some questions from a newbie...

[vonBraunau]

Hello together,
I´m new on deck and i have some questions about this very good game.
But first I have to say that I´m a “kraut” german, so please don´t take a 100 percent look at my good English.
If anybody knows a good german forum for submarine games or silent hunter III game, please give me a note, thx.

OK, now here are my questions:
1. I´m still playing with the first version. When I made an update now, will the update delete my saved files (I´m in the year 1940 in the moment)?

2. I´ve made it into Scapa Flow. yeah! but there where absolutely no ships. Only two destroyers and a corvette was patroulling.
Is this normal? So is there any other type of reward of turning into a british port?
Or does it make no sense to enter british ports (expect of the higher risk), because there are never ships ?

3. When I want to return to the open sea the corvette located me. I could only run at 15 Meters deep, because, as many of you know, the ground is very small at scapa.
The corvette throws several water bombs, but I get only small damage (only playing at 19 % realism) after throwing the bombs the corvette began to sink :huh:
Could it be that the ship destroyed himself with his own bombs?

4. when I was on my way back home from a patrol I contacted a small freighter, but I had no torpedo or ammo for the deck gun left.
I tried to shoot it with the AA gun, but it doesn’t work really. I only started some fires on the deck but the ship headed on with 7 kts.
Is it all in all possible to sunk a ship with the AA- Gun?
Maybe with a better gun in the later years?
If possible, where do I have to target (aim?) at?

5. After it went dark I was frustrated of the impossible situation to be unable to sink the ship.
I decided to do a collision with the ship to sink it by this way (never tried before)
But first I got close to the ship (about 250 Meters) I wanted to light the area with a some lightning munition (I don’t know the correct word: Tracer bullet? Lightning ammo?)
After fitting the deck gun with the remaining Light ammo I shot one, but the ship was in the way.
Before the area gets bright the bullet hits the ship unexploded. An explosion as usual by using the explosive bullets follows at the ship board.
I tried it two times more and the ship began to sink :huh:
Ever tried this?

6. I don’t like the german flag (red with a filled white circle) I found in the faqs a link with a real german war flag. But how to install this flag?
I tried with the editor of SH 3 but I don´t found any function to change the flag. Do I need to copy something manually?

Thanks for any answer at any some or all questions.
Your “good kraut”…

[vonBraunau]

oh, forgot one:
Has anyone ever seen another german sub in the game?
Or maybe a british one? :o

[Kaleun]

Hi,

Answers to Q's

1) No - as long as the update is done whilst you are in port

2) Patch 1.4b increases the number of ships in allied ports, with scapa flow and loch ewe, capital ships are only there from time to time (most other times they are out to sea)

3) Yes - that's why destroyers have to speed up when depthcharging, the shallow water would have not allowed him to move further enough ahead of the explosion

4) Yes but the 20mm AA is highly ineffective at destroying ships.

5) Don't know what you mean!!!

6) See http://www.subsim.com/subsim_files/patches.html and look for Hi-res Flag Textures

7) There are no other subs in the unmodded game (other than the one's being built at certain german dockyards when you leave.)

For any other Q's please consult the SHIII community manual at :

http://www.communitymanuals.com/shiii

Regards

Kaleun

[Ula Jolly]

With Rubini's Harbour Traffic mod you can find friendly submarines patrolling. :D There is, among others, an U-II outside Brest.

Don't install any mods while ON A PATROL. Do it when you dock. :up:

Scapa Flow and other harbours can be an annoyance... however, you should try Hartlepool! Before you get relocated to another base, that port is full of nice targets. :D
Scapa and the others sometimes have ships, sometimes not. Coincidenses. :arrgh!:

By the AA gun, do you mean the 20mm? I assume not, but yes, it is very possible to destroy the enemy using the 8.8cm kannon. You should switch to HE ammo (AP ammo is only for very juicy targets, mark you). If your target is a Small Tanker, aim for the mid of it, with AP ammo, waterline. Should ignite some fuel.
However, a cargo ship will demand some patience. Give the bridge a few shots, then the cargo on the deck, and if you want to halt its propulsion, aim for below the waterline in the far aft, and look for under-water explosions.

[vonBraunau]

Hi Herr Kaleun,
Thanks for your answers.
so i will load the 1.4 in the hope to see more ships.
With 5 i meant that I had sunk an enemy ship with the lightgun ammo.
I had no torpedos left, i had no PB´s or Ex´s left.
I had only AA gun ammo (20mm) and i had only the lightammo left.
I went close to the enemy ship and wanted to light the area to aim better at the ship (for doing my collision)
but then the bullet doesn´t light!
Before it went bright the ammo hits the enemy ship (because it was very close) and with this tactic i made it to sink the ship with this light ammo.

It was more an information than a question :hmm:

[The Avon Lady]

Don't install any mods while ON A PATROL. Do it when you dock. :up:
Same for official patches. :yep:

vonBraunau, also have a look at The Community Manual (http://www.communitymanuals.com/shiii/) for a lot of compiled information about the game.

[Fishmachine]

vonBraunau

As AvonLady already mentioned most of questions are already answered in the Community Manual. I'd recommend searching this forum, but the search engine appears to be broken :|
As for the Flak guns and waterborne targets - with the 2cm light flaks you only can sink smalest ships - Elco torpedo boat, small coastal veesel, tug boat, trawler (not armed trawler ;) ) and a fishing boat. They can be usually found close to the shore and in harbours - don't expect to see a fishing boat in the middle of the ocean ;)
With the 3,7cm heavy flak and it's AP ammo you can sink any ship, but be prepared that it can take a lot of time and a lots and lots of ammo (100+ rounds for a small merchant). So I don't recommend trying to sink a King George V class BB with it ;)

[SteamWake]

List of helpful links for ya.... Enjoy and welcome

Community Manual : http://www.communitymanuals.com/shiii/index.php?title=Main_Page

The FAQ: http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=28146

Convoy interception : http://www.subsim.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=29992

Wazoo's Charting and Targeting manual : http://www.paulwasserman.net/SHIII/

[Sarge McSarge]

The star shells/ illumination rounds have to be aimed high to give them time to ignite. I think it is at least 2500m range in your sights. If you hit your target closer than that they just explode and do cause some damage. It is a last resort when you have no other ammunition left for your deck gun.

Sarge

[Sawdust]

I went close to the enemy ship and wanted to light the area to aim better at the ship (for doing my collision)
but then the bullet doesn´t light!
Before it went bright the ammo hits the enemy ship (because it was very close) and with this tactic i made it to sink the ship with this light ammo.
Yeah, the "Star Shell" ammo will light at 1800m (under v1.4b). I've never been able to sink a ship with the Star Shells (though I've tried :arrgh!: ); you must've had a lucky shot!

It would be nice if you could change the range of the Star Shell ignition "on the fly". If a ship is, say, only 1000m away or more than 2500m away, you can't use the Star Shells to illuminate the target very well.

Also, the Star Shell glow shows through ships (just like lighthouse lights). So, you can't really get a very nice silouette by firing beyond a target. :cry: