Intercepting Contacts On The Map

Hyfrydle · 03-07-10, 05:31 PM

Hi Guys

I have just spent a very boring hour patrolling the east coast of Great Britain following what seem to be phantom contacts.

Correct me if I'm wrong but with map updates on when you set-up the sub to intercept a contact the ghost image shows where the contact will be if it maintains the same course and speed.

I am not new to SH but for some reason I don't seem to get many contacts and spend alot of time sailing randomly waiting for a lucky break.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Nisgeis · 03-07-10, 05:54 PM

Yes, the contacts advance with the waypoints you plot (a really nice featur4e by the way

). The contacts might have gone into a port before getting to where you want to intercept, or changed course if they have a dog leg or non striaght course or even if you were seen, been diverted away from your position. The traffic in the game does actually divert away from you fully with a complete permanent course change, not like before when they just steered madly for a bit and then went back to their original course. I find that if the contact is close, I can usually get there and intercept, but if it's far away, then I can't usually intercept it. The best way I have found to intercept is to steam directly towards their course line and then turn in, and head straight at them. This should in theory give you the best chance to intercept them along their track. Good luck!

SteamWake · 03-07-10, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

Yes, the contacts advance with the waypoints you plot (a really nice featur4e by the way

). The contacts might have gone into a port before getting to where you want to intercept, or changed course if they have a dog leg or non striaght course or even if you were seen, been diverted away from your position. The traffic in the game does actually divert away from you fully with a complete permanent course change, not like before when they just steered madly for a bit and then went back to their original course. I find that if the contact is close, I can usually get there and intercept, but if it's far away, then I can't usually intercept it. The best way I have found to intercept is to steam directly towards their course line and then turn in, and head straight at them. This should in theory give you the best chance to intercept them along their track. Good luck!

Has anyone confirmed that being spotted by aircraft would cause ships in the aera to avoid you?

Nisgeis · 03-07-10, 07:01 PM

Confirmation would really mean digging through all the AI scripts, which I don't think anyone has done, but there are anecdotal reports of it happening. E.G. plane flies past acting blind, but it's not enganging because it has no guns, but a while later a few DDs show up.

I have seen convoys move away from me when an escorting DD has spotted me - was quite amazing and very annoying

. They all turned so that intead of being ahead and to the side, I was astern of the convoy. Really ruined my day. So the behaviour is there, but I'm not 100% sure that the planes can do it, but it would make sense that they can.

gutted · 03-07-10, 07:05 PM

I really whish the "contact advancing" for radio reports would be available to those of us that don't use map contacts. It's not really cheating because i can plot a somewhat accurate intercept anyway. It just saves time seeing the ghosts.

But..

As it is right now, the radio reports for single contacts are shown with no timestamp. I have no idea how long that report has been sitting there. So i have no way of knowing it's current location (based on its heading and speed). Without that, there's no way i can plot an intercept.

reaper7 · 03-07-10, 07:43 PM

Have noyiced this as well. Once i had 4 contact's, one roughly north,2 to the south and one east. All were reporting about 25Km at 15knots.
No mather which way I travelled or for how long . whenever I stopped to take a reading they woud be the same distance out.
If I changed course they would appeare to chande course to mathe me, therfore always staying the same distance away.

Read a post previously that some had the same problem, they used the camera to find the ships. and confirmed that they appeared to mirror his actions. Must be a Major Bug.

03-07-10, 05:31 PM	#1
Hyfrydle Mate Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 51 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Intercepting Contacts On The Map Hi Guys I have just spent a very boring hour patrolling the east coast of Great Britain following what seem to be phantom contacts. Correct me if I'm wrong but with map updates on when you set-up the sub to intercept a contact the ghost image shows where the contact will be if it maintains the same course and speed. I am not new to SH but for some reason I don't seem to get many contacts and spend alot of time sailing randomly waiting for a lucky break. Any help would be much appreciated.

03-07-10, 05:54 PM	#2
Nisgeis Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,909 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 11	Yes, the contacts advance with the waypoints you plot (a really nice featur4e by the way ). The contacts might have gone into a port before getting to where you want to intercept, or changed course if they have a dog leg or non striaght course or even if you were seen, been diverted away from your position. The traffic in the game does actually divert away from you fully with a complete permanent course change, not like before when they just steered madly for a bit and then went back to their original course. I find that if the contact is close, I can usually get there and intercept, but if it's far away, then I can't usually intercept it. The best way I have found to intercept is to steam directly towards their course line and then turn in, and head straight at them. This should in theory give you the best chance to intercept them along their track. Good luck! __________________ -------------------------------- This space left intentionally blank.

03-07-10, 07:01 PM	#4
Nisgeis Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,909 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 11	Confirmation would really mean digging through all the AI scripts, which I don't think anyone has done, but there are anecdotal reports of it happening. E.G. plane flies past acting blind, but it's not enganging because it has no guns, but a while later a few DDs show up. I have seen convoys move away from me when an escorting DD has spotted me - was quite amazing and very annoying . They all turned so that intead of being ahead and to the side, I was astern of the convoy. Really ruined my day. So the behaviour is there, but I'm not 100% sure that the planes can do it, but it would make sense that they can. __________________ -------------------------------- This space left intentionally blank.

03-07-10, 07:05 PM	#5
gutted The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA. Posts: 1,379 Downloads: 487 Uploads: 11	I really whish the "contact advancing" for radio reports would be available to those of us that don't use map contacts. It's not really cheating because i can plot a somewhat accurate intercept anyway. It just saves time seeing the ghosts. But.. As it is right now, the radio reports for single contacts are shown with no timestamp. I have no idea how long that report has been sitting there. So i have no way of knowing it's current location (based on its heading and speed). Without that, there's no way i can plot an intercept.

03-07-10, 07:43 PM	#6
reaper7 sim2reality Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: AM 82 Posts: 2,280 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 30	Have noyiced this as well. Once i had 4 contact's, one roughly north,2 to the south and one east. All were reporting about 25Km at 15knots. No mather which way I travelled or for how long . whenever I stopped to take a reading they woud be the same distance out. If I changed course they would appeare to chande course to mathe me, therfore always staying the same distance away. Read a post previously that some had the same problem, they used the camera to find the ships. and confirmed that they appeared to mirror his actions. Must be a Major Bug.