[REL] FOTRS Ultimate Project

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by Skipper44

My S Boat Patrol Dates are:

December 9 - February 14
February 21 - May 11
June 13 - August 17
September 21 - November 21
December 20 - March 4

On most of those patrols after the first one I had a ctd trying to leave base and loaded either the autosave on entering base, the autosave on leaving base or another save and tried again until it worked.

Finally, on March 5, 1943 clicking the map to start a mission:
ERROR: No Primary Objective Found

I have not been offered a fleet boat and have not been transferred to the Aleutians .

Let me ask you this then Skipper44: do you have the LAA properly applied to the SH4.exe file? While in the root of the game folder, right-click on the SH4.exe file, and choose "Properties" on that menu with a left-click. Then on that first "General" tab, look in the File Attributes section, and be sure that the tick box for "Read-only" is cleared. Then run LAA again, and select the sh4.exe file in it. If you are set to "Basic" in LAA, you should see a check mark in the box for Step 2. If you have "Intermediate" or "Advanced" mode selected, you should see "True" for it under the "LAA" column. If it is not set, try again. For whatever reason, I was interpreting what you said as one CTD, but you have had several, and under circumstances that should not have induced one, unless it completely ruined the career. LAA can help the computer use more RAM for the game, ~IF~ you have a 64-bit OS and more than 3gig of RAM. I suppose you might let us know what your OS is and how much RAM you do have...

As for your most recent "ERROR: No Primary Objective Found" issue, that is definitely a bad assignment, brought about from the dum-dum that edited the Flotillas.upc file ( - which would be me... ). If we could have KaleunMarco or one of the others that are familiar with editing the Save folder, we might be able to edit it to point you at a proper file. However, we would need a copy of your Save folder to see which missions you have already had. If you could zip the SH4 Save folder and its contents (usually "C:\Users \UserName \Documents \SH4") and then upload it somewhere, we can see which ID= lines you have already had, and give you a valid one to put in place of the latest, which (in theory) would then allow you to continue your career until you either end up at Pearl retired or in Dutch Harbor and do one or two more patrols before being retired or given a new boat...

[Skipper44]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Let me ask you this then Skipper44: do you have the LAA properly applied to the SH4.exe file? While in the root of the game folder, right-click on the SH4.exe file, and choose "Properties" on that menu with a left-click. Then on that first "General" tab, look in the File Attributes section, and be sure that the tick box for "Read-only" is cleared. Then run LAA again, and select the sh4.exe file in it. If you are set to "Basic" in LAA, you should see a check mark in the box for Step 2. If you have "Intermediate" or "Advanced" mode selected, you should see "True" for it under the "LAA" column. If it is not set, try again. For whatever reason, I was interpreting what you said as one CTD, but you have had several, and under circumstances that should not have induced one, unless it completely ruined the career. LAA can help the computer use more RAM for the game, ~IF~ you have a 64-bit OS and more than 3gig of RAM. I suppose you might let us know what your OS is and how much RAM you do have...

As for your most recent "ERROR: No Primary Objective Found" issue, that is definitely a bad assignment, brought about from the dum-dum that edited the Flotillas.upc file ( - which would be me... ). If we could have KaleunMarco or one of the others that are familiar with editing the Save folder, we might be able to edit it to point you at a proper file. However, we would need a copy of your Save folder to see which missions you have already had. If you could zip the SH4 Save folder and its contents (usually "C:\Users \UserName \Documents \SH4") and then upload it somewhere, we can see which ID= lines you have already had, and give you a valid one to put in place of the latest, which (in theory) would then allow you to continue your career until you either end up at Pearl retired or in Dutch Harbor and do one or two more patrols before being retired or given a new boat...

I had run LAA but ran it again for good measure. The SH exe and files in the folder were marked read-only so that was probably it. This PC runs 2019 AAA titles at max or close to max settings, and has a 64-bit OS.

The link to the save folder files is https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SM...CSgiMu1CEpR98G

[merc4ulfate]

I have a new CTD to report and as yet have not traced down the issue.

Location 134° 54E, 9° 51N
06/18/1944
0830
Balao Class out of Brisbane

In support of the Mariana invasion I have taken up position in hopes of intercepting the IJN Carrier Fleet on its way to disrupt the Allied Invasion. The Great Mariana Turkey shoot should soon be on the way Tomorrow.

I intercepted three CV, three CA and maybe 10 DD

The first time I ran this I sank three CV and 1 CA and wounded a second CA. I had no depth charge attack on me as they never determined my position. I left the area at 300 feet all ahead flank and I would suppose about 6000 yards out from the DD I got a CTD.

I write d own my Long Lat finding when I spot a convoy or task force so the next day I went back to the same place and this time I sank 3 CV, 3 CA, 3 DD, dove to 300 feet existed the area and about 6000 from the searching DDs I got the same CTD.

I didn't have enough fish to finish off the rest of the DD.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Windows 7
LAA
Clean Install by Capt Scurvy's instruction
Jsgme
FOTRSU 0.90 RC3

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by Skipper44

I had run LAA but ran it again for good measure. The SH exe and files in the folder were marked read-only so that was probably it. This PC runs 2019 AAA titles at max or close to max settings, and has a 64-bit OS.

The link to the save folder files is https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SM...CSgiMu1CEpR98G

I've got your Save file, if you want to delete and get your drive space back. I'll look at the mission IDs and see if I can tell which one is doing you in. My guess is a trip to the Solomon Sea off of New Guinea and New Britain. That one had Objective issues that are corrected for the next release.

As for your machine being more than capable, that is completely understandable, but we are talking about a 32-bit game with restricted bandwidth and footprint in the 'modern' OS. Getting LAA properly applied will definitely help.

Originally Posted by merc4ulfate

I have a new CTD to report and as yet have not traced down the issue.

Location 134° 54E, 9° 51N
06/18/1944
0830
Balao Class out of Brisbane

In support of the Mariana invasion I have taken up position in hopes of intercepting the IJN Carrier Fleet on its way to disrupt the Allied Invasion. The Great Mariana Turkey shoot should soon be on the way Tomorrow.

I intercepted three CV, three CA and maybe 10 DD

The first time I ran this I sank three CV and 1 CA and wounded a second CA. I had no depth charge attack on me as they never determined my position. I left the area at 300 feet all ahead flank and I would suppose about 6000 yards out from the DD I got a CTD.

I write d own my Long Lat finding when I spot a convoy or task force so the next day I went back to the same place and this time I sank 3 CV, 3 CA, 3 DD, dove to 300 feet existed the area and about 6000 from the searching DDs I got the same CTD.

I didn't have enough fish to finish off the rest of the DD.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Windows 7
LAA
Clean Install by Capt Scurvy's instruction
Jsgme
FOTRSU 0.90 RC3

I will attempt to get in the same area on that date merc4ulfate, and see what I get. I will also look in the files. Was there a common time of day between them?

[propbeanie]

One thing I failed to mention Skipper44, was to see if you could keep all of the folder and file dates as they are on your computer. I makes it easier to tell which folder was last used. But, no big deal really. You're stuck on ID273 for "Insertion Coastwatcher Bouganville". There is nothing wrong with the file. My only other question would be "how many times have you tried to start that one?" I ask that because it is in three full Save sets, but also a partial Save file. It almost looks like it may have attempted to assign you the same mission more than once, but that might be the dating change with the archive / unarchive between two computers. I suppose I do have one more question: "Had you previously done an "Insertion Coastwatcher Vella Lavella" mission yet? Whoops! another question! Have you tried to reload that save now that you have LAA properly set on the SH4.exe file, and did it work? whew!

[propbeanie]

Alright merc, I've been at it a while, and I have to give up for now. I've got more pix, but the main one is this:



the Shokaku Class sunk there was in the near column. I had shot 3 torps at an Unryu Class in the middle column, and 3 at the Shokaku Class in the near column. I missed the Unryu rather badly ahead, but those torps went and hit the Shokaku Class in the far column (they were set to slow). I was about 12-15 degrees ahead of the row of CV, so I couldn't miss hitting something...

There was an Ise / Fuso (couldn't get close enough to tell) leading center, and the Mogami I got there was trailing center, hit with 2 rear tubes after turning (running away from DD). Of course, the group was spreading out and we were drawing a crowd of DD. The Shiratsuyu was so close and had me dead to rights. He had been on the port flank front, but was too far away from the group on my approach, and that's where I slipped in.

Two DD up front were leading the group, one of which was just in front of the BB, and I got his depth charge racks in that Musuki, else he would have dropped them on me again after he turned around. His buddy, a trailing Asashio of some form or another attempted to avenge his death and caused damage to the rear tubes. That Mutsuki is the one who delivered the major hurt on me on his first pass. Earlier, when the other DD were dropping behind me, they were going way deep, like 300+, so I had been cruising along at 220 just below the thermal, and as it sounded like the Mutsuki was coming in for a run, I started up to PD. He passed over me dropping when I was at about 125 or so, and the charges were just below me, at like 220... clairvoyant they are...

Anyway, I have saved and exited, intending to continue tomorrow. It is after 12 noon there in the game (midnight here), and the only issue encountered has been clairvoyant DD and a crew member that keeps telling me we have flooding. It is almost like he gives me one for each compartment... ?? And again, my repair crew does not fix things in the order on my list - Main Pump I would think would be more important than diesel engines, but... Everyone in the engine room was wounded from the depth charging, but "only" 20% hull damage - and, in spite of putting 2 DD down, there are still five in my neighborhood, and I could see 3 more on the horizon coming at us as I shot at the Mutsuki. Thus far, the 2nd Shokaku Class is moving away at about 3 knots, down by the bow, but appeared to be stable, so will probably get away. Two freighters are catching the Shokaku, so there is probably a 2nd group closing, which means more DD...

[Immelmann]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

And again, my repair crew does not fix things in the order on my list

Can confirm that I have experienced this also.

[propbeanie]

Are they working from the bottom-up on the list maybe?...

[merc4ulfate]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Alright merc, I've been at it a while, and I have to give up for now. I've got more pix, but the main one is this:



the Shokaku Class sunk there was in the near column. I had shot 3 torps at an Unryu Class in the middle column, and 3 at the Shokaku Class in the near column. I missed the Unryu rather badly ahead, but those torps went and hit the Shokaku Class in the far column (they were set to slow). I was about 12-15 degrees ahead of the row of CV, so I couldn't miss hitting something...

There was an Ise / Fuso (couldn't get close enough to tell) leading center, and the Mogami I got there was trailing center, hit with 2 rear tubes after turning (running away from DD). Of course, the group was spreading out and we were drawing a crowd of DD. The Shiratsuyu was so close and had me dead to rights. He had been on the port flank front, but was too far away from the group on my approach, and that's where I slipped in.

Two DD up front were leading the group, one of which was just in front of the BB, and I got his depth charge racks in that Musuki, else he would have dropped them on me again after he turned around. His buddy, a trailing Asashio of some form or another attempted to avenge his death and caused damage to the rear tubes. That Mutsuki is the one who delivered the major hurt on me on his first pass. Earlier, when the other DD were dropping behind me, they were going way deep, like 300+, so I had been cruising along at 220 just below the thermal, and as it sounded like the Mutsuki was coming in for a run, I started up to PD. He passed over me dropping when I was at about 125 or so, and the charges were just below me, at like 220... clairvoyant they are...

Anyway, I have saved and exited, intending to continue tomorrow. It is after 12 noon there in the game (midnight here), and the only issue encountered has been clairvoyant DD and a crew member that keeps telling me we have flooding. It is almost like he gives me one for each compartment... ?? And again, my repair crew does not fix things in the order on my list - Main Pump I would think would be more important than diesel engines, but... Everyone in the engine room was wounded from the depth charging, but "only" 20% hull damage - and, in spite of putting 2 DD down, there are still five in my neighborhood, and I could see 3 more on the horizon coming at us as I shot at the Mutsuki. Thus far, the 2nd Shokaku Class is moving away at about 3 knots, down by the bow, but appeared to be stable, so will probably get away. Two freighters are catching the Shokaku, so there is probably a 2nd group closing, which means more DD...

What you saw was the second wave. The first wave has three CV and I was wrong about the CA there are only two then a whole lot of DD on the Screens.

I have been attacking the first wave. The second wave is about an hour or two behind them.

This time I let the first wave go over me as I sat at 300 feet.

They past and everything is fine. I then attack the second wave you saw. I sank all three CV, the Fuso, the Mogami and one DD plus the two merchants coming from the rear. I still have fish left. WT?? LOL

This is when I decide to exist the area. I move sw and come about 6000-8000 away from the searching DD come to all stop at 300 feet and then CTD.

I have been at sea for over a month almost a month and a half. I must have well over 100,000 tons in enemy shipping sunk.

[propbeanie]

The next release is not going to be quite as easy, we are hoping, but not too much more so... but the enemy will "see" you easier.

So I didn't find the first group, but it is the 2nd group anyway, when you have the CTD? Is it about the same time-of-day both times? It almost has to be a plane spawning... Maybe I'll look through the AirGroups of the carriers in these groups... though all of the files seem to check out fine...

I don't think I'm going to survive much longer in this test though. I just took a break from it again (stress), and I am now the center of attention, with 4 DD doing the Mexican Hat Dance on me, taking their turns doing the do-si-do on my head, while a fifth stands close-by, listening for me. Two others are a short distance away, between me and the cripples... I am finding it difficult to maintain depth, now at 112 from the previous 62, and now have 42% hull damage, more "We have flooding!" exclamations, and there is the "hiss" of water all over, and breaking glass anytime anyone on the boat so much as sneezes. Top speed is right at 2knots, and we seem to be making lots of noise, because the rpm gauge is over 150 to get those 2 knots. One electric and one diesel still out, and only one working tube aft, not loaded. Still have stern battery issues also, and the latest is that "We have fumes, sir!" We are right at 12:45pm time-wise, and I can hear the screws spinning up for another run to come over us... When I reload the Save, I'm afraid we'll have to blow ballast shortly after... No sign of a hiccup or hitch in the game though, what with all that's going on around us...

Edit: Well, I died... oh well. Try two tomorrow...

[propbeanie]

Well merc4ulfate, I sure don't have the issue of the DD not seeing, hearing or hitting my submarine... This time, I slipped into the group from the other side, and purposefully shot at all 3 CV, on about the same line as before except the opposite set-up, targeting the furthest east Shokaku (3x fast torps), then the Unryu (slow torp & 2x 18s), then the closest Shokaku with the rear tubes (2x slow 14s, 1x 18). The Unryu took it on the chin from the 3rd torp shot at the furthest Shokaku. The... other two missed that Shokaku ahead, since it "saw" the hits on the other two, and slowed to about 3 knots. The Shokaku behind was hit by all 3, two detonated, and it went down fast with all sorts of internal explosions. The Unryu took four hits then, the 3rd shot at the furthest Shokaku, a dud, a detonation, and a dud. It was down by the bow, almost dead in the water last I saw. I am dreaming of finishing it off by going deep and fast to pass underneath and get it with the rear tube that I had left, and be reloading the others. Then chase down the other Shokaku that is by now, almost standing still, when "Boom! Boom! BOO-OOMMM!!!" "We're taking damage sir!" "We have flooding sir!" "Bulkhead damaged sir!" "Mommy!!!"... Where did these planes come from, and how did they "target" me while I'm passing the 100 foot mark, turning and doing 6 knots??!??!!! Say whuh?... So I'm passing the 150 mark and turn some more, pass the thermal, turn some more the other way, when ten minutes later, a DD from who knows where, drops their charges, not really at all close. I had the external camera on this time, so I can "see" where they dropped, yet again, "We're taking damage sir!" "We have flooding sir!" and that's it... we died... 12:46 local time, and we were done. Not a fair trade, I don't think, sub for a CV... but again, no CTD, however, as the 2x planes were coming in, I did notice some hitches in the fps, dropping down to the 10-12 range on this i3 with onboard intel graphics - not the best in hardware by a long shot... The 2 planes, looked like zero models, but they had green upper fuselages. I'll try to ID them here in a bit. I did get one screen shot with one in it... I am wondering what the fps would have dropped to if there had been a squadron of those planes.

[merc4ulfate]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Well merc4ulfate, I sure don't have the issue of the DD not seeing, hearing or hitting my submarine... This time, I slipped into the group from the other side, and purposefully shot at all 3 CV, on about the same line as before except the opposite set-up, targeting the furthest east Shokaku (3x fast torps), then the Unryu (slow torp & 2x 18s), then the closest Shokaku with the rear tubes (2x slow 14s, 1x 18). The Unryu took it on the chin from the 3rd torp shot at the furthest Shokaku. The... other two missed that Shokaku ahead, since it "saw" the hits on the other two, and slowed to about 3 knots. The Shokaku behind was hit by all 3, two detonated, and it went down fast with all sorts of internal explosions. The Unryu took four hits then, the 3rd shot at the furthest Shokaku, a dud, a detonation, and a dud. It was down by the bow, almost dead in the water last I saw. I am dreaming of finishing it off by going deep and fast to pass underneath and get it with the rear tube that I had left, and be reloading the others. Then chase down the other Shokaku that is by now, almost standing still, when "Boom! Boom! BOO-OOMMM!!!" "We're taking damage sir!" "We have flooding sir!" "Bulkhead damaged sir!" "Mommy!!!"... Where did these planes come from, and how did they "target" me while I'm passing the 100 foot mark, turning and doing 6 knots??!??!!! Say whuh?... So I'm passing the 150 mark and turn some more, pass the thermal, turn some more the other way, when ten minutes later, a DD from who knows where, drops their charges, not really at all close. I had the external camera on this time, so I can "see" where they dropped, yet again, "We're taking damage sir!" "We have flooding sir!" and that's it... we died... 12:46 local time, and we were done. Not a fair trade, I don't think, sub for a CV... but again, no CTD, however, as the 2x planes were coming in, I did notice some hitches in the fps, dropping down to the 10-12 range on this i3 with onboard intel graphics - not the best in hardware by a long shot... The 2 planes, looked like zero models, but they had green upper fuselages. I'll try to ID them here in a bit. I did get one screen shot with one in it... I am wondering what the fps would have dropped to if there had been a squadron of those planes.

How on earth do you get hammered so hard? I tried the same Task Force by going after the first group and the second group. Everything is perfect until I try to leave the area at 300 feet. As soon as I get about 6000-8000 yards away CTD. By the way I shoot first from about 6000 to 8000 yards away, dive to 300 all ahead flank move in front of them while the DD chase where they thought I was and reload at general quarters. Once I am dead ahead of them it is back to periscope depth fire some more sink some more.

I'm extremely aggressive in my attacks. It is a bit like the old Sprint and Drift tactic. If you try again Propbeanie, after your first run drop to 300 feet all ahead flank and move to be in front of the CV's. If you are done with your attack then go to 300 feet all ahead flank and leave the area by the bearing that has the least traffic and see how far you get. Maybe I am just dealing with a corrupt save and something is triggering the CTD while I leave.

[Immelmann]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Are they working from the bottom-up on the list maybe?...

Dunno. Maybe. But it seems a bit more random to me. Maybe they get assigned an item to repair by the game itself even if damage control is not switched on at the time. So maybe the DC team has to repair that first one in line before they can recognize the repair priority that I have set and get to work on it? I'll have to make some more careful observations of that. I do, however, think that DC will go straight to work on flooding and repairing those bulkheads before going to the non-structural stuff. This seems to be what I have seen when the DC team are left to choose for themselves with no input from me.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by merc4ulfate

How on earth do you get hammered so hard? I tried the same Task Force by going after the first group and the second group. Everything is perfect until I try to leave the area at 300 feet. As soon as I get about 6000-8000 yards away CTD. By the way I shoot first from about 6000 to 8000 yards away, dive to 300 all ahead flank move in front of them while the DD chase where they thought I was and reload at general quarters. Once I am dead ahead of them it is back to periscope depth fire some more sink some more.

I'm extremely aggressive in my attacks. It is a bit like the old Sprint and Drift tactic. If you try again Propbeanie, after your first run drop to 300 feet all ahead flank and move to be in front of the CV's. If you are done with your attack then go to 300 feet all ahead flank and leave the area by the bearing that has the least traffic and see how far you get. Maybe I am just dealing with a corrupt save and something is triggering the CTD while I leave.

That's what I'm going to do then, and no more "Silent Running" on the Balao... - Aye matey, he'll ne,er no wutt hit heem!!! Argh!

Originally Posted by Immelmann

Dunno. Maybe. But it seems a bit more random to me. Maybe they get assigned an item to repair by the game itself even if damage control is not switched on at the time. So maybe the DC team has to repair that first one in line before they can recognize the repair priority that I have set and get to work on it? I'll have to make some more careful observations of that. I do, however, think that DC will go straight to work on flooding and repairing those bulkheads before going to the non-structural stuff. This seems to be what I have seen when the DC team are left to choose for themselves with no input from me.

Finishing what they were working on at the time of the assignment makes sense, as does the fact that there are so many people the DC team can hold, that they all can't fit in the bilge to work on the pump anyway...

[propbeanie]

Alright merc4ulfate... maybe there is an issue - but it's that you are just too highly skilled for the game, good sir... - I am going to bombard you with pix, but they sure are pretty pictures... even if I did scrunch them up a lot with the jpeg, and I had a blast this time, because I didn't get sunk ...

First of all, I approached the 2nd group from the northeast side again, slipping between the two lead DD, and the 1st one on their starboard flank. I could have shot at the Fuso (I finally did ID it) first, but passed for the chance at the 3 CV. Also, I realized I have Mark 23 torps, not Mark 18... I'm not color-blind... - also, I did an external camera around the group, and there are two DD leading center, single-file. Three DD down each side of the group, and 2x across the rear for a total of ten. Then there is a group of 2x merchants that have another, so 11 DD in the immediate area. Anyway, I shot at the 3 CV from a considerably longer distance than I normally do. Heading 268°, did another peek, made my marks (again) to "see" where everybody was, and it did look good to shoot at all three. Far Shokaku was 6700 away, torps set to slow, so up scope, fire one, pause, fire two, down scope, I waited 16 seconds (but it was bad math), 10° left on the scope, up scope, fire three, pause, fire four, down scope. Ten degrees more left, waiting 12 seconds, up scope, whoops! 4 more degrees left, fire 5, pause, fire 6, down scope, take her deep to 300, Ahead Standard! Bring her to 224°... The torps hit on the Unryu first... by about 10 seconds, then on the near Shokaku, and once again the far CV had time to slow down, and I missed ahead about another 10 seconds later... ratz!... Oh well, no big deal. That's what you get for calculating on the middle, and being off on the other two. However, both of the others look like they'll go down, and the Shokaku once again blew itself to pieces in short order. No duds in those four hits. Then the Unryu went down - did I mention I barely hit the bow, but got under the tower with the 2nd?...


That's the far Shokaku getting away...

Now, while taking my screenshots, I look right, and for whatever reason, the Fuso has decided to "standby", so I wasn't that deep yet, still had four in the aft tubes, so I came back up from 115 to PD, as the turn was finishing. Set my torps and then up scope, got 'im 180, fire 7, pause, fire - whoops! where did this DD crowding my scope come from??!?... fire 8. Re-set nine and ten for shallow, fire 9, change the "lead", fire ten. Take her deep, Ahead Flank, hard right rudder!... "Torpedo is a dud sir!" Boom! "torpedo is a dud sir!, and a bit later, "torpedo missed, sir", so two hits on the Fuso, one detonation, one hit on the DD, no detonation. Now, these guys were 4200 & 3600 away, so I did not expect to hit the DD, just turn him, which he did... headed for the thermal, and since the DD was now so close I went ahead an went silent at 185 after we passed it, went to one knot, and came to 270, toward where there wasn't anyone, and then just cruised along for a while, with five and then six DD up above just milling about, not too far behind me, not too close, dropping and shooting depth charges all over the place. In the meantime, a couple of those dark green carrier planes (A6M) came by again and dropped bombs, as did a Jake and a Paul... Here's the thing:





I took these pics for the "interaction" of the ships and the lifeboats... But these liferafts & lifeboats - four from the Unryu, and six from the Shokaku - seem to have an effect on things. I initially didn't think too much about it at the time, but later...

At the time, this is what I was thinking it might be:



lots of sonar lines. I am seeing more than the immediate group.

After a bit, it's only me, the Unryu lifeboats, and one lone DD that seems to think it's important for him to be over here...



Meanwhile, on the other side of the gathering:



For whatever reason, no one seems too concerned with almost running over lifeboats, or launching depth charges around them, or dropping bombs from their planes near them. I don't know who got the one, but one of their brethren sank one of the lifeboats. Blew up pretty. I've got a picture of it "sinking"... That was when the computer started with the hiccup stutters...

Now, one thing I hadn't noticed at the time, was that the Fuso was standing still... That one hit I got on it apparently took the boilers or the props out, 'cause the screws were not turning. Slight list, standing dead in the water. The Mogami and the remaining Shokaku are by now on the horizon, and the Fuso is standing still so I start heading its way - patiently... The hunting DD drop off one by one, until there is only one left nearby, and he is northeast of the Fuso. I'm southwest of the Fuso... By this time, I have five loaded up front, so... Periscope depth, up scope, mark! down scope... hmmm 5200 yard, standing still. I'll go ahead and shoot four slow, leaving the one, with the other about loaded, in case he does take off... He didn't:



notice how I marked-up the picture? Ten lifeboats and rafts...

After I had turned and went deep again, thinking I would have some company soon, I looked back, and where you see the oval here:



there are those 10 lifeboats still there, two airplanes and two DD milling about, dropping depth charges. Now, out in front of me, which at the time I didn't think much about it is:



lifeboats from the Unryu. Look at the clock. They're still around, as are the remaining Shokaku lifeboats... Also, I then surfaced for air, and there are two airplanes right there!



So we've got ten lifeboats from the Fuso, 3 left from the Unryu, and five left from the Shokaku, all within about a 2nm area there... and my frame rate is down to 24 on the big box... what would happen with another CV's lifeboats and / or a Mogami's?...

Later at evening, we surfaced and are now cruising down around Palau, but initially when we came up, it was a dark night, cloudy, thundering, wind up a bit, and the framerate is at 30fps...



but then the sky cleared, and we saw the moon



We did have a contact for just a little while to the southeast, and I thought we might get to have some more fun, but alas, I lost 'em in the night... at least, thus far



maybe we'll go so see what comes and goes in the harbor...

So we might call on our consultants merc4ulfate, and see when liferafts are supposed to "disappear", how far away you have to be, and maybe somehow try to figure-out how much they impact the framerate. It still might also be something else spawning in the area, but I didn't have any stuttering until they destroyed one of their own lifeboats, and the stutters were more than noticeable after sinking the Fuso, with the two planes right there... ?? I might make me a "static" mission with the same ships (no DD to chase me), and see how the lifeboats affect a SingleMission, and watch it on the resource monitor...