Radio Command Question

[foster]

Noob here. I need some help with radio commands. I searched the forum and saw it stated several times that you needed to have eyes on at least three hostile ships to use the "report contact" command to call in air support.

However, I disabled a C-2 using my last torpedo in either BF-13/15 or thereabouts. Since the weather was too rough for gunnery I called in a contact report and not long after 2 German planes bombed the disabled C-2 (missing badly). So is the three boat minimum for calling in air support by contact report false or did I just witness an incredible fluke? Also do you receive any renown if a German pilot sinks a boat you sent a contact report on?

My second question is to the nature of the patrol report? Does it serve any function at all? Do you need to phone home to HQ every once in a while so they know what area you are in or will they provide periodic ship contacts regardless?

Thanks,
Red Casey

[Mittelwaechter]

Hi foster

There are several air patrols around - British/Allied and German/Axis even far out and from most other nations/neutrals only quite close to their coastline.
As you run into hostile air patrols you find your own guys supporting you around Norway, North and Baltic Sea, France and westward as in the Med.

To make the game roll a dice wheather sending support out after a contact report or not, your watch officer will have to identify at least three hostile floating targets. There is a certain probability coded for any support - and it depends on range to the next axis airfield.

In your case those flyboys where on a patrol and found a damaged freighter to do some target practice. Your presence was coincidence.

You can send patrol reports to imitate some radio contact with BdU but it doesn't count for anything. If you are out of ammo he'll order you home - in any other case you'll get some more or less motivational response.

[Gargamel]

You need to be in contact with a convoy. Not sure if there's a min boat count, but 6 individual merchies won't cut it, you need a convoy.