Your typical patrol

[commandosolo2009]

Hey guys,

I always wanted to know your typical patrol routines. Like where and speed, camp spots. In other words, your route from pearl, midway, fremantle, Brisbane, etc...and how long you stay there, and how to use the search pattern.

The patterns are 3 , but are they for submerged daylight patrols, or searching for reported enemies end-arounds?

Also, I'm not expecting a regular detailed patrol report (could find them in stories thread).
This is like a dinner invitation and we're eating, drinking cold beer at the Royal Hawaiian, and gossip with fellow Capts. Nothing too formal.

[Weiss Pinguin]

When I'm operating out of Pearl/Midway I usually make a home along the Japan-Luzon shipping lanes, my favorite spots so far are in the Ablaze/Abduct/Abandon patrol areas. Last patrol I ran into several Nippon Maru (10000 tons each). In the South Pacific, I usually just go around completing as many tasks as I can. I haven't really found a reliable hunting area, yet.

Running TMO 2.1 and RSRD.

[Armistead]

With RSRD at the beginning all the action is around the Philippines then heads south, so I start there. I'll usually hang around Java in Feb of 42 or above Timor to catch the large TF heading into the Indian Ocean. July to end of 42 hang around the Solomons for all the battles. In 43 usually Truk to Home Waters shipping lane and around Truk and Bismark. In 44 the best shipping lane appears to be along the west coast of Borneo, many large convoys travel from Singy to Kuching along Borneo through the Palawan to Manila or on to Japan. Around Oct.18-22 many TF come into Brunei Bay to prepare for Leyte, you can catch them coming in and heading out, then after the battle they return and head out again in mid Nov. Formosa is also very busy with large convoys in 44, but a deadly game there. In 45 I'll hunt Formosa early then most traffic, any decent convoys toward the wars end near the Korea Strait.

[0rpheus]

West of Celebes, all the way up the Makassar strait, and then sit just west of Tawi Tawi in the Sulu Archipelago. The tiny corridor west of Tawi Tawi has lots of traffic and you can just park up and let them come to you

[commandosolo2009]

Originally Posted by 0rpheus

West of Celebes, all the way up the Makassar strait, and then sit just west of Tawi Tawi in the Sulu Archipelago. The tiny corridor west of Tawi Tawi has lots of traffic and you can just park up and let them come to you

But isnt that somewhat forgranted? I mean in real life, if ships were sunk in that area, Japs would divert all ships to another route?

[0rpheus]

Yeah you're probably right, I didn't say it was realistic

[commandosolo2009]

Originally Posted by 0rpheus

Yeah you're probably right, I didn't say it was realistic

But thanks for sharing your routine.

[Bubblehead1980]

How I operate depends on the period of the war and the area, much as it was in RL.At the onset of the war through 42 I submerge during daylight with occasional periscope sweeps and use sonar to make contacts, if need to surface to close target I will.This follows early war doctrine.

Around Jan 43 or so I begin using night surface attacks at night(obviously) and still patrol submerged during daylight with surface patrols becoming more common as the year wears on.Mid 43 till the end I patrol on surface and dive only when have to, to avoid planes, attack etc. Exception to this would be that of RL when patroling close to shore or in Sagami Bay etc

I run TMO with RSRD and when with SubPac I patrol the Japan-Mariannas-Truk lanes often in 43 and 44, Japan-Luzon, Formosa Straits often, sometimes hang around the Tokyo area if assigned.Late 43 into 44 Rabaul-Truk lanes are busy.

When out of Australia I go where assigned but favorite areas are off Northern Luzonor just outside southern formosa straight.Coast of Indochina is pretty fruitful usually as well.October 44(do this from both commands) China coast is packed with convoys but shallow waters and enemy radar can make it challenging.

[Daniel Prates]

If you're bored and don't know where to go, just report your status to base and they will always find you somewhere to go.

[commandosolo2009]

Originally Posted by Daniel Prates

If you're bored and don't know where to go, just report your status to base and they will always find you somewhere to go.

Thats not a dilemma since hq's rps are unrealistic sometimes, and a long dash from brisbane to luzon for example, causes a crash at tc, since alot of traffic generates and I dont want to engage and lose my precious torpedoes except on AO targets. With that being said, I never cross 4000 km from brisbane, and I stick to Rabaul-Palau route, and my policy is to sink only large ships.

I will start practicing calling AOB. I dont want the plot methods anymore, since skippers used their eyes, well, I should too.. If I'm correct there was a periscope method to get the AOB and I wish if somebody lay it plain on the table.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by commandosolo2009

Thats not a dilemma since hq's rps are unrealistic sometimes, and a long dash from brisbane to luzon for example, causes a crash at tc, since alot of traffic generates and I dont want to engage and lose my precious torpedoes except on AO targets. With that being said, I never cross 4000 km from brisbane, and I stick to Rabaul-Palau route, and my policy is to sink only large ships.

I will start practicing calling AOB. I dont want the plot methods anymore, since skippers used their eyes, well, I should too.. If I'm correct there was a periscope method to get the AOB and I wish if somebody lay it plain on the table.

The AOB is the ships course relative to your sub. If you take two accurate stad measurement and ask for speed it will also give you course. The AOB wheel has two sets of numbers, angle and course, just simple spin the AOB to the course numbers given and it will set the right angle.

[andy_311]

Set off from Fremantle in 43 pass Lombock staights play silly buggers with the subchaser patrolling the straights go to my assigned target take out a few merchants (normally south china sea's ) some times hit a TF on my way home sod all i can do because i have no fish left or lately go out and take out a few dozen Sampans and fishishing boat's the odd tanker if am lucky in the last 4 patrols i have not sunk more than 30k of ships.(I know be more aggresive) but it don;t always work that way.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by commandosolo2009

I will start practicing calling AOB. I dont want the plot methods anymore, since skippers used their eyes, well, I should too.. If I'm correct there was a periscope method to get the AOB and I wish if somebody lay it plain on the table.

I think eyeballing (calling AOB) and plot methods should be considered complementry; that is one assists the other. If you mean by plot methods, using map contact updates, I agree this is much easier. I know O'Kane used both his observations and info from the plot for his attacks. The plot could not eliminate the need for visual estimates of AOB, because the target was usually following a zig-zag course, and it was necessary to know the base course and be able to anticipate the next zig. If one had to rely only on stadimeter ranging and plot (without knowing AOB), a course change or zig would only become evident well after the target was into the new course. By the same token, using visual estimates alone, would leave one without a good overall view, masking errors in observation and making an effective approach or "end-around" much more difficult. In short, using both techniques together, minimizes the weaknesses of each.


If the periscope method for obtaining AOB you refer to, is what I think you mean, some have posted that there was a periscope device designed to give an AOB reading, comparable to the stadimeter. I don't know the details, but it would require knowing the length of the ship in question. Of course, it is not represented in the game. Cap'nScurvy is/ was working on something that would accomplish this type of task. Perhaps this is what you refer to? In any case, it is a handy skill to have in this game. I always found it to be fairly difficult to make a decent AOB estimate, though one improves with practice, I suppose.

[commandosolo2009]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I think eyeballing (calling AOB) and plot methods should be considered complementry; that is one assists the other. If you mean by plot methods, using map contact updates, I agree this is much easier. I know O'Kane used both his observations and info from the plot for his attacks. The plot could not eliminate the need for visual estimates of AOB, because the target was usually following a zig-zag course, and it was necessary to know the base course and be able to anticipate the next zig. If one had to rely only on stadimeter ranging and plot (without knowing AOB), a course change or zig would only become evident well after the target was into the new course. By the same token, using visual estimates alone, would leave one without a good overall view, masking errors in observation and making an effective approach or "end-around" much more difficult. In short, using both techniques together, minimizes the weaknesses of each.


If the periscope method for obtaining AOB you refer to, is what I think you mean, some have posted that there was a periscope device designed to give an AOB reading, comparable to the stadimeter. I don't know the details, but it would require knowing the length of the ship in question. Of course, it is not represented in the game. Cap'nScurvy is/ was working on something that would accomplish this type of task. Perhaps this is what you refer to? In any case, it is a handy skill to have in this game. I always found it to be fairly difficult to make a decent AOB estimate, though one improves with practice, I suppose.

Sorry mate, took me ages to check on that one. Yes I meant using the plot to the point right before you raise scope. Then after raising scope, use the eye only and the previous data gathered to formulate a solution. Although I suspect it would be easier in our case to use the eye (since they zig only if you're sighted, not if you're well invisible under favourable conditions).

About the periscope thingy, you partially got it right (if you're referring to the height/length ratio method). But this requires a mod and memorizing the ships indexes.

I care more about speed since if speed and range are somewhat close but off, the corner stone to the equation is the aob afterall, which I'd like to guess and train my eye on guessing it. I've made a note of ruler markings over cms increments for mercs lengths (for example when I see a conte verde, I would remember length was 173 more or less ((fractions dont matter as far as I would go since I aim for realism and they did not have split second tickers back in the days, so a rough value is in order))), --< because I see the notepaper on the wall with 17 cm line on the scale readout))

In the end alot of torpedoes either dud or active but deep runners, had these skippers to the nose, and why should we not taste the bitter sweet and agony they felt too?

[WernherVonTrapp]

When I first saw this thread, I wasn't sure how to respond because by patrols are anything but typical, from my own perspective anyway.
Notwithstanding, I (now) usually start in a Pigboat out of Manila and patrol in as much as fuel availability allows within the given historical context (e.g., the fall of Manila). Transfer to Fremantle and patrol the Makassar Strait, transfer to Brisbane, patrol the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomons and Micronesia. Transfer to Milne Bay and patrol the same previous group along with the Palaus, the Philippines and the Marianas.

I'll always spend some time raiding various ports as to afford the enemy no safe harbor, though I've noticed the defenses tend to beef-up after each successive raid (probably just coincidence). I often change course when I'm near airbases to try and diminish detection by air. If I'm in an area that's close to an historic battle, I can remember it and I'm aware of the current date, I'll make an attempt to join in the engagement. I don't engage aircraft, I don't make it a habbit to take on DDs in battle, I don't stay submerged for too long and I don't do windows.

For the most part, that just about covers it.