SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - I cant report contacts ?!

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- - I cant report contacts ?! (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=112813)

When I am following a convoy at periscope depth I will set depth to 30 ft to get the tower and antenna up, then send the report, then dip back below. Works pretty well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vindex

Do you have to be surfaced and in visual sight of a convoy/task force in order to send? Because if I see either, especially a bunch of warships, I'm not going to be standing around on the surface, I'm going dive and either evade or engage. In fact, I'm probably going to dive when I see them on radar, way before I have a visual, so I can try to ID them from the screw sounds with passive sonar.

My impression is that, in real-life, most contact messages were sent after either an unsuccessful pursuit (the convoy got away) or a successful evasion, when the sub surfaced once again in the clear. Can you do this in SH4, since by that time you would no longer be "in contact" (although the info would presumably interest Subcom)?

Another question: Does sending a contact report run any risk of giving away your presence and/or location? The last thing I want to do when I'm "in contact" is say "Hey, look, over here! Please commence zig-zagging and depth charge runs!"

I feel the same way! No way am I going to surface to send in a frackin' contact report before I engage. :roll: You should be able to send in a report for a set time after you make contact so you can attack, evade, and then report.

Here are the qualifications for a contact report:

1) Surfaced.
2) TARGET LOCKED on a non-escort ship within 4750 range.
3) Click the Contact Report icon.

As mentioned, there are reasons you should and should not file a contact report. You have to weigh the benefits against the risks.

Benefits:
It may help you fulfill your mission requirements. As a result, HQ might ask you to engage the contacts and/or call you back to base. Filing a contact report when out of torpedos might be that call to base you're been waiting for.

Risk:
1) You have to be very skillful to thread the needle between sighting and being sighted. It IS possible to do, not easy.
2) Later in the war, the enemy will use the radio transmission to vector interceptors. They can be avoided.
3) Because it might cause your mission to end when you don't want it to, or you might be requested to attack the contact when you have other goals in mind for your few remaining torpedos, you might not want to be forced to commit to action against this contact.

As in the real war, commanders had to decide to remain silent for their own survival against assisting in the big picture war effort.

-Pv-