Cant find/chase merchants - realistic difficulty

711hancer · 03-24-10, 08:42 AM

Ok after installing the most popular mods for SH5, Im able to play and have at least some sort of fun.

I have started the campaign with %100 realism and realistic difficulty.
I have selected the to sink 100.000 tonnage of inbound merchant mission south of Ireland.

I have no problem at all for manual targeting or making an intercept course for the spotted convoys etc.

But until approaching the designated area, I havent spotted any single merchant shipping although I have methodologically dive and do hydrophone checks..etc.

Ok thats acceptable.

But unlike SH3 or 4 I cannot able to create an interception course for the spotted convoys.

For example I have spotted a large convoy, speed 10, course ~90.
Im 245 kilometers north east of it so its approaching to me. According to speed calculations of 10 knots and my boats 14 knts Im plotting my intercept course. For 10knts the convoy travels 222 kilometers in 12 hours and Im able to travel 311 kilometers. Estimating all these I have found the nice spot and waiting for the convoy regularly doing sound checks..

But most of the time I cant find them. Is this a save/load issue I dont know but unlike my years of experience in sh3 I just cant intercept them. I think the heading direction for the convoys or the speed indicated on the map might be wrong.

This is the first case.

If Im able to intercept them and hear them in my sonar room, whatever I do I just couldnt catch the convoy. It always changes direction and going very fast.

For example I hear nice echoes in 30 degrees and plotted my course and continuously check the course corrections via sonar and intercept in the collision course of the convoys (yes speed 0knts while sound checking) then surface and do 17knts, dive and check the sounds, surface and collision course in 17knts...this goes till eternity, I just cant catch the convoy.

I couldnt spot single ship in 29 days run low on fuel and return to base.

What are your tactics for locating merchants?

or this may be the games bug for changing locations of the merchants.

another small issue is when I switch to external camera, after few seconds the screen freezes turns black and goes back to normal. It happens randomly. Any solutions to this?

Regards.

looney · 03-24-10, 09:00 AM

This is form the old SH3 forum but it stil stands:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961

SabreHawk · 03-24-10, 10:37 AM

Hmmmm, first I'd wonder how you can spot a convoy from 225km?
Or are you talking about a map contact that just shows up?

And second, once you have something on the hydrophone, stay there for a bit, and watch. Mark the location with the marker tool, at the end of the black line of that contact and then watch where the line goes from there for a bit. Then you can see what direction it is traveling.
Again using the marker, place another mark where the tip of that line is and then with the ruler make a line from one marker to the other and extend it as far as you feel needed. and then plot an intercept course.

But the further thay are from you initially, the more chance there is for them to change course in the time it takes you to reach the projected intercept point. So you may well end up not finding them there and they could be somewhere else entirely.

711hancer · 03-24-10, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SabreHawk

Hmmmm, first I'd wonder how you can spot a convoy from 225km?
Or are you talking about a map contact that just shows up?

yea its a map contact update from bdu or other uboats.

looney thanx alot for the link. that will help for precise intercept course,

but my problem is after the intercept course. When contact comes within 20kms and able to be heard by my sonar.

Even though I adjust my course the sound goes fainter.

the question; is there any bugs relating with the speed of merchants or their drastic course change after save and loads?

and how about very few or almost none merchant sightings until arriving to designated patrol area after travelling 2500 kms along british coast and north of scapa flow.

I think that merchants are abit less compared to SH3

abit confused there.

03-24-10, 08:42 AM	#1
711hancer Nub Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 2 Downloads: 137 Uploads: 0	Cant find/chase merchants - realistic difficulty Ok after installing the most popular mods for SH5, Im able to play and have at least some sort of fun. I have started the campaign with %100 realism and realistic difficulty. I have selected the to sink 100.000 tonnage of inbound merchant mission south of Ireland. I have no problem at all for manual targeting or making an intercept course for the spotted convoys etc. But until approaching the designated area, I havent spotted any single merchant shipping although I have methodologically dive and do hydrophone checks..etc. Ok thats acceptable. But unlike SH3 or 4 I cannot able to create an interception course for the spotted convoys. For example I have spotted a large convoy, speed 10, course ~90. Im 245 kilometers north east of it so its approaching to me. According to speed calculations of 10 knots and my boats 14 knts Im plotting my intercept course. For 10knts the convoy travels 222 kilometers in 12 hours and Im able to travel 311 kilometers. Estimating all these I have found the nice spot and waiting for the convoy regularly doing sound checks.. But most of the time I cant find them. Is this a save/load issue I dont know but unlike my years of experience in sh3 I just cant intercept them. I think the heading direction for the convoys or the speed indicated on the map might be wrong. This is the first case. If Im able to intercept them and hear them in my sonar room, whatever I do I just couldnt catch the convoy. It always changes direction and going very fast. For example I hear nice echoes in 30 degrees and plotted my course and continuously check the course corrections via sonar and intercept in the collision course of the convoys (yes speed 0knts while sound checking) then surface and do 17knts, dive and check the sounds, surface and collision course in 17knts...this goes till eternity, I just cant catch the convoy. I couldnt spot single ship in 29 days run low on fuel and return to base. What are your tactics for locating merchants? or this may be the games bug for changing locations of the merchants. another small issue is when I switch to external camera, after few seconds the screen freezes turns black and goes back to normal. It happens randomly. Any solutions to this? Regards.

03-24-10, 10:37 AM	#3
SabreHawk Captain Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Seattle, Wa. USA Posts: 530 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Hmmmm, first I'd wonder how you can spot a convoy from 225km? Or are you talking about a map contact that just shows up? And second, once you have something on the hydrophone, stay there for a bit, and watch. Mark the location with the marker tool, at the end of the black line of that contact and then watch where the line goes from there for a bit. Then you can see what direction it is traveling. Again using the marker, place another mark where the tip of that line is and then with the ruler make a line from one marker to the other and extend it as far as you feel needed. and then plot an intercept course. But the further thay are from you initially, the more chance there is for them to change course in the time it takes you to reach the projected intercept point. So you may well end up not finding them there and they could be somewhere else entirely. __________________ "Chance favors the prepared mind"

03-24-10, 09:00 AM	#2
looney Commodore Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sneek, The Netherlands Posts: 635 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	This is form the old SH3 forum but it stil stands: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961