I need a tow

Admiral8Q · 03-10-10, 09:44 PM

I was just wondering if there is a way to radio for a tug if you run out of gas. I was trying to get to Brisbane but ran dry about 100 miles from port

razark · 03-10-10, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral8Q

I was just wondering if there is a way to radio for a tug if you run out of gas. I was trying to get to Brisbane but ran dry about 100 miles from port

Nope.

There's instructions somewhere around here. You basically save your game, edit it to move your boat, and then load the save. I've never used it, though.

Admiral8Q · 03-10-10, 10:54 PM

Strange that they didn't include that in the game. I figured that if it was there it would cost you some renown. Oh well, I loaded and went to Freemantle instead.

Dread Knot · 03-11-10, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral8Q

Strange that they didn't include that in the game. I figured that if it was there it would cost you some renown. Oh well, I loaded and went to Freemantle instead.

It wasn't included in the game because it never happened in the actual war. Both the skipper and the XO kept a sharp eye on the fuel gauge. Frankly, being skipper of a man of war endangered by being towed ignominiously into port out of gas, would likely land you in front of a Board of Inquiry, if not outright sacked.

Freebird · 03-11-10, 10:12 AM

I had fun a couple times trying to get a boat home with low fuel.

The worst part is when you sustain hull damage and your range diminishes slightly. When it happened, I beelined it for port or closest fuel and spent as much time as possible submerged on batteries. Took 3 tries on one patrol to get home that way. Pretty irritating to run out when trying to get home.

Of course, fuel leaking out is the worst scenario but, watch out when you have hull damage as it will either create more drag or diminish engine performance.

I monitor fuel levels and hull damage very closely, now.

It WILL take more to get home almost invariably.

When I restart the war, I'll be running TMO and look forward to the fuel/range gauge included.

Gary

Avionic · 03-11-10, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebird

...
The worst part is when you sustain hull damage and your range diminishes slightly. When it happened, I beelined it for port or closest fuel and spent as much time as possible submerged on batteries. Took 3 tries on one patrol to get home that way. Pretty irritating to run out when trying to get home.
...
Gary

Maybe I misunderstood what you wrote, but submerging is not good for your fuel economy.
The batteries will be charged again with your fuel, and that will use more energy. It is more efficient to just run on the surface at 10 kts and enjoy the wiev

.

Reinhard Dietz · 03-19-10, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by razark

Nope.

There's instructions somewhere around here. You basically save your game, edit it to move your boat, and then load the save. I've never used it, though.

Any pointers on where this method might be? I've gotten the shaft on fuel mileage---500 miles short of Fremantle---with Perch and I'm not interested in replaying two weeks of patrol fiddling with the engine controls.

AngryFace · 03-19-10, 10:04 PM

I was low on fuel once while in Asiatic fleet - it's getting harder since your base is getting further and further away.
So, I used all my fuel about 600nm from refuel port.
Periscope depth, 1kth, got to 500nm that way.

Now the fun part starts.
It seems you can run electric engines at 1kth without power or gas to recharge the batteries as long as you have O2!
Sure, it took me about 3 weeks to get back to that port and had to surface from time to time to prevent my crew from suffocating, but I saved myself a patrol if not a career.

I'm running 1.4 with TM (1.7.x) + RSRDC

Armistead · 03-19-10, 11:42 PM

The biggest mistake people make is getting battery damage and not turning the battery charge off. The batteries get damaged they will never stop charging until you cut them off. This can kill your range by 50%.

If your tanks get damaged, you see the result of that right away with a message that you've lose however much fuel, but after that they don't leak.

Not sure about stock, but most supermods like TMO have all the range and milage icons, just set your waypoints and you can get a range to end at current speed, ect...That way you can figure if you have enough fuel to speed up more than 10 knts.

As stated, charging batteries uses a lot of fuel. You save nothing by running submerged, in fact, you waste a lot. If fuel is a concern only run submerged when needed.

Ye, you can run 1kt all you want on the electrics, just surface when needed...we call that the crawl...most can't spend hours getting through it....

In the end...you run out of gas, you shouldn't be commanding a sub. Turn your boat over to the XO and take to your bunk in the fetel position...

razark · 03-20-10, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reinhard Dietz

Any pointers on where this method might be? I've gotten the shaft on fuel mileage---500 miles short of Fremantle---with Perch and I'm not interested in replaying two weeks of patrol fiddling with the engine controls.

Not off the top of my head. Try using the search feature. It might take a while to figure out exactly what to search for, but you'll find it.

Drifter · 03-20-10, 12:51 AM

Hey everyone, here's how to get back to base in SH4 if you run out of fuel. I guess it could technically be called 'cheating', but so be it.

1. Save your current game, but be sure that your sub has at least a little bit of fuel or battery juice left. This is a must. If not, you are screwed.

2. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\*\My Documents\SH4\data\cfg\SaveGames\

3. Open your just-saved game folder (the one where you ran out of fuel)

4. Now open the GameplaySettings.cfg in that folder

5. Edit the two highlighted orange lines below and set them to false:

[Current]
LimitedBatteries=false
LimitedCompressedAir=true
LimitedO2=true
LimitedFuel=false
RealisticRepairTime=true
ManualTargetingSystem=false
NoMapUpdate=false
RealisticSensors=true
DudTorpedoes=true
RealisticReload=true
NoEventCamera=true
NoExternalView=false
NoStabilizeView=false
MPShowPlayerNames=true
MPShowTorpedoes=true

6. Now restart SH4 and reload that save-game you just edited. You will now be able to get back to base either on batteries or diesels. After returning to base, save, and then edit the two lines again to say true.

I hope this helps you all out.

Reinhard Dietz · 03-20-10, 08:49 AM

Hmm. I thought I edited the right file---the last by date saved---but the game didn't seem to care; still drained fuel. Made it home with the old 'quit charging the batteries' trick, though.

I'll keep this in mind, 'cause I'm sure I'll need it again. USS Drum operates from Pearl Harbor, so I'll be good and far away from home.

Thanks!

Frenssen's Farts · 03-11-10, 01:41 PM

To a point it makes sense. If sub ever did run out of fuel the captain would not be the captain on the next patrol that's for sure. So in real life it is game over as well.

I'm not up on my sub history but were no subs ever stranded during the war? Either due to damage, punctured fuel tanks, engine problems etc? Are there not any cases of a rescue sub being sent to help repair and get a stranded crew back?

Dread Knot · 03-11-10, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frenssen's Farts

I'm not up on my sub history but were no subs ever stranded during the war? Either due to damage, punctured fuel tanks, engine problems etc? Are there not any cases of a rescue sub being sent to help repair and get a stranded crew back?

The closest case I can think of in the Pacific War would be the USS Darter and Dace. The Darter ran aground chasing Kurita's surface force prior to the Leyte Gulf battle, and Dace took off the crew and shelled the wreck. Nautilus came along later and shelled it some more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Darter_(SS-227)

The rusting wreck of the pressure hull is still there to this day on the Bombay Reef.

Platapus · 03-11-10, 03:49 PM

I had one mission where I has to go the last bit submerged because I ran out of gas. I just needed to get to that magic 25nm point where I could dock.

Perhaps that 25nm is simulating a tow if I need one?

Any damage to your fuel tank makes the "estimate range at current speed" very inaccurate. Abort and get thee to a friendly port soonest!

Gatos do not come equipped with oars, I found out.

03-10-10, 09:44 PM	#1
Admiral8Q Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada Posts: 1,077 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	I need a tow I was just wondering if there is a way to radio for a tug if you run out of gas. I was trying to get to Brisbane but ran dry about 100 miles from port __________________

03-10-10, 10:54 PM	#3
Admiral8Q Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada Posts: 1,077 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	Strange that they didn't include that in the game. I figured that if it was there it would cost you some renown. Oh well, I loaded and went to Freemantle instead. __________________

03-20-10, 12:51 AM	#11
Drifter Frogman Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 308 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Hey everyone, here's how to get back to base in SH4 if you run out of fuel. I guess it could technically be called 'cheating', but so be it. 1. Save your current game, but be sure that your sub has at least a little bit of fuel or battery juice left. This is a must. If not, you are screwed. 2. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\\My Documents\SH4\data\cfg\SaveGames\ 3. Open your just-saved game folder (the one where you ran out of fuel) 4. Now open the GameplaySettings.cfg in that folder 5. Edit the two highlighted orange lines below and set them to false: [Current] LimitedBatteries=false LimitedCompressedAir=true LimitedO2=true LimitedFuel=false RealisticRepairTime=true ManualTargetingSystem=false NoMapUpdate=false RealisticSensors=true DudTorpedoes=true RealisticReload=true NoEventCamera=true NoExternalView=false NoStabilizeView=false MPShowPlayerNames=true MPShowTorpedoes=true 6. Now restart SH4 and reload that save-game you just edited. You will now be able to get back to base either on batteries or diesels. After returning to base, save, and then edit the two lines again to say true*. I hope this helps you all out. __________________

03-20-10, 08:49 AM	#12
Reinhard Dietz Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lorient Posts: 121 Downloads: 27 Uploads: 0	Hmm. I thought I edited the right file---the last by date saved---but the game didn't seem to care; still drained fuel. Made it home with the old 'quit charging the batteries' trick, though. I'll keep this in mind, 'cause I'm sure I'll need it again. USS Drum operates from Pearl Harbor, so I'll be good and far away from home. Thanks! __________________ Reinhard Dietz U-126 2. Unterseebootsflottille, Lorient

03-11-10, 03:49 PM	#15
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,391 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I had one mission where I has to go the last bit submerged because I ran out of gas. I just needed to get to that magic 25nm point where I could dock. Perhaps that 25nm is simulating a tow if I need one? Any damage to your fuel tank makes the "estimate range at current speed" very inaccurate. Abort and get thee to a friendly port soonest! Gatos do not come equipped with oars, I found out. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

03-11-10, 10:12 AM	#5
Freebird Mate Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 51 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	I had fun a couple times trying to get a boat home with low fuel. The worst part is when you sustain hull damage and your range diminishes slightly. When it happened, I beelined it for port or closest fuel and spent as much time as possible submerged on batteries. Took 3 tries on one patrol to get home that way. Pretty irritating to run out when trying to get home. Of course, fuel leaking out is the worst scenario but, watch out when you have hull damage as it will either create more drag or diminish engine performance. I monitor fuel levels and hull damage very closely, now. It WILL take more to get home almost invariably. When I restart the war, I'll be running TMO and look forward to the fuel/range gauge included. Gary

03-19-10, 10:04 PM	#8
AngryFace Nub Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 2 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I was low on fuel once while in Asiatic fleet - it's getting harder since your base is getting further and further away. So, I used all my fuel about 600nm from refuel port. Periscope depth, 1kth, got to 500nm that way. Now the fun part starts. It seems you can run electric engines at 1kth without power or gas to recharge the batteries as long as you have O2! Sure, it took me about 3 weeks to get back to that port and had to surface from time to time to prevent my crew from suffocating, but I saved myself a patrol if not a career. I'm running 1.4 with TM (1.7.x) + RSRDC

03-19-10, 11:42 PM	#9
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	The biggest mistake people make is getting battery damage and not turning the battery charge off. The batteries get damaged they will never stop charging until you cut them off. This can kill your range by 50%. If your tanks get damaged, you see the result of that right away with a message that you've lose however much fuel, but after that they don't leak. Not sure about stock, but most supermods like TMO have all the range and milage icons, just set your waypoints and you can get a range to end at current speed, ect...That way you can figure if you have enough fuel to speed up more than 10 knts. As stated, charging batteries uses a lot of fuel. You save nothing by running submerged, in fact, you waste a lot. If fuel is a concern only run submerged when needed. Ye, you can run 1kt all you want on the electrics, just surface when needed...we call that the crawl...most can't spend hours getting through it.... In the end...you run out of gas, you shouldn't be commanding a sub. Turn your boat over to the XO and take to your bunk in the fetel position...

03-11-10, 01:41 PM	#13
Frenssen's Farts Swabbie Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 12 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	To a point it makes sense. If sub ever did run out of fuel the captain would not be the captain on the next patrol that's for sure. So in real life it is game over as well. I'm not up on my sub history but were no subs ever stranded during the war? Either due to damage, punctured fuel tanks, engine problems etc? Are there not any cases of a rescue sub being sent to help repair and get a stranded crew back?