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Originally Posted by EM2(SS)
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Originally Posted by Woof1701
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Originally Posted by Ducimus
That i havent got quite nailed down yet, but ill tell you the bits that i comprehend.
- The AI has the same max visual range that you do.
- Weather, and state of the sea effect the maximum visual distance the AI can see.
- Time of day effects the max visual distance for the AI (IE, day vs night)
- Your profile or aspect effects the AI's ability to see you. Again, bow's on or as close to it as your attack approach allows. Broadside is a no no. Turning on your heel to shoot your rear torpedos, this is always a concern.
- Your surface speed effects the AI's ability to visuall detect you. If your running a night surface attack at flank speed, the odds are theyll notice vs running in at 1/3rd or standard.
- The closer you get, the greater their visual acuity. Personnaly i get no closer then about 2600 to 3000 meters, and only if i keep my profile small, and my speed low, at night.
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When it comes to radar, all bets are off with visual detection.
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Hmm. Thanks. That's what I was afraid of  I thought with GWX maybe there's a way to attack and even penetrate inside the convoy on a overcast night, like it was done in reality on many occasions. As I stated before in a different thread I think the visual accuracy of the AI is far too good. Being spotted in pitch black nights at 2000 meters distance and seeing a raised scope in the waves even at day is a chance encounter at best.
Just to illustrate my experiences with the sea. During the day with some waves watching from a pier it's even hard to make out buoys that are farther away than a few hundred meters down the beach. Even if you know where they are they bob into and out of your view constantly. Even at night when the promenade and the pier are brightly lit it's very hard to make out any details on the water. I once heard a boat with an outboard motor approach and couldn't see it until it was almost below the pier. Had I stood on a destroyer or merchant making a racket with it's own engines I wouldn't even have heard it. Granted: I didn't have binoculars. |
To be upfront I don't know even know what file to look in to see how the visual detection AI works.
However I think Ducimus is right on target with the post above. A couple things I'd like to add. Running decks awashed (6-7meters) also lowers your profile. Just a guess here but just as Asdic and passive sonar get better later in the war, so does visual spotting. As a histrorical reference the Japanese entered WW2 with probably the best lookouts of any nation. They constantly trained under adverse night conditions which led them to usually spot the enemy first. They got quite the better of the US early in the Guadalcanal campaign until radar was more prevalent.
I really love attacking convoys at night on the surface. Usually by running decks awashed, 5-9 knts, and always bow on i can get to within 1500-2000 meters out and not be spotted. Pick 2 targets and shoot. Granted you cant always get the juicy center of convoy Large Tanker, but a Pyro and a small merch is still not bad.
I make sure torpedoes are set for slow to allow for a quick 180 turn away after firing. Escape at 9kts or so.
Bad weather is your friend just as Ducimus said but i cant be horrible. If you cant see it you cant sink it. 
Not that im an expert at SH3, far from it however getting in close at night on the surface is possible (till late 41 or mid 42 that is!) and much more fun than shooting from periscope depth then diving deep. It gives you a better chance of repeat attacks and allows you to follow the convoy much easier! |
Thanks EM2(SS)
I'll try that. In any case I had hoped to get even closer. But 1500 meters is better than nothing. Last times I tried I got detected at over 3000m distance.
After mid 1942 I wouldn't try a surface attack anyway because of radar, but in the early years it should be fun. Yesterdays save in the career was in June 1940 while shadowing a convoy near the coast. Water is just 30 m deep, so I'll take that as a training mission for night convoy attacks. In case they get me I'll reload and try again. Don't want to start a new career after 11 patrols.
