Photo Recon Missions - BLARG! I've had it!

mrbeast · 09-15-07, 08:03 AM

Could the harbour recon missions have happened in RL, but instead of taking photos the capatain simply observed what ships were in port, made a list and then transmitted his info as a coded message? The problem with the photo recon is; whats the point of taking photos of a harbour if the boat taking the pictures could be out on patrol for another month? Any intelligence would be hopelessly out of date!

tater · 09-15-07, 08:28 AM

There is a test mission in the current campaign version, course you have to happen to get it (beach photography). None of the exfiltration is in yet. I'm still testing it.

I can't see any reason to observe. Course if subs could have gone into the inland sea and sunk the IJN at anchor, they would have. Later in the war, such activity would have been dangerous not just because of the japanese, but because of mines dropped by the USAAF. B-29s dropped a LOT of mines in japanese waters.

The agent insertions... also pretty bogus. Coastwatchers, yes. Philipines, not unlikely. Even China could be plausible. Japan? No.

Real subs would be placed in a screening line in the ocean, not brown water. I think it would make sense to eliminate the requirement to be surfaced to transmit a report, or at least up the range for contact reports. 4500 yards is suicidally close to surface and crank up the radio.

mrbeast · 09-15-07, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

Real subs would be placed in a screening line in the ocean, not brown water. I think it would make sense to eliminate the requirement to be surfaced to transmit a report, or at least up the range for contact reports. 4500 yards is suicidally close to surface and crank up the radio.

Yeah sending contact reports is a ball ache. I'm forever clicking on 'send contact report' and it never does until a DD or DE is just about to open fire on me!

Would be good if that could be fixed.

hyperion2206 · 09-15-07, 09:24 AM

It would be cool if you could sent a contact report when you detect a convoy/TF by radar only. Didn't the Archerfish sent a contact report after picking up the Shinano on radar only?:hmm:

Snuffy · 09-15-07, 10:18 AM

My current mission, (vanilla, 1.3, and TM 1.6+), I'm 2/3rds of the way into a bay where I am given a mission to photo stuff.

It's been a slow go, 1/3 ahead 60 feet or better submerged, and silent running. It's a long bay I have about 5/8ths of the batteries left. I've managed to slip past the initial patrol DD and have been shadowing a small gun boat up the bay.

It's also about 0200 and the sun will be up soon and I'm afraid I'm gonna have to hit bottom and wait it out. I can only hope that I have enough battery to get out of there when I'm done.

But I don't mind the missions, and as has been said they are a challenge.

PaulPosition · 09-15-07, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrbeast

The problem with the photo recon is; whats the point of taking photos of a harbour if the boat taking the pictures could be out on patrol for another month? Any intelligence would be hopelessly out of date!

Didn't they set sorts of rendez-vous in high sea to exchange such information or pick up people for insertions and such? Or was it only the Germans doing that until they figured out their code was broken because the intimate rendez-vous became open-houses?

tater · 09-15-07, 12:00 PM

There is no possible reason to photograph ships in harbor in RL. Doesn't make any difference when they'd get the data, it would be old compared to the sigint they already would have for that unit.

Seriously, they make no sense. The only photpgraphy doen in RL was of things like beach defenses. Any images of ships were at sea, and not the primary mission---sink them first.

STEED · 09-15-07, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

There is no possible reason to photograph ships in harbor in RL. Doesn't make any difference when they'd get the data, it would be old compared to the sigint they already would have for that unit.

Seriously, they make no sense. The only photpgraphy doen in RL was of things like beach defenses. Any images of ships were at sea, and not the primary mission---sink them first.

This is a good point as I also am fed up of back to back photo missions even on the odd time I sunk the warships and got away and yet I am sent back, why?

I no longer bother with these missions and go hunting instead.

tater · 09-15-07, 12:32 PM

That said, the variability IS nice. I'm trying to come up with some other novel missions to replace them.

tater

FAdmiral · 09-15-07, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

There is no possible reason to photograph ships in harbor in RL. Doesn't make any difference when they'd get the data, it would be old compared to the sigint they already would have for that unit.

Seriously, they make no sense. The only photpgraphy doen in RL was of things like beach defenses. Any images of ships were at sea, and not the primary mission---sink them first.

The only mission I know of that this was done was in the "Dolittle Raid" where
the ships would have been there during the raid. In the movie "Destination: Tokyo" it has this mission....

JIM

tater · 09-15-07, 12:55 PM

No US sub went into Tokyo Bay before the surrender. The sub in the Doolittle raid actually near the mouth, but was by no means inside like we are ordered in SH4 all the time. The boat didn't take pictures, she broadcast weather reports (not sure about the pilots using the radio to home on, I may be remembering another mission I read about).

That movie was fictional regarding the sub.

tater

PS--I'm working on the radio mission

tater · 09-15-07, 01:08 PM

http://www.valoratsea.com/recon.htm

All the RL recon missions, only some are photo. None anywhere remotely near Japan.

Anti-picket boat sweeps might also be a fun rerplacement.

hyperion2206 · 09-15-07, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

http://www.valoratsea.com/recon.htm

All the RL recon missions, only some are photo. None anywhere remotely near Japan.

Anti-picket boat sweeps might also be a fun rerplacement.

I think USS Wahoo is missing, if memory serves correctly Morton was sent to the harbour of Wewak to do some reconassance.

09-15-07, 09:24 AM	#4
hyperion2206 Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Cologne, Germany Posts: 1,227 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	It would be cool if you could sent a contact report when you detect a convoy/TF by radar only. Didn't the Archerfish sent a contact report after picking up the Shinano on radar only?:hmm: __________________ Career of Captain Jack Shaftoe:

09-15-07, 10:18 AM	#5
Snuffy XO Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 420 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	My current mission, (vanilla, 1.3, and TM 1.6+), I'm 2/3rds of the way into a bay where I am given a mission to photo stuff. It's been a slow go, 1/3 ahead 60 feet or better submerged, and silent running. It's a long bay I have about 5/8ths of the batteries left. I've managed to slip past the initial patrol DD and have been shadowing a small gun boat up the bay. It's also about 0200 and the sun will be up soon and I'm afraid I'm gonna have to hit bottom and wait it out. I can only hope that I have enough battery to get out of there when I'm done. But I don't mind the missions, and as has been said they are a challenge. __________________ ----------------- Snuffy!

09-15-07, 08:03 AM	#1
mrbeast Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bolton, UK Posts: 1,236 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Could the harbour recon missions have happened in RL, but instead of taking photos the capatain simply observed what ships were in port, made a list and then transmitted his info as a coded message? The problem with the photo recon is; whats the point of taking photos of a harbour if the boat taking the pictures could be out on patrol for another month? Any intelligence would be hopelessly out of date!

09-15-07, 08:28 AM	#2
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	There is a test mission in the current campaign version, course you have to happen to get it (beach photography). None of the exfiltration is in yet. I'm still testing it. I can't see any reason to observe. Course if subs could have gone into the inland sea and sunk the IJN at anchor, they would have. Later in the war, such activity would have been dangerous not just because of the japanese, but because of mines dropped by the USAAF. B-29s dropped a LOT of mines in japanese waters. The agent insertions... also pretty bogus. Coastwatchers, yes. Philipines, not unlikely. Even China could be plausible. Japan? No. Real subs would be placed in a screening line in the ocean, not brown water. I think it would make sense to eliminate the requirement to be surfaced to transmit a report, or at least up the range for contact reports. 4500 yards is suicidally close to surface and crank up the radio.

09-15-07, 12:00 PM	#7
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	There is no possible reason to photograph ships in harbor in RL. Doesn't make any difference when they'd get the data, it would be old compared to the sigint they already would have for that unit. Seriously, they make no sense. The only photpgraphy doen in RL was of things like beach defenses. Any images of ships were at sea, and not the primary mission---sink them first.

09-15-07, 12:32 PM	#9
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	That said, the variability IS nice. I'm trying to come up with some other novel missions to replace them. tater

09-15-07, 12:55 PM	#11
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	No US sub went into Tokyo Bay before the surrender. The sub in the Doolittle raid actually near the mouth, but was by no means inside like we are ordered in SH4 all the time. The boat didn't take pictures, she broadcast weather reports (not sure about the pilots using the radio to home on, I may be remembering another mission I read about). That movie was fictional regarding the sub. tater PS--I'm working on the radio mission

09-15-07, 01:08 PM	#12
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	http://www.valoratsea.com/recon.htm All the RL recon missions, only some are photo. None anywhere remotely near Japan. Anti-picket boat sweeps might also be a fun rerplacement.