marhkimov,
It is a project undertaken by myself and Observer and is designed to put the focus back onto sinking ships. It is intended to enhance, not replace, RUB.
The SimHQ Tonnage War mod will encompass several key aspects that complement each other and we expect to make a more in-depth gaming experience.
Cute 'mod' names to follow...
Tonnage War – As it says, Tonnage is in, renown is out. Upgrades are FREE but take time.
Sinking – How would you like to see a coastal merchant take a torpedo around the engine room and not know if it will sink or not?
Morale – Moving away from punishing the player through ‘fatigue’. Morale will slowly be removed thus slightly impacting upon the performance of your men, but, sink a ship and the Morale will raise. Your success or failures will impact upon your men’s performance. Take a long voyage will not cripple your boat.
All the parts make up the whole. The Tonnage War mod is both the whole and a part.
The Tonnage War mod will put the emphasis back into sinking ships. Essentially moving away from the renown based upgrade system.
Everything is free. However, upgrades will now take time. Upgrade from a Type II to a VII will take 75 days. It will take 35 days to get your diesel engines upgrades and 45 days to get a new AA platform (i.e. conning tower) installed. The times will be as historically correct as we can be within the confines of the game.
Your medals will be given according to your tonnage and as per the historical average.
The Morale mod will make your success and actions a key component of how well your men perform.
Reckless actions where your men are injured or die will effect your crew's morale, which in turn effects their performance. Sadly, bad luck will also have an impact, life is hard as a captain.
Go a long time between sinking’s and again, this will impact upon your men’s performance. Not in a way to punish you, but it will be an impact.
Sink ships and your men will be in top spirits keeping your men’s performance at it peak within the limits of their 'Efficiency', Observer's new name for fatigue, a word that shall from here forth not be spoken of :rotfl:
We have also modified the deck gun, AA gun and the conning tower to now be more accurate in the way in which your men are or are not protected. Have your men at the deck gun or AA gun and expect high casualties when being faced with a barrage of 20mm fire. The conning tower crew will be OK, working within the confines of the game. However, a 3” gun will make short work of anyone within the conning tower. These changes do not make it impossible to man the deck gun against an Elco, just a high risk situation. As was the case in real life.
Sinking mod. Work has only been completed on the Coastal Merchant, Small Merchant, Liberty Cargo, Victory Cargo, C2 Cargo, C3 Cargo, Small Tanker, T2 Tanker and the T3 Tanker, we have now no notification of 'Enemy Unit Destroyed' until the moment that it slides under the water. How long will it take to slip under the water? See some examples below.
Of course the obvious question is
Q. Will I have to wait for it to sink?"
A. Well yes of course you will
Q. But I am in a hurry and don't want to wait around.
A. Not an issue, use another torpedo or the deck gun. You will be faced with the same dilemma a real captain faced, "do I need to waste another torpedo?"
Q. Will you get credit if you are not around when it sinks?
A. Not sure. To be tested.
The first coastal merchant was hit directly under the first mast behind the bridge at 11:14 and sunk at 11:27 – 13 minutes
The second coastal merchant was hit directly in line with the front edge of the bridge at 11:32 and sunk at 11:49 – 17 minutes
The third coastal merchant was hit directly under the life boat (in line with the funnels) on the bridge at 11:11 and sunk at 12.04 – 53 minutes
The fourth coastal merchant was hit directly in line with front halve of the front cargo container 12.00 and never sank even after 24 hours.
The first small merchant was hit at was is the centre of the front cargo container at 11:16 and sunk at 11:43 – 27 minutes
The second small merchant was hit directly under the rear mast at 11:43 and never sank.
The third small merchant was hit directly under the rear most life buoy at 11:11 and instantly went up in a massive explosion! Sank beneath the waves at 11.23.
The fourth small merchant was hit directly under the second life raft at the front of the bridge at 11:39 and never sank. Dead in the water though. Was on a 45 degree list and never sank even after 24 hours.
You may also need to move around to the other side of the vessel to make your torpedo count.
Is it designed to make things more difficult? No. Will it make thinks more difficult? Yes, but only to match up to what was historical.