VIEW: Type IXCs are a death trap in late 42, early 43.

[Faamecanic]

Originally Posted by RoaldLarsen

For me the question is whether my computer can handle the 16k mod. I think I have the processor and RAM (P4 2.8GHz, 3GB), but my graphics card is a lowly ATI RADEON 9600 with only 128MB. Anbyody know whether this can handle the 16k atmosphere mod?

I would say give it a try. Its easy to enable/disable the mod via JSGME... just a click of a button (while at port mind you).

I was running it with a 3.0 ghz, 2GB RAM...but I did have a ATI 9800... and I would have to say the ATI 9800 looked better than my current rig (waves and water looked more realistic) with 2X 8800 GTS's 564mb

[Penelope_Grey]

Yes there is time between passes.

As for the graphics card issue, somebody better than I must answer that... all I know is my lappy has a nVidia 512 in it and that copes great.

[KeptinCranky]

For your graphics answer, yes, do it! only don;t enable the enhanced damage effects and you might have to lower your antialiasing a bit, otherwise it will run fine

I ran the game with the 16km mod during GWX 2.1 testing on a 1ghz amd 1gb mem and ati9800 that worked fine, after the 20 minutes or so loading....

[RoaldLarsen]

Thx, KC.

[harzfeld]

I'm curious why you guys get IXC over IXB? More fuel? or you have too much renown that you want to use up? In early war, I usually get IXB after VIIB, then I get VIIC whenever I like until VIIC/41 comes out which is a must have. I prefer IXB's less time diving & stern deckgun to shoot at small vessels over type 3 conning tower & improved but ineffective anti-aircraft guns for IXC which doesn't come out until much later. That was got myself disappointed for switching to IXC over IXB. I rarely or never have my crew manned anti-aircraft guns whenever hostile planes come in, I just dive cuz there's no point in combating against flying tanks unless I can use my deck gun. At U-boat website, it says the range for IXB is 12000 while IXC is 13450, not much differences, and there are milkcows I can use if need. Both IXB and IXC have same amount of torpedoes they can carry. IXB becomes available in end of 1939, compare that to July 1941 for IXC. Also not getting me a IXC saves me a lot of renown for homing torpedoes to annoy destroyers. I'd prefer IXD2 to IXC, but IXB is a winner in IX class overall for me.

[USAMP1980]

If you run with snorkel up and desiel engines running.. Also have both periscopes up.. one at 0, the other at 180. In daylight "aircraft spotted!" - Press D or C to dive and Ctrl Page Down (and respectively for Observation persicope) to auto-lower your scope(s). I have always managed to duck under before the bombs hit.
The snorkel makes a nice signiature for the Allied RADAR.

The best option is to look at the map provided with the game and go to the Atlantic between Britian and North America. You can find some nice spots that are far from any air coverage and along large convoy routes. They also often have a depth of over 1000 meters. If you have to, dive near crush depth where they can't find you. Also keep in mind that cold water (and air) is denser, thus harder for anything to penetrate (hydrophone, SONAR, etc). Pick a nice ice-cold spot generally around Greenland and Iceland. You will have plenty of large convoys to chew up.

When need-be, run on the surface at night to the artic and grab your external torpedoes... just to return to your sweet spots.
I would not use your RADAR unless in a blinding storm. They have RADAR detectors too!

If you are running GWX3.0 , there are resupply ships and Milchecows that visit said area time to time. You could just stay out there. When you dock at a resupply ship.. it takes you back to the Officer's Office, but everything is disabled. You can only just go out on another patrol (refitted, resupplied, refueled). I have done this, as opposed to spending alot of time and fuel traveling to and from L'Orient. (A hazardous port). Also in GWX is Wolfpacks... you can sometimes find a pair of U-boats to join, and form an "Atlantic Wall".
Good Luck!

[RoaldLarsen]

Originally Posted by harzfeld

I'm curious why you guys get IXC over IXB? More fuel? or you have too much renown that you want to use up? In early war, I usually get IXB after VIIB, then I get VIIC whenever I like until VIIC/41 comes out which is a must have. I prefer IXB's less time diving & stern deckgun to shoot at small vessels over type 3 conning tower & improved but ineffective anti-aircraft guns for IXC which doesn't come out until much later. That was got myself disappointed for switching to IXC over IXB. I rarely or never have my crew manned anti-aircraft guns whenever hostile planes come in, I just dive cuz there's no point in combating against flying tanks unless I can use my deck gun. At U-boat website, it says the range for IXB is 12000 while IXC is 13450, not much differences, and there are milkcows I can use if need. Both IXB and IXC have same amount of torpedoes they can carry. IXB becomes available in end of 1939, compare that to July 1941 for IXC. Also not getting me a IXC saves me a lot of renown for homing torpedoes to annoy destroyers. I'd prefer IXD2 to IXC, but IXB is a winner in IX class overall for me.

I agree that the type IXB has its attractions. My most successful career was in a IXB. Historically, the IXBs had the most tonnage sunk per boat.

But....

More simulation, less arcade game!

There were only 14 IXBs produced, compared to 54 IXCs and 87 IXC/40s.

I am running a series of careers in each flotilla from the beginning of the war to the end. I use SH3 Commmander's Realistic Career Length function. When one career ends, the next begins. When I begin a career I use a boat type and number that historically began its career at that time in that flotilla.

After 1942 there were only 20 war patrols by type IXBs, and 5 resulted in the loss of the boat.

[RoaldLarsen]

Originally Posted by USAMP1980

If you run with snorkel up and desiel engines running.. Also have both periscopes up.. one at 0, the other at 180. In daylight "aircraft spotted!" - Press D or C to dive and Ctrl Page Down (and respectively for Observation persicope) to auto-lower your scope(s). I have always managed to duck under before the bombs hit.
The snorkel makes a nice signiature for the Allied RADAR.

Good advice about the pericopes. Don't to forget to Press X to lower your snorkel. And I wouldn't run at more than 6 knots until the snorkel is down, because IRL the snorkel would break at higher speeds.

Originally Posted by USAMP1980

The best option is to look at the map provided with the game and go to the Atlantic between Britian and North America. You can find some nice spots that are far from any air coverage and along large convoy routes. They also often have a depth of over 1000 meters. If you have to, dive near crush depth where they can't find you.

For me, the "best option" is to be more realistic. The type IX's were not often deployed to the air gap, except for their maiden patrol coming out from Germany to the French bases. The IX boats were most commonly employed along the North and South American coasts and off Africa. That's where mine go.

Originally Posted by USAMP1980

Also keep in mind that cold water (and air) is denser, thus harder for anything to penetrate (hydrophone, SONAR, etc). Pick a nice ice-cold spot generally around Greenland and Iceland. You will have plenty of large convoys to chew up.

When need-be, run on the surface at night to the artic and grab your external torpedoes... just to return to your sweet spots.

Sadly, I don't think the game models such temperature effects.

Originally Posted by USAMP1980

I would not use your RADAR unless in a blinding storm. They have RADAR detectors too!

Agreed! And then only when hydrophones have determined there are no warships nearby.

Originally Posted by USAMP1980

If you are running GWX3.0 , there are resupply ships and Milchecows that visit said area time to time. You could just stay out there. When you dock at a resupply ship.. it takes you back to the Officer's Office, but everything is disabled. You can only just go out on another patrol (refitted, resupplied, refueled). I have done this, as opposed to spending alot of time and fuel traveling to and from L'Orient. (A hazardous port). Also in GWX is Wolfpacks... you can sometimes find a pair of U-boats to join, and form an "Atlantic Wall".
Good Luck!

Wasn't there a thread about this recently? I don't think there is much evidence that u-boats made repeated trips to a milchcow on a single patrol. Once outbound and once returning was probably the max.

Unless GWX has disabled this, when you dock at a resupply ship some of the Office options are still available: Manage Crew (filing Cabinet in top left corner) and Game Options. What you can't do is modify your boat or your torpedo load out.

More simulation, less arcade game!

[tomfon]

Originally Posted by RoaldLarsen

More simulation, less arcade game.

There were only 14 IXBs produced, compared to 54 IXCs and 87 IXC/40s.

I am running a series of careers in each flotilla from the beginning of the war to the end. I use SH3 Commmander's Realistic Career Length function. When one career ends, the next begins. When I begin a career I use a boat type and number that historically began its career at that time in that flotilla.

I think hanzfeld focuses on the technical part and IMHO he has a point.
Also the fact that more IXC's were built doesn't necessarily mean that choosing a IXC adds in the immersion thing.

[RoaldLarsen]

Originally Posted by tomfon

I think hanzfeld focuses on the technical part and IMHO he has a point.
Also the fact that more IXC's were built doesn't necessarily mean that choosing a IXC adds in the immersion thing.

What increases the "immersion thing" varies between players, IMO. I agree with almost everything that Harzfeld says. The IXB, in its time, is a wonderful killer. If what you want out of the game is to run multiple careers from '39 or '40, and want max tonnage, keep picking the IXB.

Harzfeld asked why people were choosing the IXC over the IXB. I gave my reasons. It comes down to having different goals for the game.

I personally do not think it increases immersion for me to be running IXBs in 1943 or later, because it almost never happened IRL. To me immersion is getting close to reality - to the limits allowed by the game. I find it even less immersive using homing torpedoes in a IXB (AFAICT it was never done). Nor do I see much point in running repeated patrols in the air gap, while resupplying from Milk Cows multiple times. It wasn't what IX boats were about.

This isn't a criticism of those who prefer to do things differently. We all have our own individual goals for the game.

[USAMP1980]

Originally Posted by RoaldLarsen

Good advice about the pericopes. Don't to forget to Press X to lower your snorkel. And I wouldn't run at more than 6 knots until the snorkel is down, because IRL the snorkel would break at higher speeds.

For me, the "best option" is to be more realistic. The type IX's were not often deployed to the air gap, except for their maiden patrol coming out from Germany to the French bases. The IX boats were most commonly employed along the North and South American coasts and off Africa. That's where mine go.

Sadly, I don't think the game models such temperature effects.

Agreed! And then only when hydrophones have determined there are no warships nearby.

Wasn't there a thread about this recently? I don't think there is much evidence that u-boats made repeated trips to a milchcow on a single patrol. Once outbound and once returning was probably the max.

Unless GWX has disabled this, when you dock at a resupply ship some of the Office options are still available: Manage Crew (filing Cabinet in top left corner) and Game Options. What you can't do is modify your boat or your torpedo load out.

More simulation, less arcade game!

Stock SH3 does a random Thermal Layer. One can edit the game files to have a realistic thermal layer for the location and time of year of each patrol. I don't play unmodded SH3 anymore.. too arcadish.

Too unrealistic? There is a reason(s) Germany lost the war... I go out of my way to not relive such foolish strategies

[A Very Super Market]

Well, the Allies make too many ships. Can't really sink them all can you?

[Weiss Pinguin]

Originally Posted by USAMP1980

Stock SH3 does a random Thermal Layer. One can edit the game files to have a realistic thermal layer for the location and time of year of each patrol. I don't play unmodded SH3 anymore.. too arcadish.

Actually SH3 Commander adds in the thermal layer. It sets it at a random depth each time you play.

[Lzs von swe]

First of, my experience in type IX boats is limited.
Surviving late war is a question of staying on surface for as short periods as possible. In my experience it is better to "bob" up and down then to stay up for longer periods. I go at 1 knot submerged and surface often enough to not have to stay up for more then 20 minutes, max, each time. After that you can be assured some one is coming for you.
The snorkel brings you close to the surface, does not take much sea to have the conning tower breaching the waves. I use it only in calm seas.
And I prefer to surface and have my watch crew on deck, even with the snorkel mounted radar warner. Not all planes use radar..
And I feel safer when I surface in broad day light, with max visibility, then at night or in low visibility. Early war low visibility is the U-boats friend, but that changes.


edit: Uhmm, It says 42, early 43 in the title.. my rant is more about 43 to 45. Oh well.. edit.

[RoaldLarsen]

Originally Posted by Lzs von swe

Surviving late war is a question of staying on surface for as short periods as possible. In my experience it is better to "bob" up and down then to stay up for longer periods. I go at 1 knot submerged and surface often enough to not have to stay up for more then 20 minutes, max, each time. After that you can be assured some one is coming for you.

You are not the first person to advocate this sort of approach. I don't undrstand why it would be better. Could you explain how and why this approach works?

AFAICT, for any given submerged speed the total time to recharge is directly proportional to the time spent running submerged at that speed (barring complications from nearly discharged batteries). So you will still spend the same amount of time surfaced over the length of a patrol. Why would 12 periods of 20 minutes surfaced make you less likely to be spotted than one period of 4 hours?

Also, while running at 1 knot while submerged will lessen the proportion of your time you need to spend recharging, it will nearly triple the time it takes to get from one point to another, compared to running submerged at 3 knots. So unless running at one knot reduces your recharge time by more than about 60%, you still will spend more time on the surface during the trip.

Originally Posted by Lzs von swe

The snorkel brings you close to the surface, does not take much sea to have the conning tower breaching the waves. I use it only in calm seas.

And I prefer to surface and have my watch crew on deck, even with the snorkel mounted radar warner. Not all planes use radar..

I have no experience with snorkels yet, but what you say seems reasonable to me.

Originally Posted by Lzs von swe

And I feel safer when I surface in broad day light, with max visibility, then at night or in low visibility. Early war low visibility is the U-boats friend, but that changes.

So you have concluded that the boost in detection of aircraft by your crew is greater than the boost in detection of your boat by enemy aircraft?