes its way to the target and hits just below the stack. A few minutes later, the target is stopped.
I have to dive to 30 meters in order to avoid the other ship in this two ship convoy. The sounds of the other ship's engines resound through our hull as it passes over us, good job I took her down here to avoid the bow of that freighter.
Later I pop back up to periscope depth and observe our target is setting in a slightly stern down attitude.
I have the rudder held over full to circle around the area while we wait for the target to sink. Use of the deck gun would be in order, accept for this weather, the men could not stay on deck, let alone fire accurately.
I go to external view and hit TC to 32. In an accelerated fashion the target settles further, and finally takes a very stern low attitude. I return to normal time and get back in the boat, pop up the scope and see the target, a Hogs Island freighter take the plunge.
Following this, I have course set for Helgoland to have our stores replenished. Surface, and head there at full speed.
Well, that is my account of one action I had in SH5. Thought there are some bugs, this sim is very good. I truly do feel I am at the helm of a full boat. Once the crew interaction is corrected to actually do something, this sim will be very good.
Thanks for reading.
I was wrong. Sim loaded right up.
When I last saved I had just sunk four ships in a North Bound convoy off the coast of Eastern England. U-36 had one torpedo left, and it was not the stern tube. (in other words I am having success even with the new "auto" targeting system.)
The game loads up, and my character is in his usual haunt, standing by the captain's bed. I begin making my way forward to do my chat with the crew.
Thanks to that great sound mod UBSM, I hear a shout "Task force sighted, Bearing (course (?)) 246." I turn around and make my way into the conning tower, I hear the sounds of the diesels coming through from the engine room, and run up the ladder. I see that the hatch is closed, meaning the weather may be rough. I pop the hatch and the sound changes (has anyone noticed how hatches and doors actually insulate sound in this sim?)
I pop out of the hatch and hit shift V, and see the report for the nearest contact (Thanks again to UBSM, several functions are back). I look in that direction with binocs and see nothing for a bit. But then I sight two small tenderals of smoke.
This is where realism I thinks takes a hit. On the tactical map is a grey circle surrounding enemy contacts. I think this this the visual range of target......it is 10KM radius. I am a U-boat....a very small target....on a rough see. I should not be visible to the enemy any time before I get within 5 km.
Any ways, I sacrifice some realism and set up an intercept course to overhaul the targets at ful speed, which in this weather is a bit between 11 and 12 kts. TC to get ahead, then turn toward the smoke (that has been visible all along thanks the funnel smoke, and planes mod.
I get up to the edge of this ridiculously huge sight circle, and dive.
I then continue on that heading at flank at periscope depth. Getting an observation every 5 minutes.
Once at firing position I know I need to be roughly 2000 meters from the target's course to accurately target with the "auto" system. I time my approach to have the 3 just approaching the line (at 1 kt) as the target approaches (though gimmicky I do think this is not too bad, it is like getting lead instructions from the torpedo officer, though I do prefer a correctly working manual targeting system.)
I watch the target for intersection, and let it go just a tad further, and let loose the last eel, set at 2 meters, and impact.
The eel makes its way to the target and hits just below the stack. A few minutes later, the target is stopped.
I have to dive to 30 meters in order to avoid the other ship in this two ship convoy. The sounds of the other ship's engines resound through our hull as it passes over us, good job I took her down here to avoid the bow of that freighter.
Later I pop back up to periscope depth and observe our target is setting in a slightly stern down attitude.
I have the rudder held over full to circle around the area while we wait for the target to sink. Use of the deck gun would be in order, accept for this weather, the men could not stay on deck, let alone fire accurately.
I go to external view and hit TC to 32. In an accelerated fashion the target settles further, and finally takes a very stern low attitude. I return to normal time and get back in the boat, pop up the scope and see the target, a Hogs Island freighter take the plunge.
Following this, I have course set for Helgoland to have our stores replenished. Surface, and head there at full speed.
Well, that is my account of one action I had in SH5. Thought there are some bugs, this sim is very good. I truly do feel I am at the helm of a full boat. Once the crew interaction is corrected to actually do something, this sim will be very good.
Thanks for reading.