Feeling lonely in the Pacific

Foxendown · 02-15-09, 06:15 PM

I recently bought a new rig so have at last been able to run SH4. I've had a very happy time up to now playing the superb SH3 GWX on my old PC. SH4 looks truly amazing but my only problem with it is that the shipping, enemy and friendly, seems so sparse compared with SH3. I started a career in Dec 1941 and have hung around shipping lanes with little success. I've started to miss my Atlantic career when I loitered off the Canaries and encountered numerous convoys with tough escorts-dangerous but lucrative. In search of more action, I've even done insane things like sailing on the surface down the Japanese coast in broad daylight-nothing happened-no air attacks or warships to challenge me. I've even gone right into a Japanese base submerged-it seems too easy to go in and leave undetected and there was only one warship to avoid there anyway. BTW it seems odd to me that a newly appointed submarine commander would be given a special mission like inserting an agent on the enemy coast-I would have expected that type of mission to occur later in your career, but perhaps that's historically accurate. Pearl Harbor has enough ships to look right but Midway had about 6, Surabaya 3 and Balikpapan was empty. It's early days of course, I've only just started, perhaps it builds up. Also I have RFB installed and I believe this reduces traffic to realistic levels which are necessarily lower than in the Atlantic and Med. I'd be grateful or any advice on offer. I'd really like to get into this sim the way I got into SH3.

Enigma · 02-15-09, 06:21 PM

Strange. To me, the insane abundance of enemy merchant shipping in SH4 kinda bugs me, so I'm kind of having the exact opposite experience you are. I see so many convoys that I don't get excited by them like I used to with SH3....

The Fishlord · 02-15-09, 07:08 PM

Are you using any mods? I know TMO corrects convoy patterns, and RSDRC takes it a step further and makes almost all of them historical according to records. It's amazing, I mean like if you go to coordinates of a battle at the right time you'll see it happen. I watched the Yorktown sink and Washington sink the Fuso.

AVGWarhawk · 02-15-09, 07:17 PM

RFB does not reduce traffic it does work the damage aspect of the vessels. If you are playing just stock and RFB you should be having traffic all over the place.

Anyway, RSRD is your historic traffic for the Pacific and I find plenty to sink. If you really dig the uboats try Operation Monsun or OM as it is called.

Torplexed · 02-15-09, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxendown

In search of more action, I've even done insane things like sailing on the surface down the Japanese coast in broad daylight-nothing happened-no air attacks or warships to challenge me. I've even gone right into a Japanese base submerged-it seems too easy to go in and leave undetected and there was only one warship to avoid there anyway.

Yeah, that should be suicidal. Unfortunately even the mods as of yet don't reflect Japanese shore patrol activity, coast watching or coastal artillery in their home islands. Right now there are no minefields or anti-submarine barriers around Japanese bases or as many small craft patrolling as there should be.

Quote:

BTW it seems odd to me that a newly appointed submarine commander would be given a special mission like inserting an agent on the enemy coast-I would have expected that type of mission to occur later in your career, but perhaps that's historically accurate.

Usually, these missions were assigned to the more oddball submarines; Nautilus, Narwhal and Argonaut. However since their weren't enough of them they were given to more standard subs as time went by. Ironically, most special missions early in the war involved evacuating key personnel from remote locations, not dropping them off. Some of the insertion missions in the stock game were pretty silly. I remember one where on my first patrol out of Manila I had to drop an agent off....near the entrance to Manila Bay. Seems to me he could have taken a cab.

Armistead · 02-15-09, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torplexed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxendown

In search of more action, I've even done insane things like sailing on the surface down the Japanese coast in broad daylight-nothing happened-no air attacks or warships to challenge me. I've even gone right into a Japanese base submerged-it seems too easy to go in and leave undetected and there was only one warship to avoid there anyway.

Yeah, that should be suicidal. Unfortunately even the mods as of yet don't reflect Japanese shore patrol activity or coastal artillery in their home islands. Right now there are no minefields or anti-submarine barriers around Japanese bases or as many small craft patrolling as there should be.

Quote:

BTW it seems odd to me that a newly appointed submarine commander would be given a special mission like inserting an agent on the enemy coast-I would have expected that type of mission to occur later in your career, but perhaps that's historically accurate.

Usually, these missions were assigned to the more oddball submarines; Nautilus, Narwhal and Argonaut. However since their weren't enough of them they were given to more standard subs as time went by. Historically, most special missions early in the war involved evacuating key personnel from remote locations, not dropping them off. Some of the insertion missions in the stock game were pretty silly. I remember one where on my first patrol out of Manila I had to drop an agent off....near the entrance to Manila Bay. Seems to me he could have taken a cab.

Theres mines for sure...found out the hard way.

RSRD takes away most of the special missions, unless you pick a Narwhal from what I've experinence..this is realistic. Have played to fall of 43 and got one special mission..recon or Tarawa.

There are a few aspects that I would love to see fixed. You go into a harbor, you can blow everything up why a dozen dd's just sit there. Guess that's poor programming and nothing can be done. You would think they could mod a dd or two to be running around the sitting ships closer in.

I went to Truk and had to DTT one dd to get in. Once in sank the Y, Fuso and a Kongo. Did one refit, came back and whoa..a large TF of 26 ships in front of Truk.
Plus another 12 ships spread out. Almost lagged me out. Sank another Y..lol, two carriers and another Fuso.

However, when night turned to day, a dd came in and gave me a time. The other 3 that sat patrolling all night 7000 yards away never coming in why I blew everything up,,,came in. I assume the one that made contact brought them on. It made it worth it getting away from 4.

The harbor shooting is just too easy.

I've also noticed if you come up right beside a ship, almost touching, either they don't see you or the dd's won't shoot. I came up beside the Hiryu dead in the water trying to sink it with my DG..lol..and two dd's just went in circles never playing me any attention. When it finally sunk..they opened up. I didn't get credit for it, so I guess I rammed it and pushed it over.

If you stay out of sight range, most dd's will just do patrol and let you blow them up. They just patrol as normal as if they're not being shot at.

02-15-09, 06:15 PM	#1
Foxendown Bosun Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 68 Downloads: 79 Uploads: 0	Feeling lonely in the Pacific I recently bought a new rig so have at last been able to run SH4. I've had a very happy time up to now playing the superb SH3 GWX on my old PC. SH4 looks truly amazing but my only problem with it is that the shipping, enemy and friendly, seems so sparse compared with SH3. I started a career in Dec 1941 and have hung around shipping lanes with little success. I've started to miss my Atlantic career when I loitered off the Canaries and encountered numerous convoys with tough escorts-dangerous but lucrative. In search of more action, I've even done insane things like sailing on the surface down the Japanese coast in broad daylight-nothing happened-no air attacks or warships to challenge me. I've even gone right into a Japanese base submerged-it seems too easy to go in and leave undetected and there was only one warship to avoid there anyway. BTW it seems odd to me that a newly appointed submarine commander would be given a special mission like inserting an agent on the enemy coast-I would have expected that type of mission to occur later in your career, but perhaps that's historically accurate. Pearl Harbor has enough ships to look right but Midway had about 6, Surabaya 3 and Balikpapan was empty. It's early days of course, I've only just started, perhaps it builds up. Also I have RFB installed and I believe this reduces traffic to realistic levels which are necessarily lower than in the Atlantic and Med. I'd be grateful or any advice on offer. I'd really like to get into this sim the way I got into SH3.

02-15-09, 06:21 PM	#2
Enigma The Old Man Join Date: May 2005 Location: At comms depth, obviously. Posts: 1,476 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	Strange. To me, the insane abundance of enemy merchant shipping in SH4 kinda bugs me, so I'm kind of having the exact opposite experience you are. I see so many convoys that I don't get excited by them like I used to with SH3.... __________________ "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it." -Mark Twain

02-15-09, 07:17 PM	#4
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	RFB does not reduce traffic it does work the damage aspect of the vessels. If you are playing just stock and RFB you should be having traffic all over the place. Anyway, RSRD is your historic traffic for the Pacific and I find plenty to sink. If you really dig the uboats try Operation Monsun or OM as it is called. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

02-15-09, 07:08 PM	#3
The Fishlord Planesman Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 185 Downloads: 119 Uploads: 0	Are you using any mods? I know TMO corrects convoy patterns, and RSDRC takes it a step further and makes almost all of them historical according to records. It's amazing, I mean like if you go to coordinates of a battle at the right time you'll see it happen. I watched the Yorktown sink and Washington sink the Fuso.