[WIP] The "Just Follow Orders!" Mod

[rudewarrior]

Introducing: The “Just Follow Orders!” Mod!

Do you read the orders that BdU issues over the radio and wish you could actually make sense of them and incorporate them into the game?

Do you feel that the challenging aspects of the Prize Rules and the Norwegian Torpedo Crisis are all but missing from the game?

Are you looking for that extra boost of realism that allows you to experience all the pain and frustration of a U-boat commander when trying to follow complex orders issued throughout the war?

Do you look for mods that incorporate realism, intentionally making it more difficult for you, just so you can "take it to the next level?"


Then The “Just Follow Orders!” Mod is for you!

The “JFO!” Mod features:

1. Torpedo (Crisis) Orders – Up until the winter of ‘42/’43, the German Navy experienced several issues with depth keeping and premature explosions in their torpedoes. Only recently, modders in the community have been able to make inroads into simulating this effect. With The “JFO!” Mod, you can follow the orders that BdU was issuing over the radio and implement their recommended torpedo settings. Now you, too, can suffer through all the confusing orders regarding torpedo settings broadcasted throughout the entire war!

2. Prize Rules – During the opening stages of the war, the Second London Naval Treaty proved to be a thorn in the side for BdU (and England!). The “JFO!” Mod allows you to attempt to accurately implement the orders that BdU issued to abrogate the Prize Rules. This portion of the mod will also include a draggable template that overlays the navigation map to assist in giving up-to-date information. Thanks to The “JFO!” Mod, you can endure the complex attack orders that U-boat commanders dealt with during the eventual nullification of the Prize Rules!


Prize Rules Template

3. Blockade Runners – During the later stages of the war, German blockade runners were sailing from the Southern Hemisphere to Western France along a path known as “Route Antar.” During this time, U-boat commanders were under orders not to attack single ships in certain regions of the Atlantic Ocean. Using another draggable template, you can now implement these orders, even further restricting your ability to sink the easier tonnage during the later stages of the war!


Route "Antar" Template

4. Convoy Tactics – Once the War in the Atlantic turned against the U-boats in the Spring of ’43, BdU began issuing more aggressive and dangerous orders especially when engaging aircraft. During certain parts of the war, U-boats were actually ordered to engage aircraft and “shoot it out” on the surface. If the act of risking exposure of your U-boat to deadly aircraft all in the name of the tonnage quest appeals to you, then The “JFO!” Mod is what you are looking for!

5. Standing Orders – General standing orders were issued as well, e.g. ordering boats to refuel only at night; restricting U-boats use of sea areas, such as the English Channel; implementation of the Piening Route and other return routes; and limiting external load out torpedoes to minimize depth-keeping issues during U-boat combat stress. Now you, too, can be encumbered by changes in standing orders that U-boat commanders had to keep track of while waging war on the high seas!

**THIS MOD ULTIMATELY IS NOT DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT, BUT THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT MAKE THIS SOMEWHAT OF AN ADVANCED MOD.**

First, we don’t suggest using this mod without certain other mods to fully allow for true immersion. We suggest that one or more of the following mods be used:

1. Some sort of übermod, e.g. GWX, NYGM, etc.
2. h.sie’s SH3.exe mod
3. SH3 Commander
4. More realistic torpedo failures via SH3 Commander
5. (Jonesoft Generic Mod Enabler)

Second, this mod is almost entirely “immersion only.” There are very few aspects of this mod that are not self-enforced. This mod is designed for advanced players who prefer an “iron man” mentality when playing Silent Hunter III.

Using in-depth research of several sources, andqui and I have been able construct a series of orders that cover the above aspects of gameplay that you can implement at whatever level of intensity you choose.

The actual order implementation of the mod will function with an idea similar to SH3Gen. You would quit the game immediately out of port and run our program. A set of standing orders based on the current date will be generated and imported into the patrol log. As you progress through the game, any updates to the orders will be transmitted via radio from BdU. Anytime you quit the game, you would be able to update the orders to current date, so you can minimize how many radio updates you would have to pay attention to at any particular time.

We have made every effort to research and understand the orders as given at the time using as many resources as possible to produce the list of orders that can effectively be implemented in the game.

The “Just Follow Orders!” Mod: We included everything, except the boredom!

**Expected release in the next couple of months!

[dcb]

Is this something similar to SH3Gen, but on a larger scale? Anyway, it looks like a huge challenge to undertake for your team. Good luck with it

[rudewarrior]

Originally Posted by dcb

Is this something similar to SH3Gen, but on a larger scale? Anyway, it looks like a huge challenge to undertake for your team. Good luck with it

It is similar in the fact that it imports info, namely BdU's orders, directly into the Captain's Log. After that the similarities end.

Outside of that it is two templates that are used to properly interpret certain sets of orders.

Bottom line is that it is a lot of research translated into an orders dump to your Kaleun, that you are free to implement as you see fit.

Just gives you an opportunity to actually implement some of the orders that you see coming in over the radio during the course of the game, thus making the game even harder, but enhancing the realistic decision making situations during the war that BdU's orders forced Kaleun's into.

Originally Posted by rudewarrior

It is similar in the fact that it imports info, namely BdU's orders, directly into the Captain's Log. After that the similarities end.

Outside of that it is two templates that are used to properly interpret certain sets of orders.

Bottom line is that it is a lot of research translated into an orders dump to your Kaleun, that you are free to implement as you see fit.

Just gives you an opportunity to actually implement some of the orders that you see coming in over the radio during the course of the game, thus making the game even harder, but enhancing the realistic decision making situations during the war that BdU's orders forced Kaleun's into.

I really like the idea of this mod. But I think you should make it enforced. Not that I have ANY idea how to do that But surley all the wonderful modders here could help you put it together changing the scripts or something that actually pentalize you, and even fail mission if you break the rules.

[rudewarrior]

Originally Posted by SouriaBasharAkbar

But I think you should make it enforced. Not that I have ANY idea how to do that But surley all the wonderful modders here could help you put it together changing the scripts or something that actually pentalize you, and even fail mission if you break the rules.

I would very much like to make everything in our mod enforceable, but some of the orders just aren't able to do that with the game as it is. For example, in certain areas at certain times, you can only attack ships while submerged in order to "remain unobserved." You can't really make the game do that. That's why the mod is aimed at people who want to up the realism by restricting themselves to actual actions Kaleun's would take.

There is only one aspect of this mod that is truly enforceable. During the first half of '42, venting and heating of electric torpedoes was forbidden since it was discovered that corruption of the depth-keeping device in G7e/TII's was causing depth-keeping issues. According to a few sources this reduced the range and speed of electric torpedoes, until the problems were solved with the introduction of the TIII. In the readme, I will put instructions in that will allow you to edit the torpedo.sim file such that you can restrict your TII's to this range and speed setting, but other than that, you have to "Just Follow Orders!" like the mod says.

[LemonA]

I am keen to see the more realistic messages from BdU. I would like to see officers-only (or all) cables transmitted in encrypted enigma form.

[mookiemookie]

Well done. I may have to reinstall in order to give this a whirl. This sounds like my kind of mod!