Getting out of harm's way in time..
 

Air attacks; when they come, I'm warned by crew or the radar detector.
I've got the time compression, through SH3 Commander, set at 0 (pause) when planes are detected.
When detection occurs, I unpause and immediately crash dive.
So far, so good; and then comes the transition from diesel to electric engines.
Once the diesels shut down, it takes an agonizingly long time for the electric motor to kick in and start the propellers turning again.
By the time they do, there's maybe 5 seconds left before I'm depth charged. Sometimes I'm lucky, but will often suffer deck plating or flak gun damage.
My diesel/electric crew complement is full; green all the way across.
Has anyone found a way to lower the time span between diesel shut down and electric kick-in?

Not to my knowledge. The subject has been raised previously:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=236964

The dive times are already realistic in any case, so such a change if it could be made should be made to alter the appearance and sound only.

Thanks, stork100..
In the 3 or 4 times I've been attacked from the air since my post, the boat has managed to get down to 30-40 meters before the depth charges, providing adequate safety from the attacks. The time lapse between diesel & electric hasn't changed; the only change is that the initial problem no longer exists. I don't know, words fail me. I think the gods are just pulling my chain..

Sometimes you get lucky...sometimes not. Weather and time compression can play a part. Got to feel sorry for the guys in real life. In mid 1943 they were ordered to stay on the surface and fight it out with the guns unless they could safely dive to 80m before being attacked. Glad it's just a game!

NOT FOR THE ELECTRIC 'KICK-IN' BUT IF YOUR SITTING 'HEAVY' AT 6 METERS OR DECKS AWASH, TROLLING ON THE DIESEL, INSTEAD OF FULLY SURFACED AT 4, IT SHOULD REDUCE YOUR CRASH-DEPTH TIME; ALSO DON'T FORGET AN IMMEDIATE HARD PORT OR STARBOARD TURN AS YOU ARE DIVING. TRY BOTH HEAVY AND FULLY SURFACED AND TIME THEM WITH A WATCH TO NOTE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR PARTICULAR GAME.

stork100; I wasn't aware of that 1943 order.. it's a wonder the crew had any morale left at all by then.


Aktungbby; thanks for the heads-up. The only downside, unfortunately, is that, without anyplace to go anymore to avoid air attacks, I'd have to run decks awash everywhere I went. :D

And indeed you wouldn't go anywhere. Decks Awash is great for attacking convoys in calm water, but your travel speed would be considerably reduced and fuel usage would go through the roof.

average time to submerge: 25/30 seconds.

Sometimes the crew is tired and not all are transfered to the electric motor room. Officer dereliction of duty I call it. But what can you do about it. Make sure they are moved and the electric engine kicks in.

If your intent is to crash dive, it should immediately order a flank bell - the momentum caused by this should allow you to continue with a hard turn while waiting for the electric motors.