RFB/RSRDC Crew Questions

gregorm · 05-25-15, 09:36 AM

Ok, so a few questions from an Army vet who never stepped foot on a USN vessel. Thanks in advance

1) How do crew abilities work? RFB claims to remove all enlisted sailor abilities. Does this mean no Pharmacist's Mate? No cook or supply guy? My 0-3's and E-7's don't seem to be gaining experience. Are crew abilities randomly assigned?

2) Who is the chief of the boat? Is he the E-7 in the 2nd shift control room? I know who the XO is.. I think he is the 0-3 in the first shift control room?

3) No Warrant Officers in the Navy? What are ranks 8-9? Will the Chief PO's ever get promoted to those ranks?

4) Damage control. It seems like flooding is automatically taken care of and when running on TC with nobody in DC stuff still gets repaired. How does this work? Should I put the entire engine crew down there? For how long?

5) Any sort of hotkeys to keep me from having to individually move each sailor from the watch to Hogan's Alley everytime I submerge?

I've read my fair share of books about the submarine experience in WW2 but I'm still left scratching my head when managing the crew. I'd love it if there was some sort of chain of command and perhaps starting abilities (that can't be gained) such as "Chief of the Boat", "Executive Officer", "Cook", "Pharmacist's Mate" so that we have an actual working crew when we start a patrol.

TorpX · 05-25-15, 07:08 PM

#1 I think RFB only removed the enlisted 'special abilities'.

#4 The crew in the compartment can repair things. The 'Damage Control' can be used to supplement their efforts.

#5 No.

I wouldn't mind if there were explicitly designated positions like COB, but look at it this way: you have maximum flexibility. You can choose who you want to be your COB, etc.

The main thing about the crew is to use their 'special abilities' to advantage, and make sure the efficiencies of the compartments are at a good level; especially in combat.

gregorm · 05-27-15, 07:30 AM

How long until crew abilities appear? I've just finished my 5th patrol and declined a new command since I want to see some abilities on my sailors. Are they randomly assigned or do they appear after a certain number of patrols?

My E-7's and O-3's still aren't gaining experience. Is that WAD? Thanks again!

TorpX · 05-27-15, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregorm

How long until crew abilities appear?

You keep using the term 'abilities', so I'm not sure we are talking about the same thing. All crewmen will have skills, mechanical, electrical, sensory, etc. Only exceptional crewmen will have special abilities. These potentially offer a dramatic increase in performance in certain areas.

Some consider the whole 'special ability' business a gamey thing. Some mods have used special abilities as remedies for game flaws, that were otherwise unfixable. The point is, you should be able to play the game, and conduct successful patrols without any 'special ability' crewmen. I can't really say how the game hands out special abilities.

Some crew will not gain, or stop gaining experience, because they cannot be promoted. There are limits as to the number of officers/petty officers allowed on a boat. Beyond that, I'm not sure how the game operates.

gregorm · 05-31-15, 05:30 PM

Thanks for the help Torp, I see now where the misunderstanding is. Been about 8 years since I last played and was hoping to see crew "abilities" like cook, pharmacist's mate, XO, COB, etc.. but instead we get generic buffs. Kind of weird. I see now why RFB took out the enlisted abilities.

Great changes made via 1.5, RFB, RSRDC and others but not so much done to crew management. Thanks again and happy hunting!

Armistead · 06-01-15, 10:55 AM

If you have crew with special abilities they will have a different icon over them. You have to have them in the right compartment to work. Some are on timers and you have to activate them. Often you'll get several of the same. Mods vary.

fireftr18 · 06-01-15, 08:03 PM

There is no XO, Boat's Chief, cook, pharmicist's mate, etc. Those positions are just assumed and not in the crew management screen. The game assumes that the crew members are doing the day to day jobs. The crew management is for battle situations. There is no true chain of command except that you tell the crew what to do and they do it. All the hire rank crew members do is make the particular compartment more efficient.

TorpX · 06-02-15, 01:10 AM

'Crew' fall into three categories in the game:

1. Crewmen - do the work

2. Leaders - also boost the efficiency of the crew in their compartment

3. Officers - also boost the efficiency of the crew in the entire boat

I don't know exactly how the game calculates the bonus given to the crew. Presumably, it is largely a function of their leadership skill/ability, but maybe hinges on other things, as well. There is a lot of things going on 'under the hood' as we TC through the hours.

Fwiw, someone said that the shift I 'deck watch' officer is the executive officer; meaning he is very important to the efficiency of the boat, and you shouldn't monkey around with him. I can't say for sure this is true, but it does seem like he is the best leader, and the hardest working officer on my boat.

gregorm · 06-02-15, 07:21 PM

Regarding the high skill of the deck watch officer, I've seen the same.

I've been playing around with the crew a bit and have found a happy medium. I've recruited an officer and put him in the first engine room slot to represent the chief engineer and have set up a notional chain of command with the extra quartermaster rates in the control room acting as supply/cook personnel.

Is there anyway to edit the save game file to manually change one of my E-7's to the E-8 rank?

I'm not sure though about the ratio of lower enlisted to NCOs, though. After a couple of patrols I'm left with mostly E-6's and a handful of E-3's. I think it's historical considering the high quality recruits that were coming out of the sub school pipeline so I don't mind the lack of E-1/2's but I replace my E-6's with E-4/5's in order to simulate crew replacements and to avoid a boat full of E-6's.

Does anyone know of any good sources regarding crew composition during the war?

05-25-15, 07:08 PM	#2
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	#1 I think RFB only removed the enlisted 'special abilities'. #4 The crew in the compartment can repair things. The 'Damage Control' can be used to supplement their efforts. #5 No. I wouldn't mind if there were explicitly designated positions like COB, but look at it this way: you have maximum flexibility. You can choose who you want to be your COB, etc. The main thing about the crew is to use their 'special abilities' to advantage, and make sure the efficiencies of the compartments are at a good level; especially in combat.

06-01-15, 10:55 AM	#6
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	If you have crew with special abilities they will have a different icon over them. You have to have them in the right compartment to work. Some are on timers and you have to activate them. Often you'll get several of the same. Mods vary. __________________ You see my dog don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.

06-01-15, 08:03 PM	#7
fireftr18 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 2,528 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 0	There is no XO, Boat's Chief, cook, pharmicist's mate, etc. Those positions are just assumed and not in the crew management screen. The game assumes that the crew members are doing the day to day jobs. The crew management is for battle situations. There is no true chain of command except that you tell the crew what to do and they do it. All the hire rank crew members do is make the particular compartment more efficient. __________________ Of all the forms of Martial Arts, Karaoke causes the most pain!

06-02-15, 01:10 AM	#8
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	'Crew' fall into three categories in the game: 1. Crewmen - do the work 2. Leaders - also boost the efficiency of the crew in their compartment 3. Officers - also boost the efficiency of the crew in the entire boat I don't know exactly how the game calculates the bonus given to the crew. Presumably, it is largely a function of their leadership skill/ability, but maybe hinges on other things, as well. There is a lot of things going on 'under the hood' as we TC through the hours. Fwiw, someone said that the shift I 'deck watch' officer is the executive officer; meaning he is very important to the efficiency of the boat, and you shouldn't monkey around with him. I can't say for sure this is true, but it does seem like he is the best leader, and the hardest working officer on my boat.

05-25-15, 09:36 AM	#1
gregorm Watch Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	RFB/RSRDC Crew Questions Ok, so a few questions from an Army vet who never stepped foot on a USN vessel. Thanks in advance 1) How do crew abilities work? RFB claims to remove all enlisted sailor abilities. Does this mean no Pharmacist's Mate? No cook or supply guy? My 0-3's and E-7's don't seem to be gaining experience. Are crew abilities randomly assigned? 2) Who is the chief of the boat? Is he the E-7 in the 2nd shift control room? I know who the XO is.. I think he is the 0-3 in the first shift control room? 3) No Warrant Officers in the Navy? What are ranks 8-9? Will the Chief PO's ever get promoted to those ranks? 4) Damage control. It seems like flooding is automatically taken care of and when running on TC with nobody in DC stuff still gets repaired. How does this work? Should I put the entire engine crew down there? For how long? 5) Any sort of hotkeys to keep me from having to individually move each sailor from the watch to Hogan's Alley everytime I submerge? I've read my fair share of books about the submarine experience in WW2 but I'm still left scratching my head when managing the crew. I'd love it if there was some sort of chain of command and perhaps starting abilities (that can't be gained) such as "Chief of the Boat", "Executive Officer", "Cook", "Pharmacist's Mate" so that we have an actual working crew when we start a patrol. Last edited by gregorm; 05-25-15 at 04:57 PM.

05-27-15, 07:30 AM	#3
gregorm Watch Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	How long until crew abilities appear? I've just finished my 5th patrol and declined a new command since I want to see some abilities on my sailors. Are they randomly assigned or do they appear after a certain number of patrols? My E-7's and O-3's still aren't gaining experience. Is that WAD? Thanks again!

05-31-15, 05:30 PM	#5
gregorm Watch Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the help Torp, I see now where the misunderstanding is. Been about 8 years since I last played and was hoping to see crew "abilities" like cook, pharmacist's mate, XO, COB, etc.. but instead we get generic buffs. Kind of weird. I see now why RFB took out the enlisted abilities. Great changes made via 1.5, RFB, RSRDC and others but not so much done to crew management. Thanks again and happy hunting!

06-02-15, 07:21 PM	#9
gregorm Watch Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	Regarding the high skill of the deck watch officer, I've seen the same. I've been playing around with the crew a bit and have found a happy medium. I've recruited an officer and put him in the first engine room slot to represent the chief engineer and have set up a notional chain of command with the extra quartermaster rates in the control room acting as supply/cook personnel. Is there anyway to edit the save game file to manually change one of my E-7's to the E-8 rank? I'm not sure though about the ratio of lower enlisted to NCOs, though. After a couple of patrols I'm left with mostly E-6's and a handful of E-3's. I think it's historical considering the high quality recruits that were coming out of the sub school pipeline so I don't mind the lack of E-1/2's but I replace my E-6's with E-4/5's in order to simulate crew replacements and to avoid a boat full of E-6's. Does anyone know of any good sources regarding crew composition during the war?