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Grumpy Pete · 07-09-23, 11:50 PM

After plying a couple more patrols while considering this thread, I can say you're both right. John is correct that the stock sensors never seemed to use active sonar unless a hydrophone contact had occurred first. That was my experience as well. However, extending the active sonar range seems to have changed that. Here is the proof.

After attacking a convoy, two escorts headed to my probable location. I was in a pretty good spot so I remained at periscope depth to make my escape easier (it's always easier to escape from an escort you can see and I play with disabled external view). I maintained slient running and there had been no indications I had been spotted. The escorts started doing circles and dropped no depth charges. Then one of them started to ping me from about 1600 meters. I was at 2 knots speed and it was my baffles so in the course of 10+ pings it never gained contact. I continued to pull away and on its next "lap" it pinged me four or five times again, failing to find me. After that I went and made a snack as I knew I was going to be clear when they gave up the chase. They never contacted me, never dropped any depth charges but still tried to acquire me using active... I had the same thing happen on my next patrol although I was at 100 meters and couldn't observe the escorts. However, while they pinged me, they never made contact or made any attacks.

I believe the escorts only use one of their sensors at a time and the hydrophone is their "run-home-to mama" default. However, with active sensor range increased, the sim seems to know it has 2 methods of making contact. The original ranges were so short that it didn't even try active on an undetected target. So--it appears that has changed. I really hadn't thought about it since I was trying to avoid "going under the hood" again and just have some fun actually playing the game rather than improve it.

For the record, I'm currently running the OneAlex Grey Wolves compilation and the only additional mod is my active sonar tweaks. Another thing to consider is that both of these cases happened in early '41 so the escort are probably usinfg Type 123 or 128 systems (I don't remember the dates systems become available). Later systems have similar ranges but better sensitivity.

I though about tweaking the passive ranges like John suggested but that puts my farther under the hood than I want go right now. I'm really just having fun playing the game right now after a significant hiatus.

Off topc: The carreer previous to the one I am playing now was the shortest in all the rediculously many hours I have played this game. I get on my new boat and was leaving the dock at Lorient when we came under air attack. We got straddled by 2 bombs which immediately destroyed the engine rooms. The boat sank with the loss of all hands before making the first turn to leave Lorient. I went and made a snack.

07-09-23, 11:50 PM	#4
Grumpy Pete Shore leave Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 70 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	After plying a couple more patrols while considering this thread, I can say you're both right. John is correct that the stock sensors never seemed to use active sonar unless a hydrophone contact had occurred first. That was my experience as well. However, extending the active sonar range seems to have changed that. Here is the proof. After attacking a convoy, two escorts headed to my probable location. I was in a pretty good spot so I remained at periscope depth to make my escape easier (it's always easier to escape from an escort you can see and I play with disabled external view). I maintained slient running and there had been no indications I had been spotted. The escorts started doing circles and dropped no depth charges. Then one of them started to ping me from about 1600 meters. I was at 2 knots speed and it was my baffles so in the course of 10+ pings it never gained contact. I continued to pull away and on its next "lap" it pinged me four or five times again, failing to find me. After that I went and made a snack as I knew I was going to be clear when they gave up the chase. They never contacted me, never dropped any depth charges but still tried to acquire me using active... I had the same thing happen on my next patrol although I was at 100 meters and couldn't observe the escorts. However, while they pinged me, they never made contact or made any attacks. I believe the escorts only use one of their sensors at a time and the hydrophone is their "run-home-to mama" default. However, with active sensor range increased, the sim seems to know it has 2 methods of making contact. The original ranges were so short that it didn't even try active on an undetected target. So--it appears that has changed. I really hadn't thought about it since I was trying to avoid "going under the hood" again and just have some fun actually playing the game rather than improve it. For the record, I'm currently running the OneAlex Grey Wolves compilation and the only additional mod is my active sonar tweaks. Another thing to consider is that both of these cases happened in early '41 so the escort are probably usinfg Type 123 or 128 systems (I don't remember the dates systems become available). Later systems have similar ranges but better sensitivity. I though about tweaking the passive ranges like John suggested but that puts my farther under the hood than I want go right now. I'm really just having fun playing the game right now after a significant hiatus. Off topc: The carreer previous to the one I am playing now was the shortest in all the rediculously many hours I have played this game. I get on my new boat and was leaving the dock at Lorient when we came under air attack. We got straddled by 2 bombs which immediately destroyed the engine rooms. The boat sank with the loss of all hands before making the first turn to leave Lorient. I went and made a snack.