Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980
Just a update as have had a few questions. I originally planned to do just a small patch to include a couple things that did not make it into the first release, but there is a lot I wish to add , plus some other modders have offered up some excellent tweaks to improve the mod so a new version of my update is in progress.
Campaign
Restored Tambor Class to be available at all stages of the war. I like the Terrible T campaign idea, I want to do one with the USS Drum (Gato) and have players orders to all patrols match history, but that is down the road. Anyways, disliked not being able to start a campaign in 1944 and get the Tambor Class, so it has been restored.
Pre-Pearl Harbor Career
Player can now start in June 1941 in the Pacific or Asiatic Fleets. Always felt this is when the sim should have started, to give player the feeling of going from peace time operations and restraints to unrestricted submarine warfare. Provides a variety of play and investment in a career.
I have added pre war traffic into the campaign so player will see shipping going between USA and Japan...with it dwindling as embargos, such as oil embargo takes effect in August 1941 and tensions mount.
The US is not at war yet, so missions include monitoring Japanese shipping and if able to implement, operating with the fleet as a scout or sorts. Fictitious agent insertions and supply runs may be included. S boats out of the P.I. for example for go to China station pre war. To keep things interesting, some IJN units encountered will attack you, some will not, with chance of encountering hostiles going up closer get to Dec 1941. You will never know which one is which, so best to observe and avoid but at times, may find yourself forced to fight. Remember, this is before SD and SJ radar, so much easier to be spotted.
Pearl Harbor air strike is now scripted, within the limits of the sim. Two waves hit the harbor at historical place and time, but not in the numbers due to even on a high end rig, can PH activity seems to overwhelm the game and cause lag or even CTD at times. The Kido Butai will be in historic time and place (roughly) so it is possible, a player already at sea could encounter this force. I plan to structure the orders so player is in area to do so before or even after. Still working that part out. In testing, it was pretty neat to run into the Japanese strike force on afternoon of Dec 1941. Managed to slip passed the escorts and torpedo the KAGA. Due to torpedo malfunctions, only two out of six hit, but left her on fire and listing when went deep to avoid the destroyers, heavily damaged.
Prior to Pearl Harbor, a lot of historical traffic has been added. Such as Bat Div One departing on Dec 4 for night gunnery practice and returning on Dec 5. The last time these battleships would sortie prior to the attack on Dec 7
Enterprise and Lexington depart on their respective runs to Wake Island and Midway to deliver Marine aviators and aircraft and hunt for the japanese after attacks and then return.
Plan to add New Construction 1941, so played will go through sea trials (likely on east coast) with a Tambor or Gar Class, then proceed to the Pacific. Likely will start in January 1941.
New Construction 1943 for Balao Class restored.
Plan to implement new construction 1944/45 for Tench Class.
May add fictional orders where player is based on east coast and scout for Atlantic convoys, hunting U boats within the "defense zone" in 1941, early 1942. Since we have AI torpedo firing subs in TMO now, figured could be interesting. This is still in very preliminary stages.
Restoring "SUBRON 50" ETO operations of Gato class submarines in the ETO from Sept 1942 until August 1943. a very basic campaign was in TMO at one point but eliminated from 2.5. This campaign has been restored and is being upgraded for historical accuracy and playability. Addition of German ships, AI u boats which fire torpedoes, and varied assignments. Player will start in New London, CT, have to sailed to Europe for first patrol...supporting landings in North Africa in late 42, then end patrol in Scotland. In August 1942 when all of SUBRON 50 boats are sent to the Pacific, player will sail to New London, then to Pearl Harbor as subron 50 boats did.
For playability, player will see more action than the actual SUBRON 50 boats did , but it will be limited compared to Pacific.
Additional German ships and aircraft, as well as Italian, Vichy French, and Allies will be added.
Player will now started at Cavite in 1941 , not Manila.
Ships added to make Cavite look like the busy navy yard it was.
Torpedo Issues Revisited
MK 14 has proven far too reliable in early to mid war in the previous version. The magnetic detonator malfunctions are fine, but still far too reliable depth control and dud wise. This has been corrected, torpedoes at appropriate time frame will run deep causing misses and correction made to result in more duds especially after magnetic exploder is deactivated.
MK 18 adjusted to have early issues they presented in real life such as depth control, gyro, circle run.
A typo made the "Cutie" homing torpedo available for submarine use way too early, this has been corrected.
Damage Model Tweaked
Pretty happy with new damage model but realized a mistake I made, which made the hull far too vulnerable to damage from DC. The hulls on fleet boats were tough, little too delicate when comes to depth charges as is in the mod, this as been corrected.
Flooding time for compartments has been increased and some flotation
factors adjust. No longer will get such a wild angle due a little bit of flooding in forward or aft compartments, but will still have depth control issues with flooding as should.
Type 95 depth charge power increased, were a little too weak.
AI max firing range with guns increased, surface vessels will now engage one another at longer ranges, so now get more historically accurate gun battles. Most recent test in 1943 had US and IJN cruisers engaging one another at 13000 yard. A lot of variables play in such as fog, light, profile, if units have radar or not etc.
AI sensors Revised.
TMO 2.5 has always seemed easy compared to other, escorts just lack the venom, for most part they used to have, especially the destroyers. A comparison to older TMO versions revealed the reason why. The sensors had been decreased in their range, sensitivity , and efficiency, along with changes in the sim.cfg. Hydrophones, Sonar, and visuals have been adjusted and thus far, results look promising. Still a balance of not impossible to evade, but also provides the difficulty required to keep the sim interesting. Lets face it, attacking submerged without getting depth charged in some form or in a lack luster manner, most of time gets boring.
Balanced enemy visual sensors as well, found are a little too handicapped at night.
Atami and Hira Gunboats now have depth charges and sound gear to function as coastal escorts and patrol craft, thanks to strikeback.
New ships
Almost all merchants (MARUS) have been renamed and tonnage adjusted for historical accuracy, as the tonnage of ships were too high. Used JANAC names and tonnage as well as other resources with photos to try and match them closely. Ships were cloned to provide additional targets.
Added No 13, 28, and 60 class submarine chasers to IJN roster.
In progress
Defensive Depth Charges for merchants.
The IJN began to equip certain merchant vessels with defensive depth charges and some with simple hydrophones in 1942 and into mid 1943. This was to provide some measure of defense against submerged submarines when not escorted, at minimum it forced submarine to go deep and provided chance to escape. I have long wanted to implement this since first read about it, as it will not make lone merchants in first part of war such easy targets.
I got the idea for SH 4 when I noticed that when when a merchant nearby detects player with hydrophone, will try to ram the periscope or if on surface in night surface attacks and at close range , observes the sub will try to ram and of course open fire. When equipped with hydrophones, will definitely charge as well, but not hunt, just take an opportunity if there. I figured they will, if equipped drop a depth charge or two. Will be testing this soon.
Player Submarine
In addition to the damage model tweaks, am working on performance of the sub to be more realistic in handling, dive times, acceleration, deceleration, etc. Using some figures from RFB. Ran into some tech issues but working through them.
Player Patrol Assignments
Working to revamp the orders for more historical accuracy, variety, and proper placement within the modified traffic of the TMO update.
Player will now have chance to be assigned to Sea of Okhotsk, Gulf of Siam, Tonkin, Philippine Sea, and other areas which are generally ignored previously. Goal is variety and to give player chance to experience different types of patrols. Patrolling in the open ocean convoy lanes in Philippine Sea such as area Vestible, is different than patrolling off Tokyo Bay.
Sound
Working to implement some new sounds, including the sound of depth charge when it bounces off the deck of submarine (from Traveler mod).
That is all can think of for now. Any suggestions, contributions to the mod etc, feel free.
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