Back in the Hunt [Archive] - SUBSIM Radio Room Forums

Gryffon300

06-17-13, 04:40 AM

Hello everyone. I'm back. It's been a couple of years since I had a machine that could run SH. Well, the gods have smiled and I've got me a nice HP m6 Pavilion Notebook (I Core i5 @ 2.5GHz 8GB memory with Radeon HD 7670M - I know - its far from the latest spec - but I wanted Windows 7, not W8. Call me a Luddite upgrading from XP pro).

I have enjoyed SH I, II & III - but they are all still back in Canada, so I installed SH IV, with U-Boat upgrade. All going well, but I have some SH IV noob questions:

- I don't think any of the links to Legion's Noob Guide are still current (including at post number 15 which is supposed to be a download). If so, not much point leaving it on as a sticky.

- not much in love with the control buttons on the various stations - yellow vs slightly brighter yellow not an instantly obvious indicator as to whether the control is selected as 'active' or not. Suggestions? Mod?:hmmm:

- I understand the pop-up icons in top right for 'Silent'; 'Battle Stations' and 'Submerged', and, occasionally 'Warning' (that's all I've encountered so far), but I have some issues with Crew Management and, more generally, Duty Stations. Unlike previous versions where I could see 'obvious' moves, there seem some odd things. For example, when at Battle Stations; Submerged, the Deck Gun and AA remain manned! SH III didn't do that... Other than turning Battle Stations off, any way to better manage fatigue? (Transferring a 'fresh' swabbie to replace a 'zzzz'ding crew member, immediately converts the 'fresh' guy to a snoozer. WT?

- I've installed JSGME - any suggestions for 'must have' mods?

- Is Commander compatible? If so, do most use it?

Thanks all (great to see so many familiar names still active!):sunny:

TorpX

06-17-13, 10:40 PM

I'll try to answer some of your questions.

I'm not sure about the control buttons mod thing. I usually just use the F keys myself.

About crew management; while you have to drag men to the gun stations, almost everything else is automatic. You shouldn't leave your men at battlestations for a lengthy period. During routine ops, the shifts will rotate by themselves. You don't have to constantly deal with fatigue problems.

There is no "Commander" for SH4.

For mods, I use RFB and RSRDC. RFB is a mega-mod that aims to make gameplay as realistic as possible. RSRDC is a campaign traffic mod that scripts traffic to historical patterns.

There is also FOTRS, GFO, OM, and last but not least, TMO.

I'm sure you'll get lots of advice about what mods to use. :)

Red October1984

06-17-13, 11:59 PM

The Crew Management is done in 3 watches.

Transferring the crew one by one doesnt do anything. You're just re-assigning watches when you move the crew members up and down on the panel.

Of the 3 watches one is standing, one is on maintenance and one is asleep. You have to assign men from the watch to the deck gun crew and AA Gun crew when you want to man them.

There are separate icons for the duty stations commands. Battlestations springs all 3 watches into action. Nobody is asleep. :) There are also a couple other buttons to activate Damage Control, AA Gun Crew, and Deck Gun Crew.

Fatigue is managed automatically. The watch changes every 8 hours. The Navy has 3 watches that go 8 hours at a time to cover the whole 24 hours in a day. It's much more efficient than SH3 where you had to drag the individual crewmen. :dead:

As far as mods go, I really like TMO.

From my understanding:

RFB (Real Fleet Boats) makes the game as historically accurate as possible. I have not tried this one because I want a more realistic feel (see TMO)

TMO (Trigger Maru Overhauled) increases the difficulty to give it a realistic feel instead of factual realism.

RSRDC (Run Silent Run Deep Campaign) does exactly what TorpX says. :up:

OM (Operation Monsun) is a conversion to German U-boats in all theatres of operation. I personally don't have any interest in this one because we already have a crap-ton of U-boat games. SH2, 3, 5, AotD, etc. However, this is a popular mod.

GFO (Game Fixes Only) only fixes the broken parts of the stock game and doesnt change anything else IIRC. I haven't tried this one since I fell in love with TMO.

FOTRS (Fall of the Rising Sun) I honestly have no idea what that is. :)

There is also WDAD, BFB, TM, and OTC.

WDAD (We Dive At Dawn) is a conversion to British Submarines

BFB (Battle for the Baltic) is a conversion to Russian Submarines

TM (Traveller's Mod) contains a bunch of realism fixes, damage model fixes, some new features, and ramps up the difficulty a bit more.

OTC (Optical Targeting Correct- I'm not sure exactly what it stands for) fixes the optics. Supposedly there is something wrong with the optics on the Fleet Boats that needed fixing. I play without it...not knowing much about it. I've been meaning to take a better look but I've never gotten around to it.

I think I've covered all the major mods and then some.

Enjoy and Happy Hunting!

Gryffon300

06-18-13, 03:00 AM

Thanks, TorpX & Red Oct. The idea that something could be simpler in the new game is somewhat revolutionary - though, I guess making sure you manage battle stations and battery life is a fair replacement.

Great list of Mods - that's a big help. I can see I'll be downloading for the next few hours....

Then, gotta go and deep six some stuff.

Red October1984

06-18-13, 11:01 AM

Gryffon300

06-18-13, 07:52 PM

Have fun and Happy Hunting!

Thanks, Red. Just got back from my second career patrol ('42 Honshu - default sub etc, 73% Realism) and scored me a Congressional Medal of Honour for being an exceptional me! Good to see someone recognises quality when they see it! It will take a while to get on top of manual TDC and eliminate the map detailing, but some of the mods look like they will up the difficulty level anyway, so I'll continue on to the second base camp, before attempting the final summit climb.

I'll go away and leave you alone now.

Hatches Secure.

Red October1984

06-18-13, 08:16 PM

Thanks, Red. Just got back from my second career patrol ('42 Honshu - default sub etc, 73% Realism) and scored me a Congressional Medal of Honour for being an exceptional me! Good to see someone recognises quality when they see it! It will take a while to get on top of manual TDC and eliminate the map detailing, but some of the mods look like they will up the difficulty level anyway, so I'll continue on to the second base camp, before attempting the final summit climb.

I'm assuming that you're playing stock still if you pulled off a MoH. :hmmm:

I play with my realism at about 85... I like my exterior view, I don't know how to manually target, and I don't know how to survive after No Map Contact Update.

I saw a quote on Subsim somewhere. I think it was in somebody's signature. It said "Realism isn't a setting. It's how you play" or something along those lines.

I'll go away and leave you alone now.

You don't need to go away. Ask as many questions as you need. I'll help with whatever I can. :03:

Stealhead

06-18-13, 08:56 PM

Rockin Robbins said that and Sailor Steve has the quote.

It is true really for any game.

I have map contacts on and external views on because I like to watch the action but I do use it to aid me.I run with auto target on about half the time as well.

If you ask me the things that greatly increase the challenge are the ones that make things limited O2,fuel,batteries,not being invincible,realistic senors,realistic repair, all of those turned off make the game much much less challenging.

Really manual targeting is not that hard it is just a matter of enjoying or not enjoying going through all those steps.Learning the steps and their order is the main thing that effects the TDC.Sometimes I just do not want to do all of that crap.Some skippers allowed their XO to man the scope during the attack allowing them to have a better total picture of what is going on both indies the boat and in battle.So my "realism" legitimation in Rockin Robbins "It is how you play" words is that in my boat usually the XO is handling the attack.Map contacts on well I have 4 or 5 enlisted men and NCO's and a few officers in the conning tower all plotting this data down for me/the boat.... a fleet boat is a team of 75 men working together to cause as much damage to the enemy as possiable.

Gryffon300

06-18-13, 09:07 PM

I'm assuming that you're playing stock still if you pulled off a MoH. :hmmm:

I play with my realism at about 85... I like my exterior view, I don't know how to manually target, and I don't know how to survive after No Map Contact Update.

I saw a quote on Subsim somewhere. I think it was in somebody's signature. It said "Realism isn't a setting. It's how you play" or something along those lines.

Thank you, Admiral.
Yep, still stock - I couldn't apply any of the Mods until back from this cruise. Now I'm in a Smorgasbord quandary. What to try first? Decisions, decisions....

So, you are spot on. I certainly didn't expect to be Medalled so soon! This early in the war, maybe the AI on the destroyer screen is not as competent - evasion wasn't too hard. In addition, all of the aircraft bombing runs went long, and there were no Kamikazi attempts by the shot-downs, so it was pretty easy by comparison. It seemed way too easy for my AI to shoot them down, and there were a hell of a lot of them, so by the end of the cruise, I didn't bother diving - just put a good guy on the guns, go to flank, and try to get perpendicular to their attack-run (so Gunny could get at them coming and going, as well as giving them a narrow target).

I read that some of the mods reduce the generation of air (but make them more accurate, I believe), which will be all good.

I am looking forward to more realistic map-tracking. Some balance between showing none and almost all should be better and, as you say, more realistic. I suspect our play philosophy and 'native' level are intuitively about the same. Once I know my way around the systems in this game, I'll be fascinated to compare notes.

Tight Hatches.

Gryffon300

06-18-13, 09:26 PM

Rockin Robbins said that and Sailor Steve has the quote.

It is true really for any game.

Agree very much with your philosophy. I like to be able to do everything myself, so I understand and can appreciate what is involved, and make judgements about the information given. BUT, like you, I don't feel obligated to do everything, all the time: that's what we have a crew for!

I play with camera disabled, but will occasionally pop up on the event camera to see the Pretty Fireworks when the torps hit. (I have been caught a few times lingering too long on the scope to watch the hit rather than diving to get below the thermocline.)

The one 'realism' issue that worried me in the stack game was that although 'limited fuel' was checked, the fuel level never moved for the entire cruise - hopefully a mod will 'fix' that. I also had a weird 'CO2' over 10 % warning that I couldn't shift (even though I was surfaced). Although I tried a couple of dive cycles, only saving and exiting cleared it.

So, on to a modded version. Which to choose? Which to choose?!!! (I tried GFO with Order Bar patch and couldn't see any differences, though I have just loaded it with TMO, and that seems to have applied perfectly - got to go wet a snorkel!

Tight Hatches.:up:

Red October1984

06-18-13, 10:53 PM

If you ask me the things that greatly increase the challenge are the ones that make things limited O2,fuel,batteries,not being invincible,realistic senors,realistic repair, all of those turned off make the game much much less challenging.

+1 I agree

Really manual targeting is not that hard it is just a matter of enjoying or not enjoying going through all those steps.Learning the steps and their order is the main thing that effects the TDC.Sometimes I just do not want to do all of that crap.Some skippers allowed their XO to man the scope during the attack allowing them to have a better total picture of what is going on both indies the boat and in battle.So my "realism" legitimation in Rockin Robbins "It is how you play" words is that in my boat usually the XO is handling the attack.Map contacts on well I have 4 or 5 enlisted men and NCO's and a few officers in the conning tower all plotting this data down for me/the boat.... a fleet boat is a team of 75 men working together to cause as much damage to the enemy as possiable.

I would learn manual targeting...but like you say the XO would man the scope sometimes. As a captain, I would have people who could do the manual targeting for me. The Fleet Boat TDC had the position keeper that updated itself. I'm not sure exactly how it works...but essentially if my thinking is correct IRL you have somebody feeding the data to another who is working the TDC with me, the captain, giving orders.

That's why I feel Manual Targeting isn't needed in my game. Same with Map Contact Update. I would have people for that as a Captain.

What to try first? Decisions, decisions....

Me personally? I highly recommend TMO with RSRDC and Traveller's Mod installed over it. It keeps the realistic feel of TMO while not sacrificing historical accuracy as much as say, GFO.

So, you are spot on. I certainly didn't expect to be Medalled so soon! This early in the war, maybe the AI on the destroyer screen is not as competent - evasion wasn't too hard. In addition, all of the aircraft bombing runs went long, and there were no Kamikazi attempts by the shot-downs, so it was pretty easy by comparison. It seemed way too easy for my AI to shoot them down, and there were a hell of a lot of them, so by the end of the cruise, I didn't bother diving - just put a good guy on the guns, go to flank, and try to get perpendicular to their attack-run (so Gunny could get at them coming and going, as well as giving them a narrow target).

Kamikaze was a late-war thing the Japanese did as a last-ditch effort.

And IIRC the Japanese didn't have much in the way of Sonar Technology in the early years of the war. And if you're playing stock, it's basically "Turkey Shoot in the South Pacific" instead of Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific.

IRL there is no way you'd be able to attack an escorted ship (or even a merchant...it just might be a Q-Ship. :) ) on the surface with guns. You'd take too much damage. Yes, I've done it successfully in the modded game with a Gar class but that's not important. Neither is the fact that I took on a small task force in a Narwhal and made it out alive... I wasn't alive for long in either scenario. In my experience with Stock, you can do whatever the hell you want in the game. The first time I played the game modded, it was a challenge to go after two destroyers and a light cruiser in an S-boat out of Manila. It was FUN too! TMO ramps up the difficulty (aided by RSRDC and Traveller's Mod) to give you the state of mind that you are the captain. Should I attack this convoy? Can I realistically do it with good chances of survival? Should I just report this to command and wait for an intercepting force? Stuff like that.

I am looking forward to more realistic map-tracking. Some balance between showing none and almost all should be better and, as you say, more realistic. I suspect our play philosophy and 'native' level are intuitively about the same. Once I know my way around the systems in this game, I'll be fascinated to compare notes.

You can read my theory once again. IRL you would have people for that. Of course, there should be a little less information on the map than what is there. It should take a bit of time to get some of that information. :yep:

Once again, it's how you play.

I play with camera disabled, but will occasionally pop up on the event camera to see the Pretty Fireworks when the torps hit. (I have been caught a few times lingering too long on the scope to watch the hit rather than diving to get below the thermocline.)

That's what happens when you get caught spectating. It's happened to all of us. :D

The one 'realism' issue that worried me in the stack game was that although 'limited fuel' was checked, the fuel level never moved for the entire cruise - hopefully a mod will 'fix' that. I also had a weird 'CO2' over 10 % warning that I couldn't shift (even though I was surfaced). Although I tried a couple of dive cycles, only saving and exiting cleared it.

Well how far were you going? Fuel consumption has a few different factors that contribute here. Running at Ahead Standard won't leave you enough fuel oil to get back home after reaching your patrol area. That's a lesson I learned quickly when I first started playing SH4. I had been used to SH3 where running at 15 knots on the surface was fine and dandy with more than enough fuel to return home. I've found that if you watch how much time you spend on-station running at 10 knots (Ahead 2/3 for Fleet Boats; Better run at 6 knots in an S-Boat) will get you where you need to go and you have enough fuel to get home. Of course 90% of my patrols take place in the South China Sea, SLOT, and South Pacific areas. I haven't spent much time seriously patrolling the Home Waters of the Empire of Japan...

Something about Bungo Pete.... :oops: :D

So, on to a modded version. Which to choose? Which to choose?!!! (I tried GFO with Order Bar patch and couldn't see any differences, though I have just loaded it with TMO, and that seems to have applied perfectly - got to go wet a snorkel!

Give TMO, RSRDC, and TM a try. It's my preferred mod choice. After that, it's up to you. :03:

Tight Hatches.

Don't forget to shut the Main Induction Vent and secure the diesels. :salute:

TorpX

06-18-13, 10:56 PM

... although 'limited fuel' was checked, the fuel level never moved for the entire cruise ...
Did you input the realism options from the "office radio"? The general game options you select don't apply to careers.

Good luck and good hunting. :salute:

MarkCt

06-18-13, 11:06 PM

I think a lot of us like TMO. It's a really fun and challenging mod. It fixes almost all the problems with the stock game. Your next mod should be TMO with RSRDC. With those two you'll learn a lot of history about the war In the pacific.

Gryffon300

06-19-13, 02:39 AM

Did you input the realism options from the "office radio"? The general game options you select don't apply to careers.

Ahhh. There's a thought. I'll give that a look.

I've just had a quick run on TMO - much nicer - a few more surprises though (like cruising along at over 1000 time compression and suddenly, I've got damage to the 'bow tubes' (when Damage Control showed stern tube damage:hmm2:)). Had a look on the map to see a plane heading away well over the horizon! Bloody lookouts. I think I'll keel-haul the bastards.

With 11% hull damage I went on and took out 3 Marus with deck gun. Took a lot more hits (up to 77%) in order to establish that 3-4,000 is relatively safe, but closer gets too hot; the AI is fairly inaccurate (compared to me, except that I had to keep going to bridge binos to confirm range), but that at night, at 3,000+, with little moon, the magnification on the deck gun optics makes the target too hard to see (even if on fire).

Yep, I know that the Kamakazi phenomenon was a desperation move, but, come on, these guys (about 10 by the end of the cruise) were dropping in the sea all around me and only 2 bailed. So, they can't all have been dead, and some were just on fire and seemed more or less under control. Where was the Samurai Spirit? Bushido can be a great motivator, I'm told.

What else? Oh, yeh. The fuel range thing - running from Pearl to Honshu (near Bungo) at Standard should have seen the gauge move. Although I est Game characteristics within the game under the options selector, all the others selected worked (limited compressed; CO2 etc). I'll try the office radio, once I've added the RSRDC & Traveller. So far so good. Thanks gentlemen, for all your encouraging input - I feel right at home.

(Yep,salt water down the throat of a diesel can be interesting!)

T H

Gryffon300

06-19-13, 08:28 AM

One strange and interesting thing happened on the way to the ward-room...
After installing TMO, my medal got stolen! Well, on the other hand, the thief left behind a Navy Cross in exchange for my Congressional Medal of Honour, and it still says some very flattering things (aggression; best traditions of the service yadda, yadda, yadda), so I guess it was a fair exchange.:salute:

Red October1984

06-19-13, 12:06 PM

Ahhh. There's a thought. I'll give that a look.

I've just had a quick run on TMO - much nicer - a few more surprises though (like cruising along at over 1000 time compression and suddenly, I've got damage to the 'bow tubes' (when Damage Control showed stern tube damage:hmm2:)). Had a look on the map to see a plane heading away well over the horizon! Bloody lookouts. I think I'll keel-haul the bastards.

With 11% hull damage I went on and took out 3 Marus with deck gun. Took a lot more hits (up to 77%) in order to establish that 3-4,000 is relatively safe, but closer gets too hot; the AI is fairly inaccurate (compared to me, except that I had to keep going to bridge binos to confirm range), but that at night, at 3,000+, with little moon, the magnification on the deck gun optics makes the target too hard to see (even if on fire).

Yep, I know that the Kamakazi phenomenon was a desperation move, but, come on, these guys (about 10 by the end of the cruise) were dropping in the sea all around me and only 2 bailed. So, they can't all have been dead, and some were just on fire and seemed more or less under control. Where was the Samurai Spirit? Bushido can be a great motivator, I'm told.

What else? Oh, yeh. The fuel range thing - running from Pearl to Honshu (near Bungo) at Standard should have seen the gauge move. Although I est Game characteristics within the game under the options selector, all the others selected worked (limited compressed; CO2 etc). I'll try the office radio, once I've added the RSRDC & Traveller. So far so good. Thanks gentlemen, for all your encouraging input - I feel right at home.

(Yep,salt water down the throat of a diesel can be interesting!)

Looks like another sailor converted to TMO.

Wait until you install TM.

Deck Gun attacks are almost impossible and one plane can kill you.

:D

Gryffon300

06-19-13, 11:00 PM

Well, I did it. Installed and ran TMO, RSRD for TMO & TM. Had to play around with the file structure a bit in the MODS folder to eliminate what looked like possible file duplication, and then, Hey, presto! there's this sexy little Siren recumbent across the Traveller welcome screen. Sweet! It was worth it just for that (plus the truly lovely B&W shot of Lauren Bacall later on).

So, not totally sure how to tell if I had RSRD working 'underneath' Traveller (is there an 'about' version listing somewhere that allows easy confirmation?), I put to sea. You guys must love having conned me into playing Blind Man's Bluff, eh? Hawaii to Honshu, days and days and days of search patterns, a couple of encounters with phantoms, misleading map info on contacts, then back again (all at 2/3 - you were certainly right about fuel consumption - I could have got there and back at Standard, but not had anything for patrol), in an empty sea. I now know what the Ancient Mariner must have felt like. Who shot that triple-damned Albatross?

So, here is where I need some guidance - I need to know whether some of the 'funny' things that happened were part of the design of the Mods, or whether there are a few little stuff-ups that are 'usual' and just to be ignored, or if there are any patches or updates that should be added:

1- Aircraft were always identified as 'Ships' (yes, the text next to the box did say 'very fast', but its a pain to have to stop what I'm doing and watch the box, or speed time compression, to check for motion to separate plane from ship);

2- WHERE IS EVERYONE???!!! No targets (convoys, ships) ever reported. I was getting kind of lonely out there! I can live with only identifying 3 targets myself in the whole cruise, but do you get NO enemy position reports sent to the map?

3- Identified targets misrepresented. After about two weeks of fruitless searching, (apart from a convoy of 2 fishing boats), I at last had a convoy of two moving north at 'medium' toward Bungo at night in 15m/s wind and lumpy seas. I was about 6km abeam, so I went to Flank on a NW heading and spent the rest of the night TRYING TO CATCH UP! My speed varied from 12 to 16 knots (sea state, I guess), but these two were outpacing me at 'medium'!:/\\!! So, I finally got just ahead at 800m range and submerged in attack profile; got them locked on the night scope, but could not actually see them (no fog or rain - just dark). I let a couple torps rip, but their speed changed dramatically (again) so a miss. I had to know, right? I surfaced and closed on a roughly parallel coarse, again at Flank, and, finally, there one was in the bridge glasses. A bloody fast Patrol Boat! 'Medium', my arXX@*=+^#! :har: Well, you can laugh, I'm still trying to see the funny side. I'll get there eventually. But it's hard, especially after the next bit of fun and games...

4- Disappearing targets. AT LAST a large convoy! Stationary to dead slow, at night (dark and 15m/s, lumpy seas), heading East 5k north of my position. YES!!! :woot: I close; submerge; go to BS; have 12 targets in three columns on the map and have targets locked, but not visible, in the night scope. I positioned between columns 1 & 2, perpendicular to the direction of travel and readied for a fore & aft shot at 200m each way. Still can't see the target, so let go some shots, got a hit, then all targets disappeared from the map and I can no longer pick up anything at all on the scope.WT??!!??:06: Nothing I did changed anything, so I surfaced and instantly all the targets were back and they were all showing up again on the glass and scope. One was heading right at me at 50m. I'm dead right? Nuh. It finally comes into view - its a bloody Junk!!! (Under full sail in 15m/s - too hard to mod, but its a thought):/\\!! So, although I got a 200 tonne credit for sinking one, I couldn't bring myself to waste ammo, so slunk off into the night muttering many a salty sea oath.

My poor bloody dispirited crew & I stagger back into port with less than 20% fuel, after weeks at sea, with 'renown' for 200 tonnes of shipping, no IJN, and no aircraft. Back in the office, they are telling me about the upcoming battle of the Coral Sea, the need for all hands to the pumps, so I apply for a transfer to SW Pacific. Its accepted!, BUT, when I then click on the wall map for the next patrol, I am still stationed in Hawaii and tasked to the south China Sea. Is that how its supposed to work?

I think I need more rack-time. Cheers, mates.

Tight Hatches.

Red October1984

06-20-13, 12:48 AM

Practice...experience...and some time on the bridge is what you need. :D

For the "Where is everybody" question that's where the mods came in. They gave it historical traffic. That's how you know RSRD is working. :D

The Japs didn't do as much convoy stuff as the Brits and the Americans did. I recommend the South China Sea for early war. Also, the Luzon Straits, the SLOT/Solomons, etc.

Of course you could go to Japan...but I don't do a whole lot of that. :03:

Now for the rest, you just need some experience. I once followed a convoy from Japan all the way to the Aleutians to find out that it was 20 fishing boats.

Armistead

06-20-13, 06:29 AM

I would be very careful deleting what you think is file duplications. Mods simply overwrite files they change, they don't duplitcate. You could cause a host of game issues or possible crashes. Main thing is to know what a mod overwrites and changes.

I haven't had time to play muc of Trav's newer versions of his mod. He has made the nights very black, this allows you to pull of more realistic night surface attacks. It may be the crews visual sensors still see more than they should for the enviroment. It takes a lot of tweaking to get the visuals to match up to what you actually see 24 hours a day, so at times your crew may see what you can't, other times, you can see what your crew cannot. It's usually a night day issue. You will always see further surfaced than submerged.

RSRD traffic is historic. At the beginning of the war you'll find many large invasion forces around the Philippines, with the bulk of traffic heading south towards Borneo and Java. Lot's of action in the Solomons in 42.
The best shipping lanes are west coast of Borneo up to Luzon, Formosa, near Japan. With RSRD most all traffic spawns and despawns at ports, but some will despawn near shorelines or open sea, but it's rare. If you chase a convoy into a port, it will probably despawn on you. Trav's mod may rework some of RSRD, I can't say. I know it adds numerous things.

I don't recall being able to transfer from Pearl to SW Pacific that early in the war. If you could, fairly sure you would transfer to Fremantle, not Brisbane, so it's still a long haul to the Solomons, but if you want that battle, that's what you have to do.

Gryffon300

06-20-13, 08:11 AM

Thanks for the feedback, Amistead. It's a steep learning curve, but I'm getting there!
I'm a bit surprised at the 'Transfer request OK', too, but I got it (maybe 'cause they needed extra heroes down south: and did I tell you, I got a CMO/Navy Cross on my second cruise?). An interesting thing happened when I went to sea: even though the office wall map and orders had me in Hawaii going to South China Sea (below Shanghai), when I checked the map on board: Fremantle! Just like you said. (It really is my Home Port, so that's fine by me!). So, it appears the game correctly updated in response to the transfer, but the office details didn't. No worries.

On the duplicate files issue ("double folder error"), I followed instructions in JSGME's manual - there were nested folders. For example, in the 'Travellers' folder (Traveller Mod v2.6 TMO), there were the Documents and Extras folders, as well as another folder (Traveller Mod v2.6 TMO), which contained the Data folder and the Traveller.jpg. Once I cut the Data and jpg and pasted them into the first folder, alongside the existing 2 other folders, the Mod started to work. (I have since deleted the now empty redundant folder.) The same thing happened in the RSRDC folder. Jonesie suggests it can be a regular artefact of unzipping, and is the second most common cause of failure to launch, after UAC (whatever that is).

Now, down to the important stuff. I'm well into the mission, mucking around trying to get back down south after hanging out up near Shanghai for a few days. Having all sorts of grief from air-cover as I try to move down past Manilla. Up, down, up ,down, up. Slow progress. Your suggestions about happy hunting grounds have come at a perfect time. Who needs Coast Watchers, when I've got Skippers like you transmitting?!

I took out a couple of tankers transiting up from Freo through Makassar Straight (1x Mark 14 plus deck-gun, just to see if it was possible), and I found another Junk flotilla (and left them alone), and have run out of AA Ammo taking on the odd plane (when I got bored with following The Hunt's advice to avoid planes). It was kind of weird seeing bombs drop a mile short and then overfly on fire from my excellent Gunny, then repeat two or three times. It doesn't seem to matter how big a fire he got going on the three separate attacking planes, they just kept coming back - apparently unaffected. From the sublime to the ridiculous (even for someone with a Navy Cross - did I tell you about that?).

So, my mission objectives about harassing shipping and reaching hunting grounds have been met, but now they have added 'take out IJN' units. So, your suggestions are superbly timed help at this point - thanks hugely. (Display '"I'm not worthy" Smilie bowing in deference.) :yeah:

Armistead

06-20-13, 09:10 AM

There is a lot of crap you can delete, just know what you're doing and you seem fine with it.

The traffic is there in RSRD, but you have to learn it. The downside, being historical, it's not random, so once you learn it, you'll always know where to look. If I wanted I think I could fight 40 ship convoys every patrol.

Mods make the game, but many of us make our own mods or tweak the heck out of existing ones to get the game we want. The good things is even after all these years, the game is still improving.

Not sure of your time, probably past it, but a huge TF will come through the strait just above Timor headed for the Indian Ocean in mid-late Feb 42, about 40 ships, with lots of carrier and BB's.

If you partake of the battle of Coral Sea, you can also try to attack the Port Moresby invasion force coming from Rabual. Can't remember the date, seems early May, but if you attack the IJN TF, hurry to outside Rabual and wait for the PM group to return, it's a biggie.

Red October1984

06-20-13, 09:38 AM

Sorry. I'd have helped more in that last post. I was busy.

Yeah, pretty much what Armistead said. :up: Spend your time early-war in those areas and you'll find 'em.

Something else.....

You're going to have to learn to stop using the deck gun. It's going to get you in trouble. I had the same problem when I first got the Gar Class with it's monstrous deck gun.

:dead:

Gryffon300

06-20-13, 09:13 PM

Thanks, gents. I'm going to have to work hard at finding those TFs and such. Do you mostly use Career or Single missions?

In SH II or III (can't remember), there was a mission that I often went to for fun, because, as a U-Booter, I had found a spot off Greenland when the Hood came charging through at 30 knots or so, heading East. I was sometimes able to get in a good enough position to the South to get 8 torps into her (6 forward on slow, then hard a-port on flank for 2 more from aft on fast from pre-opened doors, so all 8 arrived more or less together). Never stopped her though.:nope:

Anyway, I might do something I rarely do - go back and re-play the saved career to try to get a handle on transit routes. I've been VERY successful at finding air-cover on parallel tracks back and forth every 10 nm (the return leg always 2 or 3 nm offset). My 'C' button is getting worn out.

I SOS'd out of 2 missions last night because twice I came under attack at night during transits of Indonesian passages. Nothing around, so I assume shore batteries. I got out of there both times successfully, and the repair crew solved all issues on the Damage Control board. However, in both missions, when 'P' selected, the boat went deep, and only slowly came back up to say 75, and would refuse to come to Periscope depth. I could surface, but not achieve 'P' depth. (Didn't try setting '35' on the depth meter when surfaced to see what would happen.)

Is this a 'normal' punishment for getting hit in these Mods, or was it a glitch? (I don't want to become unnecessarily paranoid: only appropriately paranoid. I like to know what is deliberately designed-in vs some kind of software fault vs my own stupidity.):hmmm:

Gryffon300

06-20-13, 09:25 PM

Something else.....

You're going to have to learn to stop using the deck gun. It's going to get you in trouble. I had the same problem when I first got the Gar Class with it's monstrous deck gun.

:dead:

No worries - I'm grateful for any input. You are undoubtedly correct, but I'm curious about finding where the boundaries are (I'm naturally Risk-averse, so I like to know.) I caught a merchant last night and put two into him at 1500. One was a dud, so he steamed on at reduced speed (9 down to 6). Not wanting to chase him (I was low on fuel after taking a shore-battery hit to 'Clean Oil Tank' and loosing about half my reserve), I let him get out to 3,500, surfaced, and finished him off with gun. I got away with it, but as you can see from the other post, I think it is getting rammed home that ANY hull damage (even if shown as completely repaired, with 000 hull damage listed), you can still be effectively nobbled. I think that's the point you are trying to pound into my thick, piratical skull, yes?:salute:

Red October1984

06-20-13, 09:29 PM

Anyway, I might do something I rarely do - go back and re-play the saved career to try to get a handle on transit routes. I've been VERY successful at finding air-cover on parallel tracks back and forth every 10 nm (the return leg always 2 or 3 nm offset). My 'C' button is getting worn out.

:D You can try Radar Depth or when you're at periscope depth you can press "T" to raise your radar mast.

I SOS'd out of 2 missions last night because twice I came under attack at night during transits of Indonesian passages. Nothing around, so I assume shore batteries. I got out of there both times successfully, and the repair crew solved all issues on the Damage Control board. However, in both missions, when 'P' selected, the boat went deep, and only slowly came back up to say 75, and would refuse to come to Periscope depth. I could surface, but not achieve 'P' depth. (Didn't try setting '35' on the depth meter when surfaced to see what would happen.)

Is this a 'normal' punishment for getting hit in these Mods, or was it a glitch? (I don't want to become unnecessarily paranoid: only appropriately paranoid. I like to know what is deliberately designed-in vs some kind of software fault vs my own stupidity.):hmmm:

Yeah....probably shore batteries.... They'll get ya! And they're usually pretty darn accurate.

You sure you weren't flooding? In Traveller's Mod, when you have flooding, you can sink while on the surface. :salute:

BTW, I only do campaign. You have to get the full effect of finding a convoy or not finding it. Single Missions aren't as fun unless you have a German XXI with acoustic homing torpedoes and about a 50 ship Task Force. :D But that's a different game.

No worries - I'm grateful for any input. You are undoubtedly correct, but I'm curious about finding where the boundaries are (I'm naturally Risk-averse, so I like to know.) I caught a merchant last night and put two into him at 1500. One was a dud, so he steamed on at reduced speed (9 down to 6). Not wanting to chase him (I was low on fuel after taking a shore-battery hit to 'Clean Oil Tank' and loosing about half my reserve), I let him get out to 3,500, surfaced, and finished him off with gun. I got away with it, but as you can see from the other post, I think it is getting rammed home that ANY hull damage (even if shown as completely repaired, with 000 hull damage listed), you can still be effectively nobbled. I think that's the point you are trying to pound into my thick, piratical skull, yes?:salute:

:D

I'll tell you a story about my 80 degree down angle dive. :O:

I took one shell from a destroyer in Bow Torpedo. I had substantial flooding after I torpedoed the destroyer. (This was one of the times when I was recreating Run Silent Run Deep in SH4) Well I had planes coming so I manned the AA guns and tried to stay on the surface. I had to run at ahead flank to keep from dipping underneath.

Eventually the bulkhead had too much and was destroyed and the compartment was completely flooded.

Next thing I know, the bridge crew came below because we were going down whether I had ordered it or not. I tried everything I could...I ran at Back Full but that didn't last long. My batteries didn't last and I ended up going nose first down to my watery grave.

Moral of the Story.

Hull Damage Percentage means nothing at all. If you have a certain combination of damage you'll be kissing the bottom. Yes, any moderate to severe damage will sometimes put you out of operation for hours...days...*gulp*....FOREVER!

I've been on steep down or up angles many times before. You have to watch the flooding in the boat. It'll ruin you. I wish the game had a trimming feature.

Gryffon300

06-20-13, 10:38 PM

:D You can try Radar Depth or when you're at periscope depth you can press "T" to raise your radar mast.

You sure you weren't flooding? In Traveller's Mod, when you have flooding, you can sink while on the surface. :salute:

Moral of the Story.

Hull Damage Percentage means nothing at all. If you have a certain combination of damage you'll be kissing the bottom. Yes, any moderate to severe damage will sometimes put you out of operation for hours...days...*gulp*....FOREVER!

I've been on steep down or up angles many times before. You have to watch the flooding in the boat. It'll ruin you. I wish the game had a trimming feature.

Thanks for those stories - yes - racing against flooding to get the repair done in time to start pumping out faster than it's coming in is always a tense time!

Yep - there was no longer any flooding indicated, and no damage showing - hence my paranoia.

In the event of compartment total flooding, I don't know how much use a trim system would be - you would have to be able to pump in a balancing amount equivalent to the flooded compartment, relative to the balance point of the sub (50+ cubic metres?). Where would you put it? And then you would have to have MORE ballast than the new total on-board. Would make your head ache.

Your story conjures up a mental picture for me of the opening scene of The Abyss - full astern, bow down, death-grip on the control yokes by the helmsmen, and the 'Oh, ****.':o look on the senior officer's faces as they turned to each other while the below crush-depth figures were being read out until "touchdown". Vale.:dead:

Red October1984

06-20-13, 10:46 PM

In the event of compartment total flooding, I don't know how much use a trim system would be - you would have to be able to pump in a balancing amount equivalent to the flooded compartment, relative to the balance point of the sub (50+ cubic metres?). Where would you put it? And then you would have to have MORE ballast than the new total on-board. Would make your head ache.

I'd just like to have the feature. In the case of minor flooding it would help. :)

Your story conjures up a mental picture for me of the opening scene of The Abyss - full astern, bow down, death-grip on the control yokes by the helmsmen, and the 'Oh, ****.':o look on the senior officer's faces as they turned to each other while the below crush-depth figures were being read out until "touchdown". Vale.:dead:

At one point when my batteries died I was making 40+ knots while sinking.

Not good at all. :03:

Gryffon300

06-20-13, 11:26 PM

I'd just like to have the feature. In the case of minor flooding it would help. :)

At one point when my batteries died I was making 40+ knots while sinking.

Not good at all. :03:

Yep, it could be good to make the Trim Pump operational.

The real problem with your 40+ knots, is that afterwards you were dead, and the problem with THAT is that you missed out on the opportunity to front up to the bar at the Dolphin's Hole to boast about having the fastest boat in the fleet. It would have been a grand fist-fight afterwards to prove the truth of your claim!

Red October1984

06-20-13, 11:39 PM

The real problem with your 40+ knots, is that afterwards you were dead, and the problem with THAT is that you missed out on the opportunity to front up to the bar at the Dolphin's Hole to boast about having the fastest boat in the fleet. It would have been a grand fist-fight afterwards to prove the truth of your claim!

Yeah. There I was. At the edge of Area 7...

Riding the waves at 43 knots in my Gato.

All of a sudden I hit mainland Japan and sunk my boat!

That's how I came to drive this here desk....now what was it you needed?

:rotfl2:

Gryffon300

06-20-13, 11:49 PM

Red October1984

06-20-13, 11:52 PM

Yeah - good one, Sir.
Permission to speak freely, Sir. The crew was wondering what we should order for you at the 'Hole'. A bottle of Bundaberg; Captain Morgan; or something more exotic (with or without an umbrella in it?). Sir.:D

There's no drinking allowed in the US Navy!

But...you know....eh.... :)

I'll have a Root Beer since I'm not legal drinking age yet. :O:

Gryffon300

06-21-13, 02:19 AM

There's no drinking allowed in the US Navy!

But...you know....eh.... :)

I'll have a Root Beer since I'm not legal drinking age yet. :O:

Well....., not on duty...:03: If you insist. But, what's a pirate without his tot?:arrgh!:

Now, Old Son, I'm a little concerned about this negative attitude of yours. It IS 1942, after all. Get with the times! Next thing you'll be telling me that you don't smoke!!

It's admirable that you still feel the need to conform to your family expectations - altogether admirable for a young fella, like you - but you have a new family of Salt Water Brothers to rely on now, who rely on you. So, shape up son! and forget this Root Beer stuff (especially if you get rostered over here - it's Ginger Beer, son, not something you have with a fag after horizontal dancing with the squeeze!)

So, man up! Here's your Shirley Temple. Down the Hatch!:up:

Armistead

06-21-13, 07:21 AM

Mikemike47

06-21-13, 07:33 AM

The Crew Management is done in 3 watches.
As far as mods go,...

Nicely describe summary about crew management for us old timers and any newbies to the subsimmer world.:up:

Gryffon300

06-21-13, 09:04 AM

Gryf,

Ignore the funny man behind the curtain {Red}, he's not the most honest sailor. He's faced the Subsim court numerous times over his lies, not even supposed to be doing anything but delivering wiping papers in an old Sboat.

Now, there, mate. Couldn't ignore the nice ol' fella. He's been a real champ, but he obviously needs someone giving him a hand now and then to stay upright and stay on the job. (Who knows, if he had actually got the swipe papers delivered on time, das Boot may not have got such a bad review by that loverly Texican lass the other day.... (personal hygiene is obviously Important to her.))

And tall tales are a prerequisite for advanced Sailorisation here at the Dolphin's Hole!

Speaking of which - you're not going to believe it, but I've just come back from playing patti-cake around Camranh Bay and generally being belligerent around the Singapore-Hainan Island line, and, guess what? Another Navy Cross and promotion to Commander!!:06: Is this Navy short of talent or something? I think the Admiral must be a drinking buddy of the The Hunt's, and that ol' salt must have lied again about my Stirling Character. I wish he would stop putting in a good word about me to the Brass - its embarrassing - he knows how much i hate hanging out with the Braid!. The medal & promo sure as heck (see how polite I'm being?) can't have been for the tour!

I mean, let me be straight for awhile - 8 solo merchants for a total of 48,000 tonnes is hardly earth-shattering (is it?). The Hunt will think I was very naughty, but I finished off half of them with my nice new #4 gun (on paper the #5 looked too big and silly - especially the two-bag loading!). Although the re-load rate is slower than my previous #2, it obviously packs a much bigger punch and I took one out with gun only when both torps dudded (I have an Iron-clad rule that no 5,000 tonne merchant is worth more than two torps!). So, maybe my bloody-mindedness is what they mean by 'aggression' in the Citation. As long as I don't pop up till I'm 3,000 or more away, I haven't had any trouble Deep Sixing them.

So, there you have it. No IJN encountered (except one warship on radar heading fast past me at 9 nm in heavy rain - couldn't catch him: down to two torps by then anyway, so probably just as well...., and the few odd planes, easily evaded - especially with my improved radars). So, what's 'heroic' about all that, eh? I feel like a fraud. But still, the crew seem pleased for me. As The Chief said, "We had some fun; put some of them on the bottom; and you didn't get any of us hurt. What's wrong with that, eh?" Some people are blessed with a simple outlook on life, don't you think? Good people to know. Like you lot.

Tight Hatches.

Gryffon300

06-21-13, 09:05 AM

Nicely describe summary about crew management for us old timers and any newbies to the subsimmer world.:up:

Amen to that, Brother..

Armistead

06-21-13, 11:02 AM

Red October1984

06-21-13, 11:15 AM

Gryf,

Ignore the funny man behind the curtain {Red}, he's not the most honest sailor. He's faced the Subsim court numerous times over his lies, not even supposed to be doing anything but delivering wiping papers in an old Sboat.

What are you talking about!? You gave me my boat back after that Trial!

Nicely describe summary about crew management for us old timers and any newbies to the subsimmer world.:up:

Thank you Sir. :woot:

Now, there, mate. Couldn't ignore the nice ol' fella. He's been a real champ, but he obviously needs someone giving him a hand now and then to stay upright and stay on the job. (Who knows, if he had actually got the swipe papers delivered on time, das Boot may not have got such a bad review by that loverly Texican lass the other day.... (personal hygiene is obviously Important to her.))

And tall tales are a prerequisite for advanced Sailorisation here at the Dolphin's Hole!

Speaking of which - you're not going to believe it, but I've just come back from playing patti-cake around Camranh Bay and generally being belligerent around the Singapore-Hainan Island line, and, guess what? Another Navy Cross and promotion to Commander!!:06: Is this Navy short of talent or something? I think the Admiral must be a drinking buddy of the The Hunt's, and that ol' salt must have lied again about my Stirling Character. I wish he would stop putting in a good word about me to the Brass - its embarrassing - he knows how much i hate hanging out with the Braid!. The medal & promo sure as heck (see how polite I'm being?) can't have been for the tour!

I mean, let me be straight for awhile - 8 solo merchants for a total of 48,000 tonnes is hardly earth-shattering (is it?). The Hunt will think I was very naughty, but I finished off half of them with my nice new #4 gun (on paper the #5 looked too big and silly - especially the two-bag loading!). Although the re-load rate is slower than my previous #2, it obviously packs a much bigger punch and I took one out with gun only when both torps dudded (I have an Iron-clad rule that no 5,000 tonne merchant is worth more than two torps!). So, maybe my bloody-mindedness is what they mean by 'aggression' in the Citation. As long as I don't pop up till I'm 3,000 or more away, I haven't had any trouble Deep Sixing them.

So, there you have it. No IJN encountered (except one warship on radar heading fast past me at 9 nm in heavy rain - couldn't catch him: down to two torps by then anyway, so probably just as well...., and the few odd planes, easily evaded - especially with my improved radars). So, what's 'heroic' about all that, eh? I feel like a fraud. But still, the crew seem pleased for me. As The Chief said, "We had some fun; put some of them on the bottom; and you didn't get any of us hurt. What's wrong with that, eh?" Some people are blessed with a simple outlook on life, don't you think? Good people to know. Like you lot.

Tight Hatches.

Thank you for....well....sort of compliment...and yes. I don't smoke. Might as well keep the addictions to a minimum if I have a crew of 80 sailors depending on me. :D

I'm an American High School student that is also a Fleet Boat skipper. :D Yes, you've been taking advice from somebody younger than you. :O:

Red has learned to be careful with his reports, so I guess he's OK now.
Red's just wishy washy, prone to mouth off, apoligize for no reason, then do it all over again, but I don't hold it against him.....too much.

It doesn't matter if I like external cameras or not, Self-Appointed Admiral Armistead!

When I mouth off, I apologize for mouthing off! :O:

*mutters about the Admiral being behind a desk too long*

Gryffon300

06-21-13, 09:48 PM

Well, 'Hunt', my young friend, you will find I am an Equal Opportunity Insulter, but prefer camaraderie and a barista coffee to a drunken brawl any day, and, like you, do not (and never have) smoked. Now, don't think that I feel that means I am in some way virtuous, because, if I can be so bold as to offer a philosophy of life garnered over a half-century of experience all over the world:
'If you must have vices, try to keep them down to only one at a time, so you can get really good at it.' I'll leave it to you to figure out what my current vice a la mode is.:03:

That being said, you are welcome here at the Dolphin's Hole any time you are in port, and I'll have a steady stream of Virgins on tap for you (that's a Bloody Mary - wash your mind out!), and anyone that mutters about unmanly conduct will be swallowing some teeth. Either that or I'll force them to drink a Schooner of Creme de Menthe. That'll fix them!:hmph:

Now, Gurus Mine, here are some gun questions for y'all (knowing how much The Hunt disapproves of the use of same, I'm OK if you cover your eyes and go 'La. la. la. la. la" for a while):

- as the AI is far less accurate at medium distance than I am on the gun (and only 'better' at distance because the inadequate zoom on the gun-sight means the target just gets too small to see what's happening), I have occasion to be concerned about the sanity of some of my deck crew. When slewing the gun far port or starboard to fire back over my shoulder, as it were, there is a crewman standing watch on either side and forward of the conning tower. It means two things: first, they block the view through the sight, and second, they are standing in front of the barrel. Now, I know they are all macho and fans of 'Kelly's Heroes', but, really?! Mod adjust anyone?

- Why, as I have 'No stabilise view' selected, is the gun so rock-steady regardless of sea-state? Is this native to SH IV? (Disappointing as the bouncing gun barrel in previous versions of SH was an appreciated 'realism' feature. (Waiting for the barrel to steady and timing swells became one of my better skills....)) Is there a Mod out there to amend this anomaly?

- If any modder actually wants to improve game play significantly for Gunnys, here's a couple of suggestions (if they haven't already been spotted and modded? If so, where, where!?):

- When gun is zoomed in, slew-rate on left-right arrows should be radically adjusted down to allow micro-adjustments. As it is the arrows are useless - it wildly overshoots left or right at the briefest touch, so you have to use the mouse and that's a Royal Pain.

- Have some kind of Range read-out slaved from the bridge glasses or have range called out from the bridge (the same way sonar contacts are called), say, every 100m change(?). (Its a real pain once you lose track at distance because the zoom is inadequate to see if you are under or over-shooting and have to leave the gun; run up to the bridge and take a range reading; then run back down to the gun AND BEGIN ELEVATION ALL OVER AGAIN FROM 500! That's a total waste - at the very least, couldn't the gun stay in the elevation last set, so long as 'Man Deck Gun' is selected. Re-elevating is a painfully slow waste of time!

- on a graphics issue, I notice my bridge crew are a little transparently ghostly. E.g. I can see the horizon line right through the head of my companion on the right. Is this a settings issue inside a mod, or native to this program?

That's all for now. Thanks for the fun.:ping:

Tight Hatches.

Red October1984

06-21-13, 10:02 PM

Well, 'Hunt', my young friend, you will find I am an Equal Opportunity Insulter, but prefer camaraderie and a barista coffee to a drunken brawl any day, and, like you, do not (and never have) smoked. Now, don't think that I feel that means I am in some way virtuous, because, if I can be so bold as to offer a philosophy of life garnered over a half-century of experience all over the world:
'If you must have vices, try to keep them down to only one at a time, but get really good at it.' I'll leave it to you to figure out what my current vice a la mode is.:03:

That being said, you are welcome here at the Dolphin's Hole any time you are in port, and I'll have a steady stream of Virgins on tap for you (that's a Bloody Mary - wash your mind out!), and anyone that mutters about unmanly conduct will be swallowing some teeth. Either that or I'll force them to drink a Schooner of Creme de Menthe. That'll fix them!:hmph:

Fair enough I guess. :hmmm: :D

Now, Gurus Mine, here are some gun questions for y'all (knowing how much The Hunt disapproves of the use of same, I'm OK if you cover your eyes and go 'La. la. la. la. la" for a while)

Disapprove? You haven't seen my gun control posts or my stories of deer hunting. I live in Southern Missouri. I'm far from disapproving of guns. :D

- as the AI is far less accurate at medium distance than I am on the gun (and only 'better' at distance because the inadequate zoom on the gun-sight means the target just gets too small to see what's happening), I have occasion to be concerned about the sanity of some of my deck crew. When slewing the gun far port or starboard to fire back over my shoulder, as it were, there is a crewman standing watch on either side and forward of the conning tower. It means two things: first, they block the view through the sight, and second, they are standing in front of the barrel. Now, I know they are all macho and fans of 'Kelly's Heroes', but, really?! Mod adjust anyone?
- Why, as I have 'No stabilise view' selected, is the gun so rock-steady regardless of sea-state? Is this native to SH IV? (Disappointing as the bouncing gun barrel in previous versions of SH was an appreciated 'realism' feature. (Waiting for the barrel to steady and timing swells became one of my better skills....)) Is there a Mod out there for this anomaly?
- on a graphics issue, I notice my bridge crew are a little transparently ghostly. E.g. I can see the horizon line right through the head of my companion on the right. Is this a settings issue inside a mod, or native to this program?

I'm honestly not sure why the A.I. is inaccurate. Maybe somebody could up the A.I. for you in a small mod to tweak it to your liking.

The gun view is usually stable...but the shots aren't... At least in my experience.

And the bridge crew is notorious for graphical errors. You know....staying on deck while submerged....etc... :arrgh!:

That's all for now. Thanks for the fun.:ping:

That's what it's all about isn't it?

*picks up the phone*

Yes Admiral...Sorry sir. Got it. No more fun. Thank You Sir. Sorry once again.

*hangs up*

Well, COMSUBPAC says no more fun around here....but we're going to do it anyway.

Tight Hatches.

Bow planes 15 degrees. AND CLOSE THE DANG MAIN INDUCTION VENT! DO YOU WANT US TO FLOOD AND SINK?!

:O:

Gryffon300

06-21-13, 10:51 PM

You eventually hit the big convoys, protected by those mean Type AB's throwing 100's of charges at you, trying to control your dive due to all the damage.

The medals are made of tin, we give em out like candy, today, everyone gets awards.

Red has learned to be careful with his reports, so I guess he's OK now.
Red's just wishy washy, prone to mouth off, apoligize for no reason, then do it all over again, but I don't hold it against him.....too much.

Yes, Amistead, I certainly hope for imminent convoy action. I've just received some flash traffic about an expected 42 unit re-supply convoy that will be transiting Celebes ex Singapore in three days which is easily achievable, (currently north of Bali) so, wish me luck - I'll see if I can hit them as they come through Balabac Strait.

What technique do you use for long-distance detection? With this early war gear, do you find the quoted ranges (10,000 for WCA acoustic and 20,000 for SJ Radar) are accurate? (In SH III I would often get best results submerging and going Silent, all stop and listening hard to pick up screw sound well beyond horizon - but I suspect that was better gear than this.)

TH

Gryff

Red October1984

06-21-13, 11:40 PM

Yes, Amistead, I certainly hope for imminent convoy action. I've just received some flash traffic about an expected 42 unit re-supply convoy that will be transiting Celebes ex Singapore in three days which is easily achievable, (currently north of Bali) so, wish me luck - I'll see if I can hit them as they come through Balabac Strait.

Good luck to you! Early War IJN Escorts don't react as well as mid to late war escorts do. You can easily take your cut from the convoy and evade.

Aircraft is a completely different concept altogether. I tend to avoid all the aircraft I can. I don't want to be caught in the open.

It has happened a couple times....but one of two things happened to cause it.

1. I was damaged and couldn't dive

2. I wasn't paying a lick of attention. Probably messing with the gramophone or the pretty details inside the boat.

What technique do you use for long-distance detection? With this early war gear, do you find the quoted ranges (10,000 for WCA acoustic and 20,000 for SJ Radar) are accurate? (In SH III I would often get best results submerging and going Silent, all stop and listening hard to pick up screw sound well beyond horizon - but I suspect that was better gear than this.)

When I'm on station somewhere, I run submerged at ahead slow during the day and ahead 2/3 at night to recharge batteries for the next day's run.

Until you get Surface Search Radar, it's like SH3.....just a shot in the dark along the shipping lanes.

At least in my experience. :arrgh!:

Armistead

06-22-13, 06:31 AM

If you're using time compression, your PC will start lagging out when a convoy is near, larger the convoy, the more lag you will feel. Some prefer to activate the stopwatch to notice the lag, but you can hardly miss it.
Anytime a group enters the contact zone around your sub, about 20nms, you'll feel the lag. You can then dive and get a sonar bearing. It's basically a bug or cheat, because you can hear on sonar to the max limit anytime during the war, your crew will hear only within range of the sonar on board. The game isn't perfect, it only uses one sensor at a time. You'll get equipment upgrades as the war progresses.

Now, once you get into the action, moreso if you play with cams off, don't trust sonar. You'll see sonar lines which may clue you in on range, but several factors come into play, your speed, his speed, weather, being below the thermal, etc. A sonar line may appear long, so you come up to scope depth feeling safe, only to find the escort in much closer than you thought. Often escorts will stop as well listening and usually a sleeper is left behind once the convoy gets away. If you have cams off, come up above the TL first, change directions a few times, clear your baffles. Some make the mistake of thinking it's clear, blowing tanks, surface to find a escort blowing them out of the water. Always come to scope depth first for a peek.

Don't do anything stupid like walking around the boat looking at walls, playing with the radio why under attack. I know, you're thinking "what idiot would do such a thing," but they exist.

Check out the sub patrol thread, I've posted several reports of my heroic crew in action.

Red October1984

06-22-13, 09:50 AM

Armistead

06-22-13, 07:01 PM

Very good advice. :yeah:

I've never been caught spectating in an attack on a ship...

but those planes can come out of flippin' nowhere sometimes. :shifty:

and I used to post my patrol reports....until I was courtmartialed for my mental inability and incompetence.

You were never court martialed,you were found mentally unfit and placed under the care of Dr. Steve, also mentally unfit.

Sailor Steve

06-22-13, 07:53 PM

Hey, we psychos have to stick together. Otherwise we'd go crazy.

Gryffon300

06-22-13, 08:31 PM

You were never court martialed,you were found mentally unfit and placed under the care of Dr. Steve, also mentally unfit.

Reminds me of how my old man got himself into the Navy. He was a bit of an independent thinker, so did not always seek advice before making up his mind. He had worked in Engineering since he was 11 (another story), and had decided to get into the merchant marine. He went down to the docks to enquire about what opportunities existed. The guy at the hire-on desk told him, "I can offer you work on Coastal ship or Foreign Ships. What do you want?" Well, neither - so, he went and signed up for the Navy.

Not much of a story? Well, there's a couple of twists. He was only 6 months out of hospital and still re-learning how to walk after nearly 12 months on his back paralysed with Transverse Myelitis. He still has a shuffle for a walk and isn't a runner. So, he fronts up for the medical and fails to report that he couldn't walk so great (Korea was warming up, so they weren't so fussy).

The Doc asked him to stand facing the wall and go up on his toes. Then the phone rang and the doc had to leave the room "for a minute". Of course the old man went back down and waited for the doc to return (5 mins later). As the doc came back in, he went back up on his toes and inevitably bounced up and down like he was operating a jack hammer. "Good grief, man! Have you been up there all this time? Get down, get down - that will be fine." As you say, sometimes Docs miss the obvious. And that's how the Old Man got into the Aussie Navy - saved by the bell.

As an ironic coda: he discovered 2 weeks after enlistment that "Foreign Ship" was lingo for Australian ships that went international - exactly what he had been after. It pays to ask questions.

So, just because a man has been sent off to be under the care of the head doctor, doesn't mean that he can't be a good and trusted shipmate. (I'd rather trust The Hunt than the Doc that was on the Old Man's second ship - a Frigate operating in the South China Sea. The Doc was a drunken Pom that never left his cabin and rapidly got such a reputation for incompetence that no-one below decks would go to him (at that time the Aus Navy was full of English Officers). The only bloke he operated on with an illness (appendicitis) was put over the side the following day - he died on the operating table. Which reminds me - I must save up some renown and get me a good Sawbones.

Tight Hatches (yes, Hunt, AND Induction Vent, and XY vents and hatches and any other relevant sphincters).

Father Goose

06-22-13, 08:59 PM

and I used to post my patrol reports....until I was courtmartialed for my mental inability and incompetence.

Come to think of it, we haven't seen many patrol reports since the Article 32 Hearing. Wonder why? :hmmm:

Red October1984

06-22-13, 09:49 PM

You were never court martialed,you were found mentally unfit and placed under the care of Dr. Steve, also mentally unfit.

Yeah....you sent me to the dungeon that is Dr. Steve's waiting room with the creepy receptionist who kept asking if I like to hang out at the park.

What was his name again? :03:

Hey, we psychos have to stick together. Otherwise we'd go crazy.

Everybody's a little crazy...just some more than others....those are the ones who tell people that they're crazy in an Article 32 hearing.

So, just because a man has been sent off to be under the care of the head doctor, doesn't mean that he can't be a good and trusted shipmate. (I'd rather trust The Hunt than the Doc that was on the Old Man's second ship - a Frigate operating in the South China Sea. The Doc was a drunken Pom that never left his cabin and rapidly got such a reputation for incompetence that no-one below decks would go to him (at that time the Aus Navy was full of English Officers). The only bloke he operated on with an illness (appendicitis) was put over the side the following day - he died on the operating table. Which reminds me - I must save up some renown and get me a good Sawbones.

There was the time when there was a man who needed his appendix removed aboard the USS Seadragon while on a war patrol... :)

Tight Hatches (yes, Hunt, AND Induction Vent, and XY vents and hatches and any other relevant sphincters).

The Hunt? Is that my name now? That's CAPTAIN HUNT TO YOU SIR.

Remember to close the Deck Hatches and Conning Tower hatch. The USS Crevalle dived once with the two conning tower hatches open.

It didn't end well. (This is in real life. I would never do such a thing :O: )

Come to think of it, we haven't seen many patrol reports since the Article 32 Hearing. Wonder why? :hmmm:

I can start them up next weekend. I'll need to get a new boat... :hmmm:

I've actually missed doing them. It was fun. Even the hearings about my sanity.

Gryffon300

06-22-13, 11:02 PM

Everybody's a little crazy...just some more than others....those are the ones who tell people that they're crazy in an Article 32 hearing.

There was the time when there was a man who needed his appendix removed aboard the USS Seadragon while on a war patrol... :)

The Hunt? Is that my name now? That's CAPTAIN HUNT TO YOU SIR.

Remember to close the Deck Hatches and Conning Tower hatch. The USS Crevalle dived once with the two conning tower hatches open.

It didn't end well. (This is in real life. I would never do such a thing :O: )

You are sounding a little Yossarian there. Catch 22 was a great invention for UCMJ charges...

Yep, you would want to trust the guy with the knife and hope that you had delivered your load of supplies in your S-Boat, otherwise das Boot conditions would apply and if the guy with the knife doesn't get you, the infection will!

Now, listen up. This could stop you getting a thick lip if McArthur ever decides to send you on R&R in Brisbane. (The fact that you're a Septic Tank and you get paid more money than an Aussie Admiral, so can pull the shielas - and think it reasonable to demand multiple ice-cream flavours in the mess! - might be enough to aggravate the locals sufficiently to get you in strife, but let me give you the good oil.)

"The Hunt? Is that my name now? That's CAPTAIN HUNT TO YOU SIR."
- Don't worry, mate. Its an Aussie thing - we can't help assigning nick-names ('The Hunt' was a bit obvious, Red October, I know, but I didn't know you too well at the time, and it works.) So, no, you don't get 'Captain' on a nick-name, unless it IS the nick-name. And, just so you know, a nick-name from an Aussie is usually a token of appreciation or respect. Honourifics, like Captain or Mr when used socially are a sign of distance and mild distrust and you better hope you don't get a 'Sir' from an Aussie! Even if you don't detect the mild sarcasm, getting a 'Sir' from an Aussie is rarely a sign of respect. The habit of you Yanks to use a title, like 'Coach', 'Colonel', or even 'President' for life we find mildly derisory and will usually elicit a smirk. Tall Poppies get lopped in our version of egalitarianism.:shucks: So, relax, my friend. All is well.:yep:
Tight Hatches
Gryff

TorpX

06-22-13, 11:09 PM

Come to think of it, we haven't seen many patrol reports since the Article 32 Hearing. Wonder why? :hmmm:
I was thinking I'd like to do one.

I just have to remember how to play the game. :arrgh!:

Red October1984

06-23-13, 12:08 AM

Don't worry, mate. Its an Aussie thing - we can't help assigning nick-names ('The Hunt' was a bit obvious, Red October, I know, but I didn't know you too well at the time, and it works.) So, no, you don't get 'Captain' on a nick-name, unless it IS the nick-name. And, just so you know, a nick-name from an Aussie is usually a token of appreciation or respect. Honourifics, like Captain or Mr when used socially are a sign of distance and mild distrust and you better hope you don't get a 'Sir' from an Aussie! Even if you don't detect the mild sarcasm, getting a 'Sir' from an Aussie is rarely a sign of respect. The habit of you Yanks to use a title, like 'Coach', 'Colonel', or even 'President' for life we find mildly derisory and will usually elicit a smirk. Tall Poppies get lopped in our version of egalitarianism.:shucks: So, relax, my friend. All is well.:yep:

The Hunt isn't bad. :D I'm just messing with you.

I've had many...much much worse nicknames in the past...

I was thinking I'd like to do one.

I just have to remember how to play the game. :arrgh!:

It's not incredibly difficult. You just have to be good at the game or nobody will be interested in report after report of returning to base with a full torpedo complement.

And you have to watch what you say or your sanity will be brought to trial.

I SANK YAMATO GUYS! I DON'T CARE WHAT THE ADMIRAL SAYS! I SAW IT!