Best patrol in a while...

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO 2.5 RSRD 100 realism(cams and contacts off on this patrol) Balao Class(Pampanito) out of Pearl Harbor.

Assigned to Luzon Straits area in Late August-September 1944.Ran into six convoys from August 25-September 22 1944, sank seven ships for 44,246 tons.Been a while since I have patroled such a hot area, between the planes at night and in daytime and the large, heavily escorted convoys, I was busy.20 out of 24 torpedos found their targets, 4 missed a large tanker when it changed speeds while fish were en route, after was forced to fire from 3,000 yards during night surface attack, thanks to the 6 escorts.For those who have played patrols without contacts and cams, you know it's a bit of a chore but worth it.Arrived at Pearl. home October 10, 1944.

[airsangel]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

TMO 2.5 RSRD 100 realism(cams and contacts off on this patrol) Balao Class(Pampanito) out of Pearl Harbor.

Assigned to Luzon Straits area in Late August-September 1944.Ran into six convoys from August 25-September 22 1944, sank seven ships for 44,246 tons.Been a while since I have patroled such a hot area, between the planes at night and in daytime and the large, heavily escorted convoys, I was busy.20 out of 24 torpedos found their targets, 4 missed a large tanker when it changed speeds while fish were en route, after was forced to fire from 3,000 yards during night surface attack, thanks to the 6 escorts.For those who have played patrols without contacts and cams, you know it's a bit of a chore but worth it.Arrived at Pearl. home October 10, 1944.

now thats a well done and great patrol indeed

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

TMO 2.5 RSRD 100 realism(cams and contacts off on this patrol) Balao Class(Pampanito) out of Pearl Harbor.

For those who have played patrols without contacts and cams, you know it's a bit of a chore but worth it.

Agree.

It it almost like playing a different game.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by TorpX

Agree.

It it almost like playing a different game.

Absolutely.I do use a mod that makes aircraft radar contacts show up on the map since we dont have an SD scope and radar operator does not announced "SJ contact" o r"SD" contact but only a "radar contact" but feel it strikes the balance.Plotting etc without map contact is time consuming(as it was) but makes game more interesting.I am used to playing without cams on, but without contacts is still a rare thing, just dont have the time to usually play a patrol with contacts off but did here recently.Radar and 3d TDC incorporated into TMO makes it possible for sure, as well as the smoke mod that makes merchants visible , well their smoke at great distances. Missing the tanker still bugs me though, even though my solution at time of firing was correct and would have no doubt knocked off the tanker had she not changed speeds, not sure why she did as she was not alerted yet.Ah, well.

[TorpX]

Yes, I've had a couple skippers come to grief because of the aircraft thing.

About the tanker; Ducimus said he made it so convoys zig at intervals. Maybe they were just zigging.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by TorpX

Yes, I've had a couple skippers come to grief because of the aircraft thing.

About the tanker; Ducimus said he made it so convoys zig at intervals. Maybe they were just zigging.

I considered that, running RSRD so no TMO traffic but convoys in RSRD do zig, perhaps was heading to different waypoint. I was curious so using the ME I opened up the traffic, found a convoy I thought the cuplrit then I opened up the convoys of mainly tankers I added(added some c on the Singapore-Japan shipping lane that run up via the parcel islands to convoy college area/bashi channel and to Tokyo etc as they were absent in RSRD.Both of them changed to next waypoint around that time and date, so likely I got unlucky and fired just before they zigged and in the prolonged torpedo run due to having to fire from over 3,000 yards away, torpedoes didnt find their mark before he sped up to maintain station.

[torpedobait]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Absolutely.I do use a mod that makes aircraft radar contacts show up on the map since we dont have an SD scope and radar operator does not announced "SJ contact" o r"SD" contact but only a "radar contact" but feel it strikes the balance.Plotting etc without map contact is time consuming(as it was) but makes game more interesting.I am used to playing without cams on, but without contacts is still a rare thing, just dont have the time to usually play a patrol with contacts off but did here recently.Radar and 3d TDC incorporated into TMO makes it possible for sure, as well as the smoke mod that makes merchants visible , well their smoke at great distances. Missing the tanker still bugs me though, even though my solution at time of firing was correct and would have no doubt knocked off the tanker had she not changed speeds, not sure why she did as she was not alerted yet.Ah, well.

You mentioned a smoke mod - would you happen to know the name and if it is available in the downloads section? Thanks, and congratulations on a great patrol!

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by torpedobait

You mentioned a smoke mod - would you happen to know the name and if it is available in the downloads section? Thanks, and congratulations on a great patrol!

The mod is called "different smoke" or "better" smoke for TMO I believe, vickers created it.Addes dark, longer plumes of black smoke from merchants and auxillaries(as most had) and lighter wisps for smoke for warships.One of those little mods I cant play without now, adds a lot visually and gives player the ability to visually spot a target far away(depending on conditions of course but its first thing you will see usually) really a help if tracking a target without map contacts on and esp without radar.Mod should be in the downloads section.

[torpedobait]

Bubblehead, I found it in Downloads. It is named "Different smoke merchants&warships ".

Appreciate your help.

[merc4ulfate]

I saw where this works for RFB and TMO but does it work with TMO+RSRD and does it work running U-Boats?

[torpedobait]

Originally Posted by merc4ulfate

I saw where this works for RFB and TMO but does it work with TMO+RSRD and does it work running U-Boats?

I can't say yet; won't get to try it before the weekend. But I do run TMO2.5+RSRD with the UBoat missions.