Literally pulling my hair out

dannyo666 · 02-24-12, 11:27 AM

Anyone know where there is a idiot proof step by step guide of what to do when you get a contact report?
Ive tried all the guides and get it but cant put it into action myself
Ive just had a contact report of a large enemy convey heading almost directly into my path....i wait...it doesnt turn up??
This game does nothing for ones self confidence

Ive tried all guides,noob videos,
Just spinning around looking for stuff that "magically" dissapears into thin air

HELP!!

Hinrich Schwab · 02-24-12, 01:01 PM

The guides here are pretty good in regards to teaching one how to intercept contacts. If you are not seeing contacts, one or more of the following happened.

You arrived too late in relation to estimated speed.
You arrived more than 12 hours early and did not wait long enough.
Your rough bearing plot versus distance to convoy introduced enough cumulative error that your calculated position was off by more than ~10 nm.
The contact maneuvered in such a manner as to avoid the intercept area altogether.
The contact altered its speed to induce one or more of the previous items.

There is some science in running down contacts, but there is a bit of art and luck involved, too. The biggest killers in contact tracking are guess-timating the speed and course of the mark. The speed and course indicators are only generic statements like "slow", "medium" and "ENE" or "SSW", etc. The course estimation, in particular, can throw you miles away if the estimate is wrong and allows for enough error.

If you are running RFB or TMO, the map contacts appear, but indicate almost nothing. They are one step above "No Map Contacts". In those mods, it is literally best guess. If you are running either mod, your best bet is to find a known choke point or shipping lane and wait.

danurve · 02-24-12, 01:07 PM

If your new to IV may I suggest going to your boats assigned patrol areas and bag a few singles before you concentrate on convoys. I don't know what mods your running if any but they tend to zig zag. Many a time just running a pattern contacts even a convoy or task force will show up.

WernherVonTrapp · 02-24-12, 01:37 PM

Are you running any mods? Also, when you say a convoy was reportedly heading into your path: How far away were you? I generally pay no attention to contact reports unless they're rather close (i.e., within a few hundred nm). The convoys don't usually follow a true path and often change course. Sitting still and waiting for a reported convoy to cross your path is like waiting for life to hand you your destiny on a silver platter. It just ain't gonna happen.

You have to plot a predicted path for the convoy and try to intercept it. Convoys like to maintain some semblence of cover and protection. Look around for any nearby ports, bases friendly to the convoy or already established convoy routes and try to estimate the convoy's possible path. Then plot an intercept course that'll account for some margin of error on your part. Even then, there's no guarantee that you'll intercept the convoy. While heading SE toward Wewak, I received a contact report of a large convoy heading north from there. I noticed that there was no air cover for the convoy on that route, unless it headed for Peleliu. It was just a guess, but I literally drew a line from the convoy's last contact, all the way to Peleliu. I then plotted and followed a path (based on the convoy's reported speed) that would lead me slightly ahead of it's estimated location over a certain period of time. In this case, the convoy proceeded NW instead of "north" as the contact report cited. I was successful this time but have failed on others. It's a hit or miss proposition and not worth getting frustrated over. We all have to deal with the same thing.

There's really no need for a guide or manual since some common sense is all you'll ever need. Just think of what may happen in real life and apply it to your intercept attempt. The Pacific is a vast ocean and convoys, as in real life, change course.
As previously mentioned, I usually just go to my assigned patrol sector and complete my objectives (by not sitting still).

Oh yeah, welcome aborad.

dannyo666 · 02-25-12, 10:36 AM

@Schwartzritter:Yeah i think number 1 in your list is more probable for me to be honest.I always took course estimate as 100% accurate.I am not running any mods because i find if im just grasping the game as it is then why install a mod-Good/bad idea?

@WernherVonTrapp:I was 110nm from contact report and used legions noob intercept guide video to mark a 10nm around contact and then projected the most likely "avenue" of contact using parralell lines with the centre one through the tail of contact.I then used a search pattern within that "avenue".My heart was pounding as this was my first ever potential convey attack

Anyway i saved the game then so im gonna try again and this time seek instead of waiting,if those planes will just leave me alone..god i hate them

Thanks everyone

Deephunter · 02-26-12, 02:20 PM

A contact report is more like a "there's something out there", than a "cast-in-stone" bit of information. It's just a starting point, and you'll have to track the contact's "true" path and plot it on your Nav map. Several readings and updates are required to get a good course. I'll probably update (depending on initial distance from the contact) its course 5-7 times before I have a good idea of what the best intercept point is. I've been known to update its position, and mine, just a few minutes before firing. Frequent updates will also allow you to detect major changes in course before you find yourself in an empty ocean because your target changed course and you were never aware of it...

WernherVonTrapp · 02-26-12, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyo666

@WernherVonTrapp:I was 110nm from contact report and used legions noob intercept guide video to mark a 10nm around contact and then projected the most likely "avenue" of contact using parralell lines with the centre one through the tail of contact.I then used a search pattern within that "avenue".My heart was pounding as this was my first ever potential convey attack

I neglected to mention that I'm currently running TMO/RSRDC. If you're playing the Stock version, locating a contact report is a roll of the dice, unless you're already right on top of them. I find, running TMO+RSRDC, the contacts appear to behave more realistically, or (i.e.) more closely follow historical routes. TMO adds more changes to the (contact/convoy) course which I've encountered despite the addition of RSRDC.

02-24-12, 11:27 AM	#1
dannyo666 Swabbie Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 13 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Literally pulling my hair out Anyone know where there is a idiot proof step by step guide of what to do when you get a contact report? Ive tried all the guides and get it but cant put it into action myself Ive just had a contact report of a large enemy convey heading almost directly into my path....i wait...it doesnt turn up?? This game does nothing for ones self confidence Ive tried all guides,noob videos, Just spinning around looking for stuff that "magically" dissapears into thin air HELP!!

02-24-12, 01:01 PM	#2
Hinrich Schwab Grey Wolf Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 908 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	The guides here are pretty good in regards to teaching one how to intercept contacts. If you are not seeing contacts, one or more of the following happened. You arrived too late in relation to estimated speed. You arrived more than 12 hours early and did not wait long enough. Your rough bearing plot versus distance to convoy introduced enough cumulative error that your calculated position was off by more than ~10 nm. The contact maneuvered in such a manner as to avoid the intercept area altogether. The contact altered its speed to induce one or more of the previous items. There is some science in running down contacts, but there is a bit of art and luck involved, too. The biggest killers in contact tracking are guess-timating the speed and course of the mark. The speed and course indicators are only generic statements like "slow", "medium" and "ENE" or "SSW", etc. The course estimation, in particular, can throw you miles away if the estimate is wrong and allows for enough error. If you are running RFB or TMO, the map contacts appear, but indicate almost nothing. They are one step above "No Map Contacts". In those mods, it is literally best guess. If you are running either mod, your best bet is to find a known choke point or shipping lane and wait.

02-24-12, 01:07 PM	#3
danurve The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 1,481 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 3	If your new to IV may I suggest going to your boats assigned patrol areas and bag a few singles before you concentrate on convoys. I don't know what mods your running if any but they tend to zig zag. Many a time just running a pattern contacts even a convoy or task force will show up. __________________

02-24-12, 01:37 PM	#4
WernherVonTrapp Admiral Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Now, alot farther from NYC. Posts: 2,228 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 0	Are you running any mods? Also, when you say a convoy was reportedly heading into your path: How far away were you? I generally pay no attention to contact reports unless they're rather close (i.e., within a few hundred nm). The convoys don't usually follow a true path and often change course. Sitting still and waiting for a reported convoy to cross your path is like waiting for life to hand you your destiny on a silver platter. It just ain't gonna happen. You have to plot a predicted path for the convoy and try to intercept it. Convoys like to maintain some semblence of cover and protection. Look around for any nearby ports, bases friendly to the convoy or already established convoy routes and try to estimate the convoy's possible path. Then plot an intercept course that'll account for some margin of error on your part. Even then, there's no guarantee that you'll intercept the convoy. While heading SE toward Wewak, I received a contact report of a large convoy heading north from there. I noticed that there was no air cover for the convoy on that route, unless it headed for Peleliu. It was just a guess, but I literally drew a line from the convoy's last contact, all the way to Peleliu. I then plotted and followed a path (based on the convoy's reported speed) that would lead me slightly ahead of it's estimated location over a certain period of time. In this case, the convoy proceeded NW instead of "north" as the contact report cited. I was successful this time but have failed on others. It's a hit or miss proposition and not worth getting frustrated over. We all have to deal with the same thing. There's really no need for a guide or manual since some common sense is all you'll ever need. Just think of what may happen in real life and apply it to your intercept attempt. The Pacific is a vast ocean and convoys, as in real life, change course. As previously mentioned, I usually just go to my assigned patrol sector and complete my objectives (by not sitting still). Oh yeah, welcome aborad. __________________ "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Miyamoto Musashi ------------------------------------------------------- "What is truth?" -Pontius Pilate

02-25-12, 10:36 AM	#5
dannyo666 Swabbie Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 13 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	@Schwartzritter:Yeah i think number 1 in your list is more probable for me to be honest.I always took course estimate as 100% accurate.I am not running any mods because i find if im just grasping the game as it is then why install a mod-Good/bad idea? @WernherVonTrapp:I was 110nm from contact report and used legions noob intercept guide video to mark a 10nm around contact and then projected the most likely "avenue" of contact using parralell lines with the centre one through the tail of contact.I then used a search pattern within that "avenue".My heart was pounding as this was my first ever potential convey attack Anyway i saved the game then so im gonna try again and this time seek instead of waiting,if those planes will just leave me alone..god i hate them Thanks everyone

02-26-12, 02:20 PM	#6
Deephunter A-ganger Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 79 Downloads: 102 Uploads: 0	A contact report is more like a "there's something out there", than a "cast-in-stone" bit of information. It's just a starting point, and you'll have to track the contact's "true" path and plot it on your Nav map. Several readings and updates are required to get a good course. I'll probably update (depending on initial distance from the contact) its course 5-7 times before I have a good idea of what the best intercept point is. I've been known to update its position, and mine, just a few minutes before firing. Frequent updates will also allow you to detect major changes in course before you find yourself in an empty ocean because your target changed course and you were never aware of it...