My first day as a 100 percent realism masochist.

[dashyr]

*Looking through periscope*
Come closer... closer.... yeah that's it... Now keep going next to be dead beauty....
*CRASH, SCREEECsssSHSHSH, BOM.*
THE HELL IS THAT!? Collision?!?
*Got rammed by an escort because I was too focused on target.*

*Starts to dive*

Repairman: Flooding sir!

-_-'... Don't stay here looking at me and go repair it! We can't surface now!

Repairman: Seriously, I never work unless you order me to!

I JUST did.

Repairman:.....in the menu.

-_-' *Quits*

Day 2

*Manages to shake them, goes back to base and fire the guy.*

......I just have too much imagination or I seriously need a life.

[james_nix]

I just started playing with no map contacts and it is great.

Before, my lookout would say 'contact'. I would pull up the map, plot the ship to get the speed, go to periscope depth, track them on sonar until they get about 3000 yards or less, THEN I might raise the periscope to see what it is, but it really doesn't matter.

Now, when my lookout says 'contact' I am scanning the horizon! I have to plot using the stadimeter. What ship it actually is makes a difference! When I go to periscope depth, I have to figure out course changes just by where the sound is, not just by looking at the map. It's great!

I'm glad I played with map contacts so I could master the basics, but no map contacts really makes it like a new game!

[Captain Jeff]

I use no map contacts. For me, the thrill of the hunt is a lot of the fun in SH4. (Hmm. If I were a Japanese tanker where would I be hiding?)

If I'm submerged and get a contact there are some ways to use passive sonar to determine a target's course and speed. I need a good calculator to do the math for these methods, but I have fun doing it.

Then there are times when I'm on the surface and spot a destroyer. Those destroyers are moving right along and there isn't a lot of time to identify the ship and line up a shot. I just have to take what I get and hope for the best.

But ... to each their own. I think the options are one of the things Ubisoft did well on. SH can be set up to suit a great many of playing styles. Whatever your style, good luck and good hunting to everyone!!

[Majestik 909]

I survived my entire career, from 1943 until 1945 @ 100%....not easy but doable....

[dashyr]

No map contact dosent make much difference. All you can do is mark the targeton yiour map with the informations you have then add some more as you aquire more information. The real challenge is not to be seen. Its easy, when you have only a sligh idea of where the enemy is, to make a mistake and screw it up. This is my main problem right now. But yeah doing the map contacts myself is awesome. the only thing i got in the map is general direction of sound contacts wich i think is logical or ill throw sonar guy out by one of my aft tubes.

I really am a noob at this game though. I got my successes but im just always playing 100% with sims even when i start playing. So, the learning curve looks like a damn mountain xD. but its rewarding. I did the same with Falcon 4 BMS (BEST F-16 simulation I EVER played and if you even have a slight interest in flight sim you owe yourself to play this.) and i suffered a gereat deal getting shot out of the sky by a sidewinder with no idea where it came from until someone tell me to raise my sensor antenna and notice the guy was shooting me miles away in BVR (Beyond visual range.). I love realism... not because it is fun but because it is hard and rewarding.

[Majestik 909]

I use a traffic collision template and dry erase markers to plot positions onscreen.....what would be better is if sonar would give a range in yards instead of "short range" etc...

[Majestik 909]

I flew a mission once in Microsoft WW2 Combat Flight Simulator in a P-38 Lighting. I flew at 100% realism in real time, 12 hours and 17 minutes actual time to target and back.

Having a background as a pilot, I increased propeller pitch and decreased rpm on the return trip to conserve fuel, running out just a half mile from the airfield and making a dead stick landing.

I'm not that extreme nowadays....

[dashyr]

oh the good ol p-38... its insane how much damage it can sustain and still fly. I already reached base with one engine down and the tip of the left wing missing. I got no idea how I managed to land with damaged hydrolics but I did. funny thing is I lost the wing tip cuz i made a face to face with a german and pulled up at the same time. he did the same and my wing teared through him.

first thing I noticed.. rpm variation on left and hydrolic pressure dropping... I thought i was a goner but i was like... what the hell gonna try. Shutted oif the left engine to avoid fire. and flew home on the right one.

[dashyr]

Finally managed to sink two ships. for around 6200 tons. Not much but im proud :P

First one with a single torpedo.

Second one I wasted 3 torpedoes and the 4th hit. Decided to finish it off with my deck gun.

Starting my second patrol any suggestion where I could hang out and find some good victims?

[Majestik 909]

Where you at??? I know all the good hideouts in the Indian Ocean.....Torres Straight is shallow but narrow. Task Forces frequently pass through there. I sank a number of ships there.

Darwin and Fremantle have high levels of merchant traffic. Luzon and Sri Lanka are also hot.

Port Elizabeth has super high levels of commercial traffic.....

[Majestik 909]

Originally Posted by dashyr

oh the good ol p-38... its insane how much damage it can sustain and still fly. I already reached base with one engine down and the tip of the left wing missing. I got no idea how I managed to land with damaged hydrolics but I did. funny thing is I lost the wing tip cuz i made a face to face with a german and pulled up at the same time. he did the same and my wing teared through him.

first thing I noticed.. rpm variation on left and hydrolic pressure dropping... I thought i was a goner but i was like... what the hell gonna try. Shutted oif the left engine to avoid fire. and flew home on the right one.

LOL!

My Hellcat took a burst from a Betty's 200mms tail cannons. Blew off my Pratt & Whitney. I had to pump the gear down manually and managed to land on a beach. Still have the screenshot!

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by james_nix

I just started playing with no map contacts and it is great.

............

I'm glad I played with map contacts so I could master the basics, but no map contacts really makes it like a new game!

Yes, this is very true.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by james_nix

I just started playing with no map contacts and it is great.

.....

I'm glad I played with map contacts so I could master the basics, but no map contacts really makes it like a new game!

Yes, this is very true.

I use manual targeting, no map-contacts, and find every single torpedo hit is immensely satisfying this way.

[Majestik 909]

T orpx - I use a lot of scratch paper!

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Majestik 909

T orpx - I use a lot of scratch paper!

For plotting? Didn't know anyone still did this.

I used to use graph paper; as large a sheep as I could get, when I used to play SHCE. It could be tedious, though. When I got to the edge of the paper, I would have to pull out another sheet and transfer some of the points, and start over. A lot of work!