Escorts give up too easily

Obltn Strand · 05-24-10, 03:45 PM

This has troubled me for a while now.

My evading tactic, which is to zigzag in depth between 150-200m and gradually sail towards my planned escape direction, usually shakes off escorts in about an hour. I like escorts to be more tenacious and press more their attacks. Is there any mods or something else to fix this?

Feels good to be on patrol after a while

05-24-10, 03:47 PM

Running any Mods?

Obltn Strand · 05-24-10, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by privateer

Running any Mods?

GWX3
SH3 Commander
St Naz and Schluese...
VonDons ships v2,7
TMT v2
LRT 2,04 Full
Hitman's Optics
and couple of others which I think got nothing to do with escorts.

Leg · 05-24-10, 04:15 PM

I'd say try the same tactic in the 1943

Kapt Z · 05-24-10, 04:23 PM

What year in the war?

I'm new to GWX(new computer

) but only in Oct 39 so I am not suprised that I have been able to evade escorts will little trouble so far.

I certainly expect that to change as the war goes on.

Playing stock and with lesser mods I lost far more boats to aircraft then escorts.

We'll see.....

maillemaker · 05-24-10, 05:40 PM

I find that once they are onto me I'm screwed. I have all but given up on trying to evade escorts. When they are on to me, I go to periscope depth and shoot the bastards! The easiest is to get them to chase you and then run one down their throat. Failing that, I'm pretty good at dialing one in as they cross my path.

Falkirion · 05-24-10, 06:35 PM

It'll depend on the year of the war. Early war the escorts will give up fairly easily. Though I got to late 1940 and had no trouble penetrating screening DDs, and evading in under an hour.

Though there was that one time I decided to finish off the Rodney on the surface, worst decision ever. Nearly sunk me.

PappyCain · 05-24-10, 06:45 PM

Yes, in '39 they will give up but after that, they become very aggressive with new tactics and technology. I have had up to 9 real time hours escaping (that is a real challenge the game offers, white knuckle to be sure). I have used a 7 degree to starboard circle and to good results when an escort or two leaves it's convoy to hunt me. Then when they fade back to their herd I head in the opposite direction (rigged for silence) until I am all clear. BTW I go deep and keep a good eye on the depth gauge and activate pumps if I must. Minor hull damage is to be avoided in this gambit as you will crush sooner. Good fun and rewarding to make a clean get-away with boat intact and the crew singing and that fresh air when surfaced is cold and clean!!!

Dissaray · 05-24-10, 09:43 PM

'39 puts them bearly a step ahead of the old hook and line method they used back in WWI. I have escaped them by simply diving to 50m going silent and traveling in a strait line at 2 knots. By about '43 they some times kill me on the first pass. I like the chalange of the later years but enjoy the ability to strike with impunity of the early war.

timmy41 · 05-24-10, 11:41 PM

early in the war, many of the crews simply did not know how to fight subs. during WWI, most ships carried only 2 depth charges at most, so very few people had experience with them. ASW did not advance much at all between the wars, except for improved depth charges and ASDIC. you have to remember that until the late 30's, most people thought the last one was 'the war to end all wars', so what was the point of advancing with weapons?

Hook · 05-25-10, 01:23 AM

Just a guess and totally untested. Look in the SilentHunterIII\data\Cfg for the Sim.cfg file. Near the top there's an entry that says

[AI detection]
Lost contact time=30 ;[min]

That number was 15 in the stock game. I'm guessing this is how long in minutes an escort will hang around circling after they lose contact with you.

If you can't live without the excitement in your life, try testing to see how far you have to be away from a circling escort before you can safely go to flank speed. I had a lone frigate in 1939 reacquire me from about 1500 meters when I went to flank speed briefly when I was over 100 meters deep and in his baffles. Must have been magic.

Hook

h.sie · 05-25-10, 02:25 AM

[AI detection]
Lost contact time=30 ;[min]

This is correct. But if he uses SH3 Commander, this value is overwritten by a random value between 15 and 45 (if I'm informed correctly) each time he launches SH3 via SH3 Commander.

So in his case it would be better to change the values 15 and 45 in the appropriate SH3-Commander config file, I think it is Randomized Events.cfg.

h.sie

JScones · 05-25-10, 02:50 AM

Correct.

Just don't set the value too high as the escorts will lose contact with the convoy they are supposed to be guarding! The SH3Cmdr maximum of 45 minutes takes this into account; they'll keep you pinned down, but they won't meander aimlessly after they break off the attack.

So setting a high value may add "OMG immersion!!!" up front, but it'd become a downer pretty quickly once you find yourself continually attacking unprotected convoys.

sharkbit · 05-25-10, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leg

I'd say try the same tactic in the 1943

Ditto.
Late 1943 and on, they will hound you until your little white cap floats to the surface.

I had three escorts in the Med latch onto me for 14+ hours(game time) in Dec., 1943. It didn't end pretty.

maillemaker · 05-25-10, 08:49 AM

Quote:

'39 puts them bearly a step ahead of the old hook and line method they used back in WWI.

What is the hook and line method?

Steve

05-24-10, 03:45 PM	#1
Obltn Strand Commodore Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 614 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 0	Escorts give up too easily This has troubled me for a while now. My evading tactic, which is to zigzag in depth between 150-200m and gradually sail towards my planned escape direction, usually shakes off escorts in about an hour. I like escorts to be more tenacious and press more their attacks. Is there any mods or something else to fix this? Feels good to be on patrol after a while

05-24-10, 04:23 PM	#5
Kapt Z Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: ...somewhere in the swamps of Jersey. Posts: 910 Downloads: 157 Uploads: 0	What year in the war? I'm new to GWX(new computer) but only in Oct 39 so I am not suprised that I have been able to evade escorts will little trouble so far. I certainly expect that to change as the war goes on. Playing stock and with lesser mods I lost far more boats to aircraft then escorts. We'll see..... __________________ ...I fought in many guises, many names, but always me. Patton

05-24-10, 06:45 PM	#8
PappyCain Samurai Navy Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: on the Atlantic Ocean Posts: 559 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Yes, in '39 they will give up but after that, they become very aggressive with new tactics and technology. I have had up to 9 real time hours escaping (that is a real challenge the game offers, white knuckle to be sure). I have used a 7 degree to starboard circle and to good results when an escort or two leaves it's convoy to hunt me. Then when they fade back to their herd I head in the opposite direction (rigged for silence) until I am all clear. BTW I go deep and keep a good eye on the depth gauge and activate pumps if I must. Minor hull damage is to be avoided in this gambit as you will crush sooner. Good fun and rewarding to make a clean get-away with boat intact and the crew singing and that fresh air when surfaced is cold and clean!!! __________________ DID, no cheats, no shortcuts, no non-historic equipment deviations. Boat and crew safety is integral with my immersion style! Follow the historic events during your patrol: http://www.uboat.net/today.html

05-25-10, 02:25 AM	#12
h.sie Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,192 Downloads: 131 Uploads: 0	[AI detection] Lost contact time=30 ;[min] This is correct. But if he uses SH3 Commander, this value is overwritten by a random value between 15 and 45 (if I'm informed correctly) each time he launches SH3 via SH3 Commander. So in his case it would be better to change the values 15 and 45 in the appropriate SH3-Commander config file, I think it is Randomized Events.cfg. h.sie __________________ My Mediafire page: http://www.mediafire.com/hsie

05-25-10, 02:50 AM	#13
JScones Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 5,501 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	Correct. Just don't set the value too high as the escorts will lose contact with the convoy they are supposed to be guarding! The SH3Cmdr maximum of 45 minutes takes this into account; they'll keep you pinned down, but they won't meander aimlessly after they break off the attack. So setting a high value may add "OMG immersion!!!" up front, but it'd become a downer pretty quickly once you find yourself continually attacking unprotected convoys. Last edited by JScones; 05-25-10 at 03:04 AM.

05-24-10, 03:47 PM	#2
Madox58 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Running any Mods?

05-24-10, 04:15 PM	#4
Leg Electrician's Mate Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Italy Posts: 140 Downloads: 237 Uploads: 0	I'd say try the same tactic in the 1943

05-24-10, 05:40 PM	#6
maillemaker Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,639 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	I find that once they are onto me I'm screwed. I have all but given up on trying to evade escorts. When they are on to me, I go to periscope depth and shoot the bastards! The easiest is to get them to chase you and then run one down their throat. Failing that, I'm pretty good at dialing one in as they cross my path.

05-24-10, 06:35 PM	#7
Falkirion Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Melbourne, AUS Posts: 1,043 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	It'll depend on the year of the war. Early war the escorts will give up fairly easily. Though I got to late 1940 and had no trouble penetrating screening DDs, and evading in under an hour. Though there was that one time I decided to finish off the Rodney on the surface, worst decision ever. Nearly sunk me.

05-24-10, 09:43 PM	#9
Dissaray 中国水兵 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 280 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	'39 puts them bearly a step ahead of the old hook and line method they used back in WWI. I have escaped them by simply diving to 50m going silent and traveling in a strait line at 2 knots. By about '43 they some times kill me on the first pass. I like the chalange of the later years but enjoy the ability to strike with impunity of the early war.

05-24-10, 11:41 PM	#10
timmy41 Weps Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 367 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	early in the war, many of the crews simply did not know how to fight subs. during WWI, most ships carried only 2 depth charges at most, so very few people had experience with them. ASW did not advance much at all between the wars, except for improved depth charges and ASDIC. you have to remember that until the late 30's, most people thought the last one was 'the war to end all wars', so what was the point of advancing with weapons?

05-25-10, 01:23 AM	#11
Hook Bosun Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 63 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Just a guess and totally untested. Look in the SilentHunterIII\data\Cfg for the Sim.cfg file. Near the top there's an entry that says [AI detection] Lost contact time=30 ;[min] That number was 15 in the stock game. I'm guessing this is how long in minutes an escort will hang around circling after they lose contact with you. If you can't live without the excitement in your life, try testing to see how far you have to be away from a circling escort before you can safely go to flank speed. I had a lone frigate in 1939 reacquire me from about 1500 meters when I went to flank speed briefly when I was over 100 meters deep and in his baffles. Must have been magic. Hook