That sinking feeling
 

Hi All have you had that sinking feeling for example I came across a large badly defended convoy in 1940 and in a wonderful position to take out a Cruise Liner :D then only to see it was a neutral ship :damn: that really got to me. Anyone else been in that situation?

Aye!

Been there myself, worked my way in close one stormy night and nearly get run over by the giant....

:lurk:

Yes... and I find a bit silly, since the historical rules of engagement (Somebody mentioned it on the forum once, I think) were that no merchant ship was to be attacked unless:
a) it was visibly carrying troops or war material
b) was known to carry espionage information or the like
c) was armed
d) was escorted by military
e) WAS PART OF A CONVOY

The logic behind this was that to keep things civilized you only attacked those ships that chose to participate in the war effort, and convoyed ships clearly fall in that category.

In other words, a British Cruise liner all alone in the Caribean should be left alone becuase it probably only has tourists on it, on the other hand, any "neutral" ship whatsoever that forms up on an enemy's convoy should be fair game, bacause he's probably up to no good :nope:

:nope:

Dantenoc Said
If you go around Hunting Neutral Ships thats one way to loose your renown points :damn:

I just re-read the post and think I might have expresed myself in a confusing way... the rules of engagement that I mentioned are the way IT OUGHT TO BE, but the game doesn't care about that, so that's NOT how it works in SHIII. To SHIII neutral or enemy is only determined by nationality.

Re: That sinking feeling
 

Yep. Playing a 1939 campaign with a little IIA with mostly the north sea as hunting grounds (Range limits for a "dug out canoe"). Burning big amounts of diesel just to find out that the ship I try to sink is Norwegian or another neutral.... :-? :-?

Gets you immersed enough :arrgh!:

It's happen again new career a nice target a british light cruiser but this time the war had not started yet not for another nine hours I was gutted :damn:

Follow it for 9 hours, then as soon as war is declared hit it with everything to vent your frustration :p :arrgh!:

Pardon after 10 minutes it left the scene at 25Knots and how am I to keep up with it ? :-?

Ok, so I am not getting into the spirit of this game. If it aint German, I sink it.

Ok Ok I have never got past the end of 1939 in the last 12 months, but that was because of PC crashing problems. New set up now and it runs like a dream.
So tell me again? Dont sink neutrals?
:hulk:

Yes i have and i sunk it. :arrgh!:

I mean if its sailing with the enemy, then ITS the enemy. :|\

Yes you can if you want and sink neutrals and your own side as well but the big draw back kiss your renown points goodbye not a good move :/\x:

As I recall the very first ship sunk by a U-boat in WW2 was a passenger liner (possibly a neutral one). back in the day the rules of engagement were really a farce. After WW1 the rules regarding U-boats were set so that they essentially had to surrender their most powerful weapon: stealth. A U-boat which wanted to sink an enemy merchant ship had to first pull along side it and then board her and ask the captain for papers. Once they had seen the crew safely into their life boats the U-boat could then sink the ship. Now obviously this is entirely unworkable. It was intended to be so.

Whats interesting is that the British started to make following the rules hard before the U-boats even began disregarding them. So called Q-ships were constructed which were just passenger liners and merchant ships which were equipped with sliding bulkheads that hid weapons designed to destroy U-boats as they came along side to board her. Who broke the rules first? As the victors the Brits say Germany but I'd beg to differ.

Yup.. Lemp sank the Athenia. He was criticsed for it too. I think the rules of engagement should be applied to SH3, i mean, the U.S is carring vital war materials to britian should be sunk!! The Prize RUles should happen with the same relaxtion it did in Ww2! wE SHOULD get radio messages telling us, until Unrestricted Uboat warfare was issued!