sighting ranges

[c13Garrison]

When I played regular 1.5gold I never remember being brought under fire by targets I couldn't see, and I presumed the sub's low profile provided a spotting advantage. Yet in a brief bit I was able to play today it happened again, twice in 5 TMO/RSRD patrols (3 different subs).

What are the "standard" sighting ranges of escorts? Apparently surfacing 5.5nm from last known contact is not enough, even though i had no surface contact data at all. -I lived though, report to be filed when I put in.

[in_vino_vomitus]

If I've got radar, I like to keep them outside the 12000 yd line. If it's pre-radar, then I like to have them as far away as I can - half over the horizon is usually fine, but they're evil..........

[c13Garrison]

Alrighty, 30,000 yds from last known position it is. Its hard to imagine being an aggressive captain AND being twice as cautious as I have been previously, but we'll see how it goes.

[in_vino_vomitus]

I feel like I've missed something obvious. where does the 30,000 yds fit in? I ask because I still get detected from time to time, and I'm keen to stop that. I work on the assumption that the horizon is about 4.5 miles away and escorts will spot me at 5. Also stern escorts will periodically change station from about a mile off the convoy's port/starboard quarter, to a position where they're trailing it by a couple of miles and and a couple of miles further out to port/starboard - so you need a pretty hefty comfort zone to avoid being spotted when that happens. I expect someone better at this than me will come along to clarify, but for me, if I can see the ships being escorted, then I'm too close to their escorts...

[BigWalleye]

IIRC, TMO was intended to provide a more target-rich environment than was historically accurate, to provide more action for the gamer. In compensation, the abilities of the Japanese ASW forces were augmented greatly, to maintain balance and keep the game challenging. What you are experiencing may be related to that. There is a mod for TMO which reduces the enemy AI somewhat. It might help you survive and enjoy the game more.

[grislyatoms]

Sea state, weather, boat speed, and time of day also seem to have an effect on being spotted.

Flat calm, clear day running flank will get you spotted at longer distances. Not sure how it's modeled, but it seems to hold true.

[c13Garrison]

Thanks for the input-

I picked 30,000 yards out of the air because that is a general maximum capital ship range (yes I know German 11" naval rifles had a range of 47,000 yards), and in the case I mentioned I had no idea What or Where I was being fired upon from- so, if I detect a warship on sonar and later need to surface, I'll chart a Long deviance before I surface.

In my example, my sonar was clear and my scope was clear, and I was 5.5nm from last the last known warship position when I surfaced-- but apparently that was not far enough.

I'll look up that TMO AI mod, though I don't want to dumb it down just because I thought it was "hard" for the 8 hours I've been able to play.

[BigWalleye]

c13Garrison, I don't think it is considered "dumbing down." I haven't tried it myself, as I don't play TMO (just a matter of personal taste), but I know that some serious gamers use the mod, called Easier AI for TMO v2.5.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=3542

The comment on the upload page is "Eases back the TMO ship AI a little. Should provide scary yet survivable encounters." Says nothing about wimps, wusses, or little kids.:)

YMMV

Good luck and Godspeed.

[c13Garrison]

A long over-due "very good!" Thanks for the suggestion, and I have implemented it.

1_TriggerMaru_Overhaul_2-5
1_TMO_25_small_patch
RSRDC_TMO_V502
Fixed Zero Bomb Load RSRDC
LST_TMO_v2
RSRDC_V5xx_Patch1
Improved Stock Environment_v3_TMO&RFB
Submarine Hull Numbers
TDW_Ship_Plane_Fire_Damage_v1_3_SH4
Easier AI for TMO 2.5 by Orpheus