I'll try it this afternoon and post the results. I'm betting it only matters for E-W crossings, but not N-S.

It also occurred to me to test what happens as you approach the pole. Does the game have a "wall" at the top? Or maybe just ice pack and these diesel boats don't have the submerged range to traverse.

I'll post back from home when I can.
Thx

Both poles have ice walls that go to the bottom or past crush depth

I should know better
 

Sorry all for the brief distraction. My fault for posting before testing, and for thinking I've found something new that hadn't already been thoroughly covered by all the more experienced captains here.

I was very clearly wrong - a simple set of waypoint plots shows a straight line on the map is the shortest distance, and the curved route that would (and maybe should) represent a great circle on this simulated flat projection is nothing but an unnecessary detour.

I have screenshots, but I won't waste the space. It's clear this is already either common knowledge. Otherwise, it would show up in Captain's Bag of Tricks sticky or somewhere obvious.

Back to straight-line sailing, and good hunting everyone.

D'oh! Hubris and enthusiasm = :oops:


Also, thanks Armistead for saving me a trip to the Arctic.
:salute:

Great circle test
 

I don't know much about navigation but out of interest I had a bit of a play with it and this is what I found:

I tried the following: I set a straight course between the longitudes 160east and 130west on the equator and then again at 40north.

Each course showed the same length (plot and ruler) and I also got the Nav oficer to give estimated time to end of course. Using my speed (x time) I determined I'd be covering the same distance on both courses.

I think this means no great circle route? Maybe someone more informed could confirm this.:06:

Edit: No worries Gilead you beat me with your post. Never mind mate was fun to find out, best way to learn eh!

There is most definitely a strategy to fuel consumption in this game. I often come back to port with less than 1% fuel. Once I even ran completely out of fuel a few hundred miles from Midway, went submerged, and then used up the last of my battery power to just barely get close enough to port to refuel, and then finally speeded off at flank to Pearl Harbor.:smug:

Make sure to use the "range to end" and "maximum range at current speed" buttons often, as they'll be your best, if not your main tools in conserving fuel. Stopping by ports on your way out to patrol or coming back is a good idea too, I refuel at Midway pretty much every time I leave from/come back to Pearl Harbor.

I don't think there's really a strategy. That makes it sound too elaborate. Best operating range is realized at about 10-12 kts. This can vary by class, by sea state, and by what mods you are using. While under way to my patrol area, I use the knotmeter and "Range at Present Speed" function to determine my boat's most fuel-efficient speed. Except for the old Sugar boats, maximum range is NOT achieved at, or even near, Standard speed. Most references will quote the maximum operating range for all WW2 submarine classes "at 10 kts." (if they qualify it at all) and that's about where you will find the most fuel-efficient performance.

Don't sweat it. You gave us something interesting to talk about.


I hope someday we'll have a subsim with a properly modeled earth to play with.

There is a definitely a certain amount of strategy to patrolling. Many have fuel problems because they think they must cruise continually, and thus use excessive amounts of fuel.

There is certainly a strategy to patrolling. But the techniques for fuel managment don't rise to the level of strategy. They are tactical doctrine, at most.