Passive sonar equipped merchants
 

Just noticed something which is new at least to me, and hasn't been discussed much here at subsim: Every merchant in the game receives a passive sonar(Type3-M1P) in 1942-1943, and some even get a better model(Type3-M2P) later in the war. This is a stock feature, and at least TM+RSRDC retain it. If you ever get spotted by a single merchant while submerged, now you know why :)

I remember reading somewhere that some Jap merchants actually had passive sonars, but a quick googling failed to bring up anything useful. If anyone has any good sources which confirm this, feel free to post a link.

I've noticed it a few times.

I see no problem with having a few merchants having hydrophones but sometimes they are a little too good with them. In the Japanese system, to be a merchant sonar opperator, you had to be pretty low on the scale (or in trouble with someone)

I've never heard of any Japanese merchants having sonar, active or passive. On the other hand, a lot of sub-chasers of various sizes were called "xxx-Maru".

Ruh, roh!!!:eek:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...084150_140.jpg