Tell us what you are up to in your current campaign... [Archive]

Bubblehead1980

07-06-10, 01:55 PM

I saw a thread like this in SH 3 forums so figured I would try to start one here.Share with the community your current career, patrol.Include info such as homeport, patrol area, tonnage, mods(TMO, RFB) and an account(can be a summary if youre not long winded like i am lol) of most recent patrol.Screenshots are welcome.Everyone enjoys a good patrol story so share!

I'll start out with my last patrol and my upcoming patrol.I play two careers to keep things fresh and alternate every patrol.I currently have a career out of Fremantle in 1942(started in January) with USS Skipjack, Salmon class.

My last patrol began in late May 1942 , I was assigned to Luzon Straits, I went through the Indian Ocean and transited the Sunda Strait into the Java Sea then went up past Singapore off the Indochina Coast and patroled there for a almost two weeks.I spent most of my time dodging planes but did find a small Haruna Maru tanker, which took 6 torpedos to sink due to repeated torpedo failures.I then transited up the coast past Hainan Island, forced to travel submerged during daylight at 4 knots due to heavy air cover and slower dive time of the Salmon class(too many close calls and matches early war tactics to stay under so I do so in early war careers) While en route to Luzon Strait we spotted a 4 ship , 1 escort convoy moving at 12 knots, most likely leaving Formosa Straits.Targets were only at 9,000 yards when spotted and seas where heavy but went to GQ, dove and went to 100 feet for high speed run, the escort couldnt hear me due to the heavy seas.I soon found myself 1400 yards from two large freighters and two small freighters, I aimed two torpedos at each other large freighters, 3 prematures and one hit on a Momoyama Maru.The DD came roaring in so I went to 250 feet.When I surfaced an hour later, heavy rains, fog and seas, without radar, lost convoy even after a 24 hour pursuit down their possible courses.Continued on to Luzon Strait, made two attacks on a long merchant but all 8 torpedos failed, then heavy air cover kept me from following up the attack.The next couple weeks had no contacts.I found a Task Force in Luzon Straits, two heavy cruisers, three light and two Kongo BB's.Was only able to get to 5000 yards, fired all remaining fish, which missed, it was a long shot.Out of fish and down to 40 percent fuel after a couple months at sea, I turned for home via the east coast of Philippines, past Halmahera and Timor to Fremantle.Encountered a lone small taihosan maru coastal freighter off Leyte Gulf, used deck gun to sink her.Arrived home on August 28, 1942, 3 months to the day since we left Fremantle.Tonnage wise and missing, patrol was disappointing but enjoyed it.

Next patrol is with USS Parche, Balao Class out of Pearl Harbor for Fourth War Patrol , will leave for Area 5 off Japan on January 11, 1945.

Luckily I left the external camera on for this patrol and got these shots of the Kongo I had targeted.

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/Kongo2.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/kongo1.jpg

Captain Dave

07-06-10, 07:18 PM

I can't say, I've been ordered to maintain radio silence on this patrol.:salute:

Ducimus

07-06-10, 07:34 PM

Tell us what you are up to in your current campaign...

:hmmm:

I guess i'm giving SH5 the bird by trying to make a sister mod to TMO for U boats :O:

I like choices, SH5 doesn't give me any, and SH3 is too old for my tastes. But if i were to seriously play for once, you'd bet your butt my ass will be driving something with 6 tubes forward, and 4 aft! :03:

Raven79

07-06-10, 07:37 PM

I've just bought the 1.5 update, installed it and patched FOTRS 1.3 over on it, along with some own fixes I made for it already (fixed broken crew rank system, custom depth settings for crash dive order). I'll use this for my story-like manual, as most of you out there seem to play 1.5 and FOTRS doesn't change that much in the gameplay.

My new career is off Manila '41, I'm shipping some crates with new flags to the front line on the Phillippines to raise troop morale (or something).
USS Searaven, of course. Sargo class sub. (Which reminds me, I may have to fix the conning tower upgrade again in this version.)
Can't really say I like the new crew screen display, as it kind of hides the basic skill symbols I always use for crew management in the first place. But found a way to work around that already. The harbor seems pretty empty though, I almost got no new crew to chose from.. 10 to 20 people were there, but they looked either horrible or refused to work for me ("too many officers", never got that one before, especially with actually that few officers onboard. Do PO's count as officers nowadays, too?)

I'm more than half way there and the only ship I've seen so far was a US tug boat, so I guess I'll be heading back at flank speed to reinforce Luzon ASAP.
Let's see what this has in store for me and my crew, maybe I'll get a chance to make room in those torp rooms so I can stock up on food.

Sailor Steve

07-06-10, 07:39 PM

I can't say, I've been ordered to maintain radio silence on this patrol.:salute:
And you radioed in to tell us you must maintain radio silence? Shades of Groucho Marx!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1nC56E3KU

Admiral8Q

07-07-10, 12:23 AM

And you radioed in to tell us you must maintain radio silence? Shades of Groucho Marx!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1nC56E3KU
LMAO Steve! :har:

Anyhow...

I started in Manila in '41 with the USS Nautilus (Narwhal's sister ship). Met a huge invasion force right off the bat and sunk two heavy cruisers. the next three patrols we're cloak and dagger missions mostly with little contacts, but recently found a Jap sub and finished him off with a salvo of three torpedoes.

I'm goin' down

07-07-10, 01:13 AM

The Admiral wants photos of naked sunbathing women. I told him that we could not find any.

p.s. delete pic of woman changing because Gunfighter sent me images from my signature which had been missing. sorry men.

Biggley

07-07-10, 01:21 AM

I'm on my second patrol, 0% realism as this is my first bash at the game, my first patrol i sunk 19K with a little damage in return. A medal for me and three for my crew. Currently i'm due north facing a convoy which is due to pass over me so I can get in and attack, I'm thinking of moving away and attacking at night. I have also done some research and found that the German WW2 ace sunk 475K ish over one and half years and so I need to get at it a lot more!

I'm thinking about atttacking a Jap task force for serious tonnage, are they dangerous?

Harmsway!

07-07-10, 05:18 PM

Last night I was on my third patrol with RSRD_RFB when my crew spotted a single merchant at dawn. I had already sunk two others but it's been a week since our last action. Well it's about time I thought.

It took a few hours to set up the attack, submerged and wait. She took two fish but was taken too long to take on water for my taste. So a third fish went in for the kill. Sure enough she started to flood. Her decks were awash and I foolishly surfaced to gloat on the final demise. Well those boys must have had their wet gear on because the began blowing me to bits with canon fire.

Sure enough we both sunk. Yes, I saved just before the battle but I think I'll let dead be dead and continue with my Battle of the Baltic career for awhile.

Captain Dave

07-07-10, 06:59 PM

Sailor Steve
/And you radioed in to tell us you must maintain radio silence? Shades of Groucho Marx!

Shhhh, I must be goingggggg!:03:

Bubblehead1980

07-07-10, 10:36 PM

G2B

07-08-10, 02:07 AM

Recently had my arse handed to me just in the Luzon area late Dec 41. Found a nice convoy, couple large freighters troop ship and some small freighters, and a mess of escorts. I thought if I went to about 280 feet cruising at 1 knot in a Sargo class I could slip past the escorts and pop up in the middle of the fun. I thought the escorts had passed and started creeping up to PD, about 240 feet the pinging started all around me, sneeky buggers had me on hydra-phones and were sitting and listening, waiting :shifty: we held our own for about 10 minutes trying to evade, did the yo-yo thing till the flooding would not let us yo any more. The moral of the story make sure you double check that you ordered SILENT RUNNING :damn:

tomoose

07-08-10, 01:56 PM

Currently patrolling Marshall Islands out of Midway (100% realism). Sank a merchant and was feeling pretty good about myself when we got bounced by a couple of Rufes near Kwajalein. The watch sighted the aircraft but damned if I could see anything 'till suddenly two aircraft came out of the low cloud, talk about a surprise! The crew reacted quick enough on the crash dive command however and no harm done. Luckily the Rufes weren't carrying any bombs.

I'm a bit torqued on this patrol though as I was handed a new sub with my promotion from my previous patrol and.....they forgot to install the surface search radar (which I had on my old boat), WTF!?!?. It makes things a tad more difficult.:O:

Bubblehead1980

07-08-10, 02:22 PM

very nice, what mods are you using?

Armistead

07-08-10, 02:35 PM

Just finished the battle of Phillipine Sea and went on the next patrol. I found TF58 near Saipan and for the heck of it followed it for over 1000 miles. It went around Palau and was attacked by several squadrons of JP aircraft. It was fun to sit back and watch the big BB's, Iowa, NC, and over 30 US warships duke it out with JP aircraft.

Later, maybe looking for me a small group of DD's came into range, the Iowa sent them down in a minute.

I did learn one thing, nothing explodes like a NC BB, no doubt the largest and brightest explosion in the game, then it sinks in a few seconds like a brick. One JP hit it with one bomb and boom. I saved and being the bad guy sunk a few myself, so if you get a chance to sink a NC BB, do so.

This is the first second...what happens next it fairly amazing in game. Once the explosion took out a Essex Carrier 500 yards away...

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-07-04_104635_140.jpg

Bubblehead1980

07-08-10, 03:14 PM

happen to have a link for the nav map overhaul? i like your nav map.

McHibbins

07-08-10, 04:07 PM

happen to have a link for the nav map overhaul? i like your nav map.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=166264&highlight=

This one ?
One of SH4 finest. Thanks to Nbjackso

sergei

07-08-10, 05:03 PM

One of SH4 finest. Thanks to Nbjackso

Thanks for that McHibbins :up:
I must have missed it first time round. Looks really nice.

rein1705

07-08-10, 05:54 PM

The Admiral wants photos of naked sunbathing women. I told him that we could not find any.

ROLF!!:rotfl2:

Nisgeis

07-08-10, 06:28 PM

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=166264&highlight=

This one ?
One of SH4 finest. Thanks to Nbjackso

Bah, I do a chart colour mod, then it gets added to a supermod, then someone disects that supermod to create a stand alone mod and all of a sudden it's his mod and then that gets added to another supermod and I get no mention. Oh well, that's exactly what SH4 modding is like :haha:.

I'm goin' down

07-08-10, 06:51 PM

Ducimus

07-08-10, 08:07 PM

Bah, I do a chart colour mod,

You did a color chart? :O:

then it gets added to a supermod, then someone disects that supermod to create a stand alone mod

Yeah that happens on occasion. People like one apple, but hate the basket it came in.

and all of a sudden it's his mod and then that gets added to another supermod

Things are cyclical around here, that is true.

and I get no mention.

Yeah it got lost in translation.

Oh well, that's exactly what SH4 modding is like :haha:.

I think that's modding in general if one isn't a total bitch with "intellecutal rights" and not let anyone use your work without what is tantamount to type written consent stamped by a notary public, hand delivered by a copyright attorney.

Personally, i try to do my own work when i can, and just cite my immediate source when i can't, and not worry too much about a mods genealogy. With some stuff, you can probably start listing names back to 2005 with the modification or principle changing hands several times.

Nisgeis

07-09-10, 04:27 AM

yep. and speaking of that. I downloaded and activated your mod re radar range. Aside from the fact that I cannot figure out all of the dials, it made all of my Nav Map tools original size and move the clock from the right to the left side.

Er, which particular radar mod - the latest one? If so, then I don't think it did affect the Nav Map, unless you mixed it with some other mod or uninstalled something else at the same time. In fact, none of them will affect the nav map - they just don't contain those files.

You did a color chart? :O:
<SNIP> With some stuff, you can probably start listing names back to 2005 with the modification or principle changing hands several times.

Oh no, I remember now, it was a map colour mod at first, until people pointed out it was a chart and then as we'd all been calling it the nav map for years, we all went 'Oh yeah!' and carried on calling it the nav map anyway. Original credit: The devs. That one never makes it on (usually). Anyway that sort of thing is going to happen if you do any mod, so you have to accept it in advance, but still reserve the right to gop 'Bah!' every now and again :DL.

Ducimus

07-09-10, 04:42 PM

but still reserve the right to gop 'Bah!' every now and again

"Bah!" should be my middle name as often as i've said that myself. :haha:

green_abobo

07-09-10, 05:24 PM

operation monsun. basic package.

2nd floatilla out of lorient. type 9. just like the sig.

1939. 2nd patrol. iron cross of the knight's cross medal after 1st patrol for over 40k tonnage.

currently attacking a very large british (at least 25 ships) convoy near gibraltar.

i was just planning on hitting the many merchants for tonnage..there are three or four escorts. turns out one of those escorts sounds a little bigger than a DD on the hydrophones...

confirmed queen elizabeth bb spotted.bearing 240 degrees, crawling up,creeping along at 7 knots. 36k tonnage. i'm running silent @ 1 knot. hard to port!

4 torps fired. 2 behind the bow guns, 1 underneath the smoke stack, the last near the tower/engines. explosions like crazy. critically wounded her.sunk!

currently at 68k tons and yet to complete 1st station patrol,more than half a tank of diesel,no damage,12 torpedoes left. things are going way to good.

Bubblehead1980

07-09-10, 06:17 PM

operation monsun. basic package.

currently at 68k tons and yet to complete 1st station patrol,more than half a tank of diesel,no damage,12 torpedoes left. things are going way to good.

yea, that is where you have to watch out, things can go bad quickly

rein1705

07-09-10, 11:00 PM

currently playing in jan 43 with the Narwhale out of Perth. Have 4 MOH's and a top notch crew, started in early 42 with the Whale, a GATO out from Midway. This is the farthest I've ever gone with a crew and im hopeful to finish. maybe command will grant us a Balao soon. Next patrol we'll be running to the Makassar strait for a sweep of the area. Just received a full load of mark 23's cant wait to try them out. last patrol we came in with 130,000 tones thanks to 6 tankers and a whale factory ship, even managed a DD and a pare of escorts. Wish us luck and as for you all, god speed and happy hunting.

Rein.:up:

PS. FOTRS 1.3, TBT filter green, all the TMO interiors, office links etc, nav map makeover 1.1, new Narwhale 1.8.4

Akula4745

07-10-10, 09:33 AM

My current campaign? Just chasing ghosts in TMO 2.0...

http://www.jimdeadman.com/images/flyingdutchman.jpg

rein1705

07-10-10, 05:07 PM

WOW what tha heck is THAT??????????

Raven79

07-10-10, 05:25 PM

Why it's the flying dutchman! :)

I never saw it personally, is there any way to make it appear?

rein1705

07-10-10, 05:28 PM

is that only in TMO? i have FOTRS but i've NEVER seen anything like that WOW.:rock:

Admiral8Q

07-10-10, 05:39 PM

Wow! That's really cool!:cool:

Armistead

07-10-10, 05:57 PM

I'm beginning to think RSRD removes the Dutchman as I've played this game for a few years and never seen it.

Akula4745

07-10-10, 06:24 PM

Why it's the flying dutchman! :)

I never saw it personally, is there any way to make it appear?

Spend some time in the Luzon Straits (also known as Convoy College)... in my case - mid 42'. It will show as a warship - but the greenish glow gives it away at a fairly good distance.

Bubblehead1980

07-10-10, 06:33 PM

Fresh install of TMO 2.0 100 realism

USS Trout Tambor class out of Pearl Harbor, assumed command in June 1942.First patrol was to Maple Grove off Guam, found nothing but patrol planes, managed to stay undiscovered.Then went south of Guam towards shipping lanes towards Truk, nothing but planes.I was very surprised by the lack of shipping but it happens.when down to 30 percent fuel, I turned for home after about 41 days on patrol.While sweeping north of Truk en route home in heavy seas, cloudy skies and light fog, the new SJ radar picked up a contact.We closed and spotted a faint trail of smoke in the light fog, went to GQ and ordered a dive.Target was a decent sized freighter I could tell from scope observation and soon plotted her at 8 knots.We closed at ahead standard at 85 feet to prevent broaching of sub and being spotted.When 800 yards from target, ordered 55 feet and up scope, took a quick bearing and range, then fired 3 torpedos at what was now ID'd as a Ryunn Maru(6000 tons) torpedo 3 took an odd jog to the right and would obviously miss, so fired torpedo four to replace it, just then the first torpedo exploded, then just 50 yards or less from impact, torpedo two prematurely exploded, the fourth torpedo found it's point of aim under the bridge,t he ship exploded, split in half and the two pieces sank after 30 minutes.Returned home with just 2 percent of fuel left.Next patrol is to the Aleutians, hopefully more productive.

I'm goin' down

07-10-10, 07:26 PM

I would tell you about it, but I cannot keep up with all these friggin posts.

Admiral8Q

07-10-10, 11:26 PM

Continued. Surabaya lost had to head to Brisbane. On the way with 60% hull damage, one forward torp lef, low on fuel. A couple of sampans but a big convoy. I had to avoid it.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/2972/lombokstraight.jpg
Where I'm at...
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4240/lombokmap.jpg

I'm goin' down

07-11-10, 02:28 AM

Unfortunately, the Barbarinna is being overhauled at Pearl. So my overworked crew and I have earned some well deserved R&R. As you know, the Navy requisitioned the Royal Hawaiin Hotel, and men from the Navy and Marines are quartered there now. We have not had much to do in the way of winning the war, but we have been keeping our morale and that of the civilians higher than a kite. Here are some shots of the locals, etc., just to let you fellows know that we won't let you down.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/wave-us-navy-women-3.jpg

Touring OLD MO at drydock at Pearl

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/usnesdb.jpg

Our most recent British companions. They have said that their government considers them goodwill ambassadros and requested that we "show 'em the ropes" in a manner of speaking.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/004aq.jpg

Party at Pearl in our honor. Some young ladies posed for the shots below.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren12.jpg

Nimitz' oldest daughter

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren2.jpg

Nimitz youngest daughter

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren42.jpg

Nimitz other daughter

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren63.jpg

Your fiancee insisted I take her to the Officer's Ball! Then she decided to hang out with the crew and party. What could we say?

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren69.jpg

A Navy leitutent decided she liked submariners! One of my ensigns says she is the spitting image of Bull Halsey's wife.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren86.jpg

The Navy gal took us to her secret waterfall to go swimming. Her backstroke was a thing of beauty.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren90.jpg

A Valentine Pic from Halsey's secretary.

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/jpggilelvgren94.jpg

The Barbarinna's honorary first mate! And don't get any ideas, boys. We know what you are thinking!
........

LOOK US UP WHEN YOU MAKE IT BACK TO PEARL!

http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj369/wsm24/SSBarbarinna.jpg

McHibbins

07-11-10, 08:14 AM

Man, I love those retro-pinups !:/\\k:

rein1705

07-11-10, 10:52 AM

that was great:woot:

I'm goin' down

07-11-10, 01:43 PM

March, 42 at the southern mouth of Makassar Straights in a trusty Salmon. At approximately 0130 hours we sunk a Kuma light cruiser in the midst of a convoy of 4 destroyers. No. Make that 7 destroyers. Conditions: calm seas, fair weather, but dark as hell. Two hits at approx. 1,500 yds using gutted's Solution Solver, with contact at 90 Aob. I am being pinged and depth charged as I write this. Six destroyers are hunting us within a range of 1,000 yds. Our boat is underwater at 94 feet, with 14 feet of the sea floor under the keel. As the depth charges go off around the boat, the event cam flashes a brief pic of the underwater fireworks. As we creep along at 2 kts. in silent running mode, the ocean floor lights up for a second or two. We are treated to a delightful glimpse of all of the colorful undersea plants adjacent to the boat. You got to love it.

Supplemental Report
It is now 0507 hours. (I took a nap and let the game run.) About 30 minutes ago, I shut down the engines. Three destroyers were still looking for us. They finally departed. My crew wants to return to Pearl. They miss the Nimitz sisters.

Admiral8Q

07-11-10, 07:13 PM

Docked at Brisbane and decided to keep the USS Nautilus for our next patrol, even after being offered a new fleet boat. While waiting for the Aussies to refit the boat, the crew got some well needed R&R in the beautiful Australian port town. Visited Camp Ascot and gave a report on the state of the war at sea.
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/3995/campascot02.jpg
With the Japs closing on Australia's doorstep, I assured the soldiers that the submarine force, and the rest of the pacific fleet would do our best to stop the IJN from making landfall in their homeland.
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/5747/campascot06.jpg
Afterward had a briefing with Admiralty on the areas that our submarine should patrol next. We have several possibilities. We could patrol the Timor and Arafura sea off Darwin. The Coral sea also needs to be defended to prevent an invasion of Port Moresby. However, the Solomon Sea and islands seems to be the most likely invasion point.
http://www.1942.com.au/images/12-malay-barrier.jpg
While awaiting our new patrol orders, our men had a little fun with the locals.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/2629/pinupgirl01.jpg

TabbyHunter

07-11-10, 09:50 PM

My current campaign? Just chasing ghosts in TMO 2.0...

http://www.jimdeadman.com/images/flyingdutchman.jpg

Two questions.
One, is that in stock 1.5?...Probably ot, but i have to ask.
And two, what would happen if you fired a torp at that?

I'm goin' down

07-11-10, 10:30 PM

see the above title re the ghost ship. Personally, I have never seen it.

TabbyHunter

07-11-10, 11:21 PM

Eh, well, as for my current career...
January 20-somthing
USS Monpelier (Los Angels) out of Pearl.

I just attacked a convoy escorted by 3 or 4 destroyers. I was at scope depth, could only fire 3 of my torpedos as my fourth tube was loaded with an anti ship missile. I fire my three ADCAPs and dive deep, and just before the thermocline, i launch decoys ad go slow at 1 knot. Two of my torpedos hit. Ten minutes later i decide its time to finish the last 2 merchants and one of the destroyers, but i realize as im going up, that only one tube is loaded, s i never turned off silent running. I secure, and slowly drift up. Three torpedos later i dive to 130 feet, with three hits. "WE'RE TAKEING DAMAGE SIR! WE HAVE FLOODING!" "Dive dive dive!" I forgot to deploy decoys and go severly depthcharged. I flee to the depths now on ahead flank, with my comad room and sensor stations flooding rapidly. Quite the while later everything is fine and dandy, and i happen apon a lone passenger liner. My final cruise missile later, and she sinks. Now, to limp home to Pearl to give my crew a break. Oh yea, as i lingered in the area of the liner, i observed no survivors.
EDIT2: after returning to Pearl, i was awarded my 2nd Medal Of Honor. Lord knows my repair team deserves it more then I do.

Bubblehead1980

07-12-10, 05:37 PM

Had a blast on patrol last night......

September 1942, USS Trout (Tambor class) TMO 2.0 100 realism North West of Attu.After 15 days on patrol with two lone merchants down, was patrolling north of Attu when a strange SD contact appeared during the dark of night, ordered AA gun manned and all stop, thinking plane wouldnt see.Appeared that it didnt see us and doubted it had radar in 1942 but suddenly the range began to close, spotted even on the dark night, All ahead flank I ordered, no time to dive. The Chief manning the 20 MM AA gun aft opened fire and could see the plane was low and coming in, I ordered right full rudderjust as we made the turn, the large "Mavis" flying boat pulled up literally 50 feet above my head on bridge and her bombs/charges landed just off the port side where my stern would have been had I not ordered the turn.As the plane pulled up, we dove to 100 feet for 20 minutes, then surfaced.

Two hours after surfacing and asthe short Aleutian night came to an end , SJ radar made contact , the A scope had plenty of dancing pips(ignore the PPI scope in early war since it didnt exist and is too much of a help in early war) we closed and just after dawn lookouts spotted a warships, I scanned the horizion to spott large plumes of smoke, convoy! We went to GQ and closed to flank speed then paralelled the course to pull ahead and dive for an attack, but this convoy was making 11-13 knots, must be important, faster than usual convoy. Pesky flank escort was also keeping us from closing in as planned.Finally, we were able to move in after several hours.After a few looks, I could tell by the masts, smoke and large silhouettes this was no convoy, we had a task force! Seas were flat calm so we went to 250 feet so could move faster undetected to get in close, projected path had us 1200 yards off their path at firing point, I couldnt believe how lucky I was, but we still had to make it through the escort screen(doing this on sonar info alone, external cam disabled on this patrol and wouldnt use it anyway) after some estimating, I decided in 6 minutes we would rise to scope depth for a look and wing it from there.After 6 minutes, much to my relief, we were in proper position.I could now see the main line.Leading escort was a large and much dreaded Akizuki Destroyer, behind him was a light cruiser, then an Akitsu escort carrier, a Taiyo escort carrier and then a mogami heavy cruiser.I decided 3 Mark 14's each for the carriers, then hard turn for stern setup if possible and needed.Set torpedos to hit at 10 and 3 feet, no deep runners, seas were calm so hopefully magnetic detonators would not blow up prematurely.

After closing in at 100 feet, rose for another look, damn Akizuki is going to be too close and pick us up, I ordered back slow to try and salvage the attack.The next 5 minutes were tension filled and I was sweating as it played out in real time.Next observation, oh the luck, the Akizuki was showing me her stern, covering the other side of the convoy now, I could fire and no worry, I went ahead at 2 knots to close to 1000 yards from target.I decided to make an angle shot at the Taiyo just before the Akitsu crossed bearing 0 on my scope, I fired 3 torpedos at Taiyo, the shifted to the Akitsu, down scope.Short torpedo run but it seemed to take forever.When time, I raised the scope....BOOOM!!! The Taiyo speed up and attempted a hard turn but too late, all three hit her and set her afire.Then early, boom and boom, two torpedos prematurely exploded, then the last hit the Akitsu! Left full rudder, ahead flank, bringing stern tubes around.Readied stern tubes and did quick guess of the Akitsu's new speed, guessed 7-8 knots.Stern tubes ready, good shot, fired two fish, one prematured, fire two more, both hit and wrecked the Akitsu! Pinging started, The Akizuki was coming my way, then two other escorts closing, had them closing in at 3 points! A quick glance, the Taiyo had a nice down angle, she was finished, Akitsu was a burning wreck.I ordered 250 feet and silent running.

As we passed 150 feet, I believe the Akizuki dropped a pattern of charges, they were close and shook boat no damage.Then came the others, close, trim pump took damage.After 5 hours of evasion taking minor damage and many close charges, driving me 100 feet below test depth to 350 feet, seems I lost them.After a few more hours holding out in case of sleepers, I came to scope depth, the TF was gone.I could see a large debris field and another.I surfaced and closed in, checked my log, credit for two escort carriers:arrgh!:

Really a fun patrol and 7 torpedos left, cant top the carriers though, too much fun.

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut11.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut10.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut9.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut8.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut7.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut6.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut5.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut4.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut3.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut2.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/aleut1.jpg

WernherVonTrapp

07-12-10, 08:00 PM

Two questions.
One, is that in stock 1.5?...Probably ot, but i have to ask.
And two, what would happen if you fired a torp at that?Yeah, it's in the stock version too. Anything you fire at it goes right through it.

TabbyHunter

07-13-10, 12:10 AM

This is rediculas! I just received my fourth Medal of Honor. Sure i participated as best i could in the battle of the coral sea, sinking a Kongo, with a total of 15 ships sunk in the 3 month long patrol. I mean, i know im on 6% realism, and im in a Los Angels class, but FOUR Medal's of Honor? I mean, are medals given out based on the total tonnage? Because if thats it, then... im fast on my way to becomeing the most decorated skipper in the navy! I wish i could turn down the medal's too. That would be nice.

Admiral8Q

07-13-10, 01:09 AM

Tabby, you should play on a more difficult setting then.:roll:

Bubblehead1980

07-13-10, 01:45 AM

yea a much higher difficulty setting and perhaps a mod like TMO or RFB even would help.I showed in my last post below I sank two escort carriers plus two merchants with 7 fish left and will get most likely one more maybe two ships.However, I will prob get the Navy Cross at most which is fine bc it doesnt matter.The awards system has never been really accurate in game since whether stock or mods, stock is too easy and mods are too much bc in RL skippers got the MOH for much less daring feats than sinking two carriers.

Admiral8Q

07-13-10, 02:12 AM

continued...

I detected a large group of warships on hydrophones. (TC with a hiccup then checked it out) I moved into an intercept path and waited. Sure enough the smoke appeared on the horizon and I dived to 50 feet because it was high seas.
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/2048/bb1f.jpg
A task force of two Kongo battleships, 3 Heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers and only 4 destroyers covering them. I waited at 50 feet while the screening destroyer passed me by. As the Kongo's came into range I took my time and set up a perfect attack at 1000 yards, give or take. Fired all four tubes, three hits and one dud. All the hits were on the bow and she began to sink.
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3572/bb2is.jpg
But I waited as one destroyer circled around looking for me. The damn Kongo would not sink. The destroyer eventually left and went back towards it's task force. I turned my rear to the Kongo and fired the two aft torpedoes. Both duds of course. Turned around and set up a shot at her mid section and stern.
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1543/bb3c.jpg
Two torpedoes and I waited for the result. I really wanted to sink this bastard!
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/7843/bb4uo.jpg
My aiming was off, I wanted to hit her further aft, but how can you complain? The mighty battleship finally met Davy Jones locker!:rock:
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7888/bb5i.jpg

TabbyHunter

07-13-10, 03:39 AM

Admiral8Q

07-13-10, 03:47 AM

i would love to get TMO or another super mod, but if they up the graphics whatsoever, i may aswell sell the game. and as for dificulty, im about to turn it up to everything but manual aim and free cam.
I love the free cam myself. That's how you get nice screen shots. I don't use it for game play. The event cam is annoying. Even though I know how to manual aim, I play for fun and prefer the auto. Eventually I may switch to manual. :hmmm:

ichso

07-13-10, 04:16 AM

Tell us what you are up to in your current campaign...

Sightseeing.

Admiral8Q

07-13-10, 04:27 AM

Sightseeing.
Rrrrrrriiight.... Sightseeing eh?:DL
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6192/girl01o.jpg

McHibbins

07-13-10, 05:35 AM

Rrrrrrriiight.... Sightseeing eh?:DL
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6192/girl01o.jpg

Too bad we´re in the navy. We need a flightstick here instead of a rudder eh ?:D

ichso

07-13-10, 06:56 AM

Rrrrrrriiight.... Sightseeing eh?:DL
[picture of admirable lady]

Never had this sight in the game, where did you take the screenshot of this ? :D

Raven79

07-13-10, 08:18 AM

Admiral8Q

07-13-10, 08:37 PM

Admiral8Q - I always am amazed on how your SHIV looks like. What did you do to get that amazingly beautiful water? It seems so clear as if it was real, I tried some mods for that but never found one that really did it THAT good. Not a standalone mod perhaps?
I'm using only TMO 2.0 and Narwhal mod. TMO really increase all the graphics. Plus I guess I have a good video card and a relatively new custom computer. I turn on all the graphic settings except for vertical sync. I turn off glare if it gets too fuzzy.

Raven79

07-13-10, 09:29 PM

Thanks, I'll look into it if I can get the graphics out of it :haha:

Armistead

07-13-10, 09:40 PM

Raven, If you're using nvidia, check out the stick above on nvidia tweaks. Settings made a big difference for me using nHancer for the game listed there.

Raven79

07-13-10, 10:37 PM

I'm a big AMD fan, so I'm running AMD+ASUS+ATI, but thanks :)
FOTRS does neat things to the graphics already, I just don't like the oily soup that was once water which it brings along with it. Maybe will operate that out of TMO and into it.

Admiral8Q

07-14-10, 01:35 AM

I have these stats:

Windows XP Pro
Service Pack 2 (I find SP3 causes some strange things to happen)

Computer:
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual
Core Processor 5600+
2.81 GHz, 3.00 GB of RAM
Physical Address Extension

Graphics card:
ATI Radeon HD 3800 Series (Driver from the disc, I've have problems with the driver updates)

You should try out TMO and see how your graphics look in comparison. :)

aergistal

07-16-10, 12:20 PM

I've made an online tool that tracks subs.

Report to COMSUBPAC!
http://comsubpac.webatu.com/map/

If you have any ideas on how it can be improved post in
http://subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?p=1446053#post1446053

rein1705

07-18-10, 10:46 PM

Awesome map! I added my pos.

Lil' Subsim

07-19-10, 02:47 AM

Awesome map! I added my pos.
Same here.

nappy

07-19-10, 05:08 AM

just photgraphed a harbour close to Tokyo. On the way out from Tokyo bay i encountered
a merchant which i promptly sunk in a night surface attack. during the engagement, i also spotted 2 "subhunters" which i also sank with my deck gun. During the debacle a destroyer came running to the scene and ive just crash dived to 300 feet. waiting for the inevitable depthcharges :o

nappy.

Theros

07-19-10, 08:29 AM

Hi there guys! :salute:

First post, but i used to play the very first SH, havent liked SH2 or SH3 but loving 4 so far:yeah:

Im in late ´42 heading to Phillipines (sorry if i spelled wrong ;)) to deliver some
supllies, on my brand new Gato class USS Drum, hoping to find some convoy to sink along the way...:D

Theros

Over and out

sergei

07-19-10, 09:47 AM

waiting for the inevitable depthcharges

Good luck mate

Hi there guys! :salute:

Welcome aboard :DL

WernherVonTrapp

07-19-10, 10:58 AM

My second war patrol out of Pearl running RFB/RSRDC. It's February 1942 and I've just completed a 105nm patrol assignment in the East China Sea. 96 hours of nothing. This war patrol was starting to look like it was going to end up like the last one, Fish Boat Fest 41, where I engaged a small flotilla of 6 fishing boats for an end total of 1200 tons before having to refuel. Nope, not this time. I set my sights on Itoman Harbor at Okinawa. I came in from the southwest under the cover of darkness on the 26th. Surprisingly, I found the harbor completely unguarded, save for a fishing boat and a tug. Waited for them to depart before the ravaging began. Using both torps and deck gun, I took out a Large Modern Tanker, a Medium Old Tanker, a British Medium Old Tanker, a Medium Old Split Freighter, a Large Modern Composite and even sank the little fishing boat when it returned. I lobbed some shells at a docked, small sub chaser, a MLSokuten and a Gyoraitei PT Boat but it seemed to have no effect, except the Sokuten did catch fire. Couldn't sink it though, even after a dozen direct hits. However, I only had a 3" deck gun at the time.
Nevertheless, I've already racked up over 30,000K in tonnage but only have a few torps left now and am running low on fuel again. Had to dodge a few planes including a Betty that crashed into the ocean while making it's initial bomb run on my diving sub.:stare:
I have a green crew, no radar of any kind and only a .50 cal AA gun in an aft mount.:88)

Armistead

07-19-10, 12:33 PM

I just chased the Shinano all the way through the Bungo Strait. I got a patrol 130 NMs SE of the Bungo, but forget about the Shinano coming through in Nov. The patrol star cleared, so I went and sat south of the Bungo entrance and got a contact, a TF heading into the Bungo. It was in front of me and I had no clue how to do an end around in the Bungo.

So I chased and ran into a small tug. The TF was 12 miles away in the strait now. No doubt the tugs will report you as I got too close to it and here come the DD's.

I ran and finally dived and hit flank. The DD's went to the south of me, but I was too close to surface. The Shinano was leaving me behind.

One DD returned to the Shinano and the other two stayed behind. I finally surfaced more east in the strait and started chasing. My biggest fear it would reach it's end waypoint and vanish. I also had to deal with the shore guns north at the end of the strait.

I guess the Shinano picked me up on radar because the DD came back chasing me about two miles where the strait ends. I had to dive again.
I was able to leave it behind and got through the choke point submerged where the shore guns are. I surfaced, not sure why but the DD south came chasing again. By this time the Shinano was headed ENE probably to Kure.

The DD drove me down. Time was wasting. I was sure the Shinano would vanish or as we call in in game...port. The DD made a few runs. I decided I had to take him out so as he circled for his next run I came to scope depth and lined him up for a DTT. I had loaded with me all M16's..full load. I let 3 go at the DD at 700 yards..first hit the M16 blew it up, but 3 hit it, so one DD down.

I guess the other DD's were still in the Bungo, now I had the Shinano to myself, but it was 12 nms away making 17kts. I was waiting for it to vanish anytime. It was zigging N to E, so I was catching it. Finally out of fear of it vanishing, I shot 6 M16's at about 7000 yards, wide spread, hoping for a hit. One did hit, but didn't slow it down. I continued the end around and finally got in a good position and slammed 5 M16's into it and sunk it.

It seemed about 50 lifeboats were floating after it sunk. Being in home waters close to shore we sunk them all.

The other 2 DD's finally showed, but I was able to evade and escape with no problems.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-07-18_182701_683.jpg

Taking out the DD..
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-07-18_184457_449.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-07-18_184354_340.jpg

The chase from where I started through the Bungo. The DD is the one sunk more south, the Shinano sunk above it.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-07-18_195747_433.jpg

Bubblehead1980

07-19-10, 12:41 PM

very nice Armistead, risky and tough area to operate in, my current patrol in 1942 is Area 7 and of course spending time in Bungo Suido.

Bubblehead1980

07-19-10, 12:55 PM

November 1942, USS Trout TMO 2.0 100 realism. Tough and disappointing patrol in Area 7 thus far.Caught a convoy leaving Bungo Suido around 9 November, tracked it and was ready to attack at dawn when she zigged, putting me 5.4 miles out in left field, so surfaced, end around, ready again another zig, then a plane spotted me while submerged waiting on escorts to get out of visual range, attacked but missed of course alerted escorts, a Chidori escort soon moved in, dropped a couple tooth shakers but never had me, I was at 250 feet and seas were heavy.I then made a high speed submerged run in since convoy had slowed and the closest escort was distracted.I managed to get close and attack but TEN, yes TEN torpedos, 6 forward and 10 aft fired at a large tanker and merchant were all prematures, the DD's then moved and forced me deep.The convoy had left my area by the time I could surface, plus battery was down to 25 percent, seas rough, fish had to be reloaded and crew had been at GQ for 14 hours, broke off attack.:damn:

After dealing with storms next few days, weather clear with calm seas, moved in to Bungo Suido for patrol.Dove at dawn and riding at 100 feet until sun was up for periscope patrol(hate this but how you have to patrol in 42 during day if actually in the straigh itself due to planes, shore batteries etc) sonar made contact with a "warship" which brought me to the conning tower and orders to scope depth.I couldnt see anything and sound you could barely hear a faint prop sound, possible submarine?

As we closed I could just see a periscope feather, we had a submerged submarine, we went to GQ and slowly closed.Good solution, target was making 8 knots with a 70 degree AOB.Readied two Mark 14's, fired one....10 seconds into run, prematurely exploded, fired two and readied number 3, another premature:damn: Fired 3, it prematured and now target was alerted since sonar reported it was moving slowly now and could see it was zigging.I ordered flank speed and 150 feet in case it could fire torpedos(didnt think it could but never knew the midget subs were in the campaign and never know if ducimus got sneaky since someone did make it where AI could fire torpedos) I decided to get in close, surface fast and use the big 51 cal deck gun Trout was new equipped with aft(from the V boats) We were soon in position and battle surfaced.Quickly aimed and fired a shot, which feel short, but the second was right on, hit the conning tower, heard the impact and saw the splash.We then went ahead flank moving away in case she could return the favor but the shell hit home, she was disabled, sonar quit reporting contact and she was not moving anymore but she was not sunk yet, we came about quickly and rammed her, she went down and Trout was credited with one midget sub sunk.Soon planes arrived and bombed the area but I was submerged.

Some shots, you can see the midgets scope if you look closely.
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/midgsub3.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/midgsub2.jpg
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/jstringr1685/midgsub1.jpg

rein1705

07-23-10, 08:18 AM

S-44 in Alaska may 43

Raiders just took Attu Atoll so i think im almost done in the northern theater. WOOT hunting's been real slim up there.

PS. This thread deserves a sticky think?

Bubblehead1980

07-23-10, 11:14 AM

yea, hoping we can get this a sticky, would be nice.

ichso

07-23-10, 01:35 PM

Chased by a SmallSubChaser for the second time this patrol now. Those things are awefully hard to spot as it seems and radar is not available yet.
I wish I had an S-Class now instead of my Porpoise-boat :DL

WernherVonTrapp

07-23-10, 02:28 PM

Well, I'm currently patrolling the waters off Hokkaido in June of 42 in my new Gato class that I received during my last return to port. I had been playing TMOwtw in a pretty successful career up until about mid 43, but then quit and restarted RFB/RSRDC strictly due to the guilt of not completing a career w/those mods prior to running TMOwtw. Hmmmm, now I have guilt about TMO too. Ah, anyway, back to my current status:
It's mid 42 in RFB and, although not a heck of alot has occurred, I have managed to keep the tonnage up enough to please the brass at Pearl. I'm still in my 1st day of a 3 day patrol off Hokkaido and except for dodging a few planes so far, nothing really to report. I rarely find anything in my assigned patrol areas. It's usually as soon as I leave that the traffic starts flowing in those zones. Time will tell. I'd just as soon go fishing somewhere else. I can't seem to rely on reports from Naval Intel. If anything significant occurs, I'll be sure to tell.

I'm goin' down

07-23-10, 03:28 PM

Hearing all about your thrilling, depth defying feats is one thing (kind of like seeing that once in a lifetime woman on a topless beach), but sticky's are generally subjects that are used for reference purposes by captain's looking for answers. Aren't they?

Armistead

07-23-10, 09:16 PM

yea, hoping we can get this a sticky, would be nice.

Sorta seems like there is one, sub patrols are something like that, maybe they will do a current sub patrol...:DL

However, I'm chasing the two late war Ise's in a storm, all bow tubes are destroyed, aft I have two remaining M16's. Can't get close in the storm on the surface, DD's chase me away and I ain't diving in 100ft of water...so I'll keep following to Tokyo in needed.

Lil' Subsim

07-23-10, 09:32 PM

Starting to use RFB, but going to continue where I left off in July of 44 while using FOTRS, so, new type of gameplay for me, from arcady to realism...

Ducimus

07-24-10, 04:14 AM

Current campaign: Puttin' more polish on the fleetboats, and getting drunk off my ass doing it. :O:

rein1705

07-24-10, 04:18 AM

Current campaign: Puttin' more polish on the fleetboats, and getting drunk off my ass doing it. :O:

polish? Interested in repainting an S-boat?
:06:

Ducimus

07-24-10, 04:25 AM

polish? Interested in repainting an S-boat?
:06:

Nooooooo... i got bigger fish to fry. Damn i use that metaphore alot.

Besides, repainting stuff isn't in my forte. My gimpfu is weak.

No no no.. schite has snowballed on me, and im too plastered to explain.

Forensicman101

07-24-10, 01:44 PM

Run Silent Run Deep Campaign:
1942, off Rabaul, encountered IJN small subchaser. On it's own. Feeling brave, I let it plod by and send a shallow torpedo into it. Bang! The subchaser started sinking. I waited.... and waited.... 12 hours later it was still there, stern above water at an angle of about 30 degrees. I surfaced & put 12 shots into it. It still wouldn't sink. Then I was bounced by some Japanese aircraft and sunk. How fiendishly cunning, to create and unsinkable patrol ship as a decoy.

Update: Since that encounter, I've torpedoed eight other subchasers, all to no effect. I've also put ten torpedoes into a Fubuki destroyer. Although ablaze from bow to stern, it was still afloat the following day.
I suspect that there is a problem with some of the RSRDC ship files, & I note that RFB uses Lurker's files for several ships including the small subchaser & Fubuki. I've just tried to sink a small subchaser in RFB & encountered the same problem.
I may give up and play scrabble.

Admiral8Q

07-24-10, 09:13 PM

Nooooooo... i got bigger fish to fry. Damn i use that metaphore alot.
Something like this big fish I suppose Ducimus! :DL
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UBm7_pjK06k/S8jp-TUttpI/AAAAAAAAAEk/ZU-w5ZASh9Y/s1600/giant-fish.jpg

WernherVonTrapp

07-24-10, 10:25 PM

Wow! That's a big fish Admiral8Q.:huh: What is that, Arowana, Snakehead?

Anyway, it's June 27, 1942 and I decided to go foraging into Suruga Bay and see what was docked at Yaizu Harbor. I had to stop and save the game in order to run to the PX for my first mate but, after restarting the game, I noticed a strange plume of smoke rising out of the water directly behind me. Didn't hear and booms or bangs and I didn't sink anything yet, to the best of my recollection. I certainly don't think it was exhaust from my diesel engines. Anyway, it was a mild distraction until this pesky little fishing boat came snooping around. Yup, me and fishing boats again. The sun had just set upon Suuga Bay and my periscope was low enough in the water to make detection difficult, if not impossible. The boat closed to within 1300yds on my 200° port stern as I was heading west toward the harbor. I dodged a Gyoraitei Class PT boat that was patroling the bay earlier and could still hear his screws in the distance at 105° starboard, though he had to be at least 10nm away by now.
Sooooo, I decided to dispatch the nosey fishing boat. If it's fish he wants, I'll give him the mother lode. I sent a Mark-14 from my stern tubes toward his sushi seekin' ship and darn near sent him into orbit. With him out of the way, I refocused my attention to Yaizu Harbor where I found a Large Modern Passenger ship sitting all calm and peaceful like. Been seeing alot of these lately, though at 11,000 tons, I'm not complaining. I sent 3 Mark 14s into her port side, sinking her rather quickly after some significant secondaries. There were no other ships docked so, still surfaced, I headed south at full speed. On the way out of the bay, I ran into a Hog Island Type Freighter and took her out with 2 torps and some 3" projectlies, compliments of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordinance. It's now early morning, June 28th, and I set a course for south. Not sure where I'm heading next but, I'm hunting.

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu0.jpg

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu1.jpg

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu2.jpg

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu3.jpg

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu4.jpg

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu.jpg

:salute:

Admiral8Q

07-25-10, 05:43 AM

That is an excellent screen shot Wernher! :cool:
http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/yaizu3.jpg

Major Johnson

07-25-10, 11:00 PM

I'm on my second patrol in this career. First I had to do a photo recon of a harbor. I was able to sink a few single merchants on my way there and out of the harbor, then I got orders to patrol the East China Sea. While in route I sunk another lone merchant, then proceeded back on my course. My surface radar tracked a task force, which I really didn't want any part of before I reached my patrol area, but they must have had surface radar because they changed course and right now are coming straight at me. It turns out it's 2 destroyers (some task force), but they are hauling ass and are about 7k yds away. It's dark out but I don't think that's gonna help me now. I sent a contact report to Pearl and they said to engage the task force. So now I'm undecided as to how to deal with these two. I'm tempted to go to periscope dept and let them get close, like 1,000 yds and try a down the throat shot and see if I can get lucky and knock one of them out, before I go deep, sneak away to a safe distance and then try and pick them off. Any suggestions??

magic452

07-25-10, 11:32 PM

Go deep and stay there. :D At least if you're playing TMO.

That is a small hunter killer group and I avoid them at all cost, they can be very tough. Usually a small DD and a sub chaser and they can be very dedicated.

Save your fish for bigger targets.

Magic

Edit I see by your posting a different thread I was too late in reply. :damn:

Major Johnson

07-26-10, 07:16 AM

Hey Magic, not at all, that was a different encounter! This is a totally different patrol. But if it's as you say and these two are dedicated to hunting American subs, I just might take your advice and go deep and live to fight another day. Although, I don't know what that will do to me at the end of of the patrol, since I was ordered to engage.

magic452

07-27-10, 12:17 AM

Major If you sink enough tonnage they will never notice that you lived to fight another day. :D :roll: :know:

Magic

I'm goin' down

07-27-10, 01:24 AM

I have been trying without success to use Nisgeis' new Radar bearing and range mod. My deck gunners have been seeing lots of action, since I cannot track with map contacts disabled, as I haven't mastered the mod.

Major Johnson

07-27-10, 07:33 AM

Armistead

07-27-10, 09:09 AM

Ok, I'm in trouble here. These two sub hunters are hard to shake. I decided to go deep, like 270 ft, which was like 50 ft past the thermal lair, and their first salvo of depth charges damaged all my forward tubes along with a long laundry list of of other damage. I thought the Japs always set their depth charges shallow?? I went deeper, to 310 ft, and let my repair crew fix the flooding, then I went to silent running and managed after a few hours to shake them. I slowly went to periscope depth and saw one was dead in the water while the other was speeding around. I had my aft tubes towards them and was going to take a shot at the one just sitting there not moving, but all I have on board are Mark 10's and I was farther than 3200 meters. The destroyer that was moving, started making it's way towards me, so I went in another direction and he went right on by and went out of sight. But I noticed that I had actually gotten closer to the one that was still in the water. I thought maybe it was having engine trouble and that this might be a perfect opportunity to get closer and sink a fish into him. But to my surprise, just as I started to close the distance, he started up his engines and took off in the direction of the other one. All the while my repairs were getting done, but the bow tubes were taking a long time. Both ships were out of sight when looking through the periscope, so I decided to surface and let the repair crew repair the deck guns. Turns out the tube repairs went faster when on the surface. But I was only on the surface for 5 or 10 minutes when I notices on radar that both ships had changed direction and were again heading straight for me. My question is how did they know i was there?? They couldn't have spotted me at night at that distance. Did some Jap destroyers have surface radar?? Is my only recourse to dive deep and sneak away while in silent running??

Make sure you hit silent running when evading. The most common escape method is to go deep below the thermal layer and run silent, then hit flank when a escort makes a pass and wait for the charges to explode behind you, then back silent..repeat, ect. Water conditions play a majoy role. If the wind is up, you can get by with more speed.

The escort you thought dead in the water was listening. They will often stop and listen.

Escorts can home in on your radar transmission. Usually if you're far enough away if you turn your arse to them and run at flank they will eventually turn back.
Try cutting your radar off once you have a bearing. You can see much further than your crew can, so watch them. You can use your radar for a few seconds to check on them.

Some escorts get surface radar later war, but usually only capital ships have surface radar. Again, mods play a part. The enemy crews have different ratings from drunk off Sake to elite. If you run into an elite crew with surface radar they can really make it hard to get in to attack.
The range differs with mods.

The best thing to do if your sub isn't full of holes heading for the bottom is to stay dived and give them time to get out of your contact zone. Again, you can hear on sonar better than your crew, so follow them on sonar until you can no longer hear them using lower time compression if you want to speed things up.

Major Johnson

07-27-10, 09:49 AM

WarlordATF

07-27-10, 02:31 PM

27 April 1942

About 63nm south of Tokyo while on patrol in the Uss Drum, i came upon a large task force of warships. Dove to periscope depth and after a short wait I had a look and noticed right in the middle of the group was 2 fleet carriers about 3200 yards away!

The weather was good with 6kt winds. Not wanting to risk prematures or duds i flooded all 6 forward tubes and let em fly. Once the last tube was empty i ordered the boat to 350ft and ahead 1/3. At around 230 ft i hear (and see, thanks to the event camera) the first fish stike, Then another, And Another, And Another. All Six Torpedos struck home, one less Shokaku Fleet Carrier in the Japanese Navy!

At 350ft i orded ahead slow and waited while five destroyers rushed to my position. Numerous Splashes and Booms, but nothing close and no pinging. They never even found me! Then the wait to put some distance between them and the Drum while reloading the forward tubes.

I had to make a choice, Stay Safe in the Depths or come back up for another shot. The DDs were still depth charging the area nearby, so i had to wait anyway. Finally i felt i had enough distance to return to periscope depth, but by then the other fleet carrier was over 4500 yrds away and Zig-Zagging. I noticed a Battleship at about 3900 yards and decided to take a shot at it. I set half torpedos to run fast and half to slow and let em go.

PING!!! The DDs had found me! Ahead Flank, Dive 350ft, Deploy Decoys! At 150ft i slowed to ahead 1/3 and silent running. Soon the depth charges came. Close, but it was clear they were attacking the decoys. All Six Fish missed and the Task Force and i parted ways as i continued to my Patrol Area.

I Didn't get everything i wanted, but you can't really complain when you get a Fleet Carrier!

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b164/WarlordATF/SH4Img2010-07-27_135829_638.jpg

EDIT: The funny thing was on the way back to midway i hear over the radio that the Shokaku was damaged in the Battle of the Coral Sea! Gonna have to set the Brass strait on that one. At least they gave me a Silver Star when i docked so maybe i'll let it slide. LOL!

Armistead

07-27-10, 02:51 PM

Both these destroyers are capable of like 30 knots! Out running them at flank speed is not an option. So you think they homed in on me from my radar?? I was thinking the same thing. I will definitely try the alternating speeds when under depth charge attack.

And for some reason, I can no longer work the sonar manually. In my first boat, a Porpoise class, I was able to, but in the Tambor and Gato class subs, I'm not able to. The only mod I'm using is GFO. Any thoughts on this??

Thanks for the tips!! Hopefully I'll live to write a followup! :)

Not outrun, if they can't see you, if you just turn and go flank at a certain distance they will go back to the TF as long as they don't see you. Late war most capital ships will direct escorts to you by surface radar up to 20nm's away depending on mods. Not sure how much GFO changes stock difficulty, but I believe he may have beefed them up.

If they do sight you, dive and go flank, almost always you'll be far enough away, as they will search where you dived. I sometimes go silent once I get far enough away from where I dived.

You have a bug if you can't use your sonar manually. I would post in the GFO thread.

They can home in on your radar and your radar can often give you away. Still yours is better.

I don't know if GFO gives you the APR1 later war which picks up enemy radar, so you know which ships have it. Still, they have and use radar long before you get APR1 detection.

Study all the threads you can on evasion, just search it. The most important thing is wind as it effects water. The more disturbed the water the more you can get away with. Even with hard mods like TMO you can get by with murder when winds are high.

WarlordATF

07-27-10, 03:45 PM

Another thing to think of is those Depth Charges have to sink to your depth before they can detonate, That takes time. By going to Ahead Flank at the sound of the splash you'll usually be out of harms way if your 250ft down or deeper. The enemy may know where your at, but using this tactic will almost render them harmless.

I use this method alot and unless they get really lucky all they can do is shake the boat around a little.

Major Johnson

07-27-10, 04:19 PM

Thanks for the tips! I'm gonna try them tonight! :salute:

EDIT:
On the map, when you click on a destroyer it deplays 3 different shaped rings around the ship. Is the outer most the visual range?? I guess the inner two are more for radar or sonar?

WarlordATF

07-27-10, 04:53 PM

I believe its Visual,Passive Sonar and Active Sonar. Good Luck! :salute:

WernherVonTrapp

07-27-10, 10:10 PM

It might also help to deactivate your Damage Control Team prior to Silent Running or else they keep at it, banging, clanging, and making all kinds of racket. I noticed a few times, early on, that when I deactivated them, the DDs would no longer be closing in on me. They won't deactivate during silent running though, you have to do it before rigging for silent running.:03:

Major Johnson

07-27-10, 11:25 PM

You know, I noticed that repairs kept getting done while in silent running mode, but at a much slower pace, or so it seemed. Anyway the tactic of going deep right away, switching to silent running and changing directions, does keep the destroyers at a distance. In fact, they never even dropped any depth charges. But for some reason even when I get out of visual range and I surface, and turn off my radar, they somehow know where I'm at and eventually find me again. This is getting old. So for right now, my situation really hasn't changed.

magic452

07-27-10, 11:54 PM

I told you they were dedicated. :-?
I stay as far away from those little groups as possible.
Your best bet is to get some distance and stay down till they are really GONE.
Use a little TC but not over 8x.

Magic

WernherVonTrapp

07-28-10, 06:06 AM

Just remember MJ, once you're zeroed, it's a long, arduous, time consuming process to get safely away and, you should keep it in real time. No TCing. It's rarely a quick getaway. The only exception that I've ever noticed is sometimes with a fast moving TF. In those cases, the TFs seem to be in a hurry to get someplace and have little time to waste hunting down a pesky sub.
Those little hunter/killer TFs are there, usually for a reason and, in many cases it's because you've been spotted by something (sampan, fishing boat, too close to land, etc.) while in high TC. Also, while you're on the surface trying to get away at flank speed, they can still detect you with passive sonar. Believe it or not, I usually try to stay at standard or full speed when surfaced at a distance to make my screws harder to detect. In clear weather, I don't surface unless I'm about 10nm away. Though in light fog conditions, I've surfaced while just over 7nm away.
Those little hunter/killer groups have no other assignments to worry about except hunting you, to their heart's content. Just be ready for some long, real-time, evasive maneuvers. God Speed.:salute:

Major Johnson

07-28-10, 08:27 AM

Thanks for all the responses and tips. Your insight is appreciated! I wish there was some way of desptroying these pesky buggers! In the original SH I would do down the throat shots quite successfully, but I'm afraid in SH4 they've made that a lot harder, and the destroyers seem so much more lethal in SH4, I'm afraid I wouldn't get away with it just yet.

WarlordATF

07-28-10, 09:13 AM

The down the throat shots are much more dangerous now. The trick is to force them to commit to a head to head course by letting them see your periscope and manuevering your boat and then holding fire until they are less than 700 yards away. It cuts it close because the fish usually don't arm until they run about 500 yards and the risk of a premature or dud could end up killing your boat and crew so i try to only use that as a last resort.

I have my AI set better than stock, but not as good as TMO and they still get me sometimes so the best advice is to just try to avoid or evade them as much as possible.

Also create a training mission so you don't mess up your campaign and train,train and train some more. Start with 1 competent skilled Destroyer and work on giving your position away and evading it and as you get comfortable with that add more and better skilled DDs until you can evade several of them. None of us are 100% comfortable when the hunters come looking for us, but the idea is to change the gut feeling from "Oh S&^% here comes the Escorts" to "Ok, Here they come, time to lose em".

Good Luck! :salute:

Major Johnson

07-28-10, 10:43 PM

Well, for anyone who was curious, I did finally shake those two sub killer destroyers, or at least I think I did. I just stayed underwater in silent running for the whole day, and didn't surface until after sunset. I was able to get my batteries back to full charge, running at 2/3's and was surpised to find another Destroyer on my stern and a little to starboard, heading in the same direction I was although not directly at me, and going at about 19 kts. My first move was to go to flank and out run him, also I wanted to see if he increased speed, which he didn't. When I saw that I decided that he didn't know I was there and I went to periscope depth and went to silent running, and got a perpendicular angle an just let him come to me, still cruising along at 19 kts. I let loose one Mark 10 from about 2800 yds. He spotted my scope and fired one round, but it was too late for him, he never saw the torp and it got him just aft of amidships! I beautiful sight to behold indeed. And this little endevour saved my incomplete status for engaging a task force! Even though it wasn't the same task force, it was a task force nonetheless! But I'm smack dab in the middle of all kinds of traffic!! I have another destroyer closing, but I'm going to save that one for tomorrow! It's been a long day as is!! :arrgh!: