New Player

[Flatlander]

I would like to enjoy a modern sub game and DW has been on my hard drive for some time. So now I'm trying...I'm new so thank you in advance for your patience and kindness.

My goal is to just begin with the submarines. My understanding of submarine warfare is as follows:

1) sit quietly, or move slowly on a course...but listen (broadband)
2) designate tracks (broadband)
3) exit the game, grab a beer and play Demon's Souls on the Playstation 3

I need a little assistance...

Conceptually I think I understand that it's about receiving energy signals and then categorizing those energy signals...or emitting energy (active sonar = risky)...basically, getting "contacts", somehow identifying them without being detected and then programming and launching whatever weapon is available...followed by some tense and exciting moments of uncertainty.

My question is if someone could provide a link to (or better yet outline) in say 10 or 15 points what a good sequence is for a beginning submarine mission.

For example
1) set course, speed and depth
2) check broadband
3) ???

Even if I could get to targeting that would help.

Maybe this subject is too complex for a simple outline of procedures, but I would appreciate any and all attempts at helping me.

For those of you who can play DW, you have my respect. Thank you!

[Flatlander]

I did a little searching and found some answers in the form of videos and some excellent pdf files provided by the community (Subguru).

I guess there are no shortcuts...if there were, it wouldn't be fun.

If anyone has some general advice, it still would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Blacklight]

A few suggestions:

When you get a contact, change directions (I usually change about 45 degrees of the assumed direction of the target) every five minutes or so. This will help you triangulate the target's position and range better than just chugging along in the same direction. If the target is close, make the time durations between the direction changes smaller and for farther away targets, make your directions changes every 5-10-15 minutes. Experiment a little and keep going back and forth. Each pass will give you a better fix.

Next suggestion:

Another tactic I use a lot is when there is a thermal layer present. I usually drive my sub slow just above the layer with my towed array streamed all the way out. I'll be driving VERY slow (within the 3 knot range). This causes you to stay above the layer and your towed array to dip below the layer so you have sonar both above and below the layer. It's useful for getting an idea of the depth of a target. Also, use that layer to your advantage. Duck under it and above it often.

[Molon Labe]

Originally Posted by Flatlander

My question is if someone could provide a link to (or better yet outline) in say 10 or 15 points what a good sequence is for a beginning submarine mission.

I think I can help with that. You have two priorities at mission start; establishing situational awareness and understanding your mission. Situational awareness is #1 since you're being "dropped into" a situation at a given point and you really don't have any idea what's been going on over the last few hours as you would in RL. So anyways, here's one way to do it.

• Deploy TA
• Check SSP, note SSP type and layer depth
• Full sonar search for all 3 arrays on current heading (narrowband, by the way). Mark and merge if necessary.
• Change heading at least 60 degrees and repeat the sonar search. Drop ambiguous TA contacts.
• If a layer is present, change sides of the layer and repeat the previous two steps.
• Come to PD
  • 360 degree periscope scan
  • check ESM for contacts
  • check for new comms traffic
  • (optional) charge HP air/radar sweep if it won't hurt you, etc.
• Review mission tasking orders (updated?) and any intelligence
• Mark on the Nav map any patrol areas, coordinates, etc. from your tasking/intelligence messages.
• Develop a plan to carry out the mission

[Flatlander]

Thank you. Those are both helpful replies.

[Sea Demon]

Originally Posted by Molon Labe

• Deploy TA
• Check SSP, note SSP type and layer depth
• Full sonar search for all 3 arrays on current heading (narrowband, by the way). Mark and merge if necessary.
• Change heading at least 60 degrees and repeat the sonar search. Drop ambiguous TA contacts.
• If a layer is present, change sides of the layer and repeat the previous two steps.
• Come to PD
  • 360 degree periscope scan
  • check ESM for contacts
  • check for new comms traffic
  • (optional) charge HP air/radar sweep if it won't hurt you, etc.
• Review mission tasking orders (updated?) and any intelligence
• Mark on the Nav map any patrol areas, coordinates, etc. from your tasking/intelligence messages.
• Develop a plan to carry out the mission

This looks like a great checklist. I like it.

[Shearwater]

Thought I wouldn't consider myself an experienced player, my piece of advice is: Don't expect to learn much from the "Quick Mission" generator. In most cases, a snapshot torpedo aimed at the first possub will get you a kill (and a "Kill goal complete"), which is way too easy and probably not what you (or me) are looking for, i.e. the basics of submarine ops. Instead, I would suggest to play real missions, i.e. those provided with DW itself, or to download some. Subguru's page really is a good place to look for those. Actually, DW is much more than a modern "sub game", it's more like a modern "anti-sub" game (which, naturally, includes sub as sub hunters), and the problem I had (and still have) with the stock campaign is that many missions are simply much easier if you use some platform other than a sub.
So, bottom line: Keep looking for user generated scenarios if you're specifically looking for submarine missions in DW

[OneShot]

Check the link in my sig for more info on DW.

[Pisces]

I am surprised MolonLabe didn't plug his TMA tutorial. But I guess you are right in thinking situational awareness comes before actual TMA.

Anyway, his TMA tutorial is also on Subguru's site. (what isn't,really )