2 Questions.. Returning to base and Torpedoes
 

Just when I was about to ask a question about torpedo settings, someone here said "There is no reward to return back to base, just press ESC"


So, I have GWXgold and wondering why I always travel ALL the way back to base, is it true that this is not needed? Just press esc and click end patrol?

There will be no "Dock at <insert base>" option I assume..

Do you guys travel back to base or just press ESC?

THANKS!!

Now to the torps.. For the longest time I was just using auto for my settings, but recently I just realized It seems better to set the depth of my torps to just a meter or so below the ship, sometimes I get it just right or sometimes it still hits the broad side.. Either way, I assume there is more damage from exploding underneath than on the side?

What would the benefit be to use impact vs magnetic? I know one case would be that using magnetic you don't have to get a broad side 90 degree shot, you can shoot at an angle or even head on.

Thanks all!

If I'm honest I don't know about the ESC end patrol... Real Kaleuns didn't have that :)

As for torpedoes yes they do more damage if you set to magnetic and hit the ship on it's bottom. ( was it keel or I'm wrong?) Be careful though since in bad weather the ships can go up and down at about 2~3 meters and I had many duds because of torpedoes hitting at the deflecting surface (or premature explosions) so try to do this only in calm weather (or you can try it if "you're feeling lucky")

1) as far as returning to base goes, that's only true if you're playing below 100% difficulty.

2) yes, firing your torpedo underneath the keel does more damage (and can even break the ship in half), but as far as fuses go, I'd say magnetics are better for less than 90 degree shots since in theory you don't need a direct hit. But impact is more reliable early war.

As WP indicates - if you are playing at 100% realism, you cannot just hit ESC at any time and "teleport" back to base regardless of your current location. You must be within a certain distance of a base to dock there, which is still done by hitting ESC, clicking "Exit Patrol" and then "Dock at [wherever]" even if you're sitting dockside in the pen you originally sailed out of.

At less than 100% realism you can go through that same procedure and exit the patrol without actually sailing back to within minimum required distance of your base.

I think the minimum distance from homeport is 24-30 km, FWIW.

Impact "simply" explodes against the hull, punching a hole in it. Often that is enough for a small ship, and often (after some hours) for a big one.

A magnetic-pistoled torpedo goes off just below the ship. Physics are not my long suit, but the explosion, aside from the damage it does, creates a vacuum that the water (and the ship) immediately rush to fill. It can easily crack the keel of even a large ship, sinking them in minutes.

Even if it doesn't crack the keel, magnetics seem to cause far more damage and faster sinking.

I always use magnetic if the conditions are right for it (they tend to pop off early in rough seas if fired from a distance). 1) bigger bang, 2) far easier shot to set up.

Useful note: magnetic/impact is not "either/or". ALL torps are set to impact; magnetic is just gravy.

Except, the the impact pistol will not fire if the torpedo runs under the ship and the magnetic pistol fails. My personal preference tends more toward impact pistols than magnetics. If I miss the target I still have the chance of hitting a ship in one of the adjacent columns. Sometimes, though, this has worked against me, as a cheap, closer target takes an eel meant for a more distant and fatter ship. C'est le guerre!

No, but it's a little bonus that magnetics are armed for impact, too. I've had a (fairly) few gratifying explosions in choppy seas where the torp happened to hit, rather than go under, the target. We take what we can get, right?

They put the cheap targets outside. It helps to make your own list of frequently encountered merchants, rather than relying on the Target Book. Who can keep in their head that a medium cargo runs at 9/2 while a large merchant runs at 8/9, and who has time to fiddle through the book.

Another advantage to under-keel shots - you can 'skip' torpedoes underneath a ship to hit the target behind it. Provided the closer ship has a shallower draft. ;)

I have used that method. After going through the hassles of getting close to a convoy I have no intention of giving myself away by attacking the small fry on the perimeter. One thing this game forces us to do is think in three dimensions. It's way better than any point and shoot console game. I had one of my brother's friends telling me the other day about some console game and how "realistic" it is. I nearly died of a laughter fit after he told me that "after a minute and a half submerged you have to come up for air."

I don't play games, I play simulations. Games are for kiddies.

Eh, SHIII is a thinking game and great for laidback play, but IMO nothing beats an FPS for stress release (as far as games go that is) :hmmm:

I think he was just refering to the fact that you had to come up for air. I know I myself played both battlestations and found them quite entertaining since they were semi-realistic as far as most things.

And secondly, no matter what way you look at it. your playing a game ;)

if you want real, join the Navy, become a CO and get your own sub ! :P

Magnetic shots at 90 degrees are still effective, generally the best angle is 45 degrees or less depending on the boat. A large boat like a tanker/warship or very large passenger ship (like the Queen Mary) the key is surface area that the torpedo can cover. In a 90 degree shot if you're depth is too low good chance it'll keep going, on a 45 degree it goes across more of the keel and has a longer period to make contact and detonate as the ship goes up and down from the water conditions. Impact setting may be more reliable (depending on the year) though magnetic hits can take down almost anything with a single eel. Biggest ship so far to go down from 1 magnetic hit was the Nelson (35,000 tons) with a shot directly under the middle turret. Once the fuses get fixed they give you the biggest bang for your buck.

The fuses aren't even broken... and the electrics "keep depth" perfectly fine, no matter what the game instructions say.

So, in stock, you can use magnetic pistols and electric drives from day one.

In GWX, I believe you need to factor the pistol problem back in until mid 1940, though they are still far more reliable than not in my experience. Depth keeping is not an issue in stock or GWX.

This sucks :(

I wish I never knew I could just hit ESC.. I was so tempted last night.. OVER AND OVER again, I had no ambition to get back to base, I was almost out of fuel, I kept getting radar contacts, all I wanted to do was hit ESC.

I didn't, but Its really ruining this game for me now :( I don't know why they wouldnt award you more renown to get back to port, vs just hitting ESC all the way out in sea..

THIS BLOWS :(