SH4: Too stupid for rescue missions...

Kaleun_Saxi · 12-27-20, 09:10 AM

Ahoy,

after zillions of careers in SH3 I recently started SH4 (vanilla version) and am stuck with my first pilot rescue mission. I am close to the Solomons and can see some pilots through UZO but the button for the rescue is always grey. I can't lock the targets in the UZO apparently. Do I need to zoom in or out? My UZO is at x7 but my mousewheel seems not to be working, as I can't zoom in or out.
What am I doing wrong? Oh and I tried to browse this forum before posting this question, I swear!

propbeanie · 12-27-20, 10:04 AM

I find it easier to use the browser's "Search" engine, and use a term like "site:subsim.com/radioroom rescue pilot" to find things. As for the "technique technique!!!"

When you approach the "survivors" come in bow-on as much as you can, the closer to zero relative you are, the less bobbing your boat does. Don't run them over though... They do "Bob" back to the surface though - usually... This angle makes it easier for you to "target" the survivor for pick-up. Secondly, you have to get in close, like 500 yards or less. Third, make certain you are on the full Bridge view with the life-saver icon visible, which it sounds like you are since you using the UZO. Of which, that is the main problem most likely. Use the binoculars. When at a normal view on the Bridge, use the zoom to enable the binoculars, which is usually the <Tab> key, or the mouse wheel roll. Once you get that view, let the binocular view "roll" over the pilot in the water, and press that life-saver icon when the crosshair in the binocular goes from yellow to red. The game (and the human) can be a bit slow in reacting at times, so you might have to click several times.

KaleunMarco · 12-27-20, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleun_Saxi

Ahoy,

after zillions of careers in SH3 I recently started SH4 (vanilla version) and am stuck with my first pilot rescue mission. I am close to the Solomons and can see some pilots through UZO but the button for the rescue is always grey. I can't lock the targets in the UZO apparently. Do I need to zoom in or out? My UZO is at x7 but my mousewheel seems not to be working, as I can't zoom in or out.
What am I doing wrong? Oh and I tried to browse this forum before posting this question, I swear!

hey saxi,

rescuing "surviviors" can be tedious. it is the least favorite mission of SH4, IMHO.

get close to the red/pink dyed water as quickly as possible because survivors only "survive" for a fixed period of time.
slow down such that when you get to 300-350 meters of the survivor your speed is down to 2-3 kts.
have the BINOCULAR menu items displayed (toolbar on the bottom of the screen).
go to the Binocular view on the screen and zoom in as close as you can get.
your survivor will be at either end of the dyed water. he will be bobbing up and down as if he is standing in the water.
this last part is the trickiest. you need to use the binoculars to put the crosshairs on the survivor such that they change color (white to red, i think). while the cross-hairs are red, click on the life preserver in the menu bar. my habit is to click more than once simply because it is very frustrating (similar to when you call an elevator and it does not arrive quickly...you keep pressing the call button).
when SH4 accepts your click, the red dye will vanish and you will get a message in the message box stating that the survivor is aboard. (i forget the exact message but you will get one).

then, take a deep breath and go get the next survivor. you will need five successful pickups to get a completed objective.
keep at it and you will get the hang of it.
this mission drive me batty.

Viel Glück, Herr Kaleun!

km

Kaleun_Saxi · 12-27-20, 06:50 PM

Thanks for your help, I did finally manage it after learning the difference between binoculars (Tab-key) and the TBT/UZO (U-Key). Yikes... Rescued the first pilot already. Seems to be Lt. Don French vom VMF-214 Black Sheep.

KaleunMarco · 12-27-20, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleun_Saxi

Thanks for your help, I did finally manage it after learning the difference between binoculars (Tab-key) and the TBT/UZO (U-Key). Yikes... Rescued the first pilot already. Seems to be Lt. Don French vom VMF-214 Black Sheep.

that's pretty funny.
hopefully you won't get into a card game and then a fist fight with Lt. French's commanding officer when you return him to his unit.

jimmbbo · 12-28-20, 03:11 PM

IMO the rescue missions are at best an aggravation, as I have charged all over the rescue zone chasing downed pilot icons and pink smoke plumes. I have managed to rescue 10-12 aviators and have yet to get a "mission completed" after investing a LOT of time... Adding to the frustration is that I am unable to determine how many rescues I have made, and keep putting pilots below endlessly till I decide to abandon the mission.

KaleunMarco · 12-28-20, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmbbo

IMO the rescue missions are at best an aggravation, as I have charged all over the rescue zone chasing downed pilot icons and pink smoke plumes. I have managed to rescue 10-12 aviators and have yet to get a "mission completed" after investing a LOT of time... Adding to the frustration is that I am unable to determine how many rescues I have made, and keep putting pilots below endlessly till I decide to abandon the mission.

you should only need 5 rescues for a objective-accomplished.
i think...you are not completing some of the rescues. an actual rescue will have a survivor rescued message in the commands message box. if you don't get that, you didn't do whatever has to be done to effect a rescue. i'm not yelling or preaching....just sharing some of the frustration i have experienced with these objectives.

jimmbbo · 12-29-20, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

you should only need 5 rescues for a objective-accomplished.
i think...you are not completing some of the rescues. an actual rescue will have a survivor rescued message in the commands message box. if you don't get that, you didn't do whatever has to be done to effect a rescue. i'm not yelling or preaching....just sharing some of the frustration i have experienced with these objectives.

Thanks... I get visual feedback for successful rescues (IIRC the aviator disappears when clicked and the life ring icon goes dark[?]), but seem to be stuck in "pilot rescue hell" after completing more than five rescues... I don't recall getting a "mission completed" on a rescue mission after madly dashing hundreds of miles at flank speed chasing icons and pink smoke, despite apparently successful rescues...

It would be a plus to have some way to check the number of rescued pilots, as after putting 8-10 soaked aviators on board, I'm ready to send some more tonnage to the bottom. To remove the aggravation of those missions I have taken to ignoring rescue missions to further that goal

Kaleun_Saxi · 12-31-20, 03:49 PM

Hey fellow commanders,

I got another question. I was assigned the newly build USS Balao in early 1943 and started my trip in Brisbane. I managed to fullfill six missions during the trip but when I come back to Brisbane I can't finish the trip. Docking in Brisbane is not an active option. I just can refill or skip any actions. What's the reason for this? Do I need to get back to Pearl Harbor? I noticed on my map that the anchor in Pearl Harbor is slightly bigger than all the other ones. Or do I need to complete more missions/tasks during this operation?

Moonlight · 12-31-20, 04:00 PM

Look on the nav map for a tilted anchor, that's your home port.

Kaleun_Saxi · 12-31-20, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonlight

Look on the nav map for a tilted anchor, that's your home port.

There is none and in all my missions there never was one. I always came back to Pearl Harbor so far. I must be running an older version of the game I guess.

KaleunMarco · 12-31-20, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleun_Saxi

Hey fellow commanders,

I got another question. I was assigned the newly build USS Balao in early 1943 and started my trip in Brisbane. I managed to fullfill six missions during the trip but when I come back to Brisbane I can't finish the trip. Docking in Brisbane is not an active option. I just can refill or skip any actions. What's the reason for this? Do I need to get back to Pearl Harbor? I noticed on my map that the anchor in Pearl Harbor is slightly bigger than all the other ones. Or do I need to complete more missions/tasks during this operation?

so....which is your "home" base: Pearl or Brisbane?
"Home" will have a tilted, fouled anchor as an icon.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=...AAAAAdAAAAABAI

1Patriotofmany · 12-31-20, 08:14 PM

Can I capture enemy flyers the same way? Any reward if they don't shoot themselves in the water?

KaleunMarco · 12-31-20, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Patriotofmany

Can I capture enemy flyers the same way? Any reward if they don't shoot themselves in the water?

negative on capturing IJN survivors.

Kaleun_Saxi · 01-01-21, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaleunMarco

so....which is your "home" base: Pearl or Brisbane?
"Home" will have a tilted, fouled anchor as an icon.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=...AAAAAdAAAAABAI

As I mentioned before, none of the anchors is tilted on my map.

12-27-20, 09:10 AM	#1
Kaleun_Saxi Torpedoman Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 112 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	SH4: Too stupid for rescue missions... Ahoy, after zillions of careers in SH3 I recently started SH4 (vanilla version) and am stuck with my first pilot rescue mission. I am close to the Solomons and can see some pilots through UZO but the button for the rescue is always grey. I can't lock the targets in the UZO apparently. Do I need to zoom in or out? My UZO is at x7 but my mousewheel seems not to be working, as I can't zoom in or out. What am I doing wrong? Oh and I tried to browse this forum before posting this question, I swear! __________________ Kaleun Saxi USS Drum

12-27-20, 10:04 AM	#2
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 9,743 Downloads: 439 Uploads: 2	I find it easier to use the browser's "Search" engine, and use a term like "site:subsim.com/radioroom rescue pilot" to find things. As for the "technique technique!!!" When you approach the "survivors" come in bow-on as much as you can, the closer to zero relative you are, the less bobbing your boat does. Don't run them over though... They do "Bob" back to the surface though - usually... This angle makes it easier for you to "target" the survivor for pick-up. Secondly, you have to get in close, like 500 yards or less. Third, make certain you are on the full Bridge view with the life-saver icon visible, which it sounds like you are since you using the UZO. Of which, that is the main problem most likely. Use the binoculars. When at a normal view on the Bridge, use the zoom to enable the binoculars, which is usually the <Tab> key, or the mouse wheel roll. Once you get that view, let the binocular view "roll" over the pilot in the water, and press that life-saver icon when the crosshair in the binocular goes from yellow to red. The game (and the human) can be a bit slow in reacting at times, so you might have to click several times. __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayer/s" - Jimbuna

12-27-20, 06:50 PM	#4
Kaleun_Saxi Torpedoman Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 112 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Thanks for your help, I did finally manage it after learning the difference between binoculars (Tab-key) and the TBT/UZO (U-Key). Yikes... Rescued the first pilot already. Seems to be Lt. Don French vom VMF-214 Black Sheep. __________________ Kaleun Saxi USS Drum

12-31-20, 03:49 PM	#9
Kaleun_Saxi Torpedoman Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 112 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Hey fellow commanders, I got another question. I was assigned the newly build USS Balao in early 1943 and started my trip in Brisbane. I managed to fullfill six missions during the trip but when I come back to Brisbane I can't finish the trip. Docking in Brisbane is not an active option. I just can refill or skip any actions. What's the reason for this? Do I need to get back to Pearl Harbor? I noticed on my map that the anchor in Pearl Harbor is slightly bigger than all the other ones. Or do I need to complete more missions/tasks during this operation? __________________ Kaleun Saxi USS Drum

12-31-20, 04:00 PM	#10
Moonlight Admiral Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fookhall Copse Posts: 2,132 Downloads: 184 Uploads: 0	Look on the nav map for a tilted anchor, that's your home port. __________________

12-28-20, 03:11 PM	#6
jimmbbo Run silent, run deep Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 225 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	IMO the rescue missions are at best an aggravation, as I have charged all over the rescue zone chasing downed pilot icons and pink smoke plumes. I have managed to rescue 10-12 aviators and have yet to get a "mission completed" after investing a LOT of time... Adding to the frustration is that I am unable to determine how many rescues I have made, and keep putting pilots below endlessly till I decide to abandon the mission.

12-31-20, 08:14 PM	#13
1Patriotofmany Commander Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 447 Downloads: 95 Uploads: 0	Can I capture enemy flyers the same way? Any reward if they don't shoot themselves in the water?