technique to shadow a convoy

[Flubbo]

Originally Posted by Fidd

Does the periscope detection range (with full extension) alter at short-ranges when submerged? Or with the type of periscope raised? Reason I ask is that there's been a fairly strong consensus thus far that the OP at very short range - under 300m or thereabouts - may get you detected.. or is your test simply that the degree of periscope extension does not affect the basic detection range when surfaced?

The test I conducted were only concerning surface detection.
But from experience the OP and AP can be detected when submerged but I noticed it is dependent on their height. The AP can adjust its height on its own while the OP requires height to be manipulated via adjusting the uboats depth. Closest I have been so far and not been detected with OP out was 200m at depth 12.5m, calm sea, night. After that I did not have the balls to risk it up because of we were close to colliding with it.

Originally Posted by Fidd

Also, we've all been in the situation where one is out of detection-range for an unalerted convoy, someone else gets spotted and you get caught in the searchlights with your proverbial knickers around your ankles! That suggests there's two detection ranges, one unalerted, and one alerted. I'd be interested to know if the periscope extension causes the detection range not to change in both cases?

This i do not know, there could be an extension of detection range when alerted but I have while on a boat of another captain been very close to ~2km and not been detected while they had searchlights out. I can not for sure say as it was not in the most scientific way I was taking note of the situation. But one thing I am much more certain about is that if you are caught in the searchlight beam the detection range is directionally increased, so I seen captains reamining undetected fairly close and then get the searchlight flashed over them and then they been detected.

Originally Posted by Fidd

Like you I'm interested to know how these ranges (may) change with behaviours, although perhaps a little mystery and "mythology" is not a bad thing!

There is an argument to be made that having access to internet and players sharing experiences that other players seeing the info can "spoil" their experience. however in cases of players interested in asking of the facts I think its better to share facts and declare when something you are stating is not. Sometimes I like to refrain from answering or I answer with more ambiguity if I feel the answer would not benefit the inquirer would it be super clear. but Being ambiguous and sharing myths is different in my opinion.

When people ask me how big the bilge is. I do not like to answer with a number to leave some suspense. I say that you will run out of compressed air and battery before you will have to worry about your bilge in wolfpack. I find such answer can offer a better result then lying and claiming you die bilge level 10 os stating its exact volume when you die.

Originally Posted by Fidd

Incidentally, as a rough guide, if you set say 25% fog, I've been working on the assumption - quite untested mind you - that you then multiply the normal detection 1800m range by (100%-25%) therefore .75 giving 1350m. This would suggest that by far the greatest benefit from fog would be in daylight?

Colonel Frosts Wednesday and Thursday games many times will be made with various levels of fog, so many captain in those games have figured out more so how close they can get at various levels of fog. I am a bit late to that party so I have no data myself on it more than I know fog will reduce detection range but not by how much.

[Fidd]

Thanks for taking the time to craft a very interesting reply. Waxing philosophical for a moment, my instinct is that the more the game moves towards non-calculable, non repetitive detection "ranges" both visual, ASDIC, the better. What I call "muddy" or "indeterminate" detection ranges, where so many factors are at play that one can play it safe by being well out of detection range, but this business of closing to 1805m and skating outside "detection range" on the bleeding edge of a known detection value is no longer completely safe. So maybe the AI escorts on random games get a couple of "sharp-eyed" AI sailors on watch who on one or two escorts can "see" uboats a bit further out, Anything to get away from "stay at 1805m and your safe, or get to 185m and you cant be discovered etc.

It should, imho, be a judgement as to how close one may safely close, not an arithmetical exercise. Giving different classes of escort slightly different detection ranges, and different ships within those classes ditto, would help make it a more worrisome event...

What I'm driving at, is instead of having a range outside of which one is safe, and within which one is detected, it may be better gameplay resultant from having an intermediate and somewhat variable range band between the two, where one might be detected the longer you persist in it, the greater the viewable extent of the u-boat, if you're making a lot of smoke from the diesels and so forth....