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TorpX · 11-12-11, 01:39 AM

I've never used the "decks awash" proceedure in the game, so I don't know how that works, but it strikes me as a gamey tactic. I can't really see how lowering your depth a few feet changes your profile much or makes you harder to spot at night. In this sort of situation, you would be spotted by the phospheressence of the water or the silhouette of your tower against the night sky. Neither of these would be changed much by running decks awash. What would change would be that you would have tons of extra weight (and greater draft) slowing you down. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't recall ever reading of this tactic being used. I can see using electric motors on the surface, in order to be quiet, but this is not quite the same thing.

I did read of the Pompano (and two other subs) doing the opposite on Dec. 7th '41. By this I mean they were running with all ballast empty (even the safety tank), in order to obtain the best speed and keep their schedule. After the news of the air raid on Pearl Harbor was transmitted, this was realised to be a mistake and they immediately compensated the boat and rigged for dive.

11-12-11, 01:39 AM	#8
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	I've never used the "decks awash" proceedure in the game, so I don't know how that works, but it strikes me as a gamey tactic. I can't really see how lowering your depth a few feet changes your profile much or makes you harder to spot at night. In this sort of situation, you would be spotted by the phospheressence of the water or the silhouette of your tower against the night sky. Neither of these would be changed much by running decks awash. What would change would be that you would have tons of extra weight (and greater draft) slowing you down. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't recall ever reading of this tactic being used. I can see using electric motors on the surface, in order to be quiet, but this is not quite the same thing. I did read of the Pompano (and two other subs) doing the opposite on Dec. 7th '41. By this I mean they were running with all ballast empty (even the safety tank), in order to obtain the best speed and keep their schedule. After the news of the air raid on Pearl Harbor was transmitted, this was realised to be a mistake and they immediately compensated the boat and rigged for dive.