Whats the fascination with the Narwhal Class?
 

Like the title says. I see people in all different forums screaming for the Narwhal. Big old and slow, more a surface "Cruiser Sub" then a sub really. There where only 2 boats built in this class ever, why not add the Barracuda Class, Dolphin Class, Cachalot Class and the Argonaut Class then. Or do ppl think the Narwhal is cool because she's big and ugly?

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ox/0816613.jpg

See that! two deck guns, and guess what...its the Argonaut ;)

Look at it this way, in a WW2 flight sim you not only want the mainstays of the various airforces. How often have we not flown around in FW190, ME109, Various Spitfires, Hurricanes, Tempest, Mustangs, Zeroes etc.

The esoterics add flavour and variety. Not because they are necessarily better or even on par with the more famous aircraft, but because they are different. Just take'em out for a spin and see what they can do.

edit: Come to think of it, after the devs have patched up the game, they should release an expansion pack with more allied subs _and_ incorporate an IJN campaign (with jap subs obviously) where we can play around as nipps. That would be cool :)

I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

All true what you say there, including the add-on. But why only the Narwhal, whats so special about that, that's what I can't figure. No one mentions the other classes as i stated in my 1st post. Its not a problem but I am just curious as to why this class seems to be so "popular" was it in some book/film or something?

The other classes were just the same as the fleet boats, just crappier.
The early Vs (Barracuda etc), Cachalot and Dolphin were just experiments in building a fleet boat. Experiments which failed for various reasons.
The Narwhal class was a cruiser submarine, basically a copy of the german U cruisers of WW1, only slower because of bad engines.

Speaking of missing boats in the game, I strongly feel the devs should have include the HOR-boats, making us curse and swear every time our diesels brak down. :cool:

Why not combine flight and sub sims with an add on for Submarine Aircraft Carriers; USN S1, RN M2, Regia Marina Ettore Fieramosca, IJN B1, AM & I400 types, and KM Type IX D 2 with "Bachstelze"?

Nearly forgot, Surcouf.

Big and ugly? Just beautiful in an odd perverted way. ;)

But in all seriousness I think my fascination and others' is her guns and size. I mean think of torpedoing an escort in this baby then surfacing and raising hell with those guns. :)

Personally I'd love nothing more than to have playable Japanese subs. Talk about having a hell of a time surviving. Going against Allied DDs, having to run dangerous resupply/transport missions, and most of all....having the I-400 and getting in close to the US coast to launch a/c. Too cool! :D

Exactly:up:

Narwhal is another epitome of how the US sub forces started a submarine war completely underequipped. Same as the S-Boats were slow, with less torpedoes and operational depth, the Narwhal class had some handicaps that made them lovely for those who like the challenge.

Because none had the 6 inch guns that allowed the Narwhal to be tasked with shore bombardment raids. One was even tasked with bombing the summer palace of the Emperor, though the mission wasn't finally accomplished.

Other than minelying, the rest of the sub classes provide missions more or less similar, but the Narwhal allows for a very different way of playing, more WW1 style.

That makes the difference for me:up:

Something I'm dying to find out from a vet...were they by any chance referred to as 'Whore' boats?

And Daft, I absolutely agree, modelling the HOR/Whore engines would have been a nice touch.

Big and ugly needs lov'in also....just not by me;). Actually she is pretty cool looking.

According to Blair in Silent Victory, the HOR engines were indeed called "whores"

:rotfl:

All new subs are welcome :up:

As long as they are histroically accurate, right? :rock:

On the subject of subs that are missing, where's the Tench class?? I loved that in Silent Service II.

Yes, were is my beloved USS Torsk? I visit her in person here in Baltimore MD.

There was a mod for enabling the Tench and 1945 career starts in the Mods forum. Do a search:up: I believe it would be worth also looking into TM and RFB readmes, may be they included it.

P.S. The Tench provided that way is of course a Balao with specific characteristics, yet it was also more or less that in real life AFAIK :smug: