Close call

[GoldenRivet]

I was sneaking away from a recent convoy attack during which i sent four freighters to the bottom.

There were three black swan frigates pressing a depth charge attack against me and they were none too close to scoring even a close hit. Suddenly one of the black swans apparently detected me and scored close hits with the depth charges.

aft batteries destroyed, starboard deisel engine destroyed, starboard electric motor destroyed, port electric motor non-functional. flooding in the diesel compartment and the electric motor compartment.

the depth gauge was passing 160 meters as we literally sank by the stern dead in the water.

I secured the boat from silent running and the damage control team (already in place) sprung into action. First priority was to get the port electric motor running.

The boat was slipping down every so slowly deeper and deeper at about a 20 degree angle by the stern as the flooding continued.

after about 10 agonizing minutes the port electric motor was operational

i ordered ahead flank, and the forward batteries were able to give us 2 knots speed. the flooding eventually stopped and the boat leveled out.

leaving the remaining damage in place, with propulsion available and the flooding stopped i rigged for silent running again.

several depth charges came close but did not find the mark. i managed to get away surfacing about 8 km from the convoy and making my best speed for Brest.

We nearly had it that time.

I have set my time in base to 60 days through SH3 commander to simulate dry docking the sub for major repairs.

odd thing i noticed was that my planesmen vanished. they were aboard, and at their stations but were not rendered in the control room. everything still functioned normally where the dive planes were concerned and they were not showing up as dead or injured... they were just absent from their stations in the 3D rendering sense of the word

[Gerald]

You have luck on your side here.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

odd thing i noticed was that my planesmen vanished. they were aboard, and at their stations but were not rendered in the control room.

When precisely did they vanish, and are you running Flakmonkey's New Interiors mod, or any of its derivatives?

[GoldenRivet]

they vanished when the damage occurred - im using the full interior mod.

[Luno]

If you go to the crew management screen, were there any one of three sailors missing from the command room (underneath the officer icons)? If so, those are your guys.

I think the sub will still function without them as only the CE is critical for that, but you will not see them in the control room.

Maybe by activating repairs, those two guys got pulled out to join the repair crew roster.

[GoldenRivet]

on the crew management screen -

all men were at their assigned posts

no men were injured

the command room was full

they planesmen were not rendered in the 3D control room view

just a glitch, no biggie at least we survived

[Sailor Steve]

I only asked because they always disappear while surfaced. That was my first thought, but if they're not there while you're submerged, then I've never heard of that.

[desertstriker]

Lucky you didn't have longer repair times.

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I only asked because they always disappear while surfaced. That was my first thought, but if they're not there while you're submerged, then I've never heard of that.

good point steve - in the heat of the moment i dont recall whether i was surfaced when i first noticed or not.

could be the case

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by desertstriker

Lucky you didn't have longer repair times.

all total the only thing to repair was the electric motor which was lightly damaged and the flooding.

everything else was destroyed.

it took at least 10-15 minutes in game just to get propulsion

a good 60 minutes to get the water out

[Jimbuna]

Sounds like an 'interesting' experience you had there John.

I'd wager you were surfaced though when you noticed the missing planesmen...either that or a graphics card rendering issue.

[RustySubmarine]

Whilst on the subject of damage control, having been in a similar situation myself. When placing crew in the Damage Control Station, do crew members who have the Damage Control Qualification (divers helmet) make any difference to the time that the repairs can be done?

I try to have at least three or four members of crew, with this qualification. In SH Commander you can even award qualifications to all crew members, but in the barracks, you can only award qualifications to Petty Officers, worth noting if you use SH Commander.

[GoldenRivet]

In SH3 commander you can award sailors qualifications but as I understand it these qualifications only make a difference if awarded to petty officers and officers.

I keep 5 officers. The officers that occupy the stern and bow quarters will be watch - torpedo - repair qualified. This comes in handy for simultaneous bow and stern reloads. It also substantially reduces repair time to have a repair qualified officer on the damage control team.

I have found that six or seven regular sailors with one repair qualified officer gives me an almost full green bar on the damage control team.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

In SH3 commander you can award sailors qualifications but as I understand it these qualifications only make a difference if awarded to petty officers and officers.

Rgr that....

[RustySubmarine]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

In SH3 commander you can award sailors qualifications but as I understand it these qualifications only make a difference if awarded to petty officers and officers.

I keep 5 officers. The officers that occupy the stern and bow quarters will be watch - torpedo - repair qualified. This comes in handy for simultaneous bow and stern reloads. It also substantially reduces repair time to have a repair qualified officer on the damage control team.

I have found that six or seven regular sailors with one repair qualified officer gives me an almost full green bar on the damage control team.

I'll bear that in mind GR. You are probably right about awarding Sailors qualifications in SH Commander, may make no difference to their ability than those sailors with no qualifications. I try to have my crew with at least two Petty Officers with a damage control qualification, and the rest of the officers with qualifications spread amongst the other departments., watch, torpedo, machinist, etc.