Newbie with basic questions

[Hnrq]

I know, I should use the search, but I can't seem to find the basic answers.

Which base and sub to begin with?

Thanks.

[breadcatcher101]

As far as a base you can choose that. If you start at the outbreak of the war, Manila PI will probably have you in a S class boat. Shortly the Japanese will over run and you'll have to relocate to Java and later Fremantle. You will be right in the thick of the invasion with lots of hostile planes and task forces everywhere, lots of dud torpedos as well.

Brisbane will put you in the Solomons a lot and north of there as well. Either one of these bases you will have your share of tankers, very important targets.

At Pearl you will get a more modern boat, most of your AO will be around Japan, Northern Luzon.

As you progress you will be offered a newer boat as they come out. Boats and torpedoes get better as the war progressed.

[Admiral Von Gerlach]

Excellent thanks for that info, i needed it too. I am glad to see they included historic data re the torps and duds, and the relocations. Some good boats were lost in those early days over the duds. And the workhorse S Boats they had their challenges.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by breadcatcher101

As you progress you will be offered a newer boat as they come out. Boats and torpedoes get better as the war progressed.

Your 'base' will also get moved as well.

Example Pearl will get moved to Midway later in the war.

Always check your messages as its pretty easy to miss these. Its aggrivating to sail all the way to what used to be your home base only to find it has changed.

[Hnrq]

Thanks for the answer.

Here's another one:

Early in the game, how should I patrol? On surface or under it? Stay put or move around?

And what if I go back base while mission is still incompeled?

I have TMO + some minor mods.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Hnrq

Thanks for the answer.

Here's another one:

Early in the game, how should I patrol? On surface or under it? Stay put or move around?

And what if I go back base while mission is still incompeled?

I have TMO + some minor mods.

Subs spent at least 90% of their time on the surface. I do so as well only diving for spotted aircraft, sound checks, and attack approaches. Depending on the time of year and location spotted aircraft may force you down for most of the daylight hours. Keep in mind that the more battery you use, the more fuel you will use recharging them. Typically I only run at 2 or 3 knots while submerged to conserve batterys. For sound checks its just a quick dip down to 80 or so feet, a few sweeps with the sonar, then back up again.

Stay put or move around.... well depends on the mission type. One requires you to stay within 100 miles of the patrol point (star with binoculars) for those I usually just drift around saving fuel unless something interesting pops up. The other requires a certain amount of tonnage (Star with a flag). For those I move around... alot, at times hundreds of miles from the original star point.

Go back to base without fullfillig the mission. No big deal just a slight loss of renown. You wont be courtmartialled or anything. In fact sometimes the game will give you missions that you will not be able to fullfill, either too far for the fuel you have left or not enough munitions to acheieve the tonnage.

The game makes a judgemnet wether or not to give you another mission based on how much fuel / munitions you have on board. One trick is if you want to get that RTB message is to get rid of all but one or two of your torpedoes. How you get rid of them is up to you :rotfl:

Here is a good guide on "How to complete a mission" http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=111509

[AirborneTD]

I stay on the surface until in range of enemy bases and suspected air cover. I avoid potential air bases such as Wake (when it is captured) but putting a 500 mile radius around it. When I transit into an area roughly 500 miles from an enemy base, I submerge during the day (running as mentioned above at 2-3 knots.) I surface at night and run at 8 knots.

[Hnrq]

How do I stay hidden from those destroyers?

For exsample I attack heavy cruiser on task force. After the kill, how I stay hidden from destroyers?

[Orion2012]

Originally Posted by Hnrq

How do I stay hidden from those destroyers?

For exsample I attack heavy cruiser on task force. After the kill, how I stay hidden from destroyers?

Dive deep, preferably below a thermal layer (the game will tell you when you pass it) and rig for silent running.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Orion2012

Dive deep, preferably below a thermal layer (the game will tell you when you pass it) and rig for silent running.

This is good adivce, also whatever you do keep moving. Dont think that sitting at a dead stop will make it harder for them to find you.

If they find your course / location, change course, sometimes doubeling back will throw them off

[Laconic]

Originally Posted by Hnrq

How do I stay hidden from those destroyers?

For exsample I attack heavy cruiser on task force. After the kill, how I stay hidden from destroyers?

Also, make sure battle stations are off, make sure no one is reloading tubes, make sure you're running silent (Z key) and going pretty slow (I try not to go faster than 2 knots).

If I'm still spotted, I man the observation scope. It can tilt all the way up, so you can watch the surface when you're submerged. I have sonar track the bearing of the warship and watch for it on the scope. You can actually see them dumping depth charges; if you're deep enough (300 feet) you can go to flank (enemy sonar can't hear you when you're behind an enemy ship, its own engines are too loud) and dodge them before they blow. Just keep turning until you sneak away.