Running With Decks Awash
 

I've started to experiment with the decks awash concept. I have been playing around with manually moving the depth gauge needle to the "7" indent on the depth gauge and watching the boat from external view. It is awesome to see this happen, as the boat gradually settles down lower in the water. I've read that this has an effect in the game, but I have yet to prove this for myself. I'm waiting for my first enemy encounter to try it for real.

Now, I haven't had the time yet to read through each page of the GWX2 manual, but is this modelled and is there a shortcut key that allows one to run decks awash or must this be manually input? Thanks for any help offered. And sorry if this has already been covered, but I have only recently begun again to start hanging out and posting here.

With decks awash you become more difficult to see (but you're not invisible) The penalty for running decks awash is higher fuel consumption.

Another advantage of decks awash, is reduced diving time.

It all makes sense, of course; a sub with more of its hull in the water should meet more resistance and thus burn more fuel to maintain the same speed. I just wasn't sure if all of the logical factors are reflected in the game. Thanks for your reply. I don't expect it to be a Klingon invisibility cloak, but it should at least make me a bit harder to spot. I'm really looking forward to my next night time convoy attack to try this.

K61 I did a pretty extensive test with Decks Awash quite awhile ago, back when the concept first came out. If you want I can pull up the copy and post it here. Kind of a long post though. The bottom line id DA definately does help in detectability by the AI escorts in certain conditions.

If it's not too much bother, I'd love to read that, thank you.

Was the decks awash concept actually really used by Kaleuns back then?

Yes, it was. I have seen it mentioned in a number of books. It had a real world origin and application. As mentioned, it lowered the silhouette of the U-boat, which was already difficult to see at night. It also became a standard practice for inbound and outbound U-boats near France once the Allies began to saturate the Bay of Biscay with aerial ASW patrols. It decreased the amount of time to dive, as the sub was already partially flooded. Of course, this increased drag and fuel consumption, but there were occasions, such as those above which warranted that.

Just one example -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Turner_(DD-648)

Thanks guys!

But wouldn't that also mean the U-Boats propeller noises would be easier to detect via hydrophone (while conducting surfaced convoy attacks)

Schwuppes, I don't know but so far, I don't think so although that is what you'd expect but those 2 meters don't make that much difference, you're still in the surface noise.

The dive time thing is definitely useful in the IX boats especially the IXD2 which takes more than a minute for a normal dive,

I was operating around Freetown I decided to try decks awash, i wanted to avoid a River class. I was succesfully avoiding him, when out of nowhere a VW cut on a searchlight and ruined my day. he was about 3500m away so i guess she had radar. I dived to Periscope depth. put the VW aft of me and waited for her to get within 1000m. Stern shot sunk her. The river strated zig zaging but I got her to, to shallow had to make a stand.

Yes, decks awash was used in real life. On patrol they usually didn't us it since, as was already pointed out, it was very wasteful where fuel was concerned. Since the main use was as stealthy an approach as possible at night, they usually also switched to electric motors to kill noise and smoke. Too bad the game doesn't allow us to manually choose e-motors while surfaced.

You can get the same effect later on in the war by fitting a snorkel. This allows you to keep the hull under water but with the speed benefit of running your diesels. The snorkel does have a radar signature but it is far less than the conning tower and if you are detected then your speed allows you to submerge quicker.
Pictures of it in use are at:
http://www.uboataces.com/uboat-type-work.shtml

Decks awash works remarkably well in game.
When the night is dark enough I have managed to get within 1600m of dd's without being detected.
Of course once they get radar.....

Snorkel Photo Caption Error