What to do during patrol?

[Paulski]

I've got my max TC set to 128, but because of this it can take a long time before I can finally do anything (especially during stormy weather). So I am wondering what you guys do :)

I thought about reading a book or something, but GWX doesn't set TC to 1 when there is a radio contact report, wich can lead to missing convoys when I'm not watching the screen :(

[max-peck]

Use SH3 Commander.

Then you can set TC to 1 on enemy conyact and 8 on Radio contact.

[Paulski]

I already have, and it works for the single ship map contacts that appear without text, and don't appear in the radio messages. But when the radio contacts appear the game keeps on going 128 TC :-?

[Kapt Z]

The computer is in my study so I'm usually looking through paperwork or folding laundry in a pile on the floor. I do read the paper or magazines from time to time and just glance up every once in a while.

It's true sometimes you miss contacts or look up and see a convoy report that is now 30min to 1hr late, but what are your options really? Stare at the screen for hours like a zombie? No thanks.

Some games keep your attention at all times. This one let's me get some chores done and still enjoy a great sim.:up:

[Missing Name]

I draw fictional submarines, cruisers, destroyers and carriers, as I've been doing since, oh, 2nd grade? Pushing the laptop against the wall gives me just enough room on my desk for a pad of graph paper.

[Reinhard Hardegen]

I mostly play real time, sure it takes forever, but I wanted to get the feel of what it was like.

I love watching the waves on the bow of the boat, and the sounds of the sea, no better way to fall asleep, but on those nights at 3 in the morning, when you get woken by our crew sighting an enemy warship, it can get really hairy, and the DC's can keep you on your toes.

I have the game set to my real local time, and the surround sound in my office is set at a level I can hear what's going on most of the time.

Just starting over from 19 August 1939, so this is really going to be a long war....:rotfl2::yep: :yawn:

[Herr-Berbunch]

Just starting over from 19 August 1939, so this is really going to be a long war....:rotfl2::yep: :yawn:

Not in my experience :nope:, I'm lucky to get through 12 months. :D

[TheGreatHonker]

My max TC is 4028.
I'm in more for the fun, playing at %50 realism with GWX and SH3 Commander. realistic damage, reload times, sinking times, blah blah blah. But I have external views, stealth meter (which I'll turn off soon anyways) and automatic TWC or whatever its called.

I go in real time when it matters; going through minefields submerged, blowing stuff up, dualing destroyers, getting blown up, but I want to be able to go to Halifax or Gibraltar in one night IRL.

1 for radio and visual contacts, 64 for hunting and being hunted, 512 when near land, and who cares about the rest, because I don't remember.

When leaving harbor I'm stuck in real time because of those damn airplanes, so when departing I smoke a cigarette, stalk my ex-girlfriends myspace (her facebook is private), chug mustard, smoke a cigarette, and get some cheese from the fridge to eat. Gibraltar night is cheddar night, Halifax night is Gouda night, Lerwick night is igloo night, and New York night is diet pill night.

[sublynx]

* write notes on the events of the patrol, like keeping a war diary
* listen to German movie songs of the era
* read U-boat history in the internet
* do chores

[Jimbuna]

I like to have a drink.

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/2884/drunkcob.gif

[Fish In The Water]

This one let's me get some chores done and still enjoy a great sim.:up:

Way to multi task! :yep:

I play at 128 TC while en route, but I like to take periodic breaks on deck to enjoy the ocean waves. Gotta stop and smell the roses... Great ambiance is what makes it so enjoyable for me. :up:

[Paulski]

* write notes on the events of the patrol, like keeping a war diary


Hmm, good idea :) Just need to find a pen and a notebook...

[LeChuck]

what fish in the water said

[Marko]

I like to have a drink.

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/2884/drunkcob.gif


Be more aggressive! ....on beer :)

[Alpha Von Burg]

What I do during a patrol:

-have a drink (of water)
-eat snacks
-write a daily (mostly weekly) journal of what has happened in the game
-do homework if any
-do chores if any
-read a book
-watch a movie
-listen to the in game music
-watch my boat cut the waters and wonder if I have run over a fish...

When I am not looking at the screen doing somthing else, I have a look every once in a while.

Don't need to be a zombie, just take periodic checks.:salute:

[Captain Nemo]

I already have, and it works for the single ship map contacts that appear without text, and don't appear in the radio messages. But when the radio contacts appear the game keeps on going 128 TC :-?

I have set the TC settings in SH Commander to drop to x1 when you get a radio report. Like you, sometimes the TC drops to x1 and sometimes it just carries on at x128. In my experience this applies both to the single contact with no radio report and convoys with a radio report. Now I could be wrong, but I think it's to do with how far away the contact is. When the contact is relatively close TC drops to x1, when it is quite a distance away TC carries on at it's current setting. I'll have to watch this more closely in future to confirm that this is the case.

Nemo

[flag4]

...washing up is a favorite one or peeling potatos for dinner or even making dinner and finally eating it - slowly, and then - yes, washing up drying, putting it all away. drop to P Depth or 20 meters all stop, silent running, go round the corner for a pint (or two).
come home check all is ok - then prepare lunch box for work the next day - mix the porridge ready for the morning.....wash underwear in sink ( TMI?)

.....hours and hours sometimes, of nothing. read a book listen to music, trim nasal hair, water plants and do the hoovering....

....hours and hours....

and then........ALAAARM!!!!!!


max TC 1024 for crossing large open expansive areas of water. Hydrophones no more than 32. cruising and searching no more than 128. when i get tired i stop searching and exit-save, and go to bed.

now its time for a cider as we are all in harbour!

[Raptor]

I guess I'm the outlier. I have max TC set to 4096. I don't want to sit around for hours or days IRT while my boat sails from port to my assigned grid square.

[TIME COMPRESSION]
TimeStop=0
RealTime=1
LandProximity=256
CriticalDamage=1
CrewEfficiency=1
AirEnemyDetected=1
SoundEffects=2
CharacterAnim=64
EnemyDetected=1
RadioReport=1
Particles=32
PrayState=256
HunterState=256
3DRender=128
Maximum=4096

Yes, I rarely see enemy aircraft enroute unless I drop below 128X for some reason. I've tried re-setting RadioReport to a higher value, like 512, but the game just ignores it.

[f4wildweasel]

I usually browse the Internet on U-boat/Fleet boat related things (for example I get a radio gram from U-47, I'll go look it up on the u-boat website and look over the patrol history. Or I might look up a ship type I have just sunk and see what other ships in its class have done. This has it's drawbacks, though. I'll be really immersed in a description of some convoy battle when my watch officer yells "SCHIFF GESICHTET!" and I'll be thinking "can't this wait two minutes? I need to finish reading this first!"