Getting started on Naval Sims
 

I'm just getting started in Naval Sims, and would appreciate some tips for getting up to speed. What books and/or web sites would you recommend for someone who has no knowledge of Naval tactics/ships/equipment? I want to try Dangerous Waters and SH4. :up:

For Dangerous Waters ... the Commanders Academy & Dive Center (short : CADC) which can be found here : www.commanders-academy.com . Next to a forum there is also a Wiki with the DW FAQ and other helpful stuff. For files you might need visit www.subguru.com . Can't help you for SH4, better look and ask around in the SH4 forums above.

Cheers
OS

And watch the required movies.. (Hunt for the Red October Et cetera..) :up:

Great choice with Dangerous Waters. I suggest SH3 with the GWX 2.0 mod. It's much better than SH4 and theres much more of an "adventurous" feel to it. SH4 just isn't the same.

May I also suggest Harpoon Commander's Edition from Matrix Games.

http://www.matrixgames.com/games/game.asp?gid=325

Also Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare, but that game is nowhere near as user friendly as Commander's Edition. There are some differences such as Advance Naval Warefare having multiplayer more accurate targeting of individual targets (like buildings in bases and such (Not to mention a few bugs that they're working to patch up)
http://www.matrixgames.com/games/game.asp?gid=323

I've played them both and enjoy them equally.

and also Distant Guns (By Storm Eagle I believe). They are coming out with a sequel to Distant Guns called Jutland as well.

http://www.stormeaglestudios.com/pub...stantguns.html

For miniature tabletop games that will teach you more about naval warefare just from reading the game manual than most any book, check out Harpoon4, Command at Sea(This comes bundled with their game sets Rising Sun, and Supermarina I), and Fear God & Dreadnought by Clash of Arms Games. They cost a bit, but then considering that the rulebooks are pretty much manuals that teach pretty much EVERYTHING about naval warefare, they are a great read even if the game itself never hits your tabletop or floor. I've learned more about naval warefare from reading those manuals than I have reading all the books about naval stuff I've ever read.
http://www.clashofarms.com/harpoon4.html

http://www.clashofarms.com/risingsun.html

http://www.clashofarms.com/supermarina1.html

They are also coming out with this soon..... *drool*
http://www.clashofarms.com/AtlanticNavies.html
I can't wait to wage the "Battle of the Atlantic" on the floor of my living room !

For cardboard board game naval games that are pretty easy to learn and get started on, I suggest "The Great War at Sea" series from Avalanche Press LTD. There are several of them in the series and they are all good and relatively easy to learn for a board wargame. They have some nice mechanics and are a lot of fun to play.

http://www.avalanchepress.com/line_GWAS.php

:rock:

I might suggest the Naval Combat Pack. It has Fleet Command, Sub Command, and 688(i) Hunter Killer. The prior two were the precursers to DW, starting with 688(i).

With Fleet Command, you have an awesome mod with Naval Warfare Project.

With Sub Command, you have SCU and SCX mods which allow you to play cold war scenerios.

With DW, get LWAMI 3.08 as it has more realism applied to DW with weapons and AI doctorine behavior.

As for reading, Blue Book of Tactics and TimmyG00 Tactical Manual are a must.

Thanks for the many tips and links.:up:

SH4 Patched to 1.4 with some of the available mods is well worth it :yep:
By the way, welcome to SUBSIM :up:


RDP

Depending on how mathematically knowledable you are, you might want to read Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat by Hughes and Naval Operations Analysis by Wagner to give one a sense of the sorts of calculations one makes in naval tactics and allow you to answer questions like, "How many missiles do I shoot/carry?", "How big an area can this platform search in this period of time?" and "Does this scenario make sense?"

I have to add Global Conflict Blue to the mix as well. It's pretty well put together and it's free !!! It's kind of like Fleet Command mixed with the Harpoon series.

http://gcblue.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

I'm pretty new to Naval sims and have stuck to Dangerous Waters and SH3 (Mainly due to my laptops speed). I think they are two pretty key sims you should at least give a month each too and learn the ropes. It will help you with all future naval type sims I believe.

Of course reading books will enhance your knowledge, but its through practice with the "game" you ll get things speed up.
Play and read and play and read and....
Greets

I read that book. A great read. In fact, bought it based on Sea Queen's recommendation.

It will help with Harpoon, but I think it won't do anything for giving you a conceptual base for various sub games mentioned here. All those games are very tactical. But you'll find lot of help for them on these forums.