Arrr. The Disappearing Ships again...

[Von Due]

So... this is a weird patrol. Patrol 7, left Wilhelmshaven on 9. June 1940 to patrol the coast just north of Aberdeen in my IXB.

As I had Helgoland abeam starboard, a merchant was spotted heading for Wilhelmshaven. This was to be the last merchant within spotting range and hydrophone range for 2 weeks. Diving every 20km and manning the hydrophone, checking the volume, nothing ever showed up.

A single torpedo boat was encountered north of Aberdeen and was up until that point the only ship I had encountered since leaving Helgoland behind. Weather has varied from 14m/s heavy clouds light rain low visibility to 0m/s clear skies.

An enemy task force was spotted leaving Liverpool by the time I finished my 24 hours. Subsequent plots showed it was heading up the Hebride channel. More plots revealed a consistent speed of 8.1 kts.

Loitering east of Scapa Flow to see if they were going to Norway or the North Sea until they were plotted to head almost straight for Lerwick. I moved west at high speed to intercept. Intercept point was about 136km WNW of Scapa Flow. One more plot showed I had arrived about 1 hour early so I picked my position and dived to periscope depth. However, the last plot now showed a speed of 8.6 kts. By this time, they would be within 20 km. Weather was 0m/s wind no rain, moderate visibility. There was no sound contact. I waited 3 hours on high TC and still nothing.

I now quit and reloaded a previous savegame and headed straight for them at high speed. Again, nothing. The sea was empty.

I reloaded again and searched north and east of the estimated course. No result.

Remembering that I had had no contact of any sort in 2 weeks, I decided to head for Scapa Flow to see if that place was empty.

When I got within 8 km from the western entrance, there was a MASSIVE frame rate drop that lasted more than 30 seconds. Getting closer there was now a torpedo boat patrolling the western entrance. Using the free camera I "flew" in over the basin and it was empty. Only that one torpedo boat was there that I could tell.

Now I am REALLY wondering if something has happened to this career and its save games.

Any of you had the entire world void of enemy ships, merchants in particular?

[Von Due]

To partially answer my last question above:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1735204&postcount=16

This is interesting as it seems to be the exact same task force, from Liverpool to the same area, the speed is the same and the disappearance is the same.

[fumo30]

Hi Von Due.

I remember somebody mentioning that game generates for task forces waypoints that end up at open sea, and that means they vanish when reaching last waypoint.

I myself once chased two auxilary cruisers for a very long time and suddenly they just went to "Bermuda triangle".
I was somewhat frustrated.:k_confused:
What comes to your missing contacts, that may be just a bad luck?
I use similar 20km interval hydrophone checks myself and can recall not havin contacts for weeks.

[Jimbuna]

Hi Von Due.

I remember somebody mentioning that game generates for task forces waypoints that end up at open sea, and that means they vanish when reaching last waypoint.



Most likely reason :yep:

[Von Due]

Yeah I reckon they reached their last WP but it is kinda disappointing that the game engine puts the last WP in BFE instead of a port. Of course one could role play and think the spotter had to flee, had to return to their patrol or was destroyed, before the TF headed off to nobody knows where even if that nobody knows where has to be within a 10km radius.

Planning on putting the last WP idea to the test. I reckon the grid AM3673 will be a good loitering area to get them before they reach open sea.