SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - Safe distance from destroyers to speed up submerged?

MetalMania · 02-04-10, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the responses folks. I resumed my evasion last night and have to conclude I was just still too close when I secured from silent and poured on more juice - or at least should not have stayed at periscope depth and gone under the thermal again. Which leads me to another question - I know the thermal layer will help deflect active sonar from the destroyer back up, but does it help shield you from passive detection as well? If yes then I would assume it helps mask the enemy from your passive sonar too?

Another reason I thought I was far enough away the first time was that I couldn't pick up at least the closest one on sonar anymore - well next time around I found out why. Sneaky bugger was totally stopped, just listening for me, therefore silent. I was a little annoyed though when he started moving again - slow but enough to show some churning at the stern and a gentle wake - but his props still weren't turning and still couldn't pick him up. I didn't think Japanese destroyers in WWII had jet drives, hmmmm. But I played it extra safe and stayed slow and quiet until a radar check showed him over 5 miles and then surfaced to speed away on the diesels.

As for a premature detonation on the down the throat shot with the magnetic exploder, it sure didn't look like it. I've had those before but I even got a screenshot of this one from the free camera - it looks like it's right under the bow. Unless it happened really close and the speed of convergence between the torp and the ship just made it look like it was a genuine hit. If I find myself in that situation again I'll try setting it a little deeper and see if it helps.

Here's a random tip for a newer player like myself that might not be immediately obvious that I found very useful: before you surface, come to a depth slightly higher than periscope depth - say 45 feet. This will raise your radar mast above the waterline though most of the boat is still submerged. Your radarman will automatically start scanning (at least he does for me - don't know if this is normal or if I never turned off the continuous scan button before diving) and report any contacts. This can really save you if there's a plane in the area or if you miss something on the pre-surfacing periscope search. Instant range and bearing, and if you need to dive quickly you're already 97% submerged.

I have to ask though about part of ERPP8's response - "don't attack unless you're told to, avoid all ships until you're supposed to attack". Unless I'm missing something or misunderstanding you - nobody tells you when to attack. Do you mean avoid everything until you reach the assigned patrol area? Certainly I would prefer to have not missed on any of my shots, and I would not have fired on the first destroyer except it had repositioned from the far side of the convoy over to my side and was either going to run me over or end up driving right through my torpedo spread - would have ruined my whole attack. So I just stopped him right where he was and got my shots off on both ships. Unfortunately the one that sunk him probably would have sealed the deal on the 2nd transport instead of leaving it damaged. On the other hand in a previous attack I had a single hit on a similar transport that was enough to sink it, so it wasn't unreasonable to think 2 might be enough. The down the throat shot was intended as a defensive measure - he had a bead on me and was coming on fast with reinforcements on the way. I guess my point is that I'm not just shooting from the hip. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but understand why I should avoid targets of opportunity. does the game "punish" me for sinking targets outside of my assigned patrol area? At one time I thought I read to accomplish your patrol area assignment you just needed to hang around the assigned zone for 48 hours, regardless of whether you sunk anything (unless you are given a specific target or other goal). Other than that, it didn't matter where you sunk anything - so long as you did it you would be "successful". I'd think as long as I spend my required time in my big star in the East China Sea, and don't get killed, even if I don't get anything else this would be a pretty decent first career patrol. At least according to real accounts I've read. How the game ranks it, I don't know yet.

02-04-10, 05:20 PM	#7
MetalMania Watch Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Rhode Island, USA Posts: 23 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the responses folks. I resumed my evasion last night and have to conclude I was just still too close when I secured from silent and poured on more juice - or at least should not have stayed at periscope depth and gone under the thermal again. Which leads me to another question - I know the thermal layer will help deflect active sonar from the destroyer back up, but does it help shield you from passive detection as well? If yes then I would assume it helps mask the enemy from your passive sonar too? Another reason I thought I was far enough away the first time was that I couldn't pick up at least the closest one on sonar anymore - well next time around I found out why. Sneaky bugger was totally stopped, just listening for me, therefore silent. I was a little annoyed though when he started moving again - slow but enough to show some churning at the stern and a gentle wake - but his props still weren't turning and still couldn't pick him up. I didn't think Japanese destroyers in WWII had jet drives, hmmmm. But I played it extra safe and stayed slow and quiet until a radar check showed him over 5 miles and then surfaced to speed away on the diesels. As for a premature detonation on the down the throat shot with the magnetic exploder, it sure didn't look like it. I've had those before but I even got a screenshot of this one from the free camera - it looks like it's right under the bow. Unless it happened really close and the speed of convergence between the torp and the ship just made it look like it was a genuine hit. If I find myself in that situation again I'll try setting it a little deeper and see if it helps. Here's a random tip for a newer player like myself that might not be immediately obvious that I found very useful: before you surface, come to a depth slightly higher than periscope depth - say 45 feet. This will raise your radar mast above the waterline though most of the boat is still submerged. Your radarman will automatically start scanning (at least he does for me - don't know if this is normal or if I never turned off the continuous scan button before diving) and report any contacts. This can really save you if there's a plane in the area or if you miss something on the pre-surfacing periscope search. Instant range and bearing, and if you need to dive quickly you're already 97% submerged. I have to ask though about part of ERPP8's response - "don't attack unless you're told to, avoid all ships until you're supposed to attack". Unless I'm missing something or misunderstanding you - nobody tells you when to attack. Do you mean avoid everything until you reach the assigned patrol area? Certainly I would prefer to have not missed on any of my shots, and I would not have fired on the first destroyer except it had repositioned from the far side of the convoy over to my side and was either going to run me over or end up driving right through my torpedo spread - would have ruined my whole attack. So I just stopped him right where he was and got my shots off on both ships. Unfortunately the one that sunk him probably would have sealed the deal on the 2nd transport instead of leaving it damaged. On the other hand in a previous attack I had a single hit on a similar transport that was enough to sink it, so it wasn't unreasonable to think 2 might be enough. The down the throat shot was intended as a defensive measure - he had a bead on me and was coming on fast with reinforcements on the way. I guess my point is that I'm not just shooting from the hip. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but understand why I should avoid targets of opportunity. does the game "punish" me for sinking targets outside of my assigned patrol area? At one time I thought I read to accomplish your patrol area assignment you just needed to hang around the assigned zone for 48 hours, regardless of whether you sunk anything (unless you are given a specific target or other goal). Other than that, it didn't matter where you sunk anything - so long as you did it you would be "successful". I'd think as long as I spend my required time in my big star in the East China Sea, and don't get killed, even if I don't get anything else this would be a pretty decent first career patrol. At least according to real accounts I've read. How the game ranks it, I don't know yet.