I wonder why...

frenema · 10-26-07, 05:47 PM

the Allies didn't just have the merchant ships with different mast heights so that the U-boats wouldn't be able to tell the exact distance of the ship. Or why not have all the merchant ships sail in zigzag all the time? Now, I've never read any books on submarines or have any knowledge of naval warfare, so can anyone enlighten me on this?

bigboywooly · 10-26-07, 05:51 PM

Sailing zig zag uses more fuel
Fuel was at a premium
Convoys sailed from A to B at the fastest speed of the slowest ship in the convoy

Even plotted turns were a nightmare trying to get all ships in sync at the same time

As to mast heights - well they were different
There were hundreds of types of merchant ships on the seas in WW2
The game only has a fraction

seafarer · 10-26-07, 06:06 PM

Given the size of many convoys, the huge area of ocean covered, the differences in nationalities and language, it was a huge challenge just to keep all the ships steaming in their lanes on a straight course. Zig-zag courses were a nightmare to co-ordinate, especially in bad weather and limited visibility, and with radio communication blackouts and often only a handful of escorts to handle things.

Brag · 10-26-07, 09:35 PM

J.S. Balz writes:

You're all a bunch of nitwitz. Allies Zag-zigged while we tried to figure their zig-zagging. We lost war. Keiz Klozet.

KptLt. Johan Sebastian Balz the Magnificent

Torplexed · 10-26-07, 09:38 PM

That's probably how the majority of convoy stragglers were generated. Zigged when I should have zagged.

frenema · 10-27-07, 09:07 PM

Thanks for the replies, but I'm still a bit puzzled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

As to mast heights - well they were different
There were hundreds of types of merchant ships on the seas in WW2
The game only has a fraction

So does that mean they had info on all the Allied ships into a book or did they have some other way of finding the distance?

Torplexed · 10-27-07, 09:24 PM

They probably had something quite similar to the ONI manual the US navy used.

Jimbuna · 10-28-07, 09:40 AM

As intimated earlier....general Class names/types only.
However, in the case of prominent and 'one off' vessels eg: Queen Mary, they would have precise details

bigboywooly · 10-28-07, 10:17 AM

There is a book specific to uboats for ship identification
Similar to the US ONI ones
If only I could remember the name

Jimbuna · 10-28-07, 10:22 AM

GWX Recognition Manual

bigboywooly · 10-28-07, 10:43 AM

Sigh

Humour him

Torplexed · 10-28-07, 11:06 AM

I think one of the German equivalents was called Weyers' Flottentaschenbuch. Warships of the World...sorta similar to Jane's Ships.

10-26-07, 05:47 PM	#1
frenema Torpedoman Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 116 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	I wonder why... the Allies didn't just have the merchant ships with different mast heights so that the U-boats wouldn't be able to tell the exact distance of the ship. Or why not have all the merchant ships sail in zigzag all the time? Now, I've never read any books on submarines or have any knowledge of naval warfare, so can anyone enlighten me on this?

10-26-07, 05:51 PM	#2
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Sailing zig zag uses more fuel Fuel was at a premium Convoys sailed from A to B at the fastest speed of the slowest ship in the convoy Even plotted turns were a nightmare trying to get all ships in sync at the same time As to mast heights - well they were different There were hundreds of types of merchant ships on the seas in WW2 The game only has a fraction __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

10-26-07, 06:06 PM	#3
seafarer Commodore Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 622 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Given the size of many convoys, the huge area of ocean covered, the differences in nationalities and language, it was a huge challenge just to keep all the ships steaming in their lanes on a straight course. Zig-zag courses were a nightmare to co-ordinate, especially in bad weather and limited visibility, and with radio communication blackouts and often only a handful of escorts to handle things. __________________ My Father's ship, HMCS Waskesiu (K330), sank U257 on 02/24/1944 running SHIII-1.4 with GWX2.1 and SHIV-1.5 with TMO/RSRDC/PE3.3 under MS Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP1 ACER AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 400GB SATA HD Antec TruePower Trio 650watt PSU BFG GeForce 8800GT/OC 512MB VRAM, Samsung 216BW widescreen (1680x1050) LCD

10-26-07, 09:35 PM	#4
Brag Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Docked on a Russian pond Posts: 7,072 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	J.S. Balz writes: You're all a bunch of nitwitz. Allies Zag-zigged while we tried to figure their zig-zagging. We lost war. Keiz Klozet. KptLt. Johan Sebastian Balz the Magnificent __________________ Espionage, adventure, suspense, are just a click away Click here to look inside Brag's book: Amazon.com: Kingmaker: Alexey Braguine: Books Order Kingmaker here: http://www.subsim.com/store.html For Tactics visit:http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/

10-26-07, 09:38 PM	#5
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	That's probably how the majority of convoy stragglers were generated. Zigged when I should have zagged. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

10-27-07, 09:24 PM	#7
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	They probably had something quite similar to the ONI manual the US navy used. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

10-28-07, 09:40 AM	#8
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	As intimated earlier....general Class names/types only. However, in the case of prominent and 'one off' vessels eg: Queen Mary, they would have precise details __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

10-28-07, 10:17 AM	#9
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	There is a book specific to uboats for ship identification Similar to the US ONI ones If only I could remember the name __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

10-28-07, 10:22 AM	#10
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	GWX Recognition Manual __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

10-28-07, 10:43 AM	#11
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Sigh Humour him __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

10-28-07, 11:06 AM	#12
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	I think one of the German equivalents was called Weyers' Flottentaschenbuch. Warships of the World...sorta similar to Jane's Ships. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--