I think my helmsman should be shot.
 

I am engaging a heavily defended convoy (5 escorts) in rough seas, November 1941. I order a depth of 12 meters and begin the frustrating task of gathering target data while bobbing around in huge swells.

With my observations now complete, I input all the necessary data in the TDC, go back to my observation scope, only to be greeted by, well, nothing. My scope is underwater and my boat has sunk down to 15 meters and, fully extended can't even break the surface. I decide to set my depth to 12 meters and wait, all the while the convoy is getting clooser and closer to my "shoot bearing". I say screw this, to myself and set my depth to 10 meters. BIG mistake. My conning tower is spotted and I now have 2 corvettes and one DD charging and pinging away at me. To make maters worse, my hull integrity was at 80% so I wasn't able to go as deep as normal.

Long story short, I got pounded pretty hard by them but managed to slink away with no further hull damage and now I want to get Helmsman Hans court-martialed and shot for not keeping the boat at the ordered depth and putting the crew in serious danger.

Seriously though, is this a bug, and is there any mod that smartens up the helmsman so that I don't end up several meters below the ordered depth in rough seas?

No not a bug, was the green bar full over the command room? Did you have the CE officer slot occupied? Also, didn't know this myself it's a good idea to have a WO with a helm qualification among the 3 crew at helm and diveplanes. Makes a difference, think about it, it was a difficult task you needed experienced crew to be effective.

Hi there

Were you stationary or moving? I've noticed that when you are moving it's easier to stay on periscpoe depth than when you are at full stop, just like in real life (I think :D )

A couple other things that may help.

If submerged at idle-speed in rough seas, I almost always sink away from periscope-depth. It helps to keep moving at slow speed, maybe 2/3-knots, and even then it's difficult to get a good view from the periscope. The conning tower will pop-out of the water from time to time.

Another thing that seems to help is pressing the 'Periscope Depth' key (P) every 30 seconds or so.

Your milage may vary :)

Same here. In rough seas, I never stop, I always set 1knt so that I manage to stay right around periscope depth. Nothing more annoying than having lined up just right for that perfect shot into a convoy then to have it ruined by the fact your helm-dorks can't seem to keep you at the correct depth.

I also agree that having all your WO's with Helm qualification does seem to help, but that could be subjective, I can't prove it.

Yes, this is realistic (if you were idle). It's very hard to maintain depth in rough seas in real life if you have no movement either backwards or forward.

On a similar note. I've done a few patrols with the XXI lately. While the 17 knot submerged speed is very useful for catching back up with convoys, it is highly unstable in rough seas. The conning tower pops out of the water constantly.

Also, when surfacing even in calm seas, it first comes up normally, then dive partially under again, and then finally stabilizes on the surface after a few more 'bounces'. But I guess these factors are related to the high speed.

Was your Helmsman fatigued -- ie low on indurance

Even if the boat is at a constant depth a wave is a slope set that peaks both up and down.

Very frustrating but realistic I thought how the swells are managed.

Another option is shadow the convoy for better weather conditions.

:arrgh!:

Suposedly this game actually makes the helsmen very good. It was difficult to keep the boat trimmed at that depth without propulsion. I would suggest a depth of 14m, but keep your speed up. This will minimize the conning tower coming up.