[REQ] Bathythermographs
 

Historically ( and according to my SH1 manual, lol,) Bathythermographs were not in use on US submarines until the spring of '43. Whether this is general use or at all I don't know but does anyone know whether it would be possible to make the Btg an 'Upgradable' item like Radar or Conning towers with an appropriate renown cost and date, and, secondly, whether doing this would have any affect on the player being informed about the existance of a thermal layer?

I was reading James Calvert's Silent Running and he stated that during one action his skipper took the boat to just below test depth to take advantage of a thermal layer. I was wondering how he would have know that there was a layer, but this was 1944 so I guess they had a BTG.

Is the AI sonar affected by layers?

Is the AI sonar affected by layers?



In reality, if a sub slid beneath a thermal layer, it could cause the enemy to loose contact, or gain contact at all. The colder layers of water being denser then warmer layers would actually tend to "deflect" sonar waves. I would imagine it would be like sound waves hitting the hard bottom of the sea.

Yeah, I know that, but does the AI? If the AI is unaffected then there is no point in the BTG, but if layer effects are modelled in the AI a bathythermograph is worth having.

The layers, the effect on the AI sonar and the Btg are all in the game as far as I know. It just seems odd that we get it staight away when it wasn't available for the first 2 and a bit years in real life.

In real life the skippers usualy took the boat down as deep as possible in the operations area for two reasons mainly:

1 - Timing how long it took to get down and how long it took to get up to P-depth again. In case they had to run deep and fast under a layer to get in through escorts it was imperative to time the "rise" to end at the correct possition in the convoy.

2 - To find layers with the bathythermograph so they new what depth to go to to be able to hide effectively.

I usualy do the same thing in SH4 for the same two reasons. Allthough my bathythermograph is the watchman yelling "Passing Layer Sir!"

They are, and the effect of layers on the enemy sonar and hydrophone are adjustable in the Cfg/Sim.cfg file.

Yeah, but what I'm interested in is whether removing the Btg as an automatic item on your boat would cut out the message informing you you have found the layer. I obviously don't want the layer removed, just any notification of crossing it until you have the Btg fitted.

Miss the BTG but I don't think it was strictly necessary
 

The bathythermograph provided a nice visual log of the sea temperature-over-depth but I think it was common to measure the "outside" temp and look for a change on the way down. A BTG just made it a little easier...

I believe the effects of thermolayers were fairly well understood before the adoption of the BTG.

its listed as # 3 on the list of functional types for upgrade packs
there is a good chance it can be done that way but Im not
100% certain ..........yet,:doh:

Just need an SSXBT launcher in the rear of the boat ... or a towed array to dip down and find the layers...

I've only had a little look at this stuff so far. I can't see why it would not be possible. I'll try over the weekend.