Being in command of a virtual WWII U.S. sub again ...

[Matthew_T_Sherman]

Again, SH4 (especially with the RFB mod) is a blast. The added element of being in charge of a virtual crew is a level of immersion that gives the game the kind of addictive boost my wife is going to hate (guess I need to price some jewelry).

However, being a long absent retread to the SubSim community and one that didn't get to stay connected as long as I wanted to last time around, I can't help but feel I've missed quite a bit of good discussions and posts about the game, how it relates, historically and realistically. So forgive me if I bring up old hashed and re-hashed subjects.

For instance:

Now that I have a crew of 80+ officers and enlisted and a dynamic crew roster where I, as the C.O., can drag and move them around - I'm not always sure where to drag who to make sure I'm getting the most efficiency (and realism) from my new-found virtual command abilities. I'm the skipper, I should know what everyone else's job is and how to put them to work doing what they're supposed to do where they're supposed to do it. Alas, when I served in the Navy I wasn't a submariner and it certainly wasn't during WWII on a diesel sub and a couple of hours of scouring the internet for Gato class control room diagrams to give me additional details about positions, titles and responsibilities in said control room only got me some sub museum pics with questionable captions.

The control room is the heart of my sub (like the conn is the eyes and ears - but the conn is pretty much self explanatory - there's the sonar position and there's the radars). Now it's not hard to figure out the slot for the dive officer - that's box 1 and, apparently, an Ensign is gonna fill those shoes on a non-S-class boat with either a higher ranking officer or an experienced chief on deck to make sure he doesn't sink it anymore than he's supposed to. On the S-class boats I'm thinking I see the exec or COB or someone with experience with responsibility under their gut ... errr ... belt.

1. Diving officer - wet nosed ensign (on the newer boats). COB, other chief or officer that doesn't require a chief to save his backside on a semi-regular basis.

Ok ... the two slot on all boats looks like he's in charge of the ballast. This seems a pretty damned important job and I'd picture a chief or first class doing it. What's the position called? Ballastman? Erg.

2. Ballast - experienced fella that won't sink the boat anymore than we want him to.

Now we're at slot three. This fella is looking at a lot of gauges. Again, this seems kinda important (but then, what isn't important in a submarine control room?). And either all of those gauges were replaced with something less archaic or maybe more automated over time or visitors of the sub museums hate taking pictures of just silly `ol gauges. So, guages ... ummm ... gaugeman ... erg.

3. Gaugeman. Watching intently. It's an important job without much manual labor involved. Second class petty officer or above?

We come to slot 4. The rudder dude. And he has some pretty important gauges of his own. Ones I can actually relate to specific elements such as speed in knots and depth and what direction we're headed. Helmsman? Again, seems a job for the more experienced not so low-ranking crew.

4. Rudder/Helm guy. Second class preferred.

Slot 5. On an s-class boat this is a planesman. It's a 'simple' job (ahem) - third class (and below?) On the newer/bigger boats this appears to be electrical (from my best guess). Back to 2nd class and above.

5. S-class - planesman -kid, turn the wheel until the arrow on the gauge matches the order you just repeated. Non-S-class - electrical watch-standing. Petty officers only.

Slot 6. The other planesman for S-class boats. Same as above for them. But on the newer boats it appears, to me, to be (perhaps) some sort of adminstrative or auxiliary plotting desk. Guess this is where the higher ranking officer or COB pretends to not be intently listening to everything the ensign puppy-barks on deck.

6. My X.O. or another 'El-Tee' - maybe the COB or another experienced chief.

Slots seven .... and eight. S-boats have no slot seven or eight so it's all non-S's from here on. Both are planesmen. See above.

Now, as you can see, I'm using a helluva lot of creative fudging here. And I know the SubSim community has quite a few sub history and technical types that should be able to help set me straight.

So, if anyone out there can provide me with additional insight to make me a more professional-like virtual WWII sub skipper, I'd appreciate it.