SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - Advice for noobies

well said Mattj. Now let's get on to something more important. When I started hitting all of my shots on a fairly regular basis, I decided to look into the complexities of the game. I had been playing using the auto target feature at the time, so I moved up to manual targeting which kicked my ass for awhile. Manual targeting is more realistic and creates an entirely different ballgame. You have to learn submarine tactcs, evasive maneuvers, and so on.

When I started, I played stock. Then I asked Rockin Robbins introduce me to the concept of mods, which I new nothing about. An easy mod is the 360 degree bearing tool. I gives you a 2,000 yd. (or is it 3,000 yds? I use it so much I can't remember) circular bearing tool to plot with on the Navifgation Map, so you can measure distance. This is important in manual targeting.

My guess is that you are playing using the auto target feature. When you are proficient, you will get bored sinking so many ships. Plus, stock is not realistic. Get into the mods and not only do some modiify the ships and aircraft to make them more authentic, some completely change the game. Some mods make small changes (i.e. smaller plants and rocks on the sea flloor), but some change the ocean, the environment, guns, and everything else you can think of. You can hook up wartime radio stations and post pin-ups of 40's models in your office. TMO/RFB/RSRDC are the major game mods. Some have historical accuracy. There are also mods to improve your periscope, etc. If you want a nuclear tipped torpedo, you can mod it into your game.

JGSME is SIMPLE to use. I even figured it out.You may want to move up as your proficiency using auto targeting increases. This is not an easy sim to master, but there are many very intelligent captains. Some have programing experience, gaming experience, while others are brilliant artists, mathematicians, tacticians, and all of the above. And they are crazy, as well, which makes them totally normal in my eyes.:D Welcome to the fight. Grab a submarine and see how much you can learn. You will not be disappointed and definitely challenged.

Oh, and back to the point I think you were trying to make. If it was that S boats have limited manueverability and less weaponry than other boats, that is true. They go slower and don't dive as deep. But some captain's prefer to hunt in a Volkswagon, and call it a Ferarri. I like a Balao. They dive deeper than most, have two AA guns, a higher caliber deck gun, and mine has a fine decal on the tower. But those in the S-Boats are like the surfers who tackle the monster waves at Mavericks with long boards from the 1960s rather than the guns that are in vogue now. It works for them.

And, the kid has a sense of humor. the part about really dead "poet" being his editior is hilarious. Hey, you are in the Navy, now. (p.s. the SOB, who is a great modder, edited mine too! [Don't tell him I said that])

Added: FOTRS is a major game mod I forgot to mention.