Incompetent Newbie Needs Help

jgbishop · 12-05-07, 11:14 PM

Hi guys. I'm as new as it gets to the Silent Hunter series, and to submarine simulations in general. Years ago I played a little "Aces of the Deep", but that's my only submarine gaming experience (and there wasn't much at that). I just recently picked up SH4, and I must confess that I am completely lost.

I fired up the game and tried out "Submarine School" but found it pretty cryptic and mostly unhelpful. After some guessing as to what I needed to do, I successfully navigated to the specified location (training mission 1), I shot down a bunch of planes and blew up a ship (training mission 2), and I sunk a ship with a torpedo and some blind luck (training mission 3). Now I'm on training mission 4 where I need to sink 10,000 tons of merchant ships, all of which are being escorted. For the life of me, I can't figure out what to do.

Every time I try to engage the convoy, the escorts track me down and damage my ship beyond all repair. I'm running fairly deep (90 to 110 feet) and slow (ahead 1/3), so how do they find me so easily?

Are there any reliable resources for a newbie like myself to learn how to play this game? I want to enjoy this game as much as I do everything else I play, but I'm really having a hard time learning what to do.

Any help, tips, or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
-- Jonah

Seaman_Hornsby · 12-05-07, 11:22 PM

Welcome aboard Jonah! For starters, look over the sticky posts at the top of the forum, they have tutorials for everything in the game.

General stuff:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=107783

Fire control guides:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=118923

A lot of good stuff there, and if you need more help feel free to drop in with questions.

As for evading escorts, you'll want to put yourself ahead of the convoy's path as best you can, go to silent running and low speed (~2 knots) and let the enemy come up on you. Then you get yourself into firing position and let 'em have it. After that you go deep for evasion. Keep in mind that the crew won't repair damage or reload torps when silent running is activated.
Hope that helps.

jazman · 12-05-07, 11:25 PM

Keeping a low profile towards the escorts helps. So when you're in front of a convoy stay generally pointed towards the escorts.

Welcome aboard. This site is a great "manual", lots of people keep asking the same questions but I've never seen anyone get snippy about it, people just keep helping out. So fire away with the questions.

ReallyDedPoet · 12-06-07, 05:05 AM

Some good info from the other posters. Also, keep your realism settings low starting out, this will give you an extra boost while learning the game. After awhile when you get a little more comfortable with it, then increase the settings.

Good luck with it

By the way, welcome to SUBSIM

RDP

mrbeast · 12-06-07, 07:41 AM

Welcome aboard Skip!

Another thing to think about is your periscope. Don't leave it up for long periods, look in little peeks.

As has already been said, get into position as easrly as possible, and let the enemy come to you. That way you can go deep and even come to all stop, so you make effectively no noise.

You have to be stealthy and hit hard, seemingly from out of nowhere! Think of yourself as a sniper.

Good Hunting

jgbishop · 12-06-07, 09:35 AM

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm really looking forward to giving the mission another shot tonight!

12-05-07, 11:14 PM	#1
jgbishop Mate Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 58 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Incompetent Newbie Needs Help Hi guys. I'm as new as it gets to the Silent Hunter series, and to submarine simulations in general. Years ago I played a little "Aces of the Deep", but that's my only submarine gaming experience (and there wasn't much at that). I just recently picked up SH4, and I must confess that I am completely lost. I fired up the game and tried out "Submarine School" but found it pretty cryptic and mostly unhelpful. After some guessing as to what I needed to do, I successfully navigated to the specified location (training mission 1), I shot down a bunch of planes and blew up a ship (training mission 2), and I sunk a ship with a torpedo and some blind luck (training mission 3). Now I'm on training mission 4 where I need to sink 10,000 tons of merchant ships, all of which are being escorted. For the life of me, I can't figure out what to do. Every time I try to engage the convoy, the escorts track me down and damage my ship beyond all repair. I'm running fairly deep (90 to 110 feet) and slow (ahead 1/3), so how do they find me so easily? Are there any reliable resources for a newbie like myself to learn how to play this game? I want to enjoy this game as much as I do everything else I play, but I'm really having a hard time learning what to do. Any help, tips, or pointers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! -- Jonah

12-05-07, 11:22 PM	#2
Seaman_Hornsby Engineer Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 203 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard Jonah! For starters, look over the sticky posts at the top of the forum, they have tutorials for everything in the game. General stuff: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=107783 Fire control guides: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=118923 A lot of good stuff there, and if you need more help feel free to drop in with questions. As for evading escorts, you'll want to put yourself ahead of the convoy's path as best you can, go to silent running and low speed (~2 knots) and let the enemy come up on you. Then you get yourself into firing position and let 'em have it. After that you go deep for evasion. Keep in mind that the crew won't repair damage or reload torps when silent running is activated. Hope that helps. __________________ Friends, when once a man is launched on such an adventure as this, he must bid farewell to hopes and fears, otherwise death or deliverance will both come too late to save his honor and his reason.

12-05-07, 11:25 PM	#3
jazman Commander Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Crush Depth Posts: 449 Downloads: 50 Uploads: 0	Keeping a low profile towards the escorts helps. So when you're in front of a convoy stay generally pointed towards the escorts. Welcome aboard. This site is a great "manual", lots of people keep asking the same questions but I've never seen anyone get snippy about it, people just keep helping out. So fire away with the questions. __________________ "The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him." -- Chesterton

12-06-07, 05:05 AM	#4
ReallyDedPoet Canadian Wolf Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada. The one and only, East Coast Posts: 10,897 Downloads: 946 Uploads: 5	Some good info from the other posters. Also, keep your realism settings low starting out, this will give you an extra boost while learning the game. After awhile when you get a little more comfortable with it, then increase the settings. Good luck with it By the way, welcome to SUBSIM RDP __________________ Back in the Day

12-06-07, 07:41 AM	#5
mrbeast Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bolton, UK Posts: 1,236 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard Skip! Another thing to think about is your periscope. Don't leave it up for long periods, look in little peeks. As has already been said, get into position as easrly as possible, and let the enemy come to you. That way you can go deep and even come to all stop, so you make effectively no noise. You have to be stealthy and hit hard, seemingly from out of nowhere! Think of yourself as a sniper. Good Hunting __________________

12-06-07, 09:35 AM	#6
jgbishop Mate Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 58 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm really looking forward to giving the mission another shot tonight!