How close before being detected?

First let me say that I'm playing with the Grey Wolves mod. I encountered a convoy during the night and got 6 hits out of 6 fish. Howevver; I was only able to do this because of the map updates. I can't see anything in the pitch black until I'm just a few hundred meters away. Once the convoy had passed I popped up and engaged a dead in the water cargo ship with my deck gun. Again, I could barely see him until I was 400m away. Once I started shooting he turned on his spotlight and made it much easier to see. Unfortunately, it also made it easier for someone to see and shoot at me (not sure if it was the cargo or some other ship, but the nearest warship was over 3k away). So, if I can barely see these ships at those ranges, how close can I expect to get when surfaced before they see me?

[P_Funk]

In the blue darkness before comlplete darkness y ou can get to under a Kilometre but you can't get inside the convoy until its totally dark. Later on visual detection is your last concern. But in the first few years in the night you can get pretty close.

[TarJak]

Using TGW1.1a I've run a couple of tests and depending on the light conditions I can get to within 300m on the surface before getting seen by a merchant. It's not so easy againsta a destoyer and the best I could do was 800m in total darkness.

I think it also depends a lot on the crew rating of the target. If they are elite you'll be lucky to get within 3km!

[melnibonian]

Hello

In the begining of the war you can get really close with impunity. As years pass though you have to be really careful. Usually I try to get if possible within 1000m of my target. The visibility depends on the weather conditions as well. If there is heavy fog you can't see almost anything after about 250-300m. Also if you find it difficult to see in the night try to alter your monitor settings. If this doesn't work then try to insatall the light version of the visibility mod in GW.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by melnibonian

Hello

In the begining of the war you can get really close with impunity. As years pass though you have to be really careful. Usually I try to get if possible within 1000m of my target. The visibility depends on the weather conditions as well. If there is heavy fog you can't see almost anything after about 250-300m. Also if you find it difficult to see in the night try to alter your monitor settings. If this doesn't work then try to insatall the light version of the visibility mod in GW.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

Yes, are you having trouble see or was this just a question on detection? In all reality, pitch black, the U-boat could be within the convoy motoring about without being detected. Usually detection was made by radar or the tanker that has just exploded. My set up and monitor allows me to see ships about 4000m off. My watch is like Eagle Eye GI Joe, they can see them 15000m off. I guess they eat their carrots!

[melnibonian]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Yes, are you having trouble see or was this just a question on detection? In all reality, pitch black, the U-boat could be within the convoy motoring about without being detected. Usually detection was made by radar or the tanker that has just exploded. My set up and monitor allows me to see ships about 4000m off. My watch is like Eagle Eye GI Joe, they can see them 15000m off. I guess they eat their carrots!

I guess Cue-Ball had a problem seeing the ships on the monitor as he said in the original post that he was using the map updates. To use the map updates you have to have visual contact. Unfortunatelly my watch crew don't like carrots so they see the enemy at the norla distances of 4500-400m (depending on the weather). I think I'll change their diet

[Jusa_Finn]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Yes, are you having trouble see or was this just a question on detection? In all reality, pitch black, the U-boat could be within the convoy motoring about without being detected. Usually detection was made by radar or the tanker that has just exploded. My set up and monitor allows me to see ships about 4000m off. My watch is like Eagle Eye GI Joe, they can see them 15000m off. I guess they eat their carrots!

Finnish airplane pilots received extra portions of butter in order to gain nightvision .

[FlyinS]

Originally Posted by TarJak

I think it also depends a lot on the crew rating of the target. If they are elite you'll be lucky to get within 3km!

I think this must be true. I am usually at night able to come up even to a destroyer at around 1KM, send off two torpedoes, and slip away without him ever knowing (until the package is delivered of course). Last night I was at periscope depth, in the middle of the night, with my attack periscope up lowered to just barely over the waterline. A tugboat detected me from about 3.5km away and immediately began taking evasive action. Total bummer as I was hoping to pop up on him at about 1.5km and give him a deck gun salute!