Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980
Yes, it is realistic and agree, can be quite annoying lol. I've been in situations were needed a night scope but part of the experience of the mod. US subs until very end of war never had a "night periscope", and most never went on patrol with one. US fleetboats had a Attack Scope(No. 2 periscope) and Observation Scope (No.1 periscope).
Attack scope had a smaller head, allowed less light, had limited up/down movement, but included the built in range finder (stadimeter). Obviously was more difficult for targets to spot, but trade off was that in lower light conditions it was not very useful, if at all, as it is in the mod. Observation Periscope had the larger head, better up down movement, did not have a stadimeter for range finding. If periscope attacks were made when there was sufficient moonlight, it was done with the observation periscope. The lens in TMO "Night Periscope" does pick up light better , present a somewhat better
view in proper light conditions at night. This was done for there to be a difference in the two but not provide some special advantage. Some circumstances, it is best not to attack at night, but to pull ahead and just after dawn when there is enough light for periscope attack.
Original TMO changed the "observation periscope" to "night periscope" and had some glow in dark green crosshairs, bit too gamey/unrealistic but understand why it was used when night surface attacks were not possible. Now, they are possible, basically like real skippers, so things are set up to force player to conduct things as skippers would have had to, only conduct night time periscope attacks when sufficient moonlight is out. In V.20 name of scope has been changed back to "Observation Periscope" as finally found out how to do so.
However, I can in most circumstances see targets at night via the scope well enough to target with radar assistance for range etc., talking with map contacts off. Here are some tips...
1. Adjust the gamma in your graphics settings to the right (raise) it will increase brightness of things and will be easier to see at night.
2. Try the Observation Color Filters mods (link below). In real life color filters were used to provide better picture at night through the scope. They could apparently be removed at will, in the sim we have to enable one via jsgme before patrol. Choices are Red, Yellow, Green. I have found red works the best for me.
3. If these don't work for you, there is a late war scopes mod (I believe included in download, if not, I will send it to you. ) which essentially just restores default TMO "night periscope.'
Far as night surface attacks....
I am confused as to why having trouble pulling these attacks off. Make sure to read the Night Surface Attacks Tactics in the documentation with the mod. Covers a lot of things. Some point I plan to do a youtube video as well. Absolutely doable really changes the experience once learn how, just a exciting method, especially if are inside the convoy attacking.
One of the main keys is judging the visibility conditions and conducting accordingly. Moonlight is the key factor.
For the upcoming version....the New Construction Career Starts in 1943 and 1944/45 will have night surface attack training as part of the third sea trial. I will also add patrol objective where at start of a patrol in mid career in 1943 when tactic became SOP, have to attend "Convoy College" before departing on patrol. "Convoy College" if not aware, is where skippers and attack parties began attending in Fall 1943 at Pearl Harbor during refit/training periods. After classroom and simulated practice (including on the ballroom of the hotel), subs would go out at night, locate the convoy, conduct mock attacks on US convoys underway. Escorts would shine their lights to simulate gunfire. Still working out some particulars but things worked fine in first test.
I also plan to release a stand alone training mission for night surface attacks and perhaps even a youtube video.
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