Originally Posted by Cajun Kaleun (Post 2706922)

Why are you fighting planes on the surface? If you are doing that you are already in trouble. I have not had any issues with radar and I have not had aircraft catch me with my pants down except early on in an S boat. Once I got into the Salmon and above I had plenty of warning to dive.

Originally Posted by jorgegonzalito (Post 2706987)

After attacking a convoy and sinking 3 merchant ships and a destroyer (Strait of Mindoro mission) and spending some time avoiding another, my batteries were at 40% of their capacity. I'm already going to meet another convoy and I need to have a full load. I also wanted to test if I could keep a plane away without having to submerge, but apparently it is not convenient to do that, because either I did something wrong or the gunners do not act automatically in the game. When I had the contacts on on the map, I would see planes marked with a triangular icon approaching, and they didn't take me that much by surprise. I have removed some items to increase the realism to 65% so far. But now they don't appear on the radar screen. I have answered your question friend, but you have not answered mine: does the radar detect or not detect airplanes? If I don't see them on the screen, how can the crew signal a radar contact?

Originally Posted by razark (Post 2707028)

No, the A-scope and PPI only display surface contacts. There is no display for air contacts, except for the contacts on the map. In reality, the SD radar system would not actually give the crew a location, but would only return a distance to the contact, so the map is giving you more information than the crew would have had.


As for the AA guns, you have crew assigned, you've given the order to man them (or gone to battle stations), and have given the Fire at Will order? Beyond that, I don't know what needs to be done, since I hide from airplanes rather than engage them, because airplanes = death.

Originally Posted by Cajun Kaleun (Post 2707057)

Razark already answered the question about the SD radar. As to the rest of it the only options I have is external camera for screenshots and updating map because I'm not doing all the plotting so my realism is pretty high but don't remember the number. Your batteries are really low it seems like you are doing excessive maneuvering submerged.

I track surfaced as long as possible until I plot their track and get my firing position setup then I typically haul at flank or lower depending on distance to get ahead of the convoy then dive and lay in wait at about 0.5 knot while setting up my firing solutions. Then launch my fish and dive deep at flank then cut back to silent running and listen. Then if I want to re-engage the convoy I will break visual then surface and rinse and repeat. Learning battery management is key with WW2 subs and excessive submerged high speed maneuvering is going to leave you in bad spots.

As to the AA make sure again like razark said you have the correct options selected otherwise they won't engage but you should never be engaging aircraft outside of an S boat. American fleet boats have the technological advantage throughout the war against IJN aircraft and shouldn't be getting bounced like U-boots by the Royal Navy and RAF.

Originally Posted by jorgegonzalito (Post 2707104)

My assumption was correct, the radar does not detect the planes.

Originally Posted by jorgegonzalito (Post 2707106)

I must at least match my speed with that of the convoy in order to catch up, and get within firing range.

Originally Posted by razark (Post 2707112)

The SD radar absolutely does detect planes. (The smaller the plane, the closer it will get before it is detected.) The SJ radar detects and displays surface contacts.


"The radar" is made up of two different systems that serve two different purposes. Knowing which ones you have, and how they behave, is key to using them effectively. The screens you have in the boat are tied to the SJ surface search system. They do not display aircraft at all. The SD radar will alert you to aircraft, and will display them on the map, if you have Map Contacts on.


Planes are death to submarines. The only reason to fight them is if you can not submerge. Plane detected? Crash dive, turn towards the plane. Anything else is asking for a very early end to your career.






Stay outside of the escorts' detection range, but on the surface. Set a parallel course to the convoy, at a higher speed. Once you are well in front of them, turn to intercept their course well before they arrive, and only then should you submerge. Knowing their course and speed, you can set up your attack in advance of when they show up, dodge the escorts, get in close, and fire your torpedoes. This is a classic "End Around" attack. The only submerged maneuvering is at very slow speed when you are actually attacking. This saves your battery for afterwards, when you need to dodge depth charges and slowly creep away from the escorts.