New and looking for a mentor

[Paul Riley]

A very simple and effective swimming philosophy,and it works :rotfl:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome aboard Kaleun Bummy

As per the usual advice you can commence the learning curve by enabling every mod under the sun or taking it one step at a time whilst gaining experience.

Either way....tis your choice.

Enjoy the GWXperience

[Bummy]

Originally Posted by WilyPete

Stick with GWX 3. Not only that play with full realism from day 1. It's frustrating as hell but the only way in my opinion. Otherwise if you start with "arcade" mode and gradually make it more realistic, you'll be on a never ending learning curve. It's like swimming...start in the paddling pool with arm floaters, take the floaters off and learn to paddle. Then go into the shallow pool with floaters back on...eventually take off the floaters. Then go into the deep end with floaters...etc. By the time you're 50 maybe you can swim unassisted at the seaside. Or...can't swim, get someone to chuck you in at the deep end. You'll learn to swim if you dont want to drown. Job done...you can now go on and have fun swimming.

True that I can't still swim
Anyway, I don't know much about u-boats, haven't played any u-boat simulator before this so it will take ages to learn game with full realism and it's possible I get bored to game if I just get sinked by enemy in every mission without a single kill myself.

Do you really think that I still should begin with full realism?
And with what should I begin to learn? GWXs super manual?

Thanks for advice. I'll stay with GWX at least even it's slower to load and bit harder.

[Dowly]

Welcome aboard.

[WilyPete]

Originally Posted by Bummy

True that I can't still swim
Anyway, I don't know much about u-boats, haven't played any u-boat simulator before this so it will take ages to learn game with full realism and it's possible I get bored to game if I just get sinked by enemy in every mission without a single kill myself.

Do you really think that I still should begin with full realism?
And with what should I begin to learn? GWXs super manual?

Thanks for advice. I'll stay with GWX at least even it's slower to load and bit harder.

The good thing about sub sims is that you don't need to learn how to take off or land. No fiddling about with flaps. Though remember that you still need to set the toilet pressure or it may potentially damage the sub. But apart from that it's hard to damage a sub with incompetence. So no learning to drive it.

The only thing you need to learn is how to sink things and survive. If you play from September (August if using GWX 3) 1939 there's little chance/risk you'll be sunk especially if you stick with a IIa in the North Sea. Basically in real life they were defensive boats and were actually primarily used as "school boats". Remember when you took your driving lessons? Well that's what these boats are for...5 torpedos to practice with and a small boat making it easier to reverse park. And quick patrols usually lasting 10 days.

It's very hard to get killed in a IIa unless you go looking for it, so you wont get bored in that respect. You may get bored when all you do is miss with your torpedos all the time...which will happen a few times. One way I found how to avoid this is at the start, when you're still learning how to shoot, get so close to the target as it is practically impossible to miss. Also practice with the actual practice thing section in the game...

But yeah good advice is, get close to the target so practice getting a good approach (you want to get the ship side on...more side on the better..think like ship warfare in 1780...broadsides are still good) get to within 1000m and then fire your torpedos without using the computer...so all you do is click the "x" before firing with the UZO or periscope. Rermemeber to lead a bit (aim in front of the point you want to hit) slightly. This will give you a feel for how the torpedo performs, how long it takes to cover distance, how long to lead and give you satisfaction with the BOOOOOOM and bodies flying all over the place (remember to run over any survivors). Then from there, with a little confidence, start playing about with the TDC (Turd Distribution Chamber) aka the torpedo computer.

This game is very frustrating at times but equally very rewarding when you blow up a ship...see things flying in the air...the explosions are epic.

p.s. Do you open doors for ladies? Well treat your torpedos like ladies. Your sub is full of classy bitches who expect you open the door for them otherwise they'll get the hump and go off in another direction. They also expect to be kept well lubricated and some of them need warming up beforehand, otherwise they don't last the distance.

[kuchciol]

Bummy, I would advise you to at least browse the manual. Possibly you have little need right now to read thoroughly about various operations and painting schemes introduced by GWX, but it would be smart to check out the controls and keyboard shortcuts, eh?
GWX gives you the option to start in August '39. Take the boat for a little trip and check things out without any threat or play through the academy, and you're sorted.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Bummy

True that I can't still swim
Anyway, I don't know much about u-boats, haven't played any u-boat simulator before this so it will take ages to learn game with full realism and it's possible I get bored to game if I just get sinked by enemy in every mission without a single kill myself.

Do you really think that I still should begin with full realism?
And with what should I begin to learn? GWXs super manual?

Thanks for advice. I'll stay with GWX at least even it's slower to load and bit harder.

I'd say go with full realism minus the manual targeting, but that's just me.

[Bummy]

Thanks all
I'll try those.
kuchciol: Yes, that's true, I'll check it out too.

[WilyPete]

Yes, also remember 1 thing: Don't make it harder than it should be. If you can close within 1km of the target (no closer than about 600m though otherwise the torpedo wont have time to arm) do it. And for that you don't really need the TDC, you can just point-and-shoot. This is what happened in real life and in fact they were told to fire the G7a this way. This is good enough for your first patrols...so doesn't matter if you have manual targetting or not.

Also, try to be as perpendicular to the target as you can when firing the torpedos...meaning you should be facing the target's side as square on as possible. Early WW2 torpedos hate turning and are fussy about hitting too.

And always...ALWAYS....remember to open the torpedo tube door BEFORE firing (important this).

Later on in the war is all different, the tactics and weapons change somewhat...but by then you'll be a salty seaman.

[RoaldLarsen]

Originally Posted by WilyPete

If you can close within 1km of the target (no closer than about 600m though otherwise the torpedo wont have time to arm) do it.

Generally your advice is good. This one point needs fixing though. If your torpedoes run about 250-350m they will have time to arm. So the only time you need to be 600m away when firing is when the target is coming directly at you at speed.

I routinely take perpendicular shots when the target is only about 450-550m away. When the target is moving away from me, I might take a shot at 250m with torpedo speed set at slow.

[kaptkirkU4467]

As you can see...the whole place is a walking "I can help ya" book.

Welcome to SubSim.

[Sailor Steve]

WELCOME ABOARD, Bummy!

If you try to read the whole manual you'll go crazy. If you don't the first time you ask a question that's in it you'll be told to RTFM (Read The *%^#ing Manual)! You can't win, so you might as well enjoy the ride. You'll never remember everything that's in it anyway.

As to the 'essential mods' question, there are none. Or they are all essential, depending on what you mean by 'essential'. Lots of people favor gameplay over graphics, but I like to look at the eye candy, and I always recommend all the harbor add-ons: the Kiel locks, the new bridge mods etc. Absolutely useless, but for me they're very 'essential'. What do you want from the game? It's probably there, if you can give specifics.

[WilyPete]

Originally Posted by RoaldLarsen

Generally your advice is good. This one point needs fixing though. If your torpedoes run about 250-350m they will have time to arm. So the only time you need to be 600m away when firing is when the target is coming directly at you at speed.

I routinely take perpendicular shots when the target is only about 450-550m away. When the target is moving away from me, I might take a shot at 250m with torpedo speed set at slow.

Ok so you fire your torpedos 150 to 50 metres closer than I do. And the reason is....? Apart from the fact that the distance will not make a smidgen of difference...oh ok maybe yours will detonate a second earlier...if that, wouldn't it be harder to judge (especially for a newcomer) such a short distance away?...and it doesn't give you much room to maneuver if you get the distance wrong or the ship is not exactly 90 degrees and coming towards you (which would bring the target under the arming range).

"So the only time you need to be 600m away when firing is when the target is coming directly at you at speed."

If a target is coming directly towards you at speed and is only 600 metres away...it's time to crash dive.

Of course you're just too good and this doesn't apply to you.

edit: Anyway, the point I'm making just because you get closer doesn't make him anymore deader.

[Bummy]

Thanks all again.

So I've read a bit manual and whole The Hunt: An illustrated example of how to sink a ship tutorial. That really helped a lot so far. Currently my difficulty is something like 72%, I want to see my sub outside, then few other helps.

WillyPete: Yes, 600 meters seems good enough, I think it takes some time that I get even into that range.

Sailor Steve: True, whole manual is a bit too much to read at least to begin with, maybe when I know basics.. Anyway it's good to read even begin of it.
I like both but too much realism is at beginning too hard, so currently I prefer graphics over realism but not too heavy graphics.. My computer is AMD Athlon 3000+, ATI Radeon HD 3850 AGP, 1024mb DDR..

kaptkirkU4467: It's good people likes to help, it's much easier to ask, at least, simply questions from forum than search answer from 600 pages manual.

Edit: Oh, and I forgot, what's best way to get out as alive after attack? Those destroyers don't give up even with crash dive to 70m and then silent run to different course.

[sharkbit]

Originally Posted by Bummy

Edit: Oh, and I forgot, what's best way to get out as alive after attack? Those destroyers don't give up even with crash dive to 70m and then silent run to different course.

Deep and silent.
Run at 1 knot speed.

Crash diving makes a lot of noise because you are at flank speed.
Avoid it if you can.
The only time I run at flank is when the destroyer is making a run and it sounds like he is dropping right over me. When the charges explode, I go all stop and coast along a bit then it is back to 1 knot.