Where the heck is the Shokaku?

woodenboat · 02-11-16, 12:21 AM

WOW! That is AWESOME STUFF! I'm going to try this right now!

Thank you for all of this.

Sniper297 · 02-11-16, 04:06 PM

Never really played the patrols and missions, I get my jollies with the whole war career/campaign thing, using my own GONE ASIATIC mod;

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=4358

Which adds supply bases and the main home port closer to the action for an Asiatic fleet career, among other crazy stuff.

But I took a look at this patrol mission today, and for whatever reason the radio reports in game are no help at all - the only hint you get is in the briefing map before the mission starts.

Comparing that to the ingame map I note it passes through Moro Gulf, then into the Sulu Sea through the northernmost straits, so I plotted a course to that;

Main thing with trying to intercept anything in a big ocean is to find a narrow place they will probably pass through. The task force does indeed show up the afternoon of the 12th if I wait just outside the northern passage (don't want to wait inside the straits, water is too shallow for safety).

This would be an ideal firing position, after finding SHOKAKU I draw a course line and maneuver to be facing the track at a 90 degree angle 1000 yards off the track. Anywhere within 500 to 1500 yards off the track is a good firing range, closer than 500 yards you may get duds and further that 1500 yards the target has time to see the wakes and maneuver to avoid them.

Fly in the ointment here is the wing escort - if you're playing with map contacts on (and as a n00b you should be) the rings around the selected target have meanings - for a destroyer the outer circle is the visual range, inner circle with the wedge cut out of the back is passive sonar (if you make too much noise inside that he might hear you) and the small half circle in front is the active sonar (ping-pong). In this scenario the player sub is in a bad position because that active sonar arc is going to pass over the sub, no way to avoid being detected except going down below the layer. A better way would be to plot the whole formation from a distance, look for gaps in the screen - since that arc only goes out 750 yards it's possible to stay outside the arc until he passes, then start moving in toward the track. You can usually run at 2/3rds within the passive sonar arc, and once the destroyer moves ahead far enough so you're in that cutout wedge behind him (the "baffles" where he can't hear anything because of his own propeller noise) you can go to ahead full if needed to get close enough to the firing point.

When to speed up, slow down, go silent, head for the depth is a matter of experience, but in general you want to stay stealthy until they know you're there - a torpedo impact, ships suddenly speeding up and flashing signal lights when they see the wakes, a destroyer turning toward you and speeding up, any of those are indications they know there's a sub around so you can start running full tilt boogie and kicking out decoys. Also, with a GATO you can fire the forward tubes at the target and fire the aft tubes in a spread toward any destroyer close enough behind you, if you sink one that's one less to drop depth charges. When out of torpedoes Run Silent Run Deep.

woodenboat · 02-13-16, 12:34 AM

Sniper, this is not where I found the Shokaku but that's ok. It was several days earlier than the 12th, too.

I'm getting better and better everyday like anyone would that plays the game enough. This past time that I ran the Wounded Bear mission, I went straight to where I knew she would be and I blasted the heck out of her. In fact, I hit her with so many fish that she was gone by the time I dodged her destroyer screen and looked back.

Dang it! I wanted to see her go down.

At least I heard her powder magazine go up.

Anyway, on this mission, I decided I wanted to see how many of the rest of the task force I could take out. In order to hang in there I had to shoot four destroyers off my tail. I did put two fish into another carrier but she didn't go down. This was on 8 June and I headed to where you said you found the task force on the 12th. I wondered if I could score on that other wounded carrier. On the way, I was taking an inventory of my ordnance. Aw Heck! I had shot every torpedo that I had on board. So I high tailed it back to Fremantle as fast as I could. After the refit, I arrived at your sweet spot on 13 June. Darn it. If I had only thought to check my inventory BEFORE I set sail I might have made Fremantle and then back to catch the task force.

I will try again but for now, I've got some real life responsibilities.

This is just a lot of fun stuff with a little frustration thrown in for good measure. Once again, you've given me some valuable info. I ran the Midway battle with this new understanding of destroyer weaknesses and strengths and i didn't get killed nearly so soon. Yayaya,

02-13-16, 12:34 AM	#3
woodenboat Mate Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 51 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Sniper, this is not where I found the Shokaku but that's ok. It was several days earlier than the 12th, too. I'm getting better and better everyday like anyone would that plays the game enough. This past time that I ran the Wounded Bear mission, I went straight to where I knew she would be and I blasted the heck out of her. In fact, I hit her with so many fish that she was gone by the time I dodged her destroyer screen and looked back. Dang it! I wanted to see her go down. At least I heard her powder magazine go up. Anyway, on this mission, I decided I wanted to see how many of the rest of the task force I could take out. In order to hang in there I had to shoot four destroyers off my tail. I did put two fish into another carrier but she didn't go down. This was on 8 June and I headed to where you said you found the task force on the 12th. I wondered if I could score on that other wounded carrier. On the way, I was taking an inventory of my ordnance. Aw Heck! I had shot every torpedo that I had on board. So I high tailed it back to Fremantle as fast as I could. After the refit, I arrived at your sweet spot on 13 June. Darn it. If I had only thought to check my inventory BEFORE I set sail I might have made Fremantle and then back to catch the task force. I will try again but for now, I've got some real life responsibilities. This is just a lot of fun stuff with a little frustration thrown in for good measure. Once again, you've given me some valuable info. I ran the Midway battle with this new understanding of destroyer weaknesses and strengths and i didn't get killed nearly so soon. Yayaya, Last edited by woodenboat; 02-13-16 at 12:47 AM.

02-11-16, 12:21 AM	#1
woodenboat Mate Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 51 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	WOW! That is AWESOME STUFF! I'm going to try this right now! Thank you for all of this.

02-11-16, 04:06 PM	#2
Sniper297 The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philadelphia Shipyard Brig Posts: 1,386 Downloads: 160 Uploads: 19	Never really played the patrols and missions, I get my jollies with the whole war career/campaign thing, using my own GONE ASIATIC mod; http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=4358 Which adds supply bases and the main home port closer to the action for an Asiatic fleet career, among other crazy stuff. But I took a look at this patrol mission today, and for whatever reason the radio reports in game are no help at all - the only hint you get is in the briefing map before the mission starts. Comparing that to the ingame map I note it passes through Moro Gulf, then into the Sulu Sea through the northernmost straits, so I plotted a course to that; Main thing with trying to intercept anything in a big ocean is to find a narrow place they will probably pass through. The task force does indeed show up the afternoon of the 12th if I wait just outside the northern passage (don't want to wait inside the straits, water is too shallow for safety). This would be an ideal firing position, after finding SHOKAKU I draw a course line and maneuver to be facing the track at a 90 degree angle 1000 yards off the track. Anywhere within 500 to 1500 yards off the track is a good firing range, closer than 500 yards you may get duds and further that 1500 yards the target has time to see the wakes and maneuver to avoid them. Fly in the ointment here is the wing escort - if you're playing with map contacts on (and as a n00b you should be) the rings around the selected target have meanings - for a destroyer the outer circle is the visual range, inner circle with the wedge cut out of the back is passive sonar (if you make too much noise inside that he might hear you) and the small half circle in front is the active sonar (ping-pong). In this scenario the player sub is in a bad position because that active sonar arc is going to pass over the sub, no way to avoid being detected except going down below the layer. A better way would be to plot the whole formation from a distance, look for gaps in the screen - since that arc only goes out 750 yards it's possible to stay outside the arc until he passes, then start moving in toward the track. You can usually run at 2/3rds within the passive sonar arc, and once the destroyer moves ahead far enough so you're in that cutout wedge behind him (the "baffles" where he can't hear anything because of his own propeller noise) you can go to ahead full if needed to get close enough to the firing point. When to speed up, slow down, go silent, head for the depth is a matter of experience, but in general you want to stay stealthy until they know you're there - a torpedo impact, ships suddenly speeding up and flashing signal lights when they see the wakes, a destroyer turning toward you and speeding up, any of those are indications they know there's a sub around so you can start running full tilt boogie and kicking out decoys. Also, with a GATO you can fire the forward tubes at the target and fire the aft tubes in a spread toward any destroyer close enough behind you, if you sink one that's one less to drop depth charges. When out of torpedoes Run Silent Run Deep.