I say keep RSRD and learn the shipping routes. That is realistic and that is what a normal skipper had to do.

As to the Yamato ... I know of no mod that scripts only two Yamato class battleships in a single campaign. I say two because the Yamato had a sister... Musashi.

It took 19 torpedoes and 17 bombs to sink her in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanes...leship_Musashi

Original complaint is why I tried TMO and RSRDC briefly then uninstalled both. No offense, matter of taste. :salute:

That said, can't find ships in open ocean go where ships are, in port or close to land. Choke points have already been mentioned, if you look at the map of Luzon Straits for example there's a lot of wide open ocean on both sides but anyone transiting between the two has to pass through a fairly narrow area.

One clarification;

"The fleet boats have the sonar head on the bottom so it's usable while on the surface. The S-boats and U-boats have the sonar head on deck and you will need to submerge to listen."

Fleet boats actually had three sonar heads, one on each side of the keel under the forward torpedo room (usable on the surface) and one on deck - when you're on the bridge look down on deck slightly to port, that T shaped gadget rotating in a circle (which it actually shouldn't be while surfaced) is the third sonar head, an ultra sensitive underwater-only sonar with two directional microphones on the far ends of the T. In real life you got more accurate bearings with that sonar than with the regular domes underneath. In game it doesn't really matter since they simulate only one sonar, so surfaced or submerged doesn't change anything.

Another advantage to being on the surface is Radar, which while not perfect is something to utilize when you can.

I have just started my first career with these two mods installed. I have found much less shipping as well. That's alright though. The trick, I suppose is to find choke points in shipping lanes like the others have said. I try to stay close to the coast was well, and will wait for darkness to sneak quietly in close to ports to have a look. I am mindful of the potential for mines though.

What the mods have done for me so far, which I thank them for, is that my aircraft evasive maneuvering has become very efficient. Though, on my current mission, days away from resupply, I have emptied the AA ammunition stores, but there are four aircraft in the ocean now, and we had smoke coming from two more before they flew off.

Plus, the fuel efficient running I have going right now is nice. I am working my way slowly down from coastal Japan to Singapore and beyond, having patrolled three separate areas, and sunk 10 targets (admittedly that includes a small flotilla of sampans which scattered under fire when I surfaced in amongst them suddenly one night).

I have rarely been submerged, though if I had radar I would be going under more often I think. Having to spot aircraft visually makes travelling in daylight a low TC affair. And the only time I have been above 2/3 speed is during evasive turns. She's a slow old process, but my hull is not overly damaged and all of the crew is alive. I do get the TC up to 1000 at night, but no more than 256 during the day.

I'm wrapping up patrol #2. April 1942, mostly near the Philippines.

5 torpedoes remaining, 7 ships sunk, around 40,000 tons, not too shabby, with #8 soon to be sunk (so make that 3 torpedoes remaining.) I've averaged a little better than one kill per week. All solo merchants. So, lots of cruising.

Best hunting has been SW of Manila, around the Mindoro Straits, but there are loads of aircraft.

I finally saw the IJN! A task force, best target was a cruiser, but I spotted them heading for a nearby port and they vanished before I could intercept.

Planes harass me, but I almost always crash dive at first alarm. I don't even want them to see me. Still, I get spotted often, but I'm usually deep before they attack. I've also been lucky a couple times. I've never fired the flak gun.

I always try to be submerged by daybreak myself, as a result seeing Japanese planes is almost nonexistant on my end, unless you count the "landed" seaplanes I see when I scout harbors. :hmmm:

That's a wise policy. I sometimes do the same, depending on the likelihood of air contacts. If possible, I prefer the surface by day. By night, I dive every 2+ hrs to check sonar. By day, once I think I'm spotted, I change course and stay under til dark. If I'm staking out a narrow passage, where sonar is as good as visual, I'll stay submerged day and night, only surfacing briefly for air & to charge batteries. I seldom let batteries get below 70-80%.

When submerged, I cruise at 1 knot, at 160-220ft depth (just above thermal layer). I think a lot of people assume they're safe at periscope depth, but planes can spot you at various depths depending on the weather & mods. There's also a (small) risk of collision if you're running blind at periscope depth.

I seldom mess with harbors.

Lots of ways to be successful it seems.

I spend most of my time on the surface. Pretty much pulling the cork for incoming aircraft and enemy contacts only.

Radar is pretty amazing at picking up contacts far out of visual range. I doubt I'm ever spotted.

I never fight it out with aircraft. And a finger stays close to the "C" key during daylight hours. If I see a plane, il"l chart his course on the map. If he deviated one iota from the base course I pull the plug. They never get close. Many, if not most, aircraft not flying directly at you, do not see you. But I would guess there is always an exception!!

I cover a lot of ocean, zigging a bit as I move around.

By Radar and sheer dumb luck I seem to spot fine on the surface at night, but maybe its luck

Yes, many ways to skin cats. Some better than others...

Air search radar is great, but not 100% reliable. A few planes appear at visual range with no radar warning. IDK how much if that is crew's skill, how much is a realistic limitation of the radar, how much is intended/unintended by Ubi and modders, and how much is luck, etc..

I have read that the (in game) radar won't detect low-flying planes, but at least one has gotten past my radar at a pretty good altitude.

Speaking of air search radar: When I -am- (though seldom) at periscope depth in daylight, I usually have the SD antenna up. I tested it, and it will track planes if it's just barely poking above the water. (Forget "radar depth"!) It works at periscope depth in calm seas, and I'll go to slightly shallower depth to account for higher seas. I usually lower the 'scope to the same height as the SD antenna to reduce my visibility.

Oh, you mean surface radar! Yes, it is better than visual + sonar together. But I hardly ever get far enough into the war to have it available! (I keep swapping mega mods...)

Also, I usually switch it off out of (misplaced?) concern that it'll be detected. (Doesn't seem like it though.) I've read that only certain Japanese ships can detect it - but you can't believe everything you read! So I use it sparingly, about like I use active sonar.

Sinkmore, in 11 missions I have observed the aircraft to be very predictable at night. They fly air lanes for the most part. When they come directly at you it's most often because you had an encounter with one if their countrymen and they're looking for you. Or you were on the air lane. When I'm working an area, I draw the aircraft paths on the map. Most airplanes just fly down the lane. Any deviation is cause for going deep. Likely daytime is identical, but they can obviously see a lot further.

I often remain surfaced at night and when I pick up a plane,I avoid being broadside to them and I keep my profile small and speed low. Most of the time they fly by.

I've never seen an enemy combatant escape detection of my radar. As for radar not working, I have noticed it sometimes doesn't do a proper full 360 scan. I always check the continuous scan button to insure it does. It may be why radar occasionally fails you!

I avoid sampans like the plague as I suspect some have radios.

I'm in late 1943.

Bob

Wow, I've never seen Japanese planes after dusk. Not looking forward to late '43!

I think we're talking past each other about SD and SJ radar. The way the game models SD, all you get is a contact report and a mark on the map; you can't turn SD (air search) on or off, or even see the SD scope. All you can do is raise or lower the SD antenna. The two radar scopes you see on a sub are both for SJ (surface) radar. You can turn SJ on and off, and aim it at stuff.

It was SD radar that I meant: that sometimes detects planes IDK 20 miles(?) away, and sometimes doesn't detect them at all (possibly due to low altitude).

I have very little experience with SJ in SH4 - just once or twice in single missions. I used SJ in SH2, way back in the 20th century, but barely remember the details.

I've only managed to play one SH4 campaign long enough to get SJ, but I never used it. I turned it off as a precaution and forgot I had it. I guess Ensign Carruthers had a restful patrol. Then I drowned in mod soup and started over - again.

The air radar in game will pick up larger planes much further..

They don't detect your radar in game. If you see them coming at you with your radar on, most likely they have you on radar, just get skinny and run away and they'll head back to formation or look for you where they last had contact.