Finding targets
 

Hello there!

I am often very frustrated about finding targets within patrol zones. Usually I randomly encounter several ships on the way to the patrol zone, or when coming back to port, but once on the patrol zone it is very common that I don't see/hear anyone for several days in a row (at least during the time I am supposed to patrol according to my orders).

What I usually do is setting up a zigzag pattern within the zone, and do a hydrophone survey at 30m, engines stopped, every 2 hours.

Am I doing something wrong or just being very unlucky?

EDIT: I am playing TWOS, by the way.

Hi ahoy Capt Ganlhi

1st mark out area it was radius 100km from memory its been a while since last played (may be 200 someone can correct me on that)

You stand a much better chance of detecting with hydrophone its range is considerably higher than the odds of visual sighting so stay submerged longer

Avoid too high TC its easy for a convoy to go sailing past even at really close range

Sometimes it does take a long time to get a contact it can get a bit frustrating , all you can do is maximise the odds with the aforementioned

There is also the intercept timing but I can't remember the exact details, again some will come along and help with that too I'm sure, RE the zig zag pattern, method is fine

Simon

Welcome to the battle of the Atlantic! Normal for you to be frustrated… so we’re the real captains!

Keep doing what you are doing. I have a few videos that may help but you sound like you are doing just fine.

It's more that most games have unrealistically high amount of targets. In real life, it was common - and very frustrating - for U-Boats to sail back and forth for weeks without seeing a single ship, much less a convoy. One reason for this is that ocean is just that big, and another - thanks to intercepting German transmissions Allies redirected traffic away from U-Boat patrol areas.

As far as I know the latter is not modeled in SH5, so you're still better off than real captains ;)

Thanks all! :)

I will be more patient. I just rewatched Das Boot, and noticed they spent like 10 days at the beginning of the patrol without encountering anything ˆˆ

Hey, I have an extra question: what do you do when you spent the time you were ordered to in the patrol zone, and you still have torps in stock? Do you remain in the zone, go somewhere else (if so, where?) ?

After completing your assigned objective, and depending on fuel, and where you are, you find the nearest / best traffic lanes. Consult a map if you have to. The Western Approaches are usually pretty good, though only for the first half of the war. By 1943 it is starting to get a bit "hot" around there...

Thanks, I will try that!

Routinely a patrol was two weeks in their patrol grid. Then if they ran out of torpedoes or were low on fuel, they would become weather boats for other U-boats. So they may spend even more time in the patrol area.