I need a tow

[Reinhard Dietz]

Originally Posted by razark

Nope.

There's instructions somewhere around here. You basically save your game, edit it to move your boat, and then load the save. I've never used it, though.

Any pointers on where this method might be? I've gotten the shaft on fuel mileage---500 miles short of Fremantle---with Perch and I'm not interested in replaying two weeks of patrol fiddling with the engine controls.

[AngryFace]

I was low on fuel once while in Asiatic fleet - it's getting harder since your base is getting further and further away.
So, I used all my fuel about 600nm from refuel port.
Periscope depth, 1kth, got to 500nm that way.

Now the fun part starts.
It seems you can run electric engines at 1kth without power or gas to recharge the batteries as long as you have O2!
Sure, it took me about 3 weeks to get back to that port and had to surface from time to time to prevent my crew from suffocating, but I saved myself a patrol if not a career.

I'm running 1.4 with TM (1.7.x) + RSRDC

[Armistead]

The biggest mistake people make is getting battery damage and not turning the battery charge off. The batteries get damaged they will never stop charging until you cut them off. This can kill your range by 50%.

If your tanks get damaged, you see the result of that right away with a message that you've lose however much fuel, but after that they don't leak.

Not sure about stock, but most supermods like TMO have all the range and milage icons, just set your waypoints and you can get a range to end at current speed, ect...That way you can figure if you have enough fuel to speed up more than 10 knts.

As stated, charging batteries uses a lot of fuel. You save nothing by running submerged, in fact, you waste a lot. If fuel is a concern only run submerged when needed.

Ye, you can run 1kt all you want on the electrics, just surface when needed...we call that the crawl...most can't spend hours getting through it....

In the end...you run out of gas, you shouldn't be commanding a sub. Turn your boat over to the XO and take to your bunk in the fetel position...

[razark]

Originally Posted by Reinhard Dietz

Any pointers on where this method might be? I've gotten the shaft on fuel mileage---500 miles short of Fremantle---with Perch and I'm not interested in replaying two weeks of patrol fiddling with the engine controls.

Not off the top of my head. Try using the search feature. It might take a while to figure out exactly what to search for, but you'll find it.

[Drifter]

Hey everyone, here's how to get back to base in SH4 if you run out of fuel. I guess it could technically be called 'cheating', but so be it.

1. Save your current game, but be sure that your sub has at least a little bit of fuel or battery juice left. This is a must. If not, you are screwed.

2. Go to C:\Documents and Settings\*\My Documents\SH4\data\cfg\SaveGames\

3. Open your just-saved game folder (the one where you ran out of fuel)

4. Now open the GameplaySettings.cfg in that folder

5. Edit the two highlighted orange lines below and set them to false:

[Current]
LimitedBatteries=false
LimitedCompressedAir=true
LimitedO2=true
LimitedFuel=false
RealisticRepairTime=true
ManualTargetingSystem=false
NoMapUpdate=false
RealisticSensors=true
DudTorpedoes=true
RealisticReload=true
NoEventCamera=true
NoExternalView=false
NoStabilizeView=false
MPShowPlayerNames=true
MPShowTorpedoes=true

6. Now restart SH4 and reload that save-game you just edited. You will now be able to get back to base either on batteries or diesels. After returning to base, save, and then edit the two lines again to say true.

I hope this helps you all out.

[Reinhard Dietz]

Hmm. I thought I edited the right file---the last by date saved---but the game didn't seem to care; still drained fuel. Made it home with the old 'quit charging the batteries' trick, though.

I'll keep this in mind, 'cause I'm sure I'll need it again. USS Drum operates from Pearl Harbor, so I'll be good and far away from home.

Thanks!