A very noob question on destroyer evasion

[liljack]

Hey guys, bought this game recently and aren't very good at it, particularly evading destroyers once spotted. So I've spent the last few days reading here and trying out some tactics. It seems I'm slowly getting better but there's one thing I don't understand: in many of the threads people talk about changing course depending on which way the destroyer turns for another DC/detection run. But how do you know what the destroyer is doing when you're submerged?

[richardphat]

how? If you are playing in realism mod, i dont have any ideas. However if you play from easy to hard you can press , and . to watch the ennemy. Or you can still use your 3d camera if possible. You will use to it !!!
PSSS WELCOME ABOARD!

[liljack]

Well the only way I know is by using the free view, but that seems like cheating really. I thought there must have been a way since so many people mention it.

[richardphat]

You can tell your sonar man to follow nearest target and he will inform you if dd is moving away, closing.............

[1480]

richardphat has a great suggestion. But pay attention to which bearing your SO informs you that the kriegs shiff is coming from. If they are coming in fast, knuckle in the direction that will quickly get you out of harms way. There is no perfect or exact tactic that will save your boot! IME distance is the best, something that comes close to it is #2. It's not real life and you can always learn from your mistakes, whatever works for you, do it, until you implode.....

[rifleman13]

In evading destoyers or any ASW ship...

Just dive deep and shut up, wait for a few hours and then get the hell of of there!
Works for me!

[liljack]

Originally Posted by 1480

It's not real life and you can always learn from your mistakes, whatever works for you, do it, until you implode.....

I've used my 9 lives up doing that. Since I'm new to sub sims I actually just spent some time using the free view to learn what the destroyers do. I attempted playing the cat for a while just to see what happens. It's interesting how often they'll DC and you're not even in range to get damage.

As for the going deep and shutting up, the problem is they seem to detect me anyway. I usually try to crawl away but 9/10 times they find me again. And if I come to the surface to check what's going on it seems they know where I am and are in close vicinity - maybe that's what several people mention as being "harder than real life". But I guess I'm too impatient as well. I'd hate to be like some of you who have a wife - the guy whose other half moved the pc into the lounge so they could still be in the same room - now that's understanding

Anyway, thank for the help guys.

[Bosje]

welcome, Kaleun

in stock, going to 'silent running' is not enough
take a look at your rpm, if it is above 100 (or even 50) one of those boys who is sitting still above you can hear you, then they might go pinging for a while to nail you down

in gwx, rpm drops to 99 or so at silent running. 50 or even 0 is still better

manually set to 50 by ordering a speed of .9 knots, or simply cut the engines

you can check the rpm best from the view in the conning tower. if you didn't get that, please say so i'll try to explain more clearly

[liljack]

Yes please Bosje. I read about reading the rpm from the command room I think but I click on things and sometimes I get a closer view and other times nothing seems to work. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. So I usually just set a speed of 1kn via the speed dial. So how do you read the rpm properly and set it?

[Bosje]

right click on the chief engineer (left most officer panel) to get a good look at the rpm. or go into the conning tower (up through the hatch from the control room, the little cupboard where the attack periscope is) for an even better look at the rpm.

you can 'set' the rpm by simply ordering a certain speed, that is done from the speed dial in the bottom right of your screen. 1 knot or slightly below one knot will ensure 50 rpm. the chief will say something like 'yes sir, new speed 0 knots) but if you look closely he will actually make the speed 0.9 knots or something. thats enough to creep along while remaining quite silent.
to be the most silent you could possibly be, you will need:
-silent running
-engines completely off (all stop)
-decent depth (depending on your boat and the year of the war, i'd say anything below 160 or 180 is not bad)

that way, they can't really hear you. they can still ping you though, and they probably WILL because they want to find you, of course

so in addition to all of that, it helps to keep the boat pointed directly towards or directly away from the destroyer which is pinging (not easy, will come with experience)

many people will use many different ways to escape the escorts. my personal style:
as they come in for a depthcharge run (if you are convinced they actually have you nailed down precisely), take a run when the charges drop, the DD is above you and can't hear you anymore. run and turn away, just for a couple seconds, cut engines again and try to end up with your nose or tail towards the DD. now they have to find you all over again

this can go on for hours. if you use time compression they will have more success finding you, best way to escape is sit through it in real time

phew that was long, now i'm sure the other kaleuns have more to add to this

[liljack]

Originally Posted by Bosje

right click on the chief engineer (left most officer panel) to get a good look at the rpm.

Sorry everyone but I must be missing something here. When I right click the engineer I get the port/starboard telegraphs, rudder, compass and current speed. There is no rpm dial. Is this included in a mod or something? I can see it in the conning tower however.

I don't think I understand how the interface works. If I click on the "radio and sonar" button it takes me to the radio room. Sometimes I can click on the radio man and it gives me a closer look. Other times it takes me to the bed. Sometimes it doesn't work at all. Hmmm, I've got no clue with this game really.

[Sailor Steve]

When you right-click on an officer you take his place. You can still turn in that position and look at everything around you, just like from your original position. This gives you a very good look at the RPM dials.

[Monica Lewinsky]

Originally Posted by liljack

But how do you know what the destroyer is doing when you're submerged?

Pick a course out of your butt, go deep, go silent.

I try to MATCH the destroyers couse while going deep. Works 90% of the time for evading. Confuses the sonar operator.

Worse thing to do is pick a course 90 degrees of the s.o.b's course and his/her sonar has you as DEAD meat.

Seek out Thermal layers.

[Sensekhmet]

Originally Posted by Bosje

this can go on for hours. if you use time compression they will have more success finding you, best way to escape is sit through it in real time

Dear God

[Brag]

Welcome aboard Kaleun Liljack.

When a destroyer drops DC on you and you can her it overhead (or look through your observation scope and the escort is overhead) go to flank speed for about 30 seconds to avoid DCs. Eventually the escort will lose you.

For more details go to my Kielman webbie.