Detectable Visual Range? and more questions

Laconic · 12-17-07, 08:09 PM

How should I select a damage control team? I assume some crew members are better than others, but how can you tell?

Also, the manual seems to think that I can at least refuel at any port as long as it's not in enemy hands, but there's no indicator on the map as to what affiliation ports are. (I'm assuming that a "port" is just a named city on a map, not necessarily one of the US's naval bases marked by the anchor icon.) Is that correct? I tried approaching Shanghai to refuel, assuming that it was still in neutral Chinese hands, but I found a hornet's nest of enemy air activity before I got close enough to tell.

howler93 · 12-18-07, 11:46 AM

A good damage control team would have a crew with high skills in Mechanical and Electrical. Try to get a good leadership man to head the team. As far as refueling, I believe you can only refuel at American or Austrailian bases (marked with an anchor).

Hope this helps,

Howler

mookiemookie · 12-18-07, 12:06 PM

This is one area where I feel the game is lacking. According to reports I've read, boats could get as close as 1500-2000 yards without being seen, assuming optimal weather, moon and sea state conditions.

tomoose · 12-18-07, 01:06 PM

Laconic;
if you place your cursor over the crew member you'll see a pop-up with a bunch of stats each one a "rating" of a number out of a total of 100. Use this as a guide to determine where he'd best be employed. For example, if I wanted a good gunner I'd check the roster (in port) and see which guys have high gunnery skills (i.e. gun rating stat = 50/100 or higher). Same logic for damage control team, I'll try and get guys with Mechanical/Electrical = ??/100 where the ?? is a high number therefore a high skill level.
The green bar next to each "team" increases with the amount of skill in that team.
This will also increase (I believe) as you gain experience (and survive) your patrols.

PS; during a mission, if one the guys gets injured (i.e. the AA gunner) and shows pink I'll scan the crew and try and find someone else who has decent gunnery stats and switch them. This keeps a decent guy on the guns plus hopefully lets the "injured" gunner recover.

Laconic · 12-18-07, 04:12 PM

Thanks, all.

I've got a few more questions...are major naval engagements rendered in the campaign? I got a notifier telling me the Battle of the Coral Sea was about to begin, so I high-tailed it to the area in which it historically took place and I didn't see anything but a destroyer and a couple of gun boats, apparently on routine patrol.

And how dangerous is it to use active sonar pings? I've noticed that merchants don't react much at all, while destroyers tend to immediately come looking for me (not entirely disadvantageous, as I can get a clean shot at the bow at least).

tomoose · 12-18-07, 04:23 PM

I haven't come across any naval battles so far but I haven't gone looking either. If I get one of those messages but I'm not anywhere near the action I stick to my original mission.

Sonar pings dangerous? With destroyers around you betcha! If you are trying to sneak in on a target and destroyers are around, using your sonar to ping a target is the equivalent of announcing "HERE I AM!!!" LOL. If you're hiding in a pitch black room and you know someone is also in the room (with a large baseball bat full of nails) looking for you in order to kill you, would you shout or make any unnecessary noise and give away your position even though they can't see you?

I don't think so.

If the merchants are alone however, using the sonar to ping a range from them, in my experience, does not cause them to react and can be used effectively and safely. Having said that, I wouldn't actively ping as a habit but only if necessary.

-Pv- · 12-18-07, 08:18 PM

Very good advice from everyone here. Successful attacks are relatively easy without pinging the targets, but if you are wanting to use it, make sure you're close enough that no one can attack you or get away between pinging and getting well-aimed fish off the rails. This is true in modern warfare also. When I'm in Dangerous Waters, it's ping-fire, ping-fire, RUN!

Trying to join an historical battle is very hit and miss. Mostly miss. I've given up and just ignore all those messages and go on with my mission.
-Pv-

12-18-07, 12:06 PM	#3
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	This is one area where I feel the game is lacking. According to reports I've read, boats could get as close as 1500-2000 yards without being seen, assuming optimal weather, moon and sea state conditions. __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

12-18-07, 01:06 PM	#4
tomoose Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 930 Downloads: 23 Uploads: 0	Damage control team Laconic; if you place your cursor over the crew member you'll see a pop-up with a bunch of stats each one a "rating" of a number out of a total of 100. Use this as a guide to determine where he'd best be employed. For example, if I wanted a good gunner I'd check the roster (in port) and see which guys have high gunnery skills (i.e. gun rating stat = 50/100 or higher). Same logic for damage control team, I'll try and get guys with Mechanical/Electrical = ??/100 where the ?? is a high number therefore a high skill level. The green bar next to each "team" increases with the amount of skill in that team. This will also increase (I believe) as you gain experience (and survive) your patrols. PS; during a mission, if one the guys gets injured (i.e. the AA gunner) and shows pink I'll scan the crew and try and find someone else who has decent gunnery stats and switch them. This keeps a decent guy on the guns plus hopefully lets the "injured" gunner recover.

12-18-07, 04:23 PM	#6
tomoose Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 930 Downloads: 23 Uploads: 0	Naval engagements etc I haven't come across any naval battles so far but I haven't gone looking either. If I get one of those messages but I'm not anywhere near the action I stick to my original mission. Sonar pings dangerous? With destroyers around you betcha! If you are trying to sneak in on a target and destroyers are around, using your sonar to ping a target is the equivalent of announcing "HERE I AM!!!" LOL. If you're hiding in a pitch black room and you know someone is also in the room (with a large baseball bat full of nails) looking for you in order to kill you, would you shout or make any unnecessary noise and give away your position even though they can't see you? I don't think so. If the merchants are alone however, using the sonar to ping a range from them, in my experience, does not cause them to react and can be used effectively and safely. Having said that, I wouldn't actively ping as a habit but only if necessary.

12-17-07, 08:09 PM	#1
Laconic Soundman Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 142 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 0	How should I select a damage control team? I assume some crew members are better than others, but how can you tell? Also, the manual seems to think that I can at least refuel at any port as long as it's not in enemy hands, but there's no indicator on the map as to what affiliation ports are. (I'm assuming that a "port" is just a named city on a map, not necessarily one of the US's naval bases marked by the anchor icon.) Is that correct? I tried approaching Shanghai to refuel, assuming that it was still in neutral Chinese hands, but I found a hornet's nest of enemy air activity before I got close enough to tell.

12-18-07, 11:46 AM	#2
howler93 Medic Join Date: May 2007 Location: Telluride, Colorado Posts: 162 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	A good damage control team would have a crew with high skills in Mechanical and Electrical. Try to get a good leadership man to head the team. As far as refueling, I believe you can only refuel at American or Austrailian bases (marked with an anchor). Hope this helps, Howler

12-18-07, 04:12 PM	#5
Laconic Soundman Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 142 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 0	Thanks, all. I've got a few more questions...are major naval engagements rendered in the campaign? I got a notifier telling me the Battle of the Coral Sea was about to begin, so I high-tailed it to the area in which it historically took place and I didn't see anything but a destroyer and a couple of gun boats, apparently on routine patrol. And how dangerous is it to use active sonar pings? I've noticed that merchants don't react much at all, while destroyers tend to immediately come looking for me (not entirely disadvantageous, as I can get a clean shot at the bow at least).

12-18-07, 08:18 PM	#7
-Pv- The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1,434 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Very good advice from everyone here. Successful attacks are relatively easy without pinging the targets, but if you are wanting to use it, make sure you're close enough that no one can attack you or get away between pinging and getting well-aimed fish off the rails. This is true in modern warfare also. When I'm in Dangerous Waters, it's ping-fire, ping-fire, RUN! Trying to join an historical battle is very hit and miss. Mostly miss. I've given up and just ignore all those messages and go on with my mission. -Pv-