Quote:
Originally Posted by Floven de Sorezé
So I suppose I'm left with choosing between TMO & RFB. I wonder if someone would be so kind to explain their differences?
TMO is more challenging, while RFB more realistic? What does that exactly mean?
|
What it means is that destroyers are a lot more "tuned in" when it comes to hydrophones. They could hear a pin hit the bottom of the ocean floor from 3 miles away (heavily exaggerating, but when you're stalking a 50+ ship convoy, that's how it seems!
) as far as TMO goes.
Unfortunately, i don't really like RFB, so i cannot comment on it's ups and downs. But, should you choose TMO-RSRD, here are some of my guidelines to get you started. My own "Dicta-Boelcke" of Anti-shipping warfare, if you will.
1) In order to be successful in your career (i.e, become a second Dick O'Kane), do your homework! This means looking up historic Japanese shipping lane maps, download them if possible, and refer to them during your patrol. (Also note that there are RSRD-particular shipping lane maps you can find in the downloads section.)
2) Know your enemy: use the museum in the game. Study the ships and become familiar with them so a quick, on-the-fly eyeball-identification can be something along the lines of accurate (why i say "something along the lines of accurate" is because some ships can sometimes seem like clones of one another when they are entirely different. This is why this rule is important!). Look online for their weaknesses as they may be modeled in the game. Know their advantages and disadvantages: they may very well save your virtual-life later on!
3) Always update your crew and sub: Keep the men and that big ol' metal tube that they practically live in for three months at a time fresh and sharp. Keep the sub up-to-date with the latest technology upgrades such as deck guns, sonar, radar, etc. Promote the men and use the medals they may earn, and assign specialties to a certain compartment (i.e, an engine mechanic will be at home in the engine compartment, and a torpedo specialist belongs to the forward-aft torpedo room, etc, etc.). This will boost their performance when that big ol' tanker is just too juicy a target to let slip away!
4) Use your good judgment. If your sub is damaged badly enough, consider calling the patrol. It doesn't matter if you haven't sunk a ship or even fired a torpedo. Your priorities are simple: Your crew, your sub and your mission. The boys back at the port bar won't think any less of you for bringing your men back safe and sound at the expense of a sub with a few dents in it and no tonnage.
5) Don't be greedy! If you have already sunk 5 ships from a convoy (already having sunk 10,000 tons before) and now you have DD's bearing down on ya and droppin' charges like wildfire, don't try to attack again until they've decided that you're either dead, or you've slipped away. But, if you still have plenty of torpedoes, and you can keep up the the remainder of the convoy, by all means have at it!
These are rules to live by. Remember them, and you'll rise high!
Good Hunting!
P.S: For more tips and tactics, have a look at the thread entitled "Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks". This thread is the reason why i'm able to truthfully tell you now that i'm running the most successful career in my Silent Hunter history (400,000+ plus GRT
).