Sub fuel ranges
 

Just wondering how some of you more experienced players manage your fuel loads. As far as I am aware I can only get two indications of my fuel/range- The fuel gauge, and the navigator report on maximum range at current speed. The navigators report seems to vary wildly- last night whilst on patrol (and travelling at a constant engine speed), the reports seemed to go from 5000k up to at one point 11,000k, but I appreciate that variables like the wind, surface conditions etc probably have a great effect on this value.
Is there any method you use which enables you to calculate your remaining fuel and range more exactly?

Hello!
 

What sub,are you use?

Using the type VIIC, 1941.

Make sure you are not recharging batteries when you ask for range. That really FUBARS the result, because you're running with one engine at flank for the recharge.

I've seen my estimate vary by up to 2000km in a storm, never as much as 6000km :huh:

After a few patrols you just get a good feel for the sort of ranges you can achieve.

If you have GWX 3 installed, you should also have the manual that came with it. There is a table there that lists the U-boat ranges from "vanilla" SH3 and SH3 with GWX. It's on page 72 of the manual.

According to the table, the type VII's had a range of 12.000 miles in stock SH3, but 15.000 miles in GWX. (For why that is, see the manual, they explain it very well). The various type IX's had varying ranges, ranging from 16.000 miles for the IXB, to a staggering 44.000 miles for the IXD2!
(20.000 and 55.000 respectively in GWX)

The slower you go, the further you can travel (less rpms for the diesels). The type VII traditionally cruised at about 7 knots, which seemed to be the most fuel efficient speed. The faster you go, the more fuel you burn, of course.

Not completely accurate. There is a maximum efficiancy at a certain speed. If you go faster then you burn more fuel, but if you go slower then you also burn more fuel per kilometre.

To the thread starter: Just set your uboat to different knot settings, let the needle settle on it, then ask the navigator for range possible at current speed. As said, keep in mind the recharge setting and weather conditions. Wind direction and such doesn't really affect fuel efficiency, but you do go less far in heavy weather.

Yes, you are correct. Thank you for straightening it out. :salute:

Chief engineer also reports when boat has 50%, 25%, 10% fuel left. At 10% TC drops automatcly to 1. When I get 25% report it's time to plan return trip.

The SH3 world is a "Mercator projection" - meaning that the round earth is being projected on a flat surface.
This results in a great deal of distortion in the distances between objects.
for example:
On the round earth it is a voyage of some 3,300 miles (give or take) from Brest France to New York harbor...in the "mercator world" of SH3, that distance is distorted to a whopping 5,300 miles...not quite TWICE the actual distance.
A type VII sub would have no problem travelling at an economic cruise speed from Brest to New York and back acting conservatively but in SH3 you would run out of fuel about half way into your return voyage.
Because the SH3 modders could not change the SH3 world from Flat.. to spherical, they had to adjust the in game range of the U-boat by increasing it nearly 3 fold.

See Flaxpants, I told you the GWX team could explain it beautifully? :D

Your checque is in the post :DL

Ah, thanks very much.
The regular case of Becks would have been enough, though! :()1:

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/2884/drunkcob.gif

All right...confess...where did you get this picture of me? :stare:

Two pf my favourite drinks when I was living in Dordrecht :yep:

http://www.dinkydrinksminiaturewhisk...mium_lager.jpg http://www.drinkswap.com/images/bevfull/7107.jpg