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Stiebler · 10-23-05, 12:35 PM

The number of minefields found in the unmodified SH3 has been hugely increased around Britain for RUb 1.44. I found this out the hard way - an unnerving experience, since there is no crew warning of a mine hit, no bang, just suddenly heavy damage to the U-boat and massive flooding. At high time compression, the boat is sunk before you realise what has happened.

I'd like to propose to the modders that the instructions, which contain several nice graphics display of minefields around German naval bases, should be extended to include a textual account of defensive minefields around Britain. This won't much affect RUb's realism since it was customary to declare defensive minefields, so as to prevent your own ships and those of friendly countries from sinking on them.

Here's my list, obtained by a study of the file campaign_scr.mis (in RUb1.44) with the Mission Editor:
1. Massive minefields off Britain's east coast from Dover up to Scapa Flow after April 1940. Assume they extend to 100 km out from the nearest section of coastline (that's a big minefield!) Assume generally that you can sail over them safely while surfaced, but not while submerged. This makes diving a risky business, since the chance of a mine strike is essentially random. (There are other minefields off Britain's east coast too, but most are very close inshore and quite small, intended to guard entrances to harbours).
2. On Britain's west coast, assume all shallow waters in squares AM02, AM52 and AM53 are mined by November 1940, guarding the north-west approach to the Irish Sea (the waterway between Londonderry and Tobermoray down to Stranraer)
3. The south-west approaches to Britain and the Channel are almost mine-free.
4. A line between the Hebrides Islands (Scotland's north-west coast) and the Faeroe Islands is lightly mined from depths of 5 to 100 metres (January 1942).
5. A double line between the Faeroe Islands and Iceland is similarly lightly mined by November 1940. It's risky now to travel from the North Sea to the Atlantic.
6. Assume no significant minefields elsewhere, specifically off the east coast of the USA, off Freetown or off Capetown. There may be very small local minefields guarding harbour approaches.

Comparison of the original minefields in SH3 and in RUb shows that not one in SH3 has the radius set, while all the new minefields in RUb do have the radius set. This might affect stability. I get repeated crash-to-desktops from RUb1.44 when patrolling 100 km off Hull (east coast of Britain) in mid 1940, and there is a huge new minefield nearby with large minefield radius and a very high density of mines set at 100. This CTD is not a problem with the un-modded SH3. Maybe the code for SH3 was never tested with high density minefields with radius set? There may, of course, be other explanations, nothing to do with minefields.

This is placed in the general forum since knowledge of minefields is clearly of wide interest with the popularity of RUb. Any modders like to comment on the radius effect?

10-23-05, 12:35 PM	#1
Stiebler Fuel Supplier Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,237 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 4	Minefields and RUb1.44 The number of minefields found in the unmodified SH3 has been hugely increased around Britain for RUb 1.44. I found this out the hard way - an unnerving experience, since there is no crew warning of a mine hit, no bang, just suddenly heavy damage to the U-boat and massive flooding. At high time compression, the boat is sunk before you realise what has happened. I'd like to propose to the modders that the instructions, which contain several nice graphics display of minefields around German naval bases, should be extended to include a textual account of defensive minefields around Britain. This won't much affect RUb's realism since it was customary to declare defensive minefields, so as to prevent your own ships and those of friendly countries from sinking on them. Here's my list, obtained by a study of the file campaign_scr.mis (in RUb1.44) with the Mission Editor: 1. Massive minefields off Britain's east coast from Dover up to Scapa Flow after April 1940. Assume they extend to 100 km out from the nearest section of coastline (that's a big minefield!) Assume generally that you can sail over them safely while surfaced, but not while submerged. This makes diving a risky business, since the chance of a mine strike is essentially random. (There are other minefields off Britain's east coast too, but most are very close inshore and quite small, intended to guard entrances to harbours). 2. On Britain's west coast, assume all shallow waters in squares AM02, AM52 and AM53 are mined by November 1940, guarding the north-west approach to the Irish Sea (the waterway between Londonderry and Tobermoray down to Stranraer) 3. The south-west approaches to Britain and the Channel are almost mine-free. 4. A line between the Hebrides Islands (Scotland's north-west coast) and the Faeroe Islands is lightly mined from depths of 5 to 100 metres (January 1942). 5. A double line between the Faeroe Islands and Iceland is similarly lightly mined by November 1940. It's risky now to travel from the North Sea to the Atlantic. 6. Assume no significant minefields elsewhere, specifically off the east coast of the USA, off Freetown or off Capetown. There may be very small local minefields guarding harbour approaches. Comparison of the original minefields in SH3 and in RUb shows that not one in SH3 has the radius set, while all the new minefields in RUb do have the radius set. This might affect stability. I get repeated crash-to-desktops from RUb1.44 when patrolling 100 km off Hull (east coast of Britain) in mid 1940, and there is a huge new minefield nearby with large minefield radius and a very high density of mines set at 100. This CTD is not a problem with the un-modded SH3. Maybe the code for SH3 was never tested with high density minefields with radius set? There may, of course, be other explanations, nothing to do with minefields. This is placed in the general forum since knowledge of minefields is clearly of wide interest with the popularity of RUb. Any modders like to comment on the radius effect?