1st Mission Marshall Islands...bored 4 a month...need help!

michaelws · 03-21-10, 02:09 AM

I started an American career...based in the Philippines. First mission was to go to the Marshall Islands and patrol and sink enemy Merchants. The only action I encountered was at the Northern tip of the Philippines before I headed east to the Star at the east of the Marshalls. Getting there it told me to patrol the Marshalls. I did for days and days and days...nothing. I cruised up to Wake and sunk a destroyer. Then back to the Marshalls and nothing again for days.

Went to Midway, refitted and headed back. Went down to Rabaul and cruised around New Guinea for days on end then saw the news that Java was being invaded and headed over there, but never getting anywhere near any of the reported convoys or task forces. I have sunk about four merchants and one destroyer...but it is very boring.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there a recommended walk-through of areas to patrol that might have more excitement?

I read a few posts on the Marshalls, about the scarcity of ships...someone said it might even have been a bug in SHIV.

I am playing with the mod TMO 1.9 installed and I have U-boat missions installed.

Any pointers or advice would greatly help me here. I am actually into March 1942...so more like 3 months. Thanks again...would like to complete this mission...seems never ending.

Immacolata · 03-21-10, 03:19 AM

Check your Misc screen and click on the radio + convoy map. You can then drag out a map of historically known cargo routes (it appears in the upper left corner of the screen). Stick to the lines and hubs, then your chances of seeing shipping increase (and planes

Fish40 · 03-21-10, 07:19 AM

Are you useing RSRD? I've had 2 patrols to both the Marshalls and Gilberts and found shipping in both. Not alot mind you. Believe me, they were far and few. Cruise close to the main atolls. I've been lucky to find merchants at anchor outside the harbors. Again, by no means alot, but if you look, you'll find.

Inner Sound · 03-21-10, 08:58 AM

And that shipping lanes chart:

All those lanes are shown as curves - I've found it more helpful to draw straight lines between choke points and travel an open zig-zag course along them. What do other people find?

michaelws · 03-21-10, 02:56 PM

I haven't installed the RunSilentRunDeep mod yet. I will.

I have consulted the chart and tried to stay close to the lanes...and I have zigged and zagged. Thanks for the input.

One more question on the RSRD mod...and indirectly on all mods. I have TMO 1.9 in there. Can I simply install RSRD after that?

And, If I want to put in the Monsoon mod, for the atlantic campaign, do I need to uninstall TMO and or RSRD?

I didn't quite understand the posts concerning that. Thanks for the advice and hopefully for any more advice I can glean concerning the installation of these mods.

Armistead · 03-21-10, 03:43 PM

You can install RSRD over TMO 1.9, just load the correct version. Most of the patrol stars put you near where something will come through, but once missed, forget it, you may find something else, but luck. I don't worry about patrol stars. If they're close to where I plan to go, I will do them, if they're way out, I skip them. You need to do enough to keep moving forward, but that's all I do.

With RSRD, I pay attention to history and attack invasion forces, partake of large battles and hit large convoys. I'm almost always attacking large convoys of 30-60 ships and never have a boring patrol.

03-21-10, 02:09 AM	#1
michaelws Seaman Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Posts: 38 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	1st Mission Marshall Islands...bored 4 a month...need help! I started an American career...based in the Philippines. First mission was to go to the Marshall Islands and patrol and sink enemy Merchants. The only action I encountered was at the Northern tip of the Philippines before I headed east to the Star at the east of the Marshalls. Getting there it told me to patrol the Marshalls. I did for days and days and days...nothing. I cruised up to Wake and sunk a destroyer. Then back to the Marshalls and nothing again for days. Went to Midway, refitted and headed back. Went down to Rabaul and cruised around New Guinea for days on end then saw the news that Java was being invaded and headed over there, but never getting anywhere near any of the reported convoys or task forces. I have sunk about four merchants and one destroyer...but it is very boring. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a recommended walk-through of areas to patrol that might have more excitement? I read a few posts on the Marshalls, about the scarcity of ships...someone said it might even have been a bug in SHIV. I am playing with the mod TMO 1.9 installed and I have U-boat missions installed. Any pointers or advice would greatly help me here. I am actually into March 1942...so more like 3 months. Thanks again...would like to complete this mission...seems never ending.

03-21-10, 03:19 AM	#2
Immacolata Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 798 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Check your Misc screen and click on the radio + convoy map. You can then drag out a map of historically known cargo routes (it appears in the upper left corner of the screen). Stick to the lines and hubs, then your chances of seeing shipping increase (and planes __________________ "The power of the executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgment of his peers, is in the highest degree odious, and the foundation of all totalitarian government whether Nazi or Communist." - W. Churchill

03-21-10, 07:19 AM	#3
Fish40 The Old Man Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Yonkers, NY U.S.A. Posts: 1,507 Downloads: 154 Uploads: 0	Are you useing RSRD? I've had 2 patrols to both the Marshalls and Gilberts and found shipping in both. Not alot mind you. Believe me, they were far and few. Cruise close to the main atolls. I've been lucky to find merchants at anchor outside the harbors. Again, by no means alot, but if you look, you'll find.

03-21-10, 08:58 AM	#4
Inner Sound Sparky Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 152 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	And that shipping lanes chart: All those lanes are shown as curves - I've found it more helpful to draw straight lines between choke points and travel an open zig-zag course along them. What do other people find?

03-21-10, 02:56 PM	#5
michaelws Seaman Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Posts: 38 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	I haven't installed the RunSilentRunDeep mod yet. I will. I have consulted the chart and tried to stay close to the lanes...and I have zigged and zagged. Thanks for the input. One more question on the RSRD mod...and indirectly on all mods. I have TMO 1.9 in there. Can I simply install RSRD after that? And, If I want to put in the Monsoon mod, for the atlantic campaign, do I need to uninstall TMO and or RSRD? I didn't quite understand the posts concerning that. Thanks for the advice and hopefully for any more advice I can glean concerning the installation of these mods.

03-21-10, 03:43 PM	#6
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	You can install RSRD over TMO 1.9, just load the correct version. Most of the patrol stars put you near where something will come through, but once missed, forget it, you may find something else, but luck. I don't worry about patrol stars. If they're close to where I plan to go, I will do them, if they're way out, I skip them. You need to do enough to keep moving forward, but that's all I do. With RSRD, I pay attention to history and attack invasion forces, partake of large battles and hit large convoys. I'm almost always attacking large convoys of 30-60 ships and never have a boring patrol.