Finding me

[yellbird]

Just started SH4 v1.5 and don't understand something, While playing Single Mission, Ambush in the Palawan Passage as soon as mission starts I dive below Thermo Layer, go to slow and Silent Running but the first 3 DD's have no problem finding me , I barely start the mission and they are all over me. If I can destroy them then the rest of the mission seems fine. Have handled all the other missions without a lot of problems. Any ideas? Thanks

[BrucePartington]

Originally Posted by yellbird

Just started SH4 v1.5 and don't understand something, While playing Single Mission, Ambush in the Palawan Passage as soon as mission starts I dive below Thermo Layer, go to slow and Silent Running but the first 3 DD's have no problem finding me , I barely start the mission and they are all over me. If I can destroy them then the rest of the mission seems fine. Have handled all the other missions without a lot of problems. Any ideas? Thanks

Just for the sake of clarification, your issue is the fact that despite you do everything by the book, silent running, going below thermal layer, the works, they still find you and pound you to kingdom come.
I had never played that particular mission, did so now just out of curiosity to better understand your question.
I am by no means a seasoned skipper in this forum, but a few things strike me as obvious as I start that particular mission:
a) the destroyers are already rushing to your position because they have spotted you. A quick glance at the gages, as the scenario starts, tells me I am at 10 meters / ~30 ft depth - Yes I have been spotted.
b) I want to go deep and silent, but cannot go deep enough, depth is about 100 meters / ~300 ft, and the sea is calm. They may well detect me under these conditions.
c) It's 1944, so IJN crews and equipment are far more competent than in 1941.
d) They know your exact position (where you went under), and you, running at about 4 knots, do not get enough distance from where you submerged, by the time they arrive at where they spotted you.

And the pounding begins. Even if they cannot actually detect you, you are still in the area where you submerged.

Again, I had never even started this particular Quick Mission until I read your post, and have only played it for about 30 secs.

Indeed a possible strategy seems to be to try and destroy the destroyers.
If one tries to play the ghost game (running silent, etc), by the time the destroyers give up on you or you get out of the spot where they're dropping those DC's, the convoy / task force is long gone. Of course you could then wait until you can surface, and chase them by radar and try to ambush them again, this time not having been spotted.

Another possible solution - you have to try it, since I haven't - as mission starts, order PD and ahead flank, and 90º starboard. Immediately go to the navigation map, select the closest destroyer, and start reducing your speed (speed equals noise from the motors and propellers) as you see his hydrophone circle approaching you. Just before the lead destroyer gets you inside his hydrophone circle, order Ahead 1/3 Silent Running. They may not hear you, and just keep rushing to where they last spotted you.

Oh, and remember to keep your periscope as low as possible. the last thing you need is a mast sticking out of the water with a neon sign "AMERICAN SUBMARINE HERE".

Good luck, and let us know how it went.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by yellbird

Just started SH4 v1.5 and don't understand something, While playing Single Mission, Ambush in the Palawan Passage as soon as mission starts I dive below Thermo Layer, go to slow and Silent Running but the first 3 DD's have no problem finding me , I barely start the mission and they are all over me. If I can destroy them then the rest of the mission seems fine. Have handled all the other missions without a lot of problems. Any ideas? Thanks

The stock game(sounds like you are playing the stock game, no mods) gives the IJN ridiculous radar also, in 1944 the capital ships and escorts have radar and they can pick up as far as 18 miles sometimes(lol if only UBI did their research) and in stock game, the sub has no radar detection equipment. Most likely, they have you on radar from the start, are rushing in, you dive but sub doesnt move far in the time it takes DD's most likely moving in at 30 or more knots.They arrive and being more skilled DD's in 1944, probably detect you based off their last fix, and attack.

Another issue is the AI game has their escorts ALWAYS pinging, even if you dont hear them. There is an SH AI fix can find in the dowload section that corrects this, makes thing much more realistic.

Best tip to evade is to go deep, run quiet but use moments such as when they re running on top of you, go ahead flank for about 45 seconds after he drops charges, twist and turn, go slow, then fast, eventually they will lose you. TheDarkWraiths depth charge mod creates disturbances int he water(as in RL) when charges explode, makes things a bit more realistic.

Play stock a few patrols, notice the glaring errors then upgrade with some mods, youll have a much better sim.Good luck.

I suggest you try this added missions mod

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=158202

it ads a lot of fun single missions for you to play

as to the mission you are in, the problem is you are detected as soon as you spawn so you can to fix that by editing the mission so you start the mission submerged and not on the surface.

open C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific\Data\SingleMissions\Ambush in the Palawan Passage

then using windows notepad open the MIS file and at the bottom of the long list you will see this section:

[Unit 1]
Name=USS Darter
Class=SSGato
Type=200
Origin=American
Side=1
Commander=1
CargoExt=-1
CargoInt=-1
CfgDate=19440701
DeleteOnLastWaypoint=false
DockedShip=false
GameEntryDate=19441023
GameEntryTime=100
GameExitDate=19451231
GameExitTime=0
EvolveFromEntryDate=false
Long=14232095.000000
Lat=1234159.000000
Height=-18.000000 <<<<<<<<< change the number to this (note the - in front of the number so its below the surface)
Heading=262.977997
Speed=5.000000
CrewRating=3
DelayMin=0
ReportPosMin=-1
ReportPosProbability=100
RandStartRadius=0.000000
NextWP=0

then close the file and save the changes and you will now always start the mission undetected just below periscope depth and from then on its up to you to stay undetected

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Webster

I suggest you try this added missions mod

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=158202

it ads a lot of fun single missions for you to play

as to the mission you are in, the problem is you are detected as soon as you spawn so you can to fix that by editing the mission so you start the mission submerged and not on the surface.

open C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Silent Hunter 4 Wolves of the Pacific\Data\SingleMissions\Ambush in the Palawan Passage

then using windows notepad open the MIS file and at the bottom of the long list you will see this section:

[Unit 1]
Name=USS Darter
Class=SSGato
Type=200
Origin=American
Side=1
Commander=1
CargoExt=-1
CargoInt=-1
CfgDate=19440701
DeleteOnLastWaypoint=false
DockedShip=false
GameEntryDate=19441023
GameEntryTime=100
GameExitDate=19451231
GameExitTime=0
EvolveFromEntryDate=false
Long=14232095.000000
Lat=1234159.000000
Height=-18.000000 <<<<<<<<< change the number to this (note the - in front of the number so its below the surface)
Heading=262.977997
Speed=5.000000
CrewRating=3
DelayMin=0
ReportPosMin=-1
ReportPosProbability=100
RandStartRadius=0.000000
NextWP=0

then close the file and save the changes and you will now always start the mission undetected just below periscope depth and from then on its up to you to stay undetected

would you happen to know which files control where and what time you start a patrol in a campaign? I want to change it where I start patrol at sub base in pearl and correct pier when elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

would you happen to know which files control where and what time you start a patrol in a campaign? I want to change it where I start patrol at sub base in pearl and correct pier when elsewhere.

I think those are in the campaign files, the single missions and single patrols are a separately controlled setup

[yellbird]

Thanks to all for your replies, I was able to turn right 90 degrees run fast awhile then turn left 90 and finally went to slow and able to sink two Yamato's.

Will try a few of your suggestions but want to step lightly as I grow into it.

Thanks Again

[magic452]

Sounds like you're getting the hang of it.
I go with Bubblehead on playing stock for a time and than adding mods, completely different game.
Good luck and good hunting.

Magic

Originally Posted by yellbird

Will try a few of your suggestions but want to step lightly as I grow into it.

Thanks Again

you should try my GFO mod, its basicly the stock game with much needed fixes for the game and a few extras I added in like lots of extra missions and I also switched all stock missions so you start submerged (mainly because of the Palawan mission.

see the link in my sig

[yellbird]

I am going to try the GFO mod, I did get Real Fleet Boats and that was quite different than the stock game, some changes were fine but one thing I noticed and was terrible was turning hard left or right knocked down my speed from Flank or Emerc to 3 kns, I couldn't get away from any thing chasing me including my neighbors cat. By the way is there a mod that fixes the torpedo switch that you use to set the speed, sometimes I waste more time on one switch that all the rest put together.
Thanks for all the advice, it sure helps.

[donna52522]

Originally Posted by yellbird

I am going to try the GFO mod, I did get Real Fleet Boats and that was quite different than the stock game, some changes were fine but one thing I noticed and was terrible was turning hard left or right knocked down my speed from Flank or Emerc to 3 kns, I couldn't get away from any thing chasing me including my neighbors cat. By the way is there a mod that fixes the torpedo switch that you use to set the speed, sometimes I waste more time on one switch that all the rest put together.
Thanks for all the advice, it sure helps.

GFO is a great mod. If you are playing US boats only the Mk 14 torpedo can be set at two different speeds, fast or slow. All other US torpedoes only have one speed, making the switch useless.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=109480

The German Torpedoes are different, but I don't know too much about them.