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Pisces · 08-04-15, 02:56 PM

If your crew only sees the target at close range and then quickly gets killed I suspect you are using high time compression rates. The crew should be able to see targets much further, but they need to have the time to react to it. The high time compression works like the enemy making large jumps across the world, and so happen to jump deep into your vicinity. Try to reduce the TC rate to 128x or 256x.

cultist · 08-04-15, 10:39 PM

Well, i introduced this routine. When the weather is fine (

) and night is in i reduce speed of my patrol to 4-5 knots and surface patrol, when the weather is bad i go submerged and go out to recharge batteries. At daylight i usually go with 10 knots. Indeed i was using high time compression but since i changed my routine i never had troubles. Still it's only September 1939, will play with lower TC as well from now on, just for good measure. I wonder if this routine will hold later in the war.
Cheers!

Zosimus · 08-05-15, 05:49 AM

While traveling through storms, I have been found, shelled, and rammed by destroyers. In most cases my watch never noticed the destroyer at all. This was at TC 64. Do not rely on low time control to magically save you from super AI and puzzlingly blind watch crews.

"We've been rammed, sir!"
"By whom?"
"We don't know! We didn't see anyone!"

Fahnenbohn · 08-05-15, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zosimus

While traveling through storms, I have been found, shelled, and rammed by destroyers. In most cases my watch never noticed the destroyer at all. This was at TC 64. Do not rely on low time control to magically save you from super AI and puzzlingly blind watch crews.

"We've been rammed, sir!"
"By whom?"
"We don't know! We didn't see anyone!"

That's odd ...

Zosimus · 08-05-15, 10:40 AM

All I can say is that it's depressingly common. You're shadowing a convoy about 10-12 km off and suddenly your time control goes to 8 orange. You hit C for crash dive (cheating, really), but it's already too late. Somehow an escort has found you through the blinding rain and gale force winds even though you're well out of visual range of the convoy even in moderate weather. Magically, too, the ship is always on a collision course with you before it even fires the first salvo.

Despite the rain, the gunnery crew is perfectly accurate, and before you can reach periscope depth every compartment is flooding. If you're lucky you can avoid being rammed, but you're still going to take depth charges at 15-20 meters depth. The only advantage is that with that much flooding, you'll reach a safe depth far faster than normal.

Fahnenbohn · 08-05-15, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zosimus

The only advantage is that with that much flooding, you'll reach a safe depth far faster than normal.

Safe depth ? When depth under keel is more than 1000 meters ??

cultist · 08-05-15, 12:24 PM

After reading about the Battle of the Atlantic i have to say that submarine warfare in WW2 was depressing as well. First i was thinking that the submarine was an advanced piece of machinery that could take most of the antisubmarine measures if the crew was intelligent enough and that the Germans have lost the battle of the Atlantic because they had few submarines (pretty unrealistic image, i have to admit). Now i know that the Uboat war was an exercise in futility, that Britain was never close to losing this battle and that effective antisubmarine measures took intelligence out of the equation.
It was kaput from the start. Pretty depressive i have to say but a valuable historical lesson learned by me and if anything i have to thank this great simulation for making me want to know more. But there are moments when i wonder, probably like the Uboat crews, why do i keep going..

Zosimus · 08-05-15, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fahnenbohn

Safe depth ? When depth under keel is more than 1000 meters ??

By safe depth, I mean a depth at which the ASDIC of the escort will be ineffective. With 15 m/s wind, you don't have to go very deep for that to occur.

Kapt Z · 08-05-15, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zosimus

All I can say is that it's depressingly common. You're shadowing a convoy about 10-12 km off and suddenly your time control goes to 8 orange. You hit C for crash dive (cheating, really), but it's already too late. Somehow an escort has found you through the blinding rain and gale force winds even though you're well out of visual range of the convoy even in moderate weather. Magically, too, the ship is always on a collision course with you before it even fires the first salvo.

Radar.

After mid '41 cruising on the surface in heavy fog and heavy rain is just asking for trouble. Lost 3 boats in a row that way a few years back. Only one time out of that three did I even make it to the bridge before my boat was sunk. Then only to see the anchor of a Black Swan frigate looming over my head.... Next stop? POW camp.

Now I wait out those storms at 60m.

Fahnenbohn · 08-05-15, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kapt Z

Radar.

After mid '41 cruising on the surface in heavy fog and heavy rain is just asking for trouble. Lost 3 boats in a row that way a few years back. Only one time out of that three did I even make it to the bridge before my boat was sunk. Then only to see the anchor of a Black Swan frigate looming over my head.... Next stop? POW camp.

Now I wait out those storms at 60m.

All is said ...

Zosimus · 08-05-15, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kapt Z

Radar.

After mid '41 cruising on the surface in heavy fog and heavy rain is just asking for trouble. Lost 3 boats in a row that way a few years back. Only one time out of that three did I even make it to the bridge before my boat was sunk. Then only to see the anchor of a Black Swan frigate looming over my head.... Next stop? POW camp.

Now I wait out those storms at 60m.

You wait at 60m for 3-4 weeks? You're a brave man.

Plumber1 · 08-05-15, 06:23 AM

It can be very hard to force yourself to dive for a listen when the weather is good (clear blue skies and flat calm) but even in these conditions you'll hear targets twice as far away as you'll see them so don't get caught in the "I'll stay on the surface as I can see for miles" trap.

Also make sure you do as much of the searching (either with the binos or the hydrophone) as possible yourself, you'd be amazed how much your crew miss, particularly with the hydrophones.

Good hunting.

08-04-15, 10:39 PM	#2
cultist Seaman Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 38 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Well, i introduced this routine. When the weather is fine () and night is in i reduce speed of my patrol to 4-5 knots and surface patrol, when the weather is bad i go submerged and go out to recharge batteries. At daylight i usually go with 10 knots. Indeed i was using high time compression but since i changed my routine i never had troubles. Still it's only September 1939, will play with lower TC as well from now on, just for good measure. I wonder if this routine will hold later in the war. Cheers! __________________ "-So, what's it like to be under water while overhead the enemy lies in wait? -It's dark. -Dark? -Yes, and very quiet. -As long as no one belches"

08-05-15, 12:24 PM	#7
cultist Seaman Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 38 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	After reading about the Battle of the Atlantic i have to say that submarine warfare in WW2 was depressing as well. First i was thinking that the submarine was an advanced piece of machinery that could take most of the antisubmarine measures if the crew was intelligent enough and that the Germans have lost the battle of the Atlantic because they had few submarines (pretty unrealistic image, i have to admit). Now i know that the Uboat war was an exercise in futility, that Britain was never close to losing this battle and that effective antisubmarine measures took intelligence out of the equation. It was kaput from the start. Pretty depressive i have to say but a valuable historical lesson learned by me and if anything i have to thank this great simulation for making me want to know more. But there are moments when i wonder, probably like the Uboat crews, why do i keep going.. __________________ "-So, what's it like to be under water while overhead the enemy lies in wait? -It's dark. -Dark? -Yes, and very quiet. -As long as no one belches"

08-04-15, 02:56 PM	#1
Pisces Silent Hunter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: AN9771 Posts: 4,904 Downloads: 304 Uploads: 0	If your crew only sees the target at close range and then quickly gets killed I suspect you are using high time compression rates. The crew should be able to see targets much further, but they need to have the time to react to it. The high time compression works like the enemy making large jumps across the world, and so happen to jump deep into your vicinity. Try to reduce the TC rate to 128x or 256x.

08-05-15, 05:49 AM	#3
Zosimus XO Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Chorrillos, Lima, Peru Posts: 401 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	While traveling through storms, I have been found, shelled, and rammed by destroyers. In most cases my watch never noticed the destroyer at all. This was at TC 64. Do not rely on low time control to magically save you from super AI and puzzlingly blind watch crews. "We've been rammed, sir!" "By whom?" "We don't know! We didn't see anyone!"

08-05-15, 10:40 AM	#5
Zosimus XO Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Chorrillos, Lima, Peru Posts: 401 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	All I can say is that it's depressingly common. You're shadowing a convoy about 10-12 km off and suddenly your time control goes to 8 orange. You hit C for crash dive (cheating, really), but it's already too late. Somehow an escort has found you through the blinding rain and gale force winds even though you're well out of visual range of the convoy even in moderate weather. Magically, too, the ship is always on a collision course with you before it even fires the first salvo. Despite the rain, the gunnery crew is perfectly accurate, and before you can reach periscope depth every compartment is flooding. If you're lucky you can avoid being rammed, but you're still going to take depth charges at 15-20 meters depth. The only advantage is that with that much flooding, you'll reach a safe depth far faster than normal.

08-05-15, 06:23 AM	#12
Plumber1 Seaman Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Coningsby Posts: 31 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 0	It can be very hard to force yourself to dive for a listen when the weather is good (clear blue skies and flat calm) but even in these conditions you'll hear targets twice as far away as you'll see them so don't get caught in the "I'll stay on the surface as I can see for miles" trap. Also make sure you do as much of the searching (either with the binos or the hydrophone) as possible yourself, you'd be amazed how much your crew miss, particularly with the hydrophones. Good hunting.