Fun in the Fog? A Bone Pleeze

Dogfish40 · 05-09-11, 10:33 AM

Anybody got some tips for aproaching the enemy in heavy fog. Here's my problem; First off, I'm not going to cut the fog down because it's pretty realistic, this was a problem that Subs faced and I'm going to keep "volumetric fog" checked.
So... I'm approching an unknown merchant in heavy fog; by the time I can see his masts, the ship is only 7 or 800 yrds off the beam. He may be armed, he may be friendly (some of those Dutch merchants look a bit like the Marus) but I have to know before I send him down. Do I, a) let him pass to get a recognition and then give him a shot up the rear? b) Sink him outright and hope he's the enemy? c) or let him go? This fog isn't even the worst I've found, and the periscope is even worse, to see the ship I need to be on the bridge. If I can see the flags I am close enough to be rammed or shot up. The fog makes getting Torpedo Data extremly hard over 500 yrds. I've sunk two ships now with the deck gun, but until I got the message "enemy ship sunk" I wasn't sure if I was sinking a friendly. (I'm trying not to cheat and take a peek if you know what I mean)
How 'bout some Fog feedback from some of you Skippers out there!
Thanx
D40

Thrair · 05-09-11, 11:06 AM

Depends on the mods you're running.

If stock, get close and use the DG. A lot of merchants aren't even armed in stock, and those that are are crappy shots. Further more, it's quite possible to get under the guns, so to speak. You can get close enough that the gunners can't shoot, as the shots would go through her hull.

If running a modset with more robust AI, I'd get ahead of them and let them pass by while you're submerged at periscope. Focus on getting a good ID.

After that, you can do one of two things:
A) Shadow them and wait out the fog
B) Take a guess at their course and fire a potshot spread while hoping for the best.

Daniel Prates · 05-09-11, 12:16 PM

I once raided Quingdao, a harbor inside the yellow sea. I was there to deliver an agent, and after droping him off, i decided to check out the docks.

No subchasers, no DDs, nothing. I approached underwater and I rose periscope around 10pm, to take advantage of darkness.

Fog all around. I could not see a thing! According to the map, I came as close as 1000 meters to the dock and there was nothing to be seen.

Since fog works both ways, I emerged. Radar signals indicated 6 ships, all stationary. Perfect targets. But how could I see them? I slowly came as close as 500 meters and still could not see a thing. Since this is close to arming distance for the torpedoes, it was useless to go any closer.

I though of a way to shoot them, which might work for stationary targets. It is possible to get their bearings from radar, do the math with your own course, and set the torpedo gyroangle with that. When zooming down in the map, a compass appears which helps you trim those angles with finesse. If you are not too far away that could work fine. Of course, you must be lucky to have the ship in a 90 degrees angle in front ot you, because if it is facing you, the smallest angle error will imply a miss.

I did no try that tough, since there was no way to know if I would be spending torpedoes on useless targets as auxiliary subchasers or gunboats or such. So what i did was to wait another day submerged until the fog eventually dissipated and I could raise hell more properly!

surf_ten · 05-10-11, 10:37 AM

Prior to having SD radar, I tried using the hydrohunt method I learned and used when I played sh III. I tracked the target, determined range, speed and course and set my intercept course all the while having zero visibility due to the fog. Even under 500 yds I still could not make visual contact so I cheated and used external view to verify the ships nationality (Japanese Merchant confirmed). Thinking I outwitted the weather conditons I let loose my torps and recieved the very satisfactory explosions, however despite knowing I just sunk the ship I was not given the credit for the sinking.

Perhaps the computer crew could not confirm the sinking due to not having a visual contact. This was definately different from SH III becuase I used the hydrohunt method numerous times due to long stretches of craptacular weather and recieved credit despite not having visual confirmation. I guess in reality this was quite a reckless action on my part since I could have ending up sinking a friendly.

Dogfish40 · 05-10-11, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Prates

I once raided Quingdao, a harbor inside the yellow sea. I was there to deliver an agent, and after droping him off, i decided to check out the docks.

No subchasers, no DDs, nothing. I approached underwater and I rose periscope around 10pm, to take advantage of darkness.

Fog all around. I could not see a thing! According to the map, I came as close as 1000 meters to the dock and there was nothing to be seen.

Since fog works both ways, I emerged. Radar signals indicated 6 ships, all stationary. Perfect targets. But how could I see them? I slowly came as close as 500 meters and still could not see a thing. Since this is close to arming distance for the torpedoes, it was useless to go any closer.

I though of a way to shoot them, which might work for stationary targets. It is possible to get their bearings from radar, do the math with your own course, and set the torpedo gyroangle with that. When zooming down in the map, a compass appears which helps you trim those angles with finesse. If you are not too far away that could work fine. Of course, you must be lucky to have the ship in a 90 degrees angle in front ot you, because if it is facing you, the smallest angle error will imply a miss.

I did no try that tough, since there was no way to know if I would be spending torpedoes on useless targets as auxiliary subchasers or gunboats or such. So what i did was to wait another day submerged until the fog eventually dissipated and I could raise hell more properly!

I can't wait to get the SJ. I've still got several months before it becomes available and even then I might have to transfer. I mean, in one way I love it, the thick fog. I'm really trying to be a good little skipper and not peek because that increases the tension but, on the other hand I'm risking my crew, my boat and I want to use any methods that would give me the upper hand as any skipper would do in a situation such as this. The fog has been with us for days. I've not seen this before. I've had the long rainy, stormy patrols but this is creepy, like a Roger Corman flick. So, the best I have been able to do is use the deck gun, and that's me on the gun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by surf_ten

Prior to having SD radar, I tried using the hydrohunt method I learned and used when I played sh III. I tracked the target, determined range, speed and course and set my intercept course all the while having zero visibility due to the fog. Even under 500 yds I still could not make visual contact so I cheated and used external view to verify the ships nationality (Japanese Merchant confirmed). Thinking I outwitted the weather conditons I let loose my torps and recieved the very satisfactory explosions, however despite knowing I just sunk the ship I was not given the credit for the sinking.

Perhaps the computer crew could not confirm the sinking due to not having a visual contact. This was definately different from SH III becuase I used the hydrohunt method numerous times due to long stretches of craptacular weather and recieved credit despite not having visual confirmation. I guess in reality this was quite a reckless action on my part since I could have ending up sinking a friendly.

I have credit on the log for sinking two enemy ships (different days) and it says enemy! I hope that it stays that way when I get back to base because on the nav-map the sunk icon is grey instead of red or blue. As I said, I used the deck gun, and since there was no confirmation except my visual checking against a chart, I didn't see a flag. I was relieved after the sinking to get the "enemy ship" on the log. I'm a bit over-cautious to get too close submerged in the fog. One mistake and I'm getting rammed. If they detect me, I've had merchants change course and half the time it's right at the boat. If this keeps up though, I might just go ahead and peek. Oh well... we'll see!
D40

Char · 05-10-11, 11:33 AM

Yeah fog is a toughie to hunt in,weather you have radar or not.You still gotta make visual contact with em to get credit for the kill,meaning you have to be point blank to detect them.However,the fog also gives you the ability to run on the surface while moving into position to attack a convoy.It also can lead to some ROFL encounters.

One time in heavy fog I was closing in on two Warship contacts moving closer to me.So I set up for a visual I.D by letting them pass within 300 yards of me while at periscope depth.I Had Free Camera on,but I decided not to use it here,of reasons unknown to me.Well at 300 yards,I couldn't see it so I surfaced and took my chances there.Well what I had failed to notice was that in the time it took me to move into a surface I.D position,the fog had lifted slightly.I surfaced within 400 yards of Two Nagato Class Battleships!

Didn't know weather to laugh or Rage hard.I raged then,but now I find it funny as hell!

GreyBeard · 05-10-11, 12:30 PM

On the other hand, thick fog helps you sneak in and back out of a harbor on the surface if you have to do a spy/commando insertion. The same is true of a photo recon, but then you have to get a lot closer to the target you're photographing. Snuck into Hiroshima last night for a photo recon, overcast, rain and fog. It was a real nail biter. Went the whole distance in and out surfaced. Only submerged in harbor.

05-09-11, 10:33 AM	#1
Dogfish40 Ace of the Deep Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: LA Area, Central coast, California Posts: 1,023 Downloads: 827 Uploads: 0	Fun in the Fog? A Bone Pleeze Anybody got some tips for aproaching the enemy in heavy fog. Here's my problem; First off, I'm not going to cut the fog down because it's pretty realistic, this was a problem that Subs faced and I'm going to keep "volumetric fog" checked. So... I'm approching an unknown merchant in heavy fog; by the time I can see his masts, the ship is only 7 or 800 yrds off the beam. He may be armed, he may be friendly (some of those Dutch merchants look a bit like the Marus) but I have to know before I send him down. Do I, a) let him pass to get a recognition and then give him a shot up the rear? b) Sink him outright and hope he's the enemy? c) or let him go? This fog isn't even the worst I've found, and the periscope is even worse, to see the ship I need to be on the bridge. If I can see the flags I am close enough to be rammed or shot up. The fog makes getting Torpedo Data extremly hard over 500 yrds. I've sunk two ships now with the deck gun, but until I got the message "enemy ship sunk" I wasn't sure if I was sinking a friendly. (I'm trying not to cheat and take a peek if you know what I mean) How 'bout some Fog feedback from some of you Skippers out there! Thanx D40 __________________ *Dogfish40*

05-09-11, 11:06 AM	#2
Thrair Helmsman Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 102 Downloads: 16 Uploads: 0	Depends on the mods you're running. If stock, get close and use the DG. A lot of merchants aren't even armed in stock, and those that are are crappy shots. Further more, it's quite possible to get under the guns, so to speak. You can get close enough that the gunners can't shoot, as the shots would go through her hull. If running a modset with more robust AI, I'd get ahead of them and let them pass by while you're submerged at periscope. Focus on getting a good ID. After that, you can do one of two things: A) Shadow them and wait out the fog B) Take a guess at their course and fire a potshot spread while hoping for the best.

05-09-11, 12:16 PM	#3
Daniel Prates Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Curitiba, Brazil Posts: 938 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 0	I once raided Quingdao, a harbor inside the yellow sea. I was there to deliver an agent, and after droping him off, i decided to check out the docks. No subchasers, no DDs, nothing. I approached underwater and I rose periscope around 10pm, to take advantage of darkness. Fog all around. I could not see a thing! According to the map, I came as close as 1000 meters to the dock and there was nothing to be seen. Since fog works both ways, I emerged. Radar signals indicated 6 ships, all stationary. Perfect targets. But how could I see them? I slowly came as close as 500 meters and still could not see a thing. Since this is close to arming distance for the torpedoes, it was useless to go any closer. I though of a way to shoot them, which might work for stationary targets. It is possible to get their bearings from radar, do the math with your own course, and set the torpedo gyroangle with that. When zooming down in the map, a compass appears which helps you trim those angles with finesse. If you are not too far away that could work fine. Of course, you must be lucky to have the ship in a 90 degrees angle in front ot you, because if it is facing you, the smallest angle error will imply a miss. I did no try that tough, since there was no way to know if I would be spending torpedoes on useless targets as auxiliary subchasers or gunboats or such. So what i did was to wait another day submerged until the fog eventually dissipated and I could raise hell more properly!

05-10-11, 10:37 AM	#4
surf_ten Loader Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 90 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Prior to having SD radar, I tried using the hydrohunt method I learned and used when I played sh III. I tracked the target, determined range, speed and course and set my intercept course all the while having zero visibility due to the fog. Even under 500 yds I still could not make visual contact so I cheated and used external view to verify the ships nationality (Japanese Merchant confirmed). Thinking I outwitted the weather conditons I let loose my torps and recieved the very satisfactory explosions, however despite knowing I just sunk the ship I was not given the credit for the sinking. Perhaps the computer crew could not confirm the sinking due to not having a visual contact. This was definately different from SH III becuase I used the hydrohunt method numerous times due to long stretches of craptacular weather and recieved credit despite not having visual confirmation. I guess in reality this was quite a reckless action on my part since I could have ending up sinking a friendly.

05-10-11, 11:33 AM	#6
Char Medic Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Albany,NY Posts: 160 Downloads: 199 Uploads: 0	Yeah fog is a toughie to hunt in,weather you have radar or not.You still gotta make visual contact with em to get credit for the kill,meaning you have to be point blank to detect them.However,the fog also gives you the ability to run on the surface while moving into position to attack a convoy.It also can lead to some ROFL encounters. One time in heavy fog I was closing in on two Warship contacts moving closer to me.So I set up for a visual I.D by letting them pass within 300 yards of me while at periscope depth.I Had Free Camera on,but I decided not to use it here,of reasons unknown to me.Well at 300 yards,I couldn't see it so I surfaced and took my chances there.Well what I had failed to notice was that in the time it took me to move into a surface I.D position,the fog had lifted slightly.I surfaced within 400 yards of Two Nagato Class Battleships! Didn't know weather to laugh or Rage hard.I raged then,but now I find it funny as hell!

05-10-11, 12:30 PM	#7
GreyBeard Engineer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: LI, NY Posts: 209 Downloads: 257 Uploads: 2	On the other hand, thick fog helps you sneak in and back out of a harbor on the surface if you have to do a spy/commando insertion. The same is true of a photo recon, but then you have to get a lot closer to the target you're photographing. Snuck into Hiroshima last night for a photo recon, overcast, rain and fog. It was a real nail biter. Went the whole distance in and out surfaced. Only submerged in harbor.