Mods to fix sonar and allow me to sit on the seafloor without taking damage?

[Fahnenbohn]

Originally Posted by Fahnenbohn

If you want to keep a normal copy of SH3.exe (non patched), you should use S3F : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...12&postcount=4

In fact, after installing H.Sie patch, i realize that S3F is not necessary at all. I think rather that S3F is especially usefull when we have different supermods installed, and when we want to play sometimes with one and sometimes with another, without uninstalling the first.

[CjStaal]

Originally Posted by Rambler241

CjStaal enquired:


Hit F1 to get a list of keyboard controls. The controls and keyboard layout are also in SH3_QRC_EN.pdf (EN = english) in the
C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\SilentHunterIII\documentation folder.

When in freeview, use numpad (NUMLOCK on) 7 to raise, and 1 to lower the camera. In freeview, "." and "," cycle through visible units - hit "." once and you'll see a side view of your boat. Use navigation keys (arrow keys) to move view up/down etc. Also, if there's sufficient light, raise the observation 'scope a little, and tilt the view to see the seabed. In some areas, the seabed is stony or rocky - bottoming on that in RL at any speed would inevitably cause some damage, in SH3 it's fatal. Remember the quote from Das Boot? "The gods left a shovel full of sand to keep us up".

The key to bottoming out successfully is low speed - 1 knot or less (less is more!), levelled out before issuing a lower depth command, or you'll hit the seabed bow down, as many SH3 fans know to their cost. When ready to rise off the bottom, call for a higher depth with motors stopped, or you'll just scrape along, and leave more than just hull anti-fouling paint on the seabed. Once you're a few metres up, off you go again.

Incidentally, it's the crewman on the right of the planesmen in the control room (with all the valves and pipes) who controls buoyancy, and so allows the boat to rise or sink with no speed on. I doubt it makes the slightest difference in SH3, but I ensure an experienced man is at that post.

Originally Posted by Kip336

Seeing I've been bottoming my sub a lot on purpose lately (I like...playing..with destroyers), I'll be testing this tonight!

Wait... What you're saying is that it is possible to bottom out in SH3 without taking damage if you're careful enough?

[LGN1]

Hi,

this mod helps (you might have to transfer the idea to your own files):

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...do=file&id=957

Regards, LGN1

[Kip336]

Originally Posted by CjStaal

Wait... What you're saying is that it is possible to bottom out in SH3 without taking damage if you're careful enough?

No, I've been taking (small) damage to. Ill be testing if using a qualified helmsman petty officer will help your sub dive/rise faster then when using a normal sailor.

[Rambler241]

CjStaal asked:

Wait... What you're saying is that it is possible to bottom out in SH3 without taking damage if you're careful enough?

Yes it is - I've done it several times with no damage whatsoever. The key words are speed (as low as possible, stopped is best), attitude (the boat's, not yours, level is best), and bottom (seabed, not yours). Rocks will almost certainly damage the hull, at any speed and attitude

The first occasion, I succeeded by a combination of luck, circumstances, and judgement. I had just torpedoed two light cruisers in the English Channel in 1940 - pure luck (almost exactly the right place for a speedy intercept) followed by the application of a steely nerve (don't panic!). During a routine sonar check while travelling westbound at around 1900 GMT in the gathering dusk, I heard (my sonarman's lips remained sealed) a terrific roar to the NE - about 8km or so to the NE it turned out. I figured fast warships - a lotta warships, and close!

Surfaced and raced at flank speed to the NW - they must be travelling fast - and had just ordered periscope depth for a sonar check when the leading destroyer was spotted to the ENE, moving fast (25 knots). The first cruiser (a Dido) was soon seen astern of it. Continued at periscope depth, course N, standard speed (The DD's won't hear us at their speed) and gave the Dido a two-fish salvo, slow speed at around 1200m 5 deg. spread, and lined up a second salvo of two, fast speed, 5deg. spread for the second (astern of it, a Fiji), guesstimated to hit at about the same time as the first salvo. Fish were set for 4m depth, magnetic (couldn't guarantee contact angle for contact setting), and all good ol' reliable type ones (early 1940, remember).

All four hit within about 20 seconds (more luck), both ships sank within a minute or two, and we were now surrounded by three smaller and two larger DDs, baying for blood. Depth of the Channel just there is only about 30 metres - the mast tops of both cruisers were still showing, as I saw later. Not the best conditions for evading an attack by one DD, here were five! Headed for the nearest cruiser wreck at 2 knots, silent routine, just above the bottom (both just visible in the observation 'scope by the light of the searchlights on the surface) and slowed to a stop roughly parallel with the wreck, being pinged constantly. If in doubt, try hiding.

Ordered depth 32m at around 1/2 knot, motors stopped, and came to rest on the bottom at 29m, facing roughly west. To cut a long story short, the DDs circled the two wrecks which were very close to one another as the Fiji remained afloat for longer than the Dido, pinging and dropping DC patterns for hours (seemed like days in realtime with no time acceleration). They kept their distance from the wrecks luckily for us, as they must have been able to see the mast tops, and/or they were cautious about collision with the wrecks.

In the early hours, three DDs stopped fairly close together, about 1200m away astern, and the two larger DDs circled in opposite directions. I ordered 25m depth, still stopped. When they were both approaching the stopped DDs (sonar tracked), we moved away at 2 knots, still silent routine, stopped again for the two circling DDs to pass by, and continued to move away slowly, at which time all 5 DDs moved away westward, on their original course, away from us. Wipes sweat from brow, puts brown trousers back in the locker.

I later found out by trial and error what it's possible to get away with if bottoming out, and this showed I was lucky enough to get it spot on the first time. Luck or judgement? I'd say a combination of the two - well I would, wouldn't I?

[KapitanFrank]

Use Seabed repair mod, it allows you to bottom out your boat and do repairs (das boot style) but be careful, although you can bottom out as much as you'd like, if you dive to quickly you can hit your bow on the bottom (dont nosedive!)

[Rambler241]

Just bottomed out several km west of Brest after leaving harbour. NO reported depth as 20m - ordered 18m, descended to 18m, slow ahead, reduced speed to 1 knot, stopped motors and ordered 22m while still moving. Bottomed at 19-20m on depth gauge. Obs. 'scope shows sandy bottom.

[Kip336]

I've actually never paid attention to the bottom.
How do you recognize different bottom types? It's always the same sandy color for me?

[Rambler241]

Kip336 enquired:

How do you recognize different bottom types?

Be careful what you ask - you may get an answer very different from what you expected....

I figure that vaguely sandy coloured or grey-sedimenty "fuzzy" seabeds are just that, and are safe. Grey with a definite structure, mottled, slightly "lumpy", very "lumpy", or as round the north of the Orkneys (Scapa to the S), the seabed looks almost paved with large flattish blocks, I avoid. That all says hard and unwelcoming to me.

The observation scope isn't there just for decoration, or drying your newly-washed undies on....

[BigWalleye]

Originally Posted by Rambler241

Just bottomed out several km west of Brest after leaving harbour. NO reported depth as 20m - ordered 18m, descended to 18m, slow ahead, reduced speed to 1 knot, stopped motors and ordered 22m while still moving. Bottomed at 19-20m on depth gauge. Obs. 'scope shows sandy bottom.

I have found that the slow approach you suggest works for me also. No damage when done timidly enough.

But I have gotten "stuck" on at least two occassions. Had to use flank ahead/emergency back and blow safety to regain control. Has anyone else experienced this?