Convoy Discussion

[drowssapma]

Thanks, guys. It's just been so rough. I saw my brother on Wednesday and he's like a zombie. There's no life in his eyes. He's not eating, not sleeping, and living off coffee. Unbelievably, his boss actually fired him because he said he is taking the week off. We are looking into whether that is legal or not in his state. In the meantime, SHIII has been keeping my mind occupied. I just really miss my nephew.

[rik007]

@drowssapmama: pure horror & good luck with it.

As for the convoy: my tip is: I first launch 2 torps against targets in a lane further away. Then directly I launch 2 torps against targets in the lane closest to me and then aft.

The result should be that all impacts happen at the same time. So the convoy does not have time to start evasive actions or start zigzagging and I will have maximum possibilty to get away and avoid being detected.

On top of it the spectacle on the surface when the detonations start....

[les green01]

Originally Posted by drowssapma

Thanks, guys. It's just been so rough. I saw my brother on Wednesday and he's like a zombie. There's no life in his eyes. He's not eating, not sleeping, and living off coffee. Unbelievably, his boss actually fired him because he said he is taking the week off. We are looking into whether that is legal or not in his state. In the meantime, SHIII has been keeping my mind occupied. I just really miss my nephew.

sorry for your loss and it going to be rough for awhile and from personal experience you probbly going go though a bunch of differnt emotions it does help to keep your mind occupied far as attacking the convoy i like to shadow it for awhile get much of the info i can pick out targets which is the biggest watch the escorts see how they are behaving then make the attack plan then try to time where all the eels hits at the same time

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Fifi

Always trying to infiltrate convoy rows, firing 2 torp to best target, 2 others to someone else, rear one to one behind and...escape.
If convoy is running medium or slow, and weather not too bad, i try to catch him again and repeat.
Always from front or 3/4 front.
Always submerged even at night (Kretschmer surface tactic is not doable in SH3, other than making all ships almost blind at night)

Forgive me as I have little experience with SH 3, mostly SH 4 in the pacific. However, SH 4 is basically a clone of SH 3 from what I gather, I mean the fleet boats in SH 4 are actually just U boats with a facade lol (Thus, only two independent engines not four etc) .

I have modified SH 4 in paritcular the mod TMO where can pull off surface attacks, including moving inside columns such as Kretshmer did in the Atlantic, which US subs did on larger convoys in pacific as japanese began sailing in larger convoys.

The vessels are not blind, just use a darker nights mod (nights in SH 4 were way too light) with proper settings in sim.cfg for the light factor.

Of course Allied radar was much better than Japanese so not sure how to deal with that in the ATO. Just surprised no one has found this work around (or have they?) in SH 3.

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Forgive me as I have little experience with SH 3, mostly SH 4 in the pacific. However, SH 4 is basically a clone of SH 3 from what I gather, I mean the fleet boats in SH 4 are actually just U boats with a facade lol (Thus, only two independent engines not four etc) .

I have modified SH 4 in paritcular the mod TMO where can pull off surface attacks, including moving inside columns such as Kretshmer did in the Atlantic, which US subs did on larger convoys in pacific as japanese began sailing in larger convoys.

The vessels are not blind, just use a darker nights mod (nights in SH 4 were way too light) with proper settings in sim.cfg for the light factor.

Of course Allied radar was much better than Japanese so not sure how to deal with that in the ATO. Just surprised no one has found this work around (or have they?) in SH 3.

Yes, that’s what i meant.
To infiltrate convoy at night still surfaced like kretschmer did, merchants should not see you more than 150m away! (Rows are generally 500m spaced)
So merchants should be almost blind at night...that is not the case presently in any SH3 megamod.
Only way to represent this, is to modify the Sim.cfg night settings (and probably fog factor too for different weather types) and maybe the AI sensors dat visual adjustment...not easy task to get the correct settings for all kind of weather, keeping in mind warships must keep some better visuals at night (slightly better than merchant, but still lower than actually)
To me, and according to what Kretschmer wrote in his testimony, cargo ships should not see you surfaced at 150m when dark night, and warship should not see you surfaced at 300/400m!

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Fifi

Yes, that’s what i meant.
To infiltrate convoy at night still surfaced like kretschmer did, merchants should not see you more than 150m away! (Rows are generally 500m spaced)
So merchants should be almost blind at night...that is not the case presently in any SH3 megamod.
Only way to represent this, is to modify the Sim.cfg night settings (and probably fog factor too for different weather types) and maybe the AI sensors dat visual adjustment...not easy task to get the correct settings for all kind of weather, keeping in mind warships must keep some better visuals at night (slightly better than merchant, but still lower than actually)
To me, and according to what Kretschmer wrote in his testimony, cargo ships should not see you surfaced at 150m when dark night, and warship should not see you surfaced at 300/400m!

Exactly. I was saying surprised none of the mods have made this possible in SH 3. Then again, I was surprised no one had made it happen in SH 4 as well. As said, SH 4 is basically a clone of SH 3, so sure it can be done.


Definitely complicated and took many hours of testing. The first step is making sure the nights are dark enough. SH 3 and 4 by default the nights even without moonlight war just way too bright. Likely done to make visual identification easier at night for player but it kills realistic night surface attacks. Mods improved it but still far too light. Once changed the environment at night with the darker nights mod with proper settings in .cfg to balance things, have desired result.


I am wondering if the darker nights mod for SH 4 would work with SH. Hmmm. I do not have SH 3 installed currently or I would check. In near future I do plan to get back into SH 3, take a little break from the pacific after a year plus working to update some things. Only modding will do in Sh 3 will be the try and make the Kretschmer style surface attacks happen, if it is not done before. Of course , if one does not exist will need someone to do the darker nights (if the SH 4 mod does not work) as that is beyond my knowledge base at moment.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Exactly. I was saying surprised none of the mods have made this possible in SH 3. Then again, I was surprised no one had made it happen in SH 4 as well. As said, SH 4 is basically a clone of SH 3, so sure it can be done.


Definitely complicated and took many hours of testing. The first step is making sure the nights are dark enough. SH 3 and 4 by default the nights even without moonlight war just way too bright. Likely done to make visual identification easier at night for player but it kills realistic night surface attacks. Mods improved it but still far too light. Once changed the environment at night with the darker nights mod with proper settings in .cfg to balance things, have desired result.


I am wondering if the darker nights mod for SH 4 would work with SH. Hmmm. I do not have SH 3 installed currently or I would check. In near future I do plan to get back into SH 3, take a little break from the pacific after a year plus working to update some things. Only modding will do in Sh 3 will be the try and make the Kretschmer style surface attacks happen, if it is not done before. Of course , if one does not exist will need someone to do the darker nights (if the SH 4 mod does not work) as that is beyond my knowledge base at moment.

Fwiw, moonlight has no effect on SH3 visibility.

[Fifi]

John is right, moon light has no effects.
If you want real dark nights, take the scene dat of my mod (either Ccom or LSH3)

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

Fwiw, moonlight has no effect on SH3 visibility.

Really? Interesting. As said do not have a lot of experience in SH 3. Certainly does matter in SH 4.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Really? Interesting. As said do not have a lot of experience in SH 3. Certainly does matter in SH 4.

Unfortunately yes. Neither does depth charge noise. Btw, if you want more room inside a convoy simply change the ships spacing in the campaign.rnd file. As he mentioned, Fifi also has some nice env. mods.
Sometimes it won't save for some reason but sometimes it does.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

Unfortunately yes. Neither does depth charge noise. Btw, if you want more room inside a convoy simply change the ships spacing in the campaign.rnd file. As he mentioned, Fifi also has some nice env. mods.
Sometimes it won't save for some reason but sometimes it does.

Well, that is unfortunate. There is a depth charge noise mod for SH 4 by The DarkWraith. I thought he made one for SH 3 as well? It definitely works. Main thing (as can imagine) is gives player precious seconds to run at high speed after charges explode. I increased the duration and amount of noise each charge makes but it made things too easy after they made a few runs.

I have changed the spacing of convoys in spring summer 1944 when IJN began running alliedesque convoys in terms of larger numbers and more escorts. US started using wolfpacks (their version) and night surface attacks became the preferred method.


When I get back into SH 3 I will check out the env mods and mod the sim.cfg to see if get it where Kretschmer style attacks are possible.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Well, that is unfortunate. There is a depth charge noise mod for SH 4 by The DarkWraith. I thought he made one for SH 3 as well? It definitely works. Main thing (as can imagine) is gives player precious seconds to run at high speed after charges explode. I increased the duration and amount of noise each charge makes but it made things too easy after they made a few runs.

I have changed the spacing of convoys in spring summer 1944 when IJN began running alliedesque convoys in terms of larger numbers and more escorts. US started using wolfpacks (their version) and night surface attacks became the preferred method.


When I get back into SH 3 I will check out the env mods and mod the sim.cfg to see if get it where Kretschmer style attacks are possible.

Yes he made one for SH3 too but some found it to cause ctds. Others have made some too.
Haven't tried them myself; the escorts aren't very dangerous anyway so not really needed.

[iambecomelife]

Hope you guys are doing as well as can be under the circumstances. Back on the subject of attacks, I usually find that I am never kept down too long so that repeated attacks are impossible - once the DD's leave me alone I almost always use the "end run" method, racing parallel on the horizon, so I can set up another attack the following night. Unless I am low on torpedoes, damaged, approaching shallow water, or have orders to patrol elsewhere. I'm pretty sure that historically, Donitz would regard just one attack on a convoy as not being enough - leaving you in trouble once you got back to base.

And I agree night vision by non-player units is too good in stock; but I usually do OK by going to PD & using the periscope only occasionally when I get closer than maybe 5000M.

[astvitaliy1982]

Originally Posted by drowssapma

I should give that a try, but I usually give up and go for some single merchants unless another convoy approaches. P.S. I know that I don't know anyone here. I posted this thread on the morning of my 50th birthday. It was going to be a good birthday. I then got a call later on that I don't wish on anyone. My nephew...who was just the very best kid you could ever meet, was shot and killed. Someone who thinks they are some sort of a thug was shooting at another kid and my nephew was coming out of the grocery store. He suffered a single gunshot wound and died 45 minutes later. I don't really know why I am writing this, but I don't know how to feel. Playing this kinda helps me get my mind off the events. My whole family is broken right now. I'm sorry. I don't want to drag the thread down. I just want as many people to know what a good kid my nephew was.

Мои искренние соболезнования вам и вашей семье.

[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by drowssapma

P.S. I know that I don't know anyone here. I posted this thread on the morning of my 50th birthday. It was going to be a good birthday. I then got a call later on that I don't wish on anyone. My nephew...who was just the very best kid you could ever meet, was shot and killed. Someone who thinks they are some sort of a thug was shooting at another kid and my nephew was coming out of the grocery store. He suffered a single gunshot wound and died 45 minutes later. I don't really know why I am writing this, but I don't know how to feel. Playing this kinda helps me get my mind off the events. My whole family is broken right now. I'm sorry. I don't want to drag the thread down. I just want as many people to know what a good kid my nephew was.

Terrible! So, sorry for your loss. I wish you and your family much strength and comfort in the days to come.