Gato class fuel problems

Captain Bearman · 05-15-20, 12:28 PM

This is strange. I refueled at Midway for the photograph Tokyo mission using a Gato class which from Midway made it to Tokyo using about 46% fuel which in itself is a massive amount so for the return i had 53% just outside the island.

From a save i tried 1/3 then 2/3 then standard and all gave out empty about 430 miles from Midway. The sub was undamaged. Also i noticed the Gato on 1/3 gives only about 40 miles submerged.

Surely these are faults which should have been fixed in a patch or am i the first to experience this ? Has anyone else had a gas guzzling Gato ?
The other submarines i tried S Class, Porpoise class Tambor class seem to give enough range to complete missions.

As a result of this i can scrub a career or the patrol because there seems no way to request a tow or way to return to base.

jimmbbo · 05-15-20, 01:49 PM

Hmm... In the stock game using 1/3 power from Midway to Japanese waters even early Gatos should arrive with 65-70ish% fuel remaining. (1/3 power or ~9-10 kt is the best range power/speed). Not a lot of extra for creating havoc, but does allow a round trip with a bit of mayhem.

I have not (intentionally) run submerged more than is necessary to prosecute an attack or evade the DDs. Since engine power is required to recharge the batteries, I'd expect extended submerged ops to use more engine power and thereby fuel than the same run on the surface...

Hopefully other Kaleuns will add more info.

(Unrelated to this problem but FYI later in the game, crewmembers gain special engine skills that will allow arrival with 90% or so. Checking crew status between patrols allows their identification and reassignment to the engine room if necessary)

A related thread is at https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...d.php?t=245090

XenonSurf · 05-15-20, 02:10 PM

I had a Narwhal Class and was asked to send-out a spy near the Tokyo region, I departed from Pearl Harbor with refit at Midway. Playing with TMO+OTF and cruising at constant Standard speed (9 knots at calm sea). When arrived I still had more than 85% fuel left (can't remember exact number, but when I reached a far away second operation area I was still over 80%). The Narwhal is a bigger sub compared to the Gato however.
Same consumption with the FOTRSU mod, still with the Narwhal. Stock game I don't know.
Unfortunately I cannot give you numbers for the Gato Class yet, this one is not available early in the war with my mods.

XS

KaleunMarco · 05-15-20, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Bearman

This is strange. I refueled at Midway for the photograph Tokyo mission using a Gato class which from Midway made it to Tokyo using about 46% fuel which in itself is a massive amount so for the return i had 53% just outside the island.

From a save i tried 1/3 then 2/3 then standard and all gave out empty about 430 miles from Midway. The sub was undamaged. Also i noticed the Gato on 1/3 gives only about 40 miles submerged.

Surely these are faults which should have been fixed in a patch or am i the first to experience this ? Has anyone else had a gas guzzling Gato ?
The other submarines i tried S Class, Porpoise class Tambor class seem to give enough range to complete missions.

As a result of this i can scrub a career or the patrol because there seems no way to request a tow or way to return to base.

your fuel consumption depends on the mod set you are playing.
some mod sets pay a lot of attention to these things, some do not.
get a copy of Skwas S3ditor from the d/l section and then browse to the sub folder and check out the values.
\data\submarine\#subtype#\subtype.sim

this example is Narwhal in the TMO 2.5 mod set. Personally i think the range is a bit low.
here are some Narwhal numbers to consider.(from Wikipedia)
Range:
9,380 nmi (10,790 mi; 17,370 km) @ 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h),
25,000 nmi (29,000 mi; 46,000 km) @ 5.7 kn (6.6 mph; 10.6 km/h) with fuel in main ballast tanks

if you think you want to change any value(s), be sure to make a copy before you change values.

Captain Bearman · 05-15-20, 07:02 PM

Thanks for the answers .... i am playing with just the patch 1.4 .... no mods.

The Gato's short range or gas guzzling is very noticeable compared to other subs. The crew are intact and of a good standard (9th patrol) of advancement so the efficiency percentages are quite high.

What is most puzzling is it got to the location .... only just, hardly used any around Tokyo but substantially more for an identical return journey.

Bilge_Rat · 05-17-20, 07:51 AM

fuel usage is a bit wonky and of course, what mod you have has a big impact.

if playing stock, 2/3 ahead will give you the best fuel economy so use that from base to the patrol area and back. Distances are long so it is not unusual that it takes 35-40% of your fuel just to get from Midway to your patrol area.

05-15-20, 12:28 PM	#1
Captain Bearman Swabbie Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 5 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Gato class fuel problems This is strange. I refueled at Midway for the photograph Tokyo mission using a Gato class which from Midway made it to Tokyo using about 46% fuel which in itself is a massive amount so for the return i had 53% just outside the island. From a save i tried 1/3 then 2/3 then standard and all gave out empty about 430 miles from Midway. The sub was undamaged. Also i noticed the Gato on 1/3 gives only about 40 miles submerged. Surely these are faults which should have been fixed in a patch or am i the first to experience this ? Has anyone else had a gas guzzling Gato ? The other submarines i tried S Class, Porpoise class Tambor class seem to give enough range to complete missions. As a result of this i can scrub a career or the patrol because there seems no way to request a tow or way to return to base.

05-15-20, 02:10 PM	#3
XenonSurf Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Germany, Italy Posts: 1,703 Downloads: 107 Uploads: 4	I had a Narwhal Class and was asked to send-out a spy near the Tokyo region, I departed from Pearl Harbor with refit at Midway. Playing with TMO+OTF and cruising at constant Standard speed (9 knots at calm sea). When arrived I still had more than 85% fuel left (can't remember exact number, but when I reached a far away second operation area I was still over 80%). The Narwhal is a bigger sub compared to the Gato however. Same consumption with the FOTRSU mod, still with the Narwhal. Stock game I don't know. Unfortunately I cannot give you numbers for the Gato Class yet, this one is not available early in the war with my mods. XS Last edited by XenonSurf; 05-15-20 at 02:27 PM.

05-17-20, 07:51 AM	#6
Bilge_Rat Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: standing watch... Posts: 3,792 Downloads: 344 Uploads: 0	fuel usage is a bit wonky and of course, what mod you have has a big impact. if playing stock, 2/3 ahead will give you the best fuel economy so use that from base to the patrol area and back. Distances are long so it is not unusual that it takes 35-40% of your fuel just to get from Midway to your patrol area. __________________

05-15-20, 01:49 PM	#2
jimmbbo Run silent, run deep Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 225 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	Hmm... In the stock game using 1/3 power from Midway to Japanese waters even early Gatos should arrive with 65-70ish% fuel remaining. (1/3 power or ~9-10 kt is the best range power/speed). Not a lot of extra for creating havoc, but does allow a round trip with a bit of mayhem. I have not (intentionally) run submerged more than is necessary to prosecute an attack or evade the DDs. Since engine power is required to recharge the batteries, I'd expect extended submerged ops to use more engine power and thereby fuel than the same run on the surface... Hopefully other Kaleuns will add more info. (Unrelated to this problem but FYI later in the game, crewmembers gain special engine skills that will allow arrival with 90% or so. Checking crew status between patrols allows their identification and reassignment to the engine room if necessary) A related thread is at https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...d.php?t=245090

05-15-20, 07:02 PM	#5
Captain Bearman Swabbie Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 5 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the answers .... i am playing with just the patch 1.4 .... no mods. The Gato's short range or gas guzzling is very noticeable compared to other subs. The crew are intact and of a good standard (9th patrol) of advancement so the efficiency percentages are quite high. What is most puzzling is it got to the location .... only just, hardly used any around Tokyo but substantially more for an identical return journey.