It's Aliiive!!

Commander Gizmo · 11-17-09, 07:13 PM

I'm sure someone else has noted this before me, but it was quite a strange experience so I'm posting it anyway.

I was sailing just north of Britain and came across some radar contacts. A quick check revealed a small convoy of ships traveling in a line. I excitedly swung my not so shiny or new carrier over a few degrees to port to intercept. Once about 20 clicks out I could see a massive hull looming just on the edge of the horizon. I heard two of the sailors near me whisper, "This thing must be huge!" and agreed completely. Knowing only a carrier could cast such a massive silhouette I grabbed the binoculars and waited for a better view.

After a few minutes I was able to discern a few details. It was huge. More than that, it was white and very much resembled a miniature mountain. Yup, an iceberg. And not just one, but a whole convoy of them. These were no ordinary icebergs either!

The column of five 'bergs started and ended with very small ones. The second in the column was also quite small with the remaining two very very large. The were all moving in a perfect line and with perfect spacing at about 5-8 knots.

After getting close, I shot the gap between the second and third and continued on my way. After clearing them and saying goodbye to the strange sight, I ramped up the TC a bit only to discover just how extraordinary these icebergs were. My TC was capped as if I was hunting and at TC I could now see on my map view that they were zig zagging in unison! That's right, the Brits are now putting their merchants in iceberg costumes to avoid detection and spy on passing German warships!

I fired a few volleys but no damage was done. Not even a crack in the ice. It must have been armored.

Weiss Pinguin · 11-17-09, 08:11 PM

Those are the Royal Navy's new pykrete ships, obviously painted to look like Icebergs

Good luck getting an under-keel shot on one of them...

Platapus · 11-17-09, 08:14 PM

Here is my experience with Merchant ships disguised as Icebergs

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...light=icebergs

11-17-09, 11:02 PM

Can one dive under one of those things?

Commander Gizmo · 11-17-09, 11:12 PM

I did a free cam look under the water and they extend about as far as the light does. You'd be taking a huge risk trying to dive under one.

Jimbuna · 11-18-09, 07:45 AM

Screenshot or it didn't happen

Here's one I took earlier

RConch · 11-18-09, 08:11 AM

Is this part of the stock game or GWX 3.0?
Haven't seen one yet, but this is cool.
Is there a specific area where they show up?
Didn't see any when I was around Iceland in April '41, of course, didn't see much anyway with all the crash diving from aircraft.

Weiss Pinguin · 11-18-09, 10:50 AM

You can usually find icebergs up near the arctic regions of the map, or around the northern convoy lanes. (Check the pullout map in the top-left corner to see where the lanes are)

Lt.Fillipidis · 11-18-09, 02:49 PM

Just be sure NOT to stray to close to the north pole.
There's an invisible energy field there which prevents anyone from entering.
Must be aliens...

Jimbuna · 11-18-09, 05:09 PM

Commander Gizmo · 11-18-09, 06:56 PM

My biggest curiosity was the fact that they apparently had spotted me and were zig zagging to avoid attacks. For what reason would the icebergs be self propelled and react to my presence? I thought that SH3 (even stock) had icebergs as simple stationary no AI objects.

11-20-09, 02:50 AM

I'm pretty sure the ones I encountered were movind.

Yours must have been trained by the admiralty though.
Interesting stuff.

11-17-09, 07:13 PM	#1
Commander Gizmo Watch Officer Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 339 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 4	It's Aliiive!! I'm sure someone else has noted this before me, but it was quite a strange experience so I'm posting it anyway. I was sailing just north of Britain and came across some radar contacts. A quick check revealed a small convoy of ships traveling in a line. I excitedly swung my not so shiny or new carrier over a few degrees to port to intercept. Once about 20 clicks out I could see a massive hull looming just on the edge of the horizon. I heard two of the sailors near me whisper, "This thing must be huge!" and agreed completely. Knowing only a carrier could cast such a massive silhouette I grabbed the binoculars and waited for a better view. After a few minutes I was able to discern a few details. It was huge. More than that, it was white and very much resembled a miniature mountain. Yup, an iceberg. And not just one, but a whole convoy of them. These were no ordinary icebergs either! The column of five 'bergs started and ended with very small ones. The second in the column was also quite small with the remaining two very very large. The were all moving in a perfect line and with perfect spacing at about 5-8 knots. After getting close, I shot the gap between the second and third and continued on my way. After clearing them and saying goodbye to the strange sight, I ramped up the TC a bit only to discover just how extraordinary these icebergs were. My TC was capped as if I was hunting and at TC I could now see on my map view that they were zig zagging in unison! That's right, the Brits are now putting their merchants in iceberg costumes to avoid detection and spy on passing German warships! I fired a few volleys but no damage was done. Not even a crack in the ice. It must have been armored.

11-17-09, 08:11 PM	#2
Weiss Pinguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Auburn, Alabama Posts: 3,333 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 0	Those are the Royal Navy's new pykrete ships, obviously painted to look like Icebergs Good luck getting an under-keel shot on one of them... __________________

11-17-09, 08:14 PM	#3
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Here is my experience with Merchant ships disguised as Icebergs http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...light=icebergs __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

11-18-09, 07:45 AM	#6
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,481 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Screenshot or it didn't happen Here's one I took earlier __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

11-18-09, 08:11 AM	#7
RConch Captain Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: No. Virginia Posts: 619 Downloads: 518 Uploads: 0	Is this part of the stock game or GWX 3.0? Haven't seen one yet, but this is cool. Is there a specific area where they show up? Didn't see any when I was around Iceland in April '41, of course, didn't see much anyway with all the crash diving from aircraft. __________________ "Noch und Noch" Prowling the Nord Atlantik with GWX 3.0.

11-17-09, 11:02 PM	#4
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Can one dive under one of those things?

11-17-09, 11:12 PM	#5
Commander Gizmo Watch Officer Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 339 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 4	I did a free cam look under the water and they extend about as far as the light does. You'd be taking a huge risk trying to dive under one.

11-18-09, 10:50 AM	#8
Weiss Pinguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Auburn, Alabama Posts: 3,333 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 0	You can usually find icebergs up near the arctic regions of the map, or around the northern convoy lanes. (Check the pullout map in the top-left corner to see where the lanes are) __________________

11-18-09, 02:49 PM	#9
Lt.Fillipidis Weps Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Veria, Greece Posts: 365 Downloads: 44 Uploads: 0	Just be sure NOT to stray to close to the north pole. There's an invisible energy field there which prevents anyone from entering. Must be aliens...

11-18-09, 05:09 PM	#10
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,481 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	__________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

11-18-09, 06:56 PM	#11
Commander Gizmo Watch Officer Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 339 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 4	My biggest curiosity was the fact that they apparently had spotted me and were zig zagging to avoid attacks. For what reason would the icebergs be self propelled and react to my presence? I thought that SH3 (even stock) had icebergs as simple stationary no AI objects.

11-20-09, 02:50 AM	#12
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I'm pretty sure the ones I encountered were movind. Yours must have been trained by the admiralty though. Interesting stuff.