Best way to search for enemy ships

[Hnrq]

Topic says it all.

What are the best strategies to search for enemy ships, all sorts.

Should I stay put and listen? or drive around? submerged or on surface?

Thanks allready for help.

ps. I have TMO + some other mods.

[howler93]

Welcome to subsim!

Best way to find targets? Stay on the surface and use your SJ radar. Dive for any aircraft, and resurface 1-2 hours later.

Best of luck and good hunting!

Howler

[Hnrq]

Originally Posted by howler93

Welcome to subsim!

Best way to find targets? Stay on the surface and use your SJ radar. Dive for any aircraft, and resurface 1-2 hours later.

Best of luck and good hunting!

Howler

Okey... What about early on my career when I do not have SJ yet?

[gAiNiAc]

Originally Posted by Hnrq

Okey... What about early on my career when I do not have SJ yet?

Get to your patrol area. What I do is draw a circle indicating the radius I shouldn't travel out as per the orders.

Then........look at the map and determine what the shipping lanes are. After that I set up a search pattern in that area.

How I set up a search pattern is I draw a bunch of 10 mile radius circles, that's about the max range of the hyrdrophones.

The circles are arranged such that they all bump up against one another but don't overlap.

They're usually arranged on axis with the shipping lane. I then plot a course connecting the centers of all the circles. Whenever I reach a center I dive and do a manual hydrophone sweep.

If I pick up a contact I then proceed to intercept. I usually dash at flank for about 7 miles and then dip and listen again.

By now you should be able to plot an intercept.

Here's a picture:

[Schroeder]

If you want to "cheat" a little then the time compression can help you to detect shipping. Every time a ship spawns the clock will stop for a second or so (You can see that nicely at the clock when going 2048x). If you notice the clock to stop it's time to submerge and listen.

[AVGWarhawk]

gainiac.......that is quite elaborate strategy Does it net you some good tonnage?

[gAiNiAc]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

gainiac.......that is quite elaborate strategy Does it net you some good tonnage?

Yup. I average 35K - 55K, If I pushed it and wanted to be choosey (large juicy targets only and economic with torpedoes) I could easily average 70K.

What ends up happening is you start to see traffic patterns develop in certain areas so the next time you visit it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

The idea is to not unecessarily overlap already patrolled area.

When I finally get radar I just open the circles up to 20Nm radius.

I look forward to concerted depth charge attacks by the AI because that's when I really have fun. Quite the ballet!

[gAiNiAc]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

If you want to "cheat" a little then the time compression can help you to detect shipping. Every time a ship spawns the clock will stop for a second or so (You can see that nicely at the clock when going 2048x). If you notice the clock to stop it's time to submerge and listen.

Yup!

Kind of a spoiler, you know you've got a rather large set of contacts when the TC really ceases up temporarily.

I just chalk it up to "Divine Providence".

[Sledgehammer427]

same here i use the shipping routes and when tc starts acting poopy i just head towards the nearest lane etc

[Castout]

Err I think you can listen even while you're on the surface.

My sonar officer would sometimes tell me of sound contact while my boat is cruising on the surface. At first I thought it was weird but I think US boats had sonar devices under their keel to listen while being on the surface. I could be wrong and it's another bug though. Anyone?

[gAiNiAc]

Originally Posted by Castout

Err I think you can listen even while you're on the surface.

My sonar officer would sometimes tell me of sound contact while my boat is cruising on the surface. At first I thought it was weird but I think US boats had sonar devices under their keel to listen while being on the surface. I could be wrong and it's another bug though. Anyone?

You can't listen on the surface. Those erroneous sound contact callouts only happen when the seastate is high enough that the hydrophones submerge on the downside of a swell.

[SleightOfHand]

Your sonar guy is just /really/ on the ball. :P

[seafarer]

You can listen at surface in a Sargo or Salmon boat - the hydrophones are "chin" mounted (under the forefoot).

[Castout]

Originally Posted by seafarer

You can listen at surface in a Sargo or Salmon boat - the hydrophones are "chin" mounted (under the forefoot).

Are they the two mini balls pointing downwards ?

Actually it is a smart thinking to place the hydrophones under the keel so that the submarine would still be able to listen even when they are surfaced much like a destroyer hydrophones.

[gimpy117]

underwater, slow (1/3 or stopped) this is called a sound check
use your hydrophones

do a full sweep manually and look for that little green light
then ping to find range (unless you think it's a dd)