3rd Patrol using TGW1.1a - NOTHING

robj250 · 11-20-06, 11:52 AM

Well, I have had two patrols that resulted in %$^&. Being sent to (I had to go all the way over the top of the British Isles) to some stupid grid where there isn't anything. Never received any RA reports on Task Forces or Convoys.

Now on my 3rd patrol and I've came all the way around the top of the British Isles (again) to BE67. The only ship I've spotted so far was a US cargo ship and since the US isn't even in the war yet, I didn't sink it because I didn't want the negative renoun for doing it.

Then almost to my grid (5 grids to go) I get a RA about a task force heading N way below me (3 grids away doing 21 kts), so I plan my intercept, just like I used to do in the vanilla SH3. Now since GW does not update the map, I have to rely on my planned intercept. Guess what, I travel at 17 knts to arrive at the planned intercept. I'm RIGHT ON TARGET and have waited for 3 hours and then the Task Force appears just behind me. I don't know how they got past, I had no contacts during that whole "waiting for intercept".

And, just as I see the Task Force reappear behind me, I receive another RA which gives me information about a convoy going NNE at only 6 kts. Well they arn't too far behind me so I plot another intercept with me going 17 kts. I wait for for a couple hours at the planned intercept; NOTHING. So I travel the recipical of NNE for almost 24 hours heading towards the convoy was reported and NOTHING.

SO, I'm going on to my assigned grid and patrol it for my required 24 hours and then go back to Wilmhelsmshaven and get whatever, for doing nothing except running around the North Atlantic wasting fuel.

Well, I heard all this stuff about TGW1.1a being SO wonderful, all I see is harbour traffic which is a nusiance to get past so I don't ram anyone and get sunk in my own port.

In all the three missions so far I have waited in the convoy lanes and see nothing ( I do this after seeing nothing in my patrol grid). After waiting for a couple days, I go back to base.

Well, I don't see what's so wonderful about TGW1.1a.

And, while I'm at it, why didn't the dev. team put in a mod that would put the Watch Officer back on the bridge when the sub surfaces???? Have they looked after this in the supposed even more wonderful GWX???:hmm:

Fed Up.

In my first three patrols using the vanilla, I had sunk quite a few ships.

AVGWarhawk · 11-20-06, 11:59 AM

What year are you playing? 1939 it is darn quiet. Later on you will have convoys all around you. I'm in 1943 and over by Novia Scotia. I have three convoys to choose from!! I also attacked a task force on the way. Not all of my patrols are exciting especially in the early years. Give it some time and you will wish you had the lone merchants again.....I agree with the WO not going to the tower automatically. Are you using the map in UZO/periscope view to see were the shipping lanes are?

mr chris · 11-20-06, 12:14 PM

Hey Rob im sorry to hear that you have not had a great first experiance with the GW.
When waiting for these convoys and Task forces were you using you Hyderphone? Or just the lookout crew up on the bridge?
The harbour traffic might not be everyones cup of tea but it does bring a sence of realism to the ports

If you are stuggleing to find tagets in the convoy lanes why not try raiding a port? With GW you can be sure the are going to be some targets in them unlike stock SH3.
Im sure the is a way of getting your map to update the contacts with GW i know my map updates the contacts, when you are heading into indercept them.
Keep at it Rob the big sinkings will come.
Good hunting mate

Jimbuna · 11-20-06, 12:16 PM

If it's more of a challenge and excitement your after then trust me rob...your in for a great deal of it with GWX!!!

DD = DEMONIC DESTROYERS

I don't think you'll be too dissapointed mate

May I suggest you check out the 'GWX Status Report' page in the SH3 Mods Workshop section (sorry but you probably already have) because there are lots of hints and a few photos there.

Testing the expansion is 'edge of the seat stuff'...the actual gaming experience should come with a health warning

AVGWarhawk · 11-20-06, 12:19 PM

Trust me man, when I started a career in 39 I sunk singletons all over the place. Soon I had convoy after convoy. I was so battered and ripped up by destroyers/flowers/planes I was begging for the slow singleton happy times of the u-boat!!!!! Give it some time man. GW attempts to make it as real as possible. The U-boat did not come out of the gate sinking everything in its path until later in the war. Then the tables turned and the U-boats were getting their butts handed to them. That is were I am right now.

thegroo · 11-20-06, 12:36 PM

In GW the convoys are not running in a straight line, they make course changes all the time but they head in a general direction.

When planning your intercept use the speedchart to draw a distance-circle to indicate the possible area the convoy covers
in the time you need to go to the intercept point.
I make the circle about 2/3 of the distance the convoy could make in a straight line.

Once you get there go to 30m and use the sonar.
If you find nothing you have to guess a bit where the convoy could be and try to make
a new intercept.
In two of tree times, i'm now able to make an intercept.

The hunt is far more interresting this way but sometime i curse like hell when i lie
ahead of the convoy in a perfect position and the convoy changes course

As for not to find anything in your assigned grid, thats not specific to GW.
You get it in a plain installation too.
After spending the 24 hours in the patrol grid go to a better hunting ground like BF13, BF15

All in all, i find GW much better than the stock game.

Regards
Dieter

robj250 · 11-20-06, 12:38 PM

Okay guys, As I mentioned, I am disappointed so far, BUT I will continue to carry on in 1939 and on into 1940.

I want to get out of Wilmhelshaven (2nd Flotilla) and get transfered to St. Nazaire. Then I will not have to travel so far to get to the Atlantic.

Here's hoping.

Regarding the Convoy routes in the map that is in the upper left corner, to pull down. I have done that, but It doesn't do much for me, Is it different when pulled down using the UZO or periscope?

AVGWarhawk · 11-20-06, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robj250

Okay guys, As I mentioned, I am disappointed so far, BUT I will continue to carry on in 1939 and on into 1940.

I want to get out of Wilmhelshaven (2nd Flotilla) and get transfered to St. Nazaire. Then I will not have to travel so far to get to the Atlantic.

Here's hoping.

Man, stay away from Kiel...talk about a long haul!!!

mr chris · 11-20-06, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Quote:

Originally Posted by robj250

Okay guys, As I mentioned, I am disappointed so far, BUT I will continue to carry on in 1939 and on into 1940.

I want to get out of Wilmhelshaven (2nd Flotilla) and get transfered to St. Nazaire. Then I will not have to travel so far to get to the Atlantic.

Here's hoping.

Man, stay away from Kiel...talk about a long haul!!!

Something tells me you wont mind so much being based in kiel in GWX

P_Funk · 11-20-06, 12:57 PM

Well Rob I'm not sure why you're having such trouble. I've never had such trouble finding targets in GW 1.1a.

Also Rob you say that you try for a couple of days and then return to base. That might also be a problem. I can go more than a week without meeting a contact sometimes. 3 days patrolling your likely empty patrol grid doesn't sound very effective. In reality (as GW is trying to recreat) u-boats often wouldn't encounter anything for weeks. I'd keep cracking at it. Also ask around for suggested patrol grids with good activity for your time frame and use SH3 Commander to make sure you get that as your grid next patrol.

robj250 · 11-20-06, 01:06 PM

On both my patrols (so far) I have been out for just over 10 days.

NO, I don't really want to go to Kiel. If I remember correctly, it was really a pain trying to get out of it and into the sea.

Oh, I'm going to give it some more time. I will hang around in BF13 and BF15 to see what happens and I will follow any advice you mates pass on to me.

P_Funk · 11-20-06, 01:19 PM

Kiel is alot easier to sail out of now that there's the Kiel canal. Though SH3 Commander is required to make that trip speedy as well since it requires you be close to land the whole way and thus standard TC wouldn't let you go very fast.

Definately screw around in those grids. Also you could try haunting the mouth of the Channel. When leaving the Biscay ports for a North Atlantic patrol grid I almost always encounter at least one lone merchant and quite often an inbound or outbount convoy.

mookiemookie · 11-20-06, 01:55 PM

The Irish Sea is chock full of ships and isn't too far from your grid. However, it's also chock full of DDs and Elcos but at least no minefields to speak of (the northwestern approaches to the North Channel are a different story). That's some good huntin in that area.

AVGWarhawk · 11-20-06, 02:05 PM

Furthermore, what kind of watch do you have? I use a rated officer and a rated petty officer for watch and two crewmen. This gives me green all the way across. These guys are like Eagle Eye GI Joe. They see ships 15000m plus and yes that is using GW. Stack the deck in your favor....get good crew on the conning tower!

robj250 · 11-20-06, 02:41 PM

Well, I may (I say may :rotfl: ) have some luck. Finished my 24 hrs in my patrol grid and started heading toward BE15 and the RA gave info on a convoy heading SW in my direction, but a bit to the east of where I am. Have altered course to 90° and plotted the intercept. They are travelling at 7 kts in calm seas and have to travel about 125 km to where I hope I will be. Received the RA at 0341 and it's about 4:50 now and I just arrived at the "point" (I forget the time excatly

) so it looks like it might be an early morning encounter, if I'm lucky.

And there are gale winds in the BF12. Another sub radio to BdU about that heading SW.

11-20-06, 11:52 AM	#1
robj250 Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Port Hardy, BC, Canada 75 yo with M.S. & C.O.P.D. & heart problems Posts: 1,930 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	3rd Patrol using TGW1.1a - NOTHING Well, I have had two patrols that resulted in %$^&. Being sent to (I had to go all the way over the top of the British Isles) to some stupid grid where there isn't anything. Never received any RA reports on Task Forces or Convoys. Now on my 3rd patrol and I've came all the way around the top of the British Isles (again) to BE67. The only ship I've spotted so far was a US cargo ship and since the US isn't even in the war yet, I didn't sink it because I didn't want the negative renoun for doing it. Then almost to my grid (5 grids to go) I get a RA about a task force heading N way below me (3 grids away doing 21 kts), so I plan my intercept, just like I used to do in the vanilla SH3. Now since GW does not update the map, I have to rely on my planned intercept. Guess what, I travel at 17 knts to arrive at the planned intercept. I'm RIGHT ON TARGET and have waited for 3 hours and then the Task Force appears just behind me. I don't know how they got past, I had no contacts during that whole "waiting for intercept". And, just as I see the Task Force reappear behind me, I receive another RA which gives me information about a convoy going NNE at only 6 kts. Well they arn't too far behind me so I plot another intercept with me going 17 kts. I wait for for a couple hours at the planned intercept; NOTHING. So I travel the recipical of NNE for almost 24 hours heading towards the convoy was reported and NOTHING. SO, I'm going on to my assigned grid and patrol it for my required 24 hours and then go back to Wilmhelsmshaven and get whatever, for doing nothing except running around the North Atlantic wasting fuel. Well, I heard all this stuff about TGW1.1a being SO wonderful, all I see is harbour traffic which is a nusiance to get past so I don't ram anyone and get sunk in my own port. In all the three missions so far I have waited in the convoy lanes and see nothing ( I do this after seeing nothing in my patrol grid). After waiting for a couple days, I go back to base. Well, I don't see what's so wonderful about TGW1.1a. And, while I'm at it, why didn't the dev. team put in a mod that would put the Watch Officer back on the bridge when the sub surfaces???? Have they looked after this in the supposed even more wonderful GWX???:hmm: Fed Up. In my first three patrols using the vanilla, I had sunk quite a few ships.

11-20-06, 11:59 AM	#2
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,261 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	What year are you playing? 1939 it is darn quiet. Later on you will have convoys all around you. I'm in 1943 and over by Novia Scotia. I have three convoys to choose from!! I also attacked a task force on the way. Not all of my patrols are exciting especially in the early years. Give it some time and you will wish you had the lone merchants again.....I agree with the WO not going to the tower automatically. Are you using the map in UZO/periscope view to see were the shipping lanes are? __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-20-06, 12:14 PM	#3
mr chris Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Herefordshire, England Posts: 3,562 Downloads: 216 Uploads: 0	Hey Rob im sorry to hear that you have not had a great first experiance with the GW. When waiting for these convoys and Task forces were you using you Hyderphone? Or just the lookout crew up on the bridge? The harbour traffic might not be everyones cup of tea but it does bring a sence of realism to the ports If you are stuggleing to find tagets in the convoy lanes why not try raiding a port? With GW you can be sure the are going to be some targets in them unlike stock SH3. Im sure the is a way of getting your map to update the contacts with GW i know my map updates the contacts, when you are heading into indercept them. Keep at it Rob the big sinkings will come. Good hunting mate __________________

11-20-06, 12:16 PM	#4
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,552 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	If it's more of a challenge and excitement your after then trust me rob...your in for a great deal of it with GWX!!! DD = DEMONIC DESTROYERS I don't think you'll be too dissapointed mate May I suggest you check out the 'GWX Status Report' page in the SH3 Mods Workshop section (sorry but you probably already have) because there are lots of hints and a few photos there. Testing the expansion is 'edge of the seat stuff'...the actual gaming experience should come with a health warning __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

11-20-06, 12:19 PM	#5
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,261 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Trust me man, when I started a career in 39 I sunk singletons all over the place. Soon I had convoy after convoy. I was so battered and ripped up by destroyers/flowers/planes I was begging for the slow singleton happy times of the u-boat!!!!! Give it some time man. GW attempts to make it as real as possible. The U-boat did not come out of the gate sinking everything in its path until later in the war. Then the tables turned and the U-boats were getting their butts handed to them. That is were I am right now. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-20-06, 12:36 PM	#6
thegroo Bosun Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Switzerland Posts: 67 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	In GW the convoys are not running in a straight line, they make course changes all the time but they head in a general direction. When planning your intercept use the speedchart to draw a distance-circle to indicate the possible area the convoy covers in the time you need to go to the intercept point. I make the circle about 2/3 of the distance the convoy could make in a straight line. Once you get there go to 30m and use the sonar. If you find nothing you have to guess a bit where the convoy could be and try to make a new intercept. In two of tree times, i'm now able to make an intercept. The hunt is far more interresting this way but sometime i curse like hell when i lie ahead of the convoy in a perfect position and the convoy changes course As for not to find anything in your assigned grid, thats not specific to GW. You get it in a plain installation too. After spending the 24 hours in the patrol grid go to a better hunting ground like BF13, BF15 All in all, i find GW much better than the stock game. Regards Dieter __________________

11-20-06, 12:38 PM	#7
robj250 Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Port Hardy, BC, Canada 75 yo with M.S. & C.O.P.D. & heart problems Posts: 1,930 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Okay guys, As I mentioned, I am disappointed so far, BUT I will continue to carry on in 1939 and on into 1940. I want to get out of Wilmhelshaven (2nd Flotilla) and get transfered to St. Nazaire. Then I will not have to travel so far to get to the Atlantic. Here's hoping. Regarding the Convoy routes in the map that is in the upper left corner, to pull down. I have done that, but It doesn't do much for me, Is it different when pulled down using the UZO or periscope?

11-20-06, 12:57 PM	#10
P_Funk Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 2,537 Downloads: 129 Uploads: 0	Well Rob I'm not sure why you're having such trouble. I've never had such trouble finding targets in GW 1.1a. Also Rob you say that you try for a couple of days and then return to base. That might also be a problem. I can go more than a week without meeting a contact sometimes. 3 days patrolling your likely empty patrol grid doesn't sound very effective. In reality (as GW is trying to recreat) u-boats often wouldn't encounter anything for weeks. I'd keep cracking at it. Also ask around for suggested patrol grids with good activity for your time frame and use SH3 Commander to make sure you get that as your grid next patrol. __________________

11-20-06, 01:06 PM	#11
robj250 Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Port Hardy, BC, Canada 75 yo with M.S. & C.O.P.D. & heart problems Posts: 1,930 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	On both my patrols (so far) I have been out for just over 10 days. NO, I don't really want to go to Kiel. If I remember correctly, it was really a pain trying to get out of it and into the sea. Oh, I'm going to give it some more time. I will hang around in BF13 and BF15 to see what happens and I will follow any advice you mates pass on to me.

11-20-06, 01:19 PM	#12
P_Funk Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 2,537 Downloads: 129 Uploads: 0	Kiel is alot easier to sail out of now that there's the Kiel canal. Though SH3 Commander is required to make that trip speedy as well since it requires you be close to land the whole way and thus standard TC wouldn't let you go very fast. Definately screw around in those grids. Also you could try haunting the mouth of the Channel. When leaving the Biscay ports for a North Atlantic patrol grid I almost always encounter at least one lone merchant and quite often an inbound or outbount convoy. __________________

11-20-06, 01:55 PM	#13
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	The Irish Sea is chock full of ships and isn't too far from your grid. However, it's also chock full of DDs and Elcos but at least no minefields to speak of (the northwestern approaches to the North Channel are a different story). That's some good huntin in that area. __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

11-20-06, 02:05 PM	#14
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,261 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Furthermore, what kind of watch do you have? I use a rated officer and a rated petty officer for watch and two crewmen. This gives me green all the way across. These guys are like Eagle Eye GI Joe. They see ships 15000m plus and yes that is using GW. Stack the deck in your favor....get good crew on the conning tower! __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-20-06, 02:41 PM	#15
robj250 Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Port Hardy, BC, Canada 75 yo with M.S. & C.O.P.D. & heart problems Posts: 1,930 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Well, I may (I say may :rotfl: ) have some luck. Finished my 24 hrs in my patrol grid and started heading toward BE15 and the RA gave info on a convoy heading SW in my direction, but a bit to the east of where I am. Have altered course to 90° and plotted the intercept. They are travelling at 7 kts in calm seas and have to travel about 125 km to where I hope I will be. Received the RA at 0341 and it's about 4:50 now and I just arrived at the "point" (I forget the time excatly ) so it looks like it might be an early morning encounter, if I'm lucky. And there are gale winds in the BF12. Another sub radio to BdU about that heading SW.