Merchant shipping behaviour

[minute]

I keep wondering how much the behaviour of lone merchant ships reflects the reality of what would happen in reality. If a merchant spots your sub, or even if you inflict some damage, it will continue to keep its course in a fairly predictable way, even if it zig-zags heavily. And it can do that for days, even if you are in continuous contact with it. Wouldn't a real-life captain try to change course, maybe choose to sail to the nearest allied port for safety/repairs? I find this is particularly relevant in the Med where I am playing now, there are a lot of near-by ports, both axis and allied.

[Maraz]

Originally Posted by minute

I keep wondering how much the behaviour of lone merchant ships reflects the reality of what would happen in reality.

Very little indeed.

Lone merchant ships would usually zig-zag (change course every 10-30 minutes or so) just as a precaution, even if there was no U-Boot in sight.

If the loner was a fast ship (as one could expect) it might try to outrun the submarine and run away. In any case (if the sub was surfaced) it could try to ram the submarine.

Nothing of this has been implemented in SH3 nor (afaik) in SH4.

Merchant AI is very stupid in SH3 unfortunately

Maraz

[looney]

And late in war they would use their guns on a surfaced U-boat. I know that many dutch merchants had army/navy personel on board for the guns, so they knew how to shoot . At the end they lots of guns onboard.

[Corsair]

Originally Posted by looney

And late in war they would use their guns on a surfaced U-boat. I know that many dutch merchants had army/navy personel on board for the guns, so they knew how to shoot . At the end they lots of guns onboard.

Looks like you didn't encounter armed merchants yet... many Kaptns around here will attest they do shoot at you

[xristoskaiti]

the big commercial boats when they have the case will strike with the
prow are simply very very little cumbersome in the turns

[Brag]

Originally Posted by Corsair

Looks like you didn't encounter armed merchants yet... many Kaptns around here will attest they do shoot at you

They shoot very well! Don't even try to engage them with the deck gun.

[minute]

Originally Posted by Brag

They shoot very well! Don't even try to engage them with the deck gun.

I do sometimes engage lone armed merchants with the deck gun, most of the time I manage to knock out their gun emplacements with a few well-aimed shots (usually while within 1-1.5k). But don't try this with a Liberty cargo - met one the other day, man, it completely lost its manners. Two naval guns and four AA guns - that's bound to make life miserable for the crew on the deck

[Sailor Steve]

I was once attacking a convoy and had the next merchant in line change course and head for my periscope!

I didn't like that behaviour very much, but I believed it.