Finding Merchant Ships
 

Hi I just started a career playing TMO and I'm having a hard time finding merchant ships (or even warships) on the map. I've been playing for hours now and I've only come across two. What are the best places to patrol? I've tried near Japan and south of there. Right now I'm headed south to the Philippines. but it's getting very frustrating. Is it a better tactic to stay in smaller patrol zones or to try and cover more ground? I'm trying to stick close to land, but nothing seems to work.

Welcome aboard, mlsmith45. Happy Hunting. I'm assuming you are using TMO 2.5, though I think it holds true in all versions of TMO, if you go to the icon that says misc., and click on the radio button, and drag the image down, it shows a map of the Pacific and shows Nippon minefields, air coverage, and shipping lanes, along with the years for these. I think there is a legend somewhere on the map too. I looked up actual data for Japanese shipping during WWII and the map information from TMO is accurate. If you patrol those areas you're bound to run into something. Remeber, patience is a virtue, sir. Again, welcome aboard and happy hunting, skipper. :arrgh!:

Oh, also, when you get into one of those lanes shown on the map, a trick I use that brings results, plot a search pattern on the map. The icon is on the navigation screen, it looks like a zigzag arrow. If you do a medium to large sized search pattern in those shipping lanes, you're bound to run into something. Also, don't be afraid to dive every now and again and listen. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean its not there. Sound carries farther in water ;) TMO also follows historic events pretty good. If you know of something significant in a time period, such as the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Phillipines invasion, etc. and you're in the area, go check it out. There will probably be some kind of naval force there. The game is pretty good about keeping in line with historic events

thanks for the advice. The map is very helpful.

TMO significantly reduces the merchant traffic so you have to know where to look. Experience helps. You may patrol for weeks and not see a thing, and then suddenly hit the jackpot. On a recent patrol (early 1942) I saw 11 merchants in two weeks on the west side of the Balabac Strait; six in two days.

Cam Ranh Bay and Singapore are usually good places, too. The Luzon Strait. Rabaul. Also had some luck near Ambon & Kendari.

You're welcome. Always glad to help. If I stumble across anything else that's useful I will let you know. The Silent Hunter games, especially with mods, are kind of a learn as you go thing. Also, be sure to check out Rockin' Robbins thread "Sub Skippers Bag of Tricks." He has a lot of useful information there such as manual targeting tutorials, printable cards for firing techniques, etc. I refer to that thread a lot. :)

Wow. You've been around, my friend! I like the Formosa Strait. Seems like I always run into something there. Though the shallow water can make for a harrowing experience if you run into some destroyers. That gets the blood pumping! Lol


mlsmith45, Like I said, lots of experience on these forums to learn from. There are a lot better skip's here than myself! :)

Welcome to Subsim!

I only play stock SH4 v.1.5 but I've found the Luzon Strait to be an excellent hunting ground, particularly later in the war. The Formosa Strait (between Formosa and mainland China) is also excellent, but a little too shallow in most places for my liking!
Also, in late 1942-early 1943, the area of the Solomon Islands known as "The Slot" is also not too shabby, particularly near Bougainville, but you might run into lots of small craft such as fishing boats.

Hope that helps! Happy hunting!:up:

Where is this? (I was never good at geography :P ) I've never been there. I'll have to check that out when I complete my Marshall Islands patrol. If I make it! :S Been a long time since I last played!

In the smaller islands off the Southeast of Japan you can run into stuff, but along the coast of Japan you'll mainly find aircraft and sampans. At least in my experience there. Sometimes I will sneak into a harbor and get some drydock ships. Most the time I can get out without sustaining too much damage to my sub. It might be worth a shot.

The "Slot" is the passage between the islands in the Solomons southeast of Rabaul.

Depends on where you start your career from. From Pearl, you can't go wrong setting up shop about 20 miles out from the coast where ships will head into harbors along the east coast of Japan. Your listening gear will pick them up and you can then readjust your position for better interception. Just don't get closer than 10 miles to the coast, to avoid being spotted from shore, and it cuts down on manuevering room if you have to deal with escorts.

If you like the Asiatic Fleet adventures, then there are a lot choke points where you can ambush shipping. Luzon Straits, to the north of the Philippines, Makassar Straits, and the small island chains leading into and out of the island from the Philippines down past the Celebes, to the islands that stretch out between New Guinea, and Java.

I personally avoid the shallow areas at all costs, (areas between Java, and Borneo for example), because of planes spotting your boat too easily, and depth charging is a royal P.I.T.A. So I like staying out in deep water myself. And TMO lets you go past test depth. How far? If you find out, you won't be going back to base. But I have safely taken a balao boat almost 700ft down. But the boat becomes very difficult to control, and the only way to make it back up, is to blow all ballast, and be moving at flank speed. So don't deplete you batteries.

Speaking of harbor attacks, try Kobe (near Osaka). I can always find a couple of battleships and a carrier or two:yeah: In the stock game at least, I just now installed FOTRS so I'm not sure if they changed that!

Good hunting!

Not to mention that all supermods deal differently with ship traffic.

Just thought of this. You may want to try Run Silent Run Deep Campaign with Trigger Maru. That's what I run.