Trouble maintaining depth!

[rudeltaktik]

I am having an issue maintaining depth in my u-boote. I have NYGM-Tonnage War loaded.

While at periscope depth, my boote cannot keep depth at speeds under 1/3 knots. It sinks if speed is 0 and falls below periscope depth. I cannot maintain depth while submerged at any depth unless I keep the speed above 1/2 knots. Kinda stinks to run at higher speeds just to maintain depth and all this time battery is draining quickly. Can't run silent while trying to keep even depth. I nearly had boote sink to crushing depth while I was at 64 time compression! Saved it when I saw depth gauge plummet!! Only happens when I am submerged and does not happen when I am surfaced.
There is no damage to boote nor has there been any to the dive planes.

Please advise.

[lederhosen]

thats NYGM3. You are forced to keep moving unless surfaced.

[BigWalleye]

Originally Posted by rudeltaktik

I am having an issue maintaining depth in my u-boote. I have NYGM-Tonnage War loaded.

While at periscope depth, my boote cannot keep depth at speeds under 1/3 knots. It sinks if speed is 0 and falls below periscope depth. I cannot maintain depth while submerged at any depth unless I keep the speed above 1/2 knots. Kinda stinks to run at higher speeds just to maintain depth and all this time battery is draining quickly. Can't run silent while trying to keep even depth. I nearly had boote sink to crushing depth while I was at 64 time compression! Saved it when I saw depth gauge plummet!! Only happens when I am submerged and does not happen when I am surfaced.
There is no damage to boote nor has there been any to the dive planes.

Please advise.

That's a feature of submarines. They can't hover. NYGM opts for slight negative trim. GWX, IIRC, has slight positive trim. RL, it would vary, in direction and magnitude, depending on conditions and the skill of the boat's CE. But holding truly stationary, with no up or down drift, was not something be relied upon. That's why skippers grounded their boats when possible. Read Werner. He regularly grounded his boat, but never mentioned hovering though.

[rudeltaktik]

I see.

I thought by maintaining air in ballasts to keep "neutral bouyant" would be the same as a scuba diver using their BCD to do so. But it's more like a shark, needing to always move to keep bouyant or else he sinks.

Looks like "rigging for silent running" is an oxymoron.

Thank you for quick replies.

Originally Posted by rudeltaktik

Looks like "rigging for silent running" is an oxymoron.

So in high seas, you're dead in all cases. That's not very fun... SH3 has a big lack of realism about pressured air in ballasts and depth maintain .... For example, if I'm at 200 meters and I order "blow ballasts", my pressured air is wasted until I'm on surface. Else, there is no simulation of ballasts : in reallity, if I order "blow ballasts", they must be empty in maybe 15 seconds, and then your submarine rides up very fast..... and your air pressure level doesn't run down continuously !

This is the next part of the hardcode to improve !! A ballast system !

[rudeltaktik]

So this problem maintaining "neutral bouancy" is only happening with the NYGM-Tonnage MOD ??
Or is it common happenstance with the others?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by rudeltaktik

I thought by maintaining air in ballasts to keep "neutral bouyant" would be the same as a scuba diver using their BCD to do so.

It's theoretically possible to trim the boat using the pumps, but it's rarely perfect, plus the simple fact that all ships leak, which is why all ships have bilge pumps. The first problem is that by time you realize the boat is sinking or rising slightly it's already too late, and the likelihood is that you'll overcompensate. The second problem is that the pumps make as much noise as the propellers, so you might as well save the compressed air and keep moving.

Looks like "rigging for silent running" is an oxymoron.

Not really. If you manually set your speed at two knots you should be quiet enough to avoid detection and fast enough for the planes to keep you stable.

Originally Posted by rudeltaktik

So this problem maintaining "neutral bouancy" is only happening with the NYGM-Tonnage MOD ??

Yes, but I believe there is an option to shut it off.

Or is it common happenstance with the others?

GWX used to make the boat rise if it was going too slow, but they took that out a very long time ago.

[rudeltaktik]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Not really. If you manually set your speed at two knots you should be quiet enough to avoid detection and fast enough for the planes to keep you stable.

The problem is that the boote IS sinking at 2 kts. I must run at 1/2 speed (3-4 knots) or higher to maintain periscope depth. Otherwise it is sinking at the lower speeds.

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

GWX used to make the boat rise if it was going too slow, but they took that out a very long time ago.

I noticed it only with the type XXI, and it cost me my life ....