Where is depth measured

[skirich]

For the purposes of the depth guage, what is the point of measurement? Is zero at the water line?
I’m trying to figure out how best to submerge in shallow water? If I know I have 53 feet under the keel and I dive to 60? What depth is my keel bottom?

[propbeanie]

"We're taking damage sir!" "Medic!!!" "We have flooding sir!" "Medic!!!" "Bulkheads have been compromised sir!"... glub glub glub...

The depth of you boat shows the depth below the keel, so if you have 53 foot below your keel and dive to 60, you will hit bottom. Your boat generally sits at a 14 foot depth when surfaced, so you would need at least 76 foot (generally) to dive to PD. To help shorten your career in subs, the SH4 submarine is not designed to be able to sit on the bottom and "hide" - and will take damage continuously when you are in contact with the bottom, no matter how 'gentle' you are.

[skirich]

I was wondering what would happen if I rest it on the bottom. Thanks

[propbeanie]

You are welcome!

As reference, do an exterior view of your submarine as you are sitting at periscope depth, and you will see that your shears are just barely below the water surface. The bottom of your boat is roughly at 60-62 foot. The best way to submerge in shallow waters is to avoid them. I know that you will get assignments in the Java Sea and Gulf of Siam shallows, but what a lot of players do in those areas, if they just want to complete the mission, is find a deep spot within the assigned area, and just hang-out there until the time for the patrol is fulfilled, then go off to deeper waters and actually do some hunting.

[skirich]

Yeah its not the patrols that bug me. Its having to deposit a spy in really set back harbors like Osaka that have so many shallows and so many warships patroling.


I found that the Balao class boat can submerge to 30 feet in very shallow water and as long as the water is calm, the top of the conning tower structure sticks up maybe 5-7 feet.
Granted all the other stuff on top of the tower is way up in the air, but if you play your islands rights you can hide fairly well and nobody can fiind you.
Move at night and you can move fairly free in the harbor if you go in the opposite direction of warships.
As a consolation, your radar is always working.

[jimmbbo]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

The best way to submerge in shallow waters is to avoid them.

I find the deepest hole in the search area and park the boat.

I never attack an escorted convoy in shallow waters because I can't dive deep enough to avoid the DDs awaiting their arrival, but will go after unescorted merchants/liners cuz I can stay at periscope depth...
Other than that, I run out the mission timer and move to deeper waters.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by skirich

Yeah its not the patrols that bug me. Its having to deposit a spy in really set back harbors like Osaka that have so many shallows and so many warships patroling.


I found that the Balao class boat can submerge to 30 feet in very shallow water and as long as the water is calm, the top of the conning tower structure sticks up maybe 5-7 feet.
Granted all the other stuff on top of the tower is way up in the air, but if you play your islands rights you can hide fairly well and nobody can fiind you.
Move at night and you can move fairly free in the harbor if you go in the opposite direction of warships.
As a consolation, your radar is always working.

follow propbeanie's direction above. i do the same thing myself.
i will only add that at some point during the war, the IJN will acquire radar detection equipment and therefore will find you even if they cannot see you.

good luck. and good hunting.