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Originally Posted by Rongel
I hope that TDW's water disturbance mod still works with the new IRAI and gives us a small chance to escape. Oh, could it be included in this new release?
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The water disturbance mod will still work with new version of IRAI. Including it probably won't happen because that would defeat the user's choice of whether they wanted it or not. I like options and I know others do to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zedi
TDW, hope you dont forget to remind the escorts why they are next to a convoy. They main role is to keep the danger away and ensure that the load is delivered in safety at the destination.. if possible, under a year. If they start again to leave the convoy and 6-12 DD + a carrier is hunting a single sub for days, thats just a realism killer.
Is why it would be fantastic if you can play with their tactics according to a specific timeframe. Indeed, after 43 the escorts became sub hunters and they were ordered to hunt-kill. But not all. Let 2-3 DD to entertain the player, but keep the rest of the convoy on move.
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I don't have the ability to define tactics vs game year. Thus I have to make compromises.
I am revising all the tactics used in this rewrite. Convoys (non-HK) will have escorts that are given the protect convoy and guard convoy roles. These roles only allow them to attack and pursue contacts for unlimited time frames (I don't have the ability to see how far the unit is from the convoy thus I can't define a max distance from the convoy. I also do not have the ability to see how long the unit has been pursuing a contact thus I can't define a max time that they can pursue/attack the contact. I only have the ability to see how long they have 'lost' a contact) Guard convoy roles will not attack or pursue a contact unless they are 'inside' the convoy. Protect convoy roles can attack and pursue contacts that are outside the convoy (as well as inside the convoy). Now if Battleships are part of the convoy then one will be assigned guard convoy role and one will be assigned protect convoy role. The rest will be assigned the convoy role (follow leader). I have to do this because it's possible that some convoys contain no escorts but have battleships. This means that battleships could come hunting you (along with escorts) if you try to attack a convoy. If I don't add the battleships then you could have a convoy that contains no escorts but has all battleships and if you attacked it none of the battleships would do anything (and people would be upset because they would say the AI is stupid).
HK convoys will have guard convoy and protect convoys roles also but they will also have plaster (DC) roles. Plaster roles allow the escort to attack and pursue the contact (DCing it) but differ from guard convoy and protect convoy in the way they search for a 'lost' contact and how long they search when the contact is 'lost'. Plaster roles now take into account the unit's crew rating for how effective they are at DCing the contact (and searching for the contact after they have lost it). Protect convoy and guard convoy roles have the ability to plaster also but the way they search for a 'lost' contact (and the timeframe of that search) depends on their respective role. Once again, if Battleships are part of the HK convoy then one will be assigned guard convoy role and one will be assigned protect convoy role. The rest will be assigned the convoy role (follow leader). I have to do this because it's possible that some HK convoys contain no escorts but have battleships. This means that battleships could come hunting you (along with escorts) if you try to attack an HK convoy. If I don't add the battleships then you could have an HK convoy that contains no escorts but has all battleships and if you attacked it none of the battleships would do anything (and people would be upset because they would say the AI is stupid).
Now since escorts and battleships are assigned protect convoy and guard convoy roles, it's possible that you could have MANY units attacking you depending on where you are in relation to the convoy. If you are outside the convoy then ALL the units assigned to protect convoy (and those with the plaster role also) will come hunting you (if you are spotted). If you are inside the convoy then ALL the units assigned guard convoy and protect convoy (and plaster roles also) will come hunting you (if you are spotted). I haven't decided yet how many units will be assigned guard convoy and protect convoy in the convoys. I'm thinking a max of 2 units assigned guard convoy and a max of 2 units assigned protect convoy for each convoy. If battleships are present then 1 of the 2 will be an escort and the other will be a battleship. If no escorts (or no battleships) then only 1 will be assigned each role. Keep in mind that if a Battleship is assigned guard convoy or protect convoy role and it has no DCs it will just keep making passes over you trying to ram you if you surface.
Those units remaining (escorts, battleships, merchants) that were not assigned guard convoy or protect convoy (or any other role) will be assigned the convoy role (follow leader). The convoy role makes the unit follow the leader and not break formation (unless torpedo spotted). The convoy role does allow them to attack a contact they spot with guns (and DCs if able to and contact is near/under them)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adriatico
If I understand... Escorts have to strictly protect convoys...
One or two could start chasing submarine... leave the convoy formation for 15-20 minutes - but to leave convoy "opened" (undefended) from one side it would be carnage against wolfpack !?!
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I cannot define a max time that a unit can hunt/pursue a contact. The game does not allow me to do this.
The convoys will never be left 'opened' or undefended. There will always be an escort (or more) and/or a battleship (or more) present with the convoy (either in protect convoy, guard convoy, or convoy role)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zedi
I think TDW changed a bit this part.. I reported many times carriers and cruisers hunting me for days and cutting in half every other DD that was in her path. Last time I meet a convoy with a BB, I hit her by mistake because I was using acoustic torpedoes.. after being hit, she left the scene on full speed leaving the convoy far behind, but a cruiser from the convoy came to investigate and sunk one of the escorts that was not fast enough to avoid her.
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The game defines carriers as battleships. Cruisers are also defined as battleships. This makes it very hard to distinguish between them when assigning roles. If a battleship is assigned protect convoy, guard convoy, or plaster role and they spot you then they will circle you at some random distance (yet to be coded) if you are submerged. If you are surfaced then they will try to ram you.
The AI's collision avoidance isn't the best and there's nothing I can do about it (hard coded).