I'm sure this is ridiculous: so what should I do?

cavvie · 04-12-08, 10:08 PM

Ok, I'm mostly a lurker, I'll admit. So first, I tip my hat to those who've given me so many threads to live by. (e.g. I've been following Beery's operations since RB3D. Now there's a class act).

Ok, my specs--game-wise:
SH4-1.4 - no mods.
100% realism except I allow external camera and I have stabilized gunsights.
- I've been working up to greater and greater difficulty. Many thanks to the generous tutorials here.

My campaign:
June, 1943, my second tour in the USS Balao (forward gun and a forward 40mm AA plus rear twin 20mm AA). My first tour with manual targetting and no map updates. I was assigned to patro off the Philipines. As was expected I came across a convoy enroute just before I hit the Celebes Sea. Being careful and being discerning, I sunk a Huge Ocean Liner and ducked back towards my patrol area.

Ok, so as I'm passing into the Sulu sea I notice a convoy is heading right towards the narrow straigh I'm in. Better lie in wait!

At dawn I manage to miss all my shots except one which hits a mid-size freighter by accident. First Question: When I'm tussling in the middle of a mass of ships, how can I get my torps to just fire wherever I'm pointing my TBT or periscope?

As a result of being frustrated--related to the above question--and slightly tipsy, I save my game and decide to at least finish this encounter by sinking the guy that I've injured. BTW, I was kind of ticked that I had blown off everything between his hull and propellers and yet he was still moving.

So I surfaced and had an amazing experience, albeit, I presume, incredibly unrealistic.

To keep a long story short, I surfaced ahead of the 3 escorts that were seeking me and watched as they approached from behind and rubbed be from the side. Between my crew manning the deck gun and me switching between the AA guns I noticed some interesting things:

1. You can mow down individual sailors on enemy vessels with AA guns. I felt bad but, hey, they were trying to hurt me.

2. Maybe I lucked out (I assume that enemy ship's crew skills are randomized), but I managed to sink all three destroyers and then have my way with 3 other (and actually more skilled) merchant vessels.

In the end, I turned around with my 50,000 tons (out of ammo-not torps) and headed home w/ my boat looking like swiss cheese. I got another submarine medal and my first medal of valor

. I'm about to fix my crew (randomly rotate and such) to get ready for the next patrol... although I'm ready for this successful career to end.

------------------
As hard-core as it was, I'm pretty sure what I did was pretty unrealistic. Then again, I was able to do it. I'm always interesting in immersion and to a certain degree that relates to realism. I'm not ready to pay for 1.5 yet so this post, in addition to an attempt at entertainment, is a solicition for mod suggestions. Obviously I'm torn between TM and RFB because the former leads to realism through discretion and the other through immersion (at least, that's what my research indicates-see my drift?).

I like simulations because they're realistic but I appreciate immersion because that almost has a RPG feel. i.e. I'm a captain, this is my boat, that's my crew...ooh, he deserves this award.

Oh yeah: That was my 8th patrol. Shouldn't they be retiring me or was that removed from 1.4?

I'm worried I'm about to start ranting so I'll shut now and see what kind of responses, if any, come in. Salute!

04-12-08, 10:08 PM	#1
cavvie Watch Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm sure this is ridiculous: so what should I do? Ok, I'm mostly a lurker, I'll admit. So first, I tip my hat to those who've given me so many threads to live by. (e.g. I've been following Beery's operations since RB3D. Now there's a class act). Ok, my specs--game-wise: SH4-1.4 - no mods. 100% realism except I allow external camera and I have stabilized gunsights. - I've been working up to greater and greater difficulty. Many thanks to the generous tutorials here. My campaign: June, 1943, my second tour in the USS Balao (forward gun and a forward 40mm AA plus rear twin 20mm AA). My first tour with manual targetting and no map updates. I was assigned to patro off the Philipines. As was expected I came across a convoy enroute just before I hit the Celebes Sea. Being careful and being discerning, I sunk a Huge Ocean Liner and ducked back towards my patrol area. Ok, so as I'm passing into the Sulu sea I notice a convoy is heading right towards the narrow straigh I'm in. Better lie in wait! At dawn I manage to miss all my shots except one which hits a mid-size freighter by accident. First Question: When I'm tussling in the middle of a mass of ships, how can I get my torps to just fire wherever I'm pointing my TBT or periscope? As a result of being frustrated--related to the above question--and slightly tipsy, I save my game and decide to at least finish this encounter by sinking the guy that I've injured. BTW, I was kind of ticked that I had blown off everything between his hull and propellers and yet he was still moving. So I surfaced and had an amazing experience, albeit, I presume, incredibly unrealistic. To keep a long story short, I surfaced ahead of the 3 escorts that were seeking me and watched as they approached from behind and rubbed be from the side. Between my crew manning the deck gun and me switching between the AA guns I noticed some interesting things: 1. You can mow down individual sailors on enemy vessels with AA guns. I felt bad but, hey, they were trying to hurt me. 2. Maybe I lucked out (I assume that enemy ship's crew skills are randomized), but I managed to sink all three destroyers and then have my way with 3 other (and actually more skilled) merchant vessels. In the end, I turned around with my 50,000 tons (out of ammo-not torps) and headed home w/ my boat looking like swiss cheese. I got another submarine medal and my first medal of valor . I'm about to fix my crew (randomly rotate and such) to get ready for the next patrol... although I'm ready for this successful career to end. ------------------ As hard-core as it was, I'm pretty sure what I did was pretty unrealistic. Then again, I was able to do it. I'm always interesting in immersion and to a certain degree that relates to realism. I'm not ready to pay for 1.5 yet so this post, in addition to an attempt at entertainment, is a solicition for mod suggestions. Obviously I'm torn between TM and RFB because the former leads to realism through discretion and the other through immersion (at least, that's what my research indicates-see my drift?). I like simulations because they're realistic but I appreciate immersion because that almost has a RPG feel. i.e. I'm a captain, this is my boat, that's my crew...ooh, he deserves this award. Oh yeah: That was my 8th patrol. Shouldn't they be retiring me or was that removed from 1.4? I'm worried I'm about to start ranting so I'll shut now and see what kind of responses, if any, come in. Salute!