Is "compressed air" cosmetic?
 

Ok, I'l admit I never go below test depth (assuming that test depth is what a pointer is contlinuesly pointing at ~110 meters in my depth meter). I had some sudden sinkings with version 1.00 and I decided that fleet boats aren't u-boats and avoided 3 digit depths from thereon! (Of course the sudden sinkings could be due to a compromised hull but back then I didn't know if/when my hull was compromised in the 1st place!:) ). So not going beyond test depth maybe a reason for my next question which is:
Does "compressed air" ever get consumed by "normal operations"?
Remaining at 40 meters, for 10 hours, (stationary) doesn't affect it! [edit: Ok maybe to shallow...]
Surfacing, at 0 speed doesn't affect it!
Blowing tanks probably would, but haven't done that for a long time!
Or is it just a doomsday indicator such as "We lost our batteries, we lost our air... let's put something on the gramophone and wait for the grim ripper. It's harvest time!:cry: "
Playing: SH4 1.4 / no mods.

As I understand it, in the game, I think the compressed air is only affected by blowing ballast. (Not sure about RL) So that's probably why you aren't seeing it fluxuate any, as you said you haven't blown your tanks in a while.

I've only ever used compressed air to blow ballast. If it has any other function I'm too much of a n00b to have figured it out!

I think the CO2 doubles for oxygen for the sailors (the more CO2, the less oxygen)

ballast
 

Correct. Compressed air is used to blow water out of the tanks to surface. If you get damaged and are sinking, that might be the only way up. However, if you are badly damaged, you might have to blow and blow.

When the compressed is gone, you are in BIG trouble. The WW2 subs didn't have oxygen for the crew in containers. That is why you see in the movies so much sweat and angst if they are under too long.

Air for the crew came from surfacing, opening hatches, and running the fans and diesel blower.

I think in RL compressed air was also used to launch torps out of the tubes and to force water out of the ballast tanks, maybe even more. AFAIK, as stated above, in SH4 it is only used for "emergency blow".

I've never yet encountered a situation in SH4 where compressed air became a critical survial issue. So..from that limited point of view I guess you could say that it is pretty much cosmetic. There always is enough compressed air for daily operations it seems.

I recall ,way back in AOTD, where compressed air was often a very critical issue when trying to beat the clock, effecting repairs, before time ran out. When the air gave out... then down into the depths your boat went. :shifty:

It would have been nice to have that modeled in SH4. :yep:

That's exactly why I asked! :up:

So I gather the real question is was compressed air so important actually and were U-boats different from fleet boats in this aspect.

I wouldn't think so....about there being a difference. Compressed air was vital for both in the real world.

It just that real world facts don't always get translated into the gaming world. Sometimes yes. sometimes no.

Can't avoid commenting on how a DOSy gamlet (compared to modern monster sims) could give you more parameters to play around eh!

Anyway onwards with the patrol!
BTW I really enjoy the game and the excellent sunsets too!

I don't think it was ever used to launch torpedoes during WW2. Most of the WW2 Torpedos were the Wet-Heater. Injecting a flammable substance into the combustion chamber, and then cooling the combustion chamber with salt water. Some were Lead-Acid batteries which didn't leave a wake, but required constant maintenance and even some experiments with hydrogen-peroxide torpedoes.

Now if only someone had invented the supercavitation torpedo in 1940....the war may have ended totally different....

Compressed air is something you never think about until you run out. Try to crash dvie and blow ballast a bunch of times and see if you can run out the air.

Pphhh anyone can do that

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...-2-2007_16.jpg

but theres always another mind on the other side working up
a hydrofoil freighter.

lifes like that

I think you maybe misunderstand he meant compressed air to
initially launch the torpedo from its tube not compresssed
air to power the torpedo that goes way way back to when
I was a rookie.

[edit] I think compressed air is poorly labled in shiv

From http://www.bowfin.org/website/bowfin...pedo_tubes.htm

Torpedo tubes on U.S. submarines in World War II were basically large naval guns that used compressed air rather than explosives to eject their projectiles.


Edit:Mush beat me to it

Ohh, my mistake. I thought he was saying they were filled with compressed air.

Have you ever ridden a hydrofoil boat, the only one I ever have was a ferry from Portland, Maine to nova scotia, took a 4 hour trip down to about an hour and by far the smoothest sailing boat I've ever been on. Kinda made me feel wierd moving that fast through water, and not feeling the bow of the boat breaking waves....

Ive seen a thirty minute video on that ferry very chic:up:

I havent but take a look at these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nljxi4E4-4Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQRtgEIs--k