How in the world do you get a destroyers off your tail in GWX?

[Eetere]

I am a brand new player to the game and had my first run in with a destroyer. Four hours later, after searching the internet for an answer and trying everything I came across, I am now dead and quitting this game unless I get this explained to me. There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about having a destroyer circle you for four hours with there being nothing able to be done about it.

[Aktungbby]

Eetere!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Fifi]

I am a brand new player to the game and had my first run in with a destroyer. Four hours later, after searching the internet for an answer and trying everything I came across, I am now dead and quitting this game unless I get this explained to me. There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about having a destroyer circle you for four hours with there being nothing able to be done about it.

Go deeper as possible (180m should do it) and run very slow (2 knots or even 1 knot) with of course the silent running ordered.
Changing course so your smaller silhouette face the destroyer position can be good idea too…
Also avoid beeing detected by destroyer when flat sea! You’ll have better chances when sea is rough

[Jimbuna]

^Pretty much as explained above.

[Aktungbby]

There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about having a destroyer circle you for four hours with there being nothing able to be done about it.

Go deeper as possible (180m should do it) and run very slow (2 knots or even 1 knot) with of course the silent running ordered.
Changing course so your smaller silhouette face the destroyer position can be good idea too…


^Pretty much as explained above.Indeed, the movie The Enemy Below portrays it best in three words:"Deeper Heini, deeper" as Curd Jugens' U-boat evades Robert Mitchum's destroyer for hours...but before commencing any attack, be certain your batteries and compressed air tanks are full up...you'll need em for slow constant evasion maneuvering. Also, it helps to use the convoy itself, by getting into or under it, as a screen to confuse the escorts.

[Eetere]

Thanks for the help! I realize now after sleeping and calming down that I was probably screwed because of the 60-80 m depth I was in while trying to escape. France has yet to fall and I'm in a type II between Germany and Britain. I should probably just avoid destroyers like the plague until I get to deeper waters.

[Mad Mardigan]

1 tactic, that I'd relied on... for those persistent buggers.

Just as they've passed by & are marking a turn to come back around. pop the torp door open (either an aft or fore tube, depending on your orientation to them. :yep:) pop the cork to do a emergency blow ballast... making sure to set your depth for peri depth. Nno need to worry about their hearing that... as likely you're by that time, in their... baffles & 2ndly... is not like your telling them, your about... they already know that... since they're hounding you... (If it's a solo DD or DE, hounding you at the time... & not getting tagged teamed by 2 or more :hmmm: think I have had this also work with 2... but, has been some time. I've since learned early on, to avoid DD's/DE's... :yep:)

Anyway, soon as you start nearing periscope depth... go to the scope, raise it & as soon as it clears water... get a bead on where that pesky sucker is. If, they are still aft end facing you, doing a swing about... then chances are good... to give 'em a slap & tickle lullaby of death.

Make sure that when you pop off that 1 torp.. that it, is set it to 3 meters below their keel, for 1... & if possible... set for fast speed (know the T-II, was only a 1 speed torp... but, if that's all you have then, better than nothing...) & mag det. (best time to do that, is just before you pop emergency blow ballast.)

If successful (which by all rights, their being in close... the torp set to fast... they ain't getting away from death. As 1 torp, is enough to sink a DD/DE.) then, right after... get the flock outta Dodge... :shucks: :haha:

Warships, just like their merchie heinz 57 sea going cousins... their belly, aka keel... was their Achillies heel.

This tactic works best in a... :hmmm: 400-750 meter engagement range setting...

If no other DD's or DE's, are about.. & you're not near air coverage or patrol areas... then you should be safe to pop the cork & surface to make your getting outta Dodge, that much faster... just be mindful to keep a sharp look out for air patrols none the less. Not to mention, other warships that just may be out for your head, to mount on to their walls... in revenge for their fallen comrades you just sent to the bottom... :arrgh!:

Hope this info helps... :up: :yep: :shucks:

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.

[Mister_M]

I think it's an intended feature in GWX that you can't evade destroyers if their crew's level is veteran or elite... It's part of the game... A lot of U-Boots were sunk during WWII... :D

Unfortunately, this game is a so poor simulation that you actually can't use most of the real world tactics to evade them.

:k_confused:

But some special mods add a few new possibilities even if some of them are buggy (thermal layers, depth charges noise, ASDIC not working at shallow depths...). Look for Stiebler and H.Sie patches...

[John Pancoast]

Thanks for the help! I realize now after sleeping and calming down that I was probably screwed because of the 60-80 m depth I was in while trying to escape. France has yet to fall and I'm in a type II between Germany and Britain. I should probably just avoid destroyers like the plague until I get to deeper waters.


Yes. Period. :)

[pikke]

My first career ended when I met a destroyer and had 25m depth to play with... :har: I'd have had more chances if I rammed her.

So:
Destroyers in deep waters (100+ meters): you have a chance but there are times when they'll keep you down for hours (it's their job...)


Destroyers in mid-deep waters (100 to 50 meters): you have a chance...but a lot depends on the sea conditions and destroyer crew "level", they can keep you down for hours...if you survive that long.

Destroyers and shallow waters (50 or less meters): pray! I sometimes wonder if in this range it would be better to try engage them...


As posted above: silent running is your best friend, slow speed is your best chance, showing the smallest section possible is a plus...luck is a godsend.


And patience...that helps...somewhat...perhaps.

[Kapitän]

I usually try as much as possible to stay away from destroyers, frigates and corvettes, especially, if in coastal waters and in a type II boat.

If detected in an undamaged type II boat, one should be able to dive to 100-125m without problem, depending on which version (A,B,C,D). If neccessary, one can even push to 140-150m. This should be deep enough early in the campaign, as depth charges should not go deeper than about 130m, and of course silent running 1-2kn.

Engaging a ASW vessel that is already hunting you, is always tricky and should in my view be used, only as a last resort.

I agree, that the way the game engine works, the "historical/relalistic" tactics for ASW vessel evation, do only apply to a somewhat limited extend.

[Schiffmorder]

Welcome to the U-Boat Service! You have a 75% chance of death. :)

#1 Never engage in shallow water.
#2 Realize it only gets harder as the war progresses.
The German Navy was consistently behind the Aliies in terms of technology (ASDIC, centimeter radar, Leigh Lights, code breaking, etc) and this becomes very telling once you get to mid-late 1941. This kinda changes with the Type XXI, which was a revolutionary design and signaled the next step forward in sub design worldwide but it was too little and far too late. You will have to be a very crafty, canny and lucky Kaluen to make it very far.

[John Pancoast]

I'm surprised some think historical, etc. evasive tactics don't work as well as they should as I've found them to work very well in the game, especially with the ahistorical and unrealistic advantage of being able to use silent running indefinitely.
I tend to use silent running in 20 game minutes on/5 game minutes off segments to counter this somewhat.

[Mister_M]

I'm surprised some think historical, etc. evasive tactics don't work as well as they should as I've found them to work very well in the game, especially with the ahistorical and unrealistic advantage of being able to use silent running indefinitely.
I tend to use silent running in 20 game minutes on/five game minutes off segments to counter this somewhat.

Yes, this "simulation" is very poor on every aspects...

How long could a real U-Boot use silent running ?

[kapuhy]

There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about having a destroyer circle you for four hours with there being nothing able to be done about it.

Others already gave better advice than I ever could regarding tactics, but one general remark as far as SH games are concerned: they are only typical "games" in their vanilla state - in that they are not too realistic but have "challenging but enjoyable enough not to rage quit" diffficulty level.

Megamods usually move them more into "simulation" territory - much more realistic, but not at all fair. And realistically odds were stacked against U-Boats for much of the war so badly it takes very specific type of player to have fun playing realistic U-Boat sim. The kind that thinks original X-Com series or Dwarf Fortress are fun games and losing is an exciting experience :)

[Mister_M]

I remember reading something here. It was a veteran German U-Boot's crew who was testing SH3 (maybe with GWX). When he was asked if it was a realistic game, he answered : "It was so much easier in reality" ! (for the U-Boot)...

But I guess it might be extremly hard to create a good simulation, like creating a perfect 3D model of a destroyer : spending 1000 triangles to model a single porthole, and modeling every rivets...

But here is a list of what is badly missing : https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=251099

[FUBAR295]

That was Jurgen Oesten who was the technical consultant on the game. He said that in an interview, it was available at one time one time on Youtube.

I found that an interesting comment.

Good hunting,
FUBAR295

[John Pancoast]

It's always a good idea to research the meaning of actual participant comments vs. taking them at face value.
I.e., with his, what did he think was easier ? Controlling the boat, issuing orders, combat, what ? :hmmm:
Plus, another person might have thought it was harder, i.e.

[John Pancoast]

Yes, this "simulation" is very poor on every aspects...

How long could a real U-Boot use silent running ?


Don't know as it would depend on depth, existing state of the boat and crew, etc.

[FUBAR295]

It's always a good idea to research the meaning of actual participant comments vs. taking them at face value.
I.e., with his, what did he think was easier ? Controlling the boat, issuing orders, combat, what ? :hmmm:
Plus, another person might have thought it was harder, i.e.

Agreed, as he never elaborated on the comment in the interview, as I recollect. I kind of feel that it was the computer interface and doing everything yourself as opposed to having a crew working with and for you in real time. :yep:

[John Pancoast]

Agreed, as he never elaborated on the comment in the interview, as I recollect. I kind of feel that it was the computer interface and doing everything yourself as opposed to having a crew working with and for you in real time. :yep:


That'd be my bet too. :) But who knows.

[John Pancoast]

There's lots of room for improvement in even modded SH3 but I don't consider it a "poor simulation", though without the excellent work done by the various modders it definitely is.
The escorts/aircraft are weak, etc. but whatever. The very weak damage model is what needs the most improvement to me.
Some user imposed rules if one desires can help a little; i.e. since chlorine leaks aren't modeled, if the batteries are destroyed or more than thirty (arbitrary number I picked) minutes repair time, I surface and surrender even though one wouldn't have to in the game.
The problem with user imposed rules is trying to remember them in the heat of action ! :)

[Mister_M]

It's always a good idea to research the meaning of actual participant comments vs. taking them at face value.
I.e., with his, what did he think was easier ? Controlling the boat, issuing orders, combat, what ? :hmmm:
Plus, another person might have thought it was harder, i.e.

I may be wrong, but IIRC, it was about evading destroyers, or/and the fact that depth charges were far less precise than in game.

[Eetere]

I have gotten a good few more hours into the game and am enjoying myself more now. I have even managed to evade a destroyer! My main issue now is finding ships to sink. From Germany all the way down to Spain I only found four non-combat ships and didn't get a single convoy ping despite staying on convoy routes for weeks. Any tips? I'm in min 1940 if that helps.

[John Pancoast]

I may be wrong, but IIRC, it was about evading destroyers, or/and the fact that depth charges were far less precise than in game.


Thanks ! :up:

[John Pancoast]

I have gotten a good few more hours into the game and am enjoying myself more now. I have even managed to evade a destroyer! My main issue now is finding ships to sink. From Germany all the way down to Spain I only found four non-combat ships and didn't get a single convoy ping despite staying on convoy routes for weeks. Any tips? I'm in min 1940 if that helps.


Assume you're playing a career ? If playing career, just go to the assigned patrol grid and patrol.
Convoys notices will show up eventually.

[bstanko6]

The ol’ cat and mouse game with destroyers!

Here is my response. 99% of most players problems is being caught in the first place!

Here is most scenarios… you are submerged, even at night (when you should be surfaced), you fire an eel, aaaaaaannnnnnnnddddd you wait! And wait! And wait!

Instead of leaving the scene, and getting away, we sit there and watch the torp Hoping to watch fireworks in the dull hue of colors and pixels!

When you fire an eel, we should be hauling ass away from the scene. We have to tell ourselves “we have been heard, and the devil is coming!”

1) Stay on the surface if possible and attack at night.

2) Attack in bad weather if able.

3) Get out of the area as fast as you can! Don’t watch torpedoes,!don’t linger about.

4) Once out of the area, keep the convoy in sight and prepare to attack a 2nd time.

Once a destroyer picks you up, you are pretty much visible to all of them. Be prepared for several in game hours of dodging!

There is no sense going quiet when they can see you with ASDIC. You have to keep evading until they are so far away from the convoy they forget about you, or you have kept a slim underwater profile long enough they didn’t see you and presume you left the area.

[Kapitän]

The ol’ cat and mouse game with destroyers!

Here is my response. 99% of most players problems is being caught in the first place!

Here is most scenarios… you are submerged, even at night (when you should be surfaced), you fire an eel, aaaaaaannnnnnnnddddd you wait! And wait! And wait!

Instead of leaving the scene, and getting away, we sit there and watch the torp Hoping to watch fireworks in the dull hue of colors and pixels!

When you fire an eel, we should be hauling ass away from the scene. We have to tell ourselves “we have been heard, and the devil is coming!”

1) Stay on the surface if possible and attack at night.

2) Attack in bad weather if able.

3) Get out of the area as fast as you can! Don’t watch torpedoes,!don’t linger about.

4) Once out of the area, keep the convoy in sight and prepare to attack a 2nd time.

Once a destroyer picks you up, you are pretty much visible to all of them. Be prepared for several in game hours of dodging!

There is no sense going quiet when they can see you with ASDIC. You have to keep evading until they are so far away from the convoy they forget about you, or you have kept a slim underwater profile long enough they didn’t see you and presume you left the area.

Yes, very good advice: Leaving the firing position ASAP is key. And yes, once you're detected by ASDIC, staying silent doesn't help.

Showing small silhouette to the escort will help to get out of the area. My experience is, that escorts stay around the firing position for about 1h, before leaving the area again/heading back to the convoy.

Surface attacks work well up until end 1941. As of that point in time, most ASW vessels have 7000m range radar, which makes surface attacks more difficult.

[John Pancoast]

Silent running may not help once they have you with asdic, but to not have it on anyway is a mistake.
I.e., if you are successful in evading them, after their depth charge run, etc. being on silent running can help prevent them from picking you up again.
It's easy to test; they can be nearby and not have you/no asdic being used with silent running on, but turn it off and immediately they have you and start pinging.
It should automatically turn off when one increases speed, etc. but it doesn't.

[Mister_M]

1) Stay on the surface if possible and attack at night.

2) Attack in bad weather if able.

3) Get out of the area as fast as you can! Don’t watch torpedoes,!don’t linger about.

4) Once out of the area, keep the convoy in sight and prepare to attack a 2nd time.

There is no sense going quiet when they can see you with ASDIC. You have to keep evading until they are so far away from the convoy they forget about you, or you have kept a slim underwater profile long enough they didn’t see you and presume you left the area.

:sign_yeah:

[Aktungbby]

I remember reading something here. It was a veteran German U-Boot's crew who was testing SH3 (maybe with GWX). When he was asked if it was a realistic game, he answered : "It was so much easier in reality" ! (for the U-Boot)...

But I guess it might be extremly hard to create a good simulation, like creating a perfect 3D model of a destroyer : spending 1000 triangles to model a single porthole, and modeling every rivets...

But here is a list of what is badly missing : https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=251099

That was Jurgen Oesten who was the technical consultant on the game. He said that in an interview, it was available at one time one time on Youtube.

I found that an interesting comment.

Good hunting,
FUBAR295



It's always a good idea to research the meaning of actual participant comments vs. taking them at face value.
I.e., with his, what did he think was easier ? Controlling the boat, issuing orders, combat, what ? :hmmm:
Plus, another person might have thought it was harder, i.e.

Agreed, as he never elaborated on the comment in the interview, as I recollect. I kind of feel that it was the computer interface and doing everything yourself as opposed to having a crew working with and for you in real time. :yep:

That'd be my bet too. :) But who knows.Methinks his wallet knows...either in Marks, Euros or $'s which makes his 'first person-primary history source' opinion 40 years on slightly suspect when promoting a commercial endeavor such as a computer game;... but I did enjoy the interviews with Erich Topp in SH II though. :hmmm:

[FUBAR295]

Methinks his wallet knows...either in Marks, Euros or $'s which makes his 'first person-primary history source' opinion 40 years on slightly suspect when promoting a commercial endeavor such as a computer game;... but I did enjoy the interviews with Erich Topp in SH II though. :hmmm:

That is a consideration also. :yep:

Regardless, he was an interesting chap. :03:

[Aktungbby]

Regardless, he was an interesting chap. :03:Bottom line: any kaleün who survived the Atlantic Battle's 75% mortality rate; in, arguably, the biggest, longest single battle of WWII; is an interesting chap!:yep::doh::arrgh!:

[John Pancoast]

Eetere, even the modded escorts aren't to difficult to evade especially with how silent running works in the game, plus the depth charges have been "dumbed down" in all the mods so with a little practice you'll get the hang of it.

[Schiffmorder]

...And realistically odds were stacked against U-Boats for much of the war so badly it takes very specific type of player to have fun playing realistic U-Boat sim. The kind that thinks original X-Com series or Dwarf Fortress are fun games and losing is an exciting experience :)

I've honestly thought players who stick with SH3 long term (like me) must have a love of the underdog and a bit of a masochistic streak in them. :haha:

[Bubblehead1980]

I've honestly thought players who stick with SH3 long term (like me) must have a love of the underdog and a bit of a masochistic streak in them. :haha:

:haha::har:

[Bubblehead1980]

I am a brand new player to the game and had my first run in with a destroyer. Four hours later, after searching the internet for an answer and trying everything I came across, I am now dead and quitting this game unless I get this explained to me. There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about having a destroyer circle you for four hours with there being nothing able to be done about it.


Welcome to SH (be it 3,4,or 5) with mods lol. Thing is, real depth charge attacks often lasted in excess of four hours, sometimes days on end, to the point sub captains have to make the decision to surface and scuttle the boat or go out fighting. Part of the fun and challenge of the sim, is enduring the attack and just barely escaping. Should you escape and navigate the learning curve. SH 3/4/5 out of box is a light simulation, but with most mods it becomes simulation, not a shallow arcade game. Yes, a destroyer circling for hours making runs is part of the fun of the sim, the challenge. However, there are things you can do about this. Main thing, is do not give up, do not quit.

Being a simulation, you can't just go in blazing, you have to think, attack at right time and place. Shallow depths always upp the danger factor and should be avoided.

Find thermal layers, go as deep as possible, run silent, change course after each depth charge attack, never maintain same course, use bursts of speed when they are passing overhead so depth charges do not fall right on top of you. Of course have to monitor battery levels. Never attack unless have full battery charge, plenty of fresh air in boat, compressed air etc.

Navigate the learning curve and you will find you will learn the tactics used by AI. However, things, as they should, get very difficult as war goes on, thus the high uboat casualty rate. Good luck, don't give up.

[John Pancoast]

1. Go deep. Very deep, more than the actual commanders did on a routine basis but in the game you must. 230 meters + deep. Don't be afraid to experiment to find out the boat's limit which is reached when you start taking minor damage from the depths; bolts popping, etc. You'll have time to recover.
2. Set speed to one knot.
3. Have silent running always on. If you use Stiebler's silent running mod (and you should) you'll very slowly (wish it as quicker) sink in this state but that's ok. If needed, raise your boat a bit and start the process over again.
4. Set course going away from the target (convoy). After a bit, this encourages the escorts to leave.

You'll escape every time then. :D I.e., I routinely escape NYGM, GWX escorts with this method including several at the same time, any stage of the war.

[Aktungbby]

I've honestly thought players who stick with SH3 long term (like me) must have a love of the underdog and a bit of a masochistic streak in them. :haha:Considering that, of the 90,000 who surrendered at Stalingrad, only 5,000 came back (over 90%:dead:) opting for the Kreigmarine's U-boat arm with only a 75ish % mortality rate, better food, and not freezing while addicted to Pervitin would entice any sensible young Nazi. Strangely, the primary weapon of WWII was STARVATION; the German U-boats waging the longest tonnage Battle of the Atlantic to starve England, and the British likewise; blockading the Festung Europa...with greater success, as the American forces, incl. submarines proceded to do likewise in the Pacific, isolating island garrisons without supplies enroute to Tokyo and glorious victory. Essentially castle seige warfare on a grand scale...nothin' good militarily goes outta style!:O:

[LGN1]

1. Go deep. Very deep, more than the actual commanders did on a routine basis but in the game you must. 230 meters + deep. Don't be afraid to experiment to find out the boat's limit which is reached when you start taking minor damage from the depths; bolts popping, etc. You'll have time to recover.
....



That's why I also randomize the crush speed in the *.zon file and not only the depth. Only randomizing the depth and then being able to 'safely' test the depth is a bit boring :03: With a randomized crush speed high enough to prevent a safe test, things become more exciting :D


Best, LGN1

[John Pancoast]

That's why I also randomize the crush speed in the *.zon file and not only the depth. Only randomizing the depth and then being able to 'safely' test the depth is a bit boring :03: With a randomized crush speed high enough to prevent a safe test, things become more exciting :D


Best, LGN1


Great idea ! Off to do some editing.....:)

[Kapitän]

Welcome to SH (be it 3,4,or 5) with mods lol. Thing is, real depth charge attacks often lasted in excess of four hours, sometimes days on end, to the point sub captains have to make the decision to surface and scuttle the boat or go out fighting. Part of the fun and challenge of the sim, is enduring the attack and just barely escaping. Should you escape and navigate the learning curve. SH 3/4/5 out of box is a light simulation, but with most mods it becomes simulation, not a shallow arcade game. Yes, a destroyer circling for hours making runs is part of the fun of the sim, the challenge. However, there are things you can do about this. Main thing, is do not give up, do not quit.

Being a simulation, you can't just go in blazing, you have to think, attack at right time and place. Shallow depths always upp the danger factor and should be avoided.

Find thermal layers, go as deep as possible, run silent, change course after each depth charge attack, never maintain same course, use bursts of speed when they are passing overhead so depth charges do not fall right on top of you. Of course have to monitor battery levels. Never attack unless have full battery charge, plenty of fresh air in boat, compressed air etc.

Navigate the learning curve and you will find you will learn the tactics used by AI. However, things, as they should, get very difficult as war goes on, thus the high uboat casualty rate. Good luck, don't give up.


How does one go about finding thermal layers?

[Kapitän]

That's why I also randomize the crush speed in the *.zon file and not only the depth. Only randomizing the depth and then being able to 'safely' test the depth is a bit boring :03: With a randomized crush speed high enough to prevent a safe test, things become more exciting :D


Best, LGN1


I use the Sh3_Cmdr Option for randomizing the crush depth. Do you happen to have any experience with this?

[propbeanie]

How does one go about finding thermal layers?
In SH4, you dive while at 1x TC so that you can hear the voice prompt of "Passing thermal layer", and then make a note of that. Take the boat 50-60 feet (17-19m) below that, and your shears should be below the layer also. Depending upon how a mod is set, you might be next to "invisible" below it, or barely have any help from it at all. I do not remember there being a voice prompt for that in SH3 in all the years I've played it... I don't know if it's even modeled in the game... However, in the original Silent Hunter game from SSI / Aegis, you had a "bathythermograph", a gauge that was mounted on the sub's hull sometime mid-43, and read the temperature of the water - or simulated it did anyway... You had to watch the needle move to find the thermocline layer, which varied in both depth and intensity as you moved, as in real life... so what happened with that functionality in the game from SH1 to SH2 and beyond is anybody's guess... lol - there is a formula online to estimate it by season and water depth, but I cannot find it now, and it most likely was not available to Kaleun's in the 40's anyway... :salute:

[Aktungbby]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Thermohaline_Circulation_2.png/480px-Thermohaline_Circulation_2.pnghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/ThermoclineSeasonDepth.png/330px-ThermoclineSeasonDepth.png :D https://staff.concord.org/~btinker/GL/web/water/water_images/thermocline.png:yeah:...and I know for a firsthand fact that, submerged at 100 feet hunting 3', 40lb. Ling Cod in my Aussi neoprene (alberich??!:shucks:) dive-suit, Montery Bay kelp forest water is 32F. ie: freezing:doh: The Great Whites that famously congregate there prefer a warmer higher clime and elephant seals or surfers on the surface for dining!:Kaleun_Salivating:

[Kapitän]

In SH4, you dive while at 1x TC so that you can hear the voice prompt of "Passing thermal layer", and then make a note of that. Take the boat 50-60 feet (17-19m) below that, and your shears should be below the layer also. Depending upon how a mod is set, you might be next to "invisible" below it, or barely have any help from it at all. I do not remember there being a voice prompt for that in SH3 in all the years I've played it... I don't know if it's even modeled in the game... However, in the original Silent Hunter game from SSI / Aegis, you had a "bathythermograph", a gauge that was mounted on the sub's hull sometime mid-43, and read the temperature of the water - or simulated it did anyway... You had to watch the needle move to find the thermocline layer, which varied in both depth and intensity as you moved, as in real life... so what happened with that functionality in the game from SH1 to SH2 and beyond is anybody's guess... lol - there is a formula online to estimate it by season and water depth, but I cannot find it now, and it most likely was not available to Kaleun's in the 40's anyway... :salute:


Thanks! Yes, I don't think this is modeled in Sh3 ... I haven't noticed it yet, anyways ...

[Kapitän]

1. Go deep. Very deep, more than the actual commanders did on a routine basis but in the game you must. 230 meters + deep. Don't be afraid to experiment to find out the boat's limit which is reached when you start taking minor damage from the depths; bolts popping, etc. You'll have time to recover.
2. Set speed to one knot.
3. Have silent running always on. If you use Stiebler's silent running mod (and you should) you'll very slowly (wish it as quicker) sink in this state but that's ok. If needed, raise your boat a bit and start the process over again.
4. Set course going away from the target (convoy). After a bit, this encourages the escorts to leave.

You'll escape every time then. :D I.e., I routinely escape NYGM, GWX escorts with this method including several at the same time, any stage of the war.


What does the Stiebler Silent Running Mod emulate?


Sinking slowly, what else, max speed of xxx?

[John Pancoast]

What does the Stiebler Silent Running Mod emulate?


Sinking slowly, what else, max speed of xxx?


From the patches documents. In my experience there isn't much having to turn it on and off though as one has to in AOD:


"Silent-running Fix
When your U-boat is silent-running, all powered pumps are switched off in order to reduce the noise.
This means that water seeps in at depths below 100m, especially from leaks, and cannot be pumped
out and accumulates in the bilges. As a result, the U-boat becomes slowly heavier, and sinks very
slowly. This effect is seen only when the U-boat is moving too slowly for the hydroplanes to be
effective at maintaining depth.
The slow-sinking effect when silent-running was a feature of the old Aces of the Deep simulation, but
never made it to SH3. We have now corrected this oversight. Your U-boat will sink very slowly if the
switch for this option is toggled on. It makes it very important to control how you use silent-running
now, below depths of 100m. You have to manage the operation of silent-running, on and off. It is
even more of a challenge when you are deep and trying to creep away from an attacking escort. In
fact, you need some skill to know when to use silent-running and when to turn it off.
Our fix is a kludge. What happens is this:
When you go to silent-running, the player-set depth-gauge is decreased very slightly (depending on
underwater speed). This process drags the U-boat very slowly downwards. There are issues with this
coding approach, but we have been unable to find anything better. A particular advantage is that Uboat
buoyancy is irrelevant, so that the downwards buoyancy of NYGM, the upwards buoyancy of
GWX, and the neutral buoyancy of stock SH3 has no effect on how well this mod works!
a) When you reach the depth you required, you must click in the depth gauge again at that depth, to
prevent further sinking - assuming that you have sufficient speed not to sink anyway. Levelling off
your depth with key 'A' has little effect, it does not affect the depth gauge.
b) When you blow tanks, the depth gauge will not be updated, and you must click on a higher depth
on the gauge.
Managing your depth when very deep and being hunted by escorts has now become a real challenge!"

[Kapitän]

From the patches documents. In my experience there isn't much having to turn it on and off though as one has to in AOD:


"Silent-running Fix
When your U-boat is silent-running, all powered pumps are switched off in order to reduce the noise.
This means that water seeps in at depths below 100m, especially from leaks, and cannot be pumped
out and accumulates in the bilges. As a result, the U-boat becomes slowly heavier, and sinks very
slowly. This effect is seen only when the U-boat is moving too slowly for the hydroplanes to be
effective at maintaining depth.
The slow-sinking effect when silent-running was a feature of the old Aces of the Deep simulation, but
never made it to SH3. We have now corrected this oversight. Your U-boat will sink very slowly if the
switch for this option is toggled on. It makes it very important to control how you use silent-running
now, below depths of 100m. You have to manage the operation of silent-running, on and off. It is
even more of a challenge when you are deep and trying to creep away from an attacking escort. In
fact, you need some skill to know when to use silent-running and when to turn it off.
Our fix is a kludge. What happens is this:
When you go to silent-running, the player-set depth-gauge is decreased very slightly (depending on
underwater speed). This process drags the U-boat very slowly downwards. There are issues with this
coding approach, but we have been unable to find anything better. A particular advantage is that Uboat
buoyancy is irrelevant, so that the downwards buoyancy of NYGM, the upwards buoyancy of
GWX, and the neutral buoyancy of stock SH3 has no effect on how well this mod works!
a) When you reach the depth you required, you must click in the depth gauge again at that depth, to
prevent further sinking - assuming that you have sufficient speed not to sink anyway. Levelling off
your depth with key 'A' has little effect, it does not affect the depth gauge.
b) When you blow tanks, the depth gauge will not be updated, and you must click on a higher depth
on the gauge.
Managing your depth when very deep and being hunted by escorts has now become a real challenge!"


Okay, thanks!

[Sammy-rai]

Thanks for all the advice guys, even if it wasn't me who asked !!


I'm a newbie out on his very first patrol and was wondering myself how to handle being depth-charged.


LOL last night my uboat spotted and engaged a tramp steamer in rough waters N of Ireland. Emptied all forward torpedo tubes at ca 1000 m without a hit. So ordered deck gun into action but was informed that this was not possible. Then crossed behind and fired stern tube at 300 meters, resulting in an explosion but still no hit (?).


And the night before as we rounded Denmark, a warship was spotted quickly bearing down on us. Dropped to periscope depth and squeezed off a torpedo as she sped by. The torp was a dud but it was just well since the destroyer was in fact German.



In the tutorials I did well but then in the tutorials there were no rough seas or nighttime - so it looks like this is going to be one of those games not so easy to master!


Hope to reach my patrol area today, 6 torpedoes poorer !



:smug:

[John Pancoast]

Thanks for all the advice guys, even if it wasn't me who asked !!


I'm a newbie out on his very first patrol and was wondering myself how to handle being depth-charged.


LOL last night my uboat spotted and engaged a tramp steamer in rough waters N of Ireland. Emptied all forward torpedo tubes at ca 1000 m without a hit. So ordered deck gun into action but was informed that this was not possible. Then crossed behind and fired stern tube at 300 meters, resulting in an explosion but still no hit (?).


And the night before as we rounded Denmark, a warship was spotted quickly bearing down on us. Dropped to periscope depth and squeezed off a torpedo as she sped by. The torp was a dud but it was just well since the destroyer was in fact German.



In the tutorials I did well but then in the tutorials there were no rough seas or nighttime - so it looks like this is going to be one of those games not so easy to master!


Hope to reach my patrol area today, 6 torpedoes poorer !



:smug:


The explosion/no hit was most likely a dud torpedo which does and should occur in the earlier part of the war.
Post how you installed the game, i.e. and mods, etc.

[TheNolan]

Torpedoes don't arm until travelling 300m so if you were any closer than that I'm not sure what would happen, maybe the torpedo would bounce of the ship and then run out to 300m before exploding. If the 300m is determined based on the time the torpedo engine is running I think that would make sense. Just a guess tho

[Mad Mardigan]

Torpedoes don't arm until travelling 300m so if you were any closer than that I'm not sure what would happen, maybe the torpedo would bounce of the ship and then run out to 300m before exploding. If the 300m is determined based on the time the torpedo engine is running I think that would make sense. Just a guess tho

Depends on, iirc, just what type of torp was used... aka shot off at the target.

If, I am remembering this rightly... think the T-I, required 400 meters travel time, before the arming mechanism armed... it may be the T-II, that I am thinking of...

I do recall that the very early on, homing torp's... required decibels to be of a certain pitch range, for them to work... & if a ship wasn't traveling at a fast enough speed to effect that pitch... well... the torp was not going to... for a lack of better terminology.. lock on to a target.

That said, however, some ships, in their haste due to a... general alarm being taken at a report of a torp sighted, in their speeding up, would invariably draw one of those type/s off from its intended target, which... if memory serves Me right... those were more designed to combat DD's & DE's... rather than merchie's. To... attempt to offset having to deal with getting DC'ed for greater lengths of time, or at all. :hmmm:

Any way, it all boils down to just what torp was fired off... then, in knowing just what range that it becomes... active.. is important info to know before letting 1 loose at a target.

:Kaleun_Salute:

M. M.