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Old 02-23-20, 07:27 AM   #1
ChrisPhoenix
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Default Surface attack possible?

So in my opinion escorts in this game are a little bit overpowered. I feel like they detect you fairly easy if you get too close. (I'm not complaining here) but because of that, i never dared to try a Kretschmer like surface attack using the uzo. So my question here is simply: has anyone ever done this and lived to tell the tale? Also i have read some posts from people saying that one should come in and get inside the convoy from behind? How am i supposed to do that? I assume i would have to go full speed ahead in order to that and that would make me even easier to detect, would it not?
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Old 02-23-20, 09:47 AM   #2
Onkel Neal
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I agree the detection range needs to be tweaked regarding night attacks. With no moon and before an attack, range needs to be ~400m, and after an attack has been announced, ~700m. With more moonlight the ranges increased.
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Old 02-23-20, 12:30 PM   #3
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Hmm. I think we need to move away from "detection ranges" all together. They're quite an artificial contruct, and don't really resemble reality imho.

For example, at range, at night, one factor that will get a U-boat spotted is a larger than usual bow-spray, but whether that results in it being spotted is conditional on many other factors, one of which is the field of view of the searcher through his binoculars, their magnification, and whether or not he's looking in that precise direction when the larger than usual bow-spray occurs.

Rather than posit some mathematical formulae for calculating this, what I'm suggesting is a situation whereby there is no "safe" range for a U-boat able to see the convoy, and not be seen, and therefore no certainty on the part of the U-boat commander that he's unseen because he's "outside visual range".

instead, one could have a chance per second of being seen by an escort, which starts very very low indeed and slowly increases with reduction in range, the change in chance increasing exponentially as the U-boat becomes close to the convoy. The same mechanism could be used when calculating whether - or not - a periscope is seen, leading to the desirable situation where long periods of having the periscope up become dangerous even if submerged. Once spotted, an escort will find it easier much easier to re-acquire a U-boat in the same area if visual contact is lost in the interim.
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Old 02-23-20, 12:32 PM   #4
ChrisPhoenix
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So if this is coming from you Neal, i take that as a "no it is not possible at the moment"?

Problem with Wolfpack is, i don't want to waste two hours of work from my crewmembers by then attempting a suicidal attack. So i'd rather play safe and go to periscope depth. Again, this is not a complaint, i'm just asking what options i have ingame at the moment. The game is awesome as it is right now.

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Old 02-23-20, 01:26 PM   #5
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@Fidd: Your post wasn't there when i postet mine so i didn't see it.

Your idea, as interesting as it is, could lead to some very frustrating moments ingame. That way it would be possible to be detected at the darkest of nights from eight kilometers away. Might be somewhat realistic but in terms of gameplay i just wouldn't recomment it. Maybe as a mod, if possible. For those who want the hardcore experience.
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Old 02-25-20, 08:09 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisPhoenix View Post
@Fidd: Your post wasn't there when i postet mine so i didn't see it.

Your idea, as interesting as it is, could lead to some very frustrating moments ingame. That way it would be possible to be detected at the darkest of nights from eight kilometers away. Might be somewhat realistic but in terms of gameplay i just wouldn't recomment it. Maybe as a mod, if possible. For those who want the hardcore experience.
That's dependant on the algorithm used to "spot" the U-boat, and then the AI "decision making" in the light of spotting a U-boat. Although, generally speaking, this would result in the escort trying to run-down the U-boat and get it to dive and remain down, different escort types might make different decisions here. A Flower Class spotting a U-boat at 8km wouldn't bother attacking, as by the time it got there, the U-boat would have "softly and silently stolen away"! It might however signal a Tribal or Bittern, and send that after you, but in all likelihood that will be seen to be moving towards you from, before it visually acquires you, so to an extent the same applies.

In practice, if the algorithm was well designed, there would be little change to the current system in practice, with one important distinction:

It would no longer be assumable, with certainty, that because you are at a particular range/light level, that you are "invisible". If there was an intermediate stage between "convoy relaxed" and "convoy at alert", then the U-boat commander would need to track several escorts as he penetrates the convoy escort-screen, to ensure that no escorts are bearing down on him ie that he's been visually seen and his position is known.

By the same token, I'd like to see the use of escort sonar made permanent, ie, they're pinging at all times, except when particular escorts are moving too quickly to employ asdic. This would also help obscure the convoy alert status from the U-boat commander, so he can no longer know, with certainty, that the convoy is alerted if he's below periscope depth, unless he hears pings on the hull.
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