Having trouble finding enemy ships...
 

Hi all,

I am a rookie in sub sims, never have had much interest in them, until I saw SH4 that is (thanks in large part to the amazing graphics). Being a big fan of IL-2, I like realism, even if I have to work up to it.

So as I started my first campaign after reading and watching some movies, I am having a terrible time finding any enemy ships. My realism settings in low, I think maybe at 42. I continuesly see marks on my map of ships and their direction, but since sometimes I am using the time compression, I am slow at realizing it. One I do, I try to intercept, but I am not sure how far in front I should go. I know that the marks say "slow, medium,fast", but I do not know what those equate to in actual speed number.

I have also read about waiting on shipping lanes or military lanes and ambushing, but is there a way to figure it out somehow? or is it something that you have to figure out by finding ships there?

Basically, I am just looking for tips on finding enemy ships, and hoping you guys can help me.

Thanks from a rookie!

'42 patrols in the Solomons area is particularily dry. Play a different boat, different year, different base - anything to get out of the Solomons.

Here is the key to slow medium fast descriptions on the map
[ContactSpeeds]
;less than each value means (in this order): stationary, slow, medium and fast speed ; over the last value means very fast speed
Merchant=0.1,8,12,35 ;[kts]
Warship=0.1,8,19,35 ;[kts] including uboats
Air=0.1,8,19,35 ;[kts]
Convoy=0.1,8,12,35 ;[kts]

If you are unsure about a convoy's speed and you want to intercept it, you could spend a lot of time working out your speed and angles etc, but a much simplified method is as follows:

Note the time that the convoy report was made and its heading, for example 'medium speed, heading south 10.30'. As long as it's not too long after 10.30 (say up to an hour, there's still a very good chance you'll catch them). Zoom in on the convoy's reported location and draw a line through it to the south (i.e their course), extending for several miles, it doesn't have to be perfect, and remember there is an eraser, so you can zoom in and out to get it right even if it takes a few goes.

Next, put yourself up to full speed and race toward the end of the line several miles in advance of where you guess you might intercept the convoy, this does not have to be perfect either, just get yourself on that extended course prediction line well in advance. At medium speed, the convoy will take a good while longer than you do to get there at flank speed, but remember that you will be approaching at an angle, so add that into your rough guess.

When you get on the line, turn north and submerge to say 70 feet and stop your engines. Now is the time to order everyone to battle stations too, as they will be more efficient. Listen for a while on the hydrophones (in all directions) but especially to the north where you expect the convoy to be arriving and about 20 degrees either side. If you don't hear anything, surface and go north a few miles then submerge again and repeat your hydrophone check. You might have to do this a few times, but eventually it is very likely you will hear the approaching convoy. When you do hear it, keep listening and try and get them coming right toward you by checking the sound of one ship and seeing if the sound seems to be drifting right or left, if it is, reposition yourself until that sound contact is on a steady bearing.

Before they get too close, take a good look at the map and note where the deeper water is, as this will be your best escape route if things get rough, if you like, plot a course in that direction, so that you can simply order a 'resume plotted course' to get you out of there, also take a depth sounding to be sure of how deep you can go to evade, it's embarrassing to crash dive straight into the sea bed!

When you've done that, it's time to back off the line to one side and get yourself pointed at where the convoy will pass, about 1000 yards away will be a good spot, but if you can hear destroyers, you might want to back off to 3-4000 yards. Keep monitoring the convoy's approach on hyrdophones as you sit at 70 feet down, then pop up to periscope depth when you think they'll be coming in sight. Stop your engines and go to silent running. While you wait, get all your torpedoes sorted out, doors open speed selected etc and if you are on manual TDC, roughly set up the range, the angle on bow and the speed you think things might be at (for a merchant convoy, between 4 and 8 knots is a good guess to begin) This means that only minor tweeks will be needed when you spot things and make a proper estimate of what the convoy is travelling at.

After that, it's all up to you.

Good luck and be sure to check out the video tutorial on the main page which has a very similar scenario to this with lots of good explanatory comments.

Chock :D

Thanks for the responces, have a few questions/comments however:

Currently I do not believe I can use the hydrophones on my U-boat (don't think I have a radar either... I have the default uboat on the 1942 campaign), but I figure that and other equiptment (like whatever it is you used to check the depth) will be available later so I am not too worried.

However, you seem to be talking about the conveys that are given to me by message. What I have been going after (as every convoy that has been given to me has been friendly) and was talking about was individual ships that show up without a message on the map. A square will show up with the tail and it will display the movement (slow med or fast), kind of ship I believe, and direction. These are the kinds of ships I have been searching for as I have not gotten a message about enemy convoys.

Should I bother trying to find these and other ships/conveys taht are not given to me through the radio? Or should I just wait until I get a message about one?

Also, quick question, I am unsure about the unit of measurement used on the map, but I think that .1 = 100 yards correct? Optimum range for a 90 degree shot is 1000-800 yards right (this I believe was mentioned in the movie by Legion, which is great btw).

Thanks again!

you can also set your config file to drop you to 1x TC when you recieve a contact, I think it defaults to 8x TC which allows them to keep moving faster and can cause your intercept to be a bit late.

also when you recieve a contact, draw a line through the contact (using ruler) showing its course and head straight towards the line at a 90 degree angle and as you get close to the line slow or stop, submerge and wait. You should see the contact comming in on sonar and if you can intercept the ship you will.
I never bother working out the speeds of the ship, most of the time you can intercept them.

Make sure your periscope is down or you wont get the sonar lines. also you can get nice and close 300 - 500m so you can see the flag.

You should have your hydrophones already installed to any boat you use at the game nomatter on which date. A sub without a hydrophone would be tottaly blind..