Patrol Questions

[cvc]

Hi guys, i recently bought Silent Hunter 4: Wolves Of The Pacific.

but now i'm stuck.
I did my first career mission which meant patrolling off the coast of Honshu Island
and when i got there i did the whole zigzagging along the waypoints. after that i returned back to my home base: Pearl Harbor only when i got there it said i didn't complete the patrol....WTF?

any help please..

[LeeVanSpliff]

Welcome aboard!

There's a good thread here about what you have to do to complete missions:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111509

Also on F12 you'll get an overview of the missions you have and whether or not you've completed them.

[cvc]

thanks but i'm afraid it didn't help me much
because there they are talking about patrolling in a radius and i had to follow a set of waypoints when i got near the binoculars logo on the F3 map.

btw that binoculars sign stays on the F3 map once i followed all waypoints but when i go back to it nothing happens.

[LeeVanSpliff]

When you say "set of waypoints", do you mean the "search pattern" function?

I think that is only there to make it easier for you to search an area (I haven't used it myself since SH3 and I haven't had any missions I couldn't complete).

I still think that you problem is that you didn't spend the full 48 hours within the radius of the binocular icon. Load up your game and check the mission status (press F12).

Edit: the patrol icon will turn gray on the "F3" map when completed.

[cvc]

your probably right no doubt but when i get to the patrol logo on the f3 map it automaticly sets out a set of waypoints for me like this:

*<--- patrol logo
|
|
+----------+
|
|
+----------+
|
|
+----------+
|
|

+: waypoint
*: Patrol logo

So i have to follow these waypoints but if i do that i sail away from the logo so how am i suppossed to "stay in the radius"

[LeeVanSpliff]

Ah I think we have it there - you won't need to use that patrol function that sets up waypoints for you.

I draw a circle with center at the objective. I believe this circle should have a radius of 100 nautical miles (or 185 km) - I'm not quite sure about the number as I'm playing U-Boat expansion atm and it seems to be different.

Then I travel into the circle, just using "normal" waypoints (the ones you put down yourself). I note the time when I cross the line.

About 48 hours later you can zoom in and out a bit on the map (that will update the mission marker and change for orange to gray if you're finished).

[cvc]

thanks man! i'm going to try it out.

but still i think it's weird that those waypoints just pop-up it's really confusing for newbies like me to understand that you don't have to follow those waypoints.

i thought that was the patrol route.

ah well...
i'll reply if it worked.

[banjo]

Generally, your orders will tell you to patrol 'within' a certain mileage, i.e., 100 nm, 50 nm, 80 nm, etc. Orders will usually also state a time period--48 hrs, 72 hrs, etc. Read your orders carefully, you must satisfy both criteria (if both are specified) to 'complete' the patrol. It has been a while since I played the stock game so I'm not sure how that reads anymore, but with RSRDC your orders may say to sink ships in your circle but does not specify a time period. In that case you must sink 2 or more ships to complete that order.

As far as using the key that causes your navigator to plot a zigzag course within the circle--use that nor not. You can just place a bunch of waypoints within the circle yourself if you'd rather. The waypoints have nothig to do with completing the patrol--they are just a way to steam around within the circle.

[SteamWake]

If it shows a star with a pair of bincoulars in it you have to stay on station (within some range) for 48 hours.

Alot of time, if the weathers nice, Ill sail near the location and cut the engines and just drift around. Kind of boring really but hey orders are orders. :hmm:

Dont leave the patrol area at any time or the timer re-sets and youre going to have to spend another 48 hours there.

Once the patrol is complete the star will turn grey. Note that you may have to zoom your map to see it change

If it shows a star with a flag just sail to the area, once the star changes to grey (upon entering the sector) you are free to go and prosecute targerts, literally anywhere on the map. Once you meet your quota that mission is done.

[cvc]

Ok it worked i finished the patrol mission thanks guys! (especially Leevanspliff)

but i got another problem, my second mission is: .... patrolling off Honshu Island...
WTF?

i've just got the stock game
but version 1.4 so no mods.

Edit: never mind it was just by coincedence that i had to go to Honshu again only 40 nm more to the north..... why in hell's name would that be such a difference in a real war? probably a bug.

now i'm supposed to transport an "agent"

[Sandman_28054]

I too just started a career ad was given this exact same mission. Only my orders did say anything other than to patrol off Honshu Island. It didn't say anything, that I can remember about staying w/i a certain radius, or staying on station for 48-72 hours.

guess I'll just have to go back to the area, and avoid anything, (I have only 2 "fish" left) for 2-3 days and see if I can exit the mission.

CAn you just exit as in SH3 or do you have to gho back to base?

[Fearless]

Originally Posted by Sandman_28054

I too just started a career ad was given this exact same mission. Only my orders did say anything other than to patrol off Honshu Island. It didn't say anything, that I can remember about staying w/i a certain radius, or staying on station for 48-72 hours.

guess I'll just have to go back to the area, and avoid anything, (I have only 2 "fish" left) for 2-3 days and see if I can exit the mission.

Some missions require you to stay on station for a period of time usually within 100nm of the map marking. I usually use the protractor to draw a 100nm radius using the center of the map mark as the starting point. Other missions may require you to sink a merchant to enable completion of that mission.

Originally Posted by Sandman_28054

CAn you just exit as in SH3 or do you have to gho back to base?

To end the mission, you will need to back at base.

[buddha95]

1. Sail to star
2. Sink everybody else who shows up
3. Have a beer

[LeeVanSpliff]

Originally Posted by cvc

Ok it worked i finished the patrol mission thanks guys! (especially Leevanspliff)

Np!

If you've got enough fuel and torpedoes you can ask for new missions when you've completed your objective (from the message screen). That way you won't have to rush back and forth to patrol the same area twice.