GWX: Submarine buoyancy?

[EnDSchultz]

So, I've been a huge fan of the GWX mod, but there are a few little things regarding buoyancy I've always wondered about. First, which I'm guessing is an engine limitation, it seems that the crew is unable to trim ballast at all while submerged; the slightest puddle of water in any compartment will cause the sub to sink when stationary or under silent running speed.

Secondly, on the surface, in rough seas, the sub doesn't seem as buoyant as one might expect a vessel to be. It is not uncommon to see the entire vessel plough through a wave and almost completely submerge itself for a second or two before bursting to the surface again. Meanwhile your diesels sputter out and your watch crew are (or, would be in reality) drowning.

I understand that a submarine may not be as buoyant as a surface-only vessel under any circumstances, but it still seems a bit extreme to me. A trifling issue, to be sure, but I'd still like to hear peoples' thoughts about this.

[Sailor Steve]

Part of the problem is in the waves themselves - the period (distance between crests) is too short. In real live any ship will "go green" (plow the bow under) if the sea is heavy enough, but usually the waves are far enough apart that only the bow will go under. This may be amplified for a deeper-sitting vessel like a submarine, but you're right - it's a bit much in the game.

One side-note: A long, thin ship like a destroyer will have more problems in heavy seas than a short, stout ship like a corvette. The smaller the ship, the less likely it is to get swamped. In the game it's just the opposite. Little ships are always sinking.

[Schwieger]

Inherent game limitations. :gulp: