[QUOTE=Takao;1557567]Yeah, your ears are always better than the AI sonar operator's. Usually, once I get into my hunting area, I'll cruise for about 2-4 hours(game time), than dive to periscope depth and stop engines. After that I jump to the sonar operator's station for two full rotations of the sonar to check for contacts, after that, it's back to the surface and on my way. Wash, rinse, repeat. I learned that trick during my SHIII days.
Also, at night, I stick to two hour's up and then down for a sonar check, because I had gotten surprised occasionally, while running surfaced, in TC, during the night, in SHIII, by destroyers. It took me a little while to learn my lesson, but I carried it over to SHIV.
QUOTE]
Yeah, Technically, I lost my last boat because I was using time comp submerged, which most of the time if you're careful, is no problem. The IJN DD snuck up at 180degrees where my SO did not hear it. I was running the boat above the thermal layer (big mistake if you're using TC) and the next thing I knew we're taking so much damage I just called it a day. Started my new carrier on Dec 7th (real time) and will learn from those mistakes.
I like your idea of stopping engines, personally I do a "crazy ivan" (from 'Red October') once in awhile but stopping engines is just as good.
I'm still trying to figure out how that DD found me at 165 feet,out in the middle of nowhere.
Good Hunting
D40