wolfpacks in or out?

[Laffertytig]

i cant find any info on this, has there been any official word on wolfpacks in sh5?

[Letum]

There are AI u-boats and they will respond to contact reports and attack
ships (like planes sometimes do in SH3).

That's all; no true wolfpacks.

[Oberon]

Yes, they are in. I shall not quote Dan for the moment because for some reason that part of the interview is offline now until the 22nd, perhaps so Neal can get some things clarified, however it was confirmed that they are in. There's not much in the way of interaction with them, other than, like the Luftwaffe in SHIII, if you shadowed a convoy and reported it then there is a chance that you will not be alone when you move in to attack.

[TarJak]

That's OK Oberon I'll quote for you

Dan: We definitely have AI U-boats in the game. The level of interaction with them right now is limited, but there is a role for them in the campaign, so basically they will help the player accomplish his goals, but that is all I can say about it right now.

[looney]

Originally Posted by Letum

There are AI u-boats and they will respond to contact reports and attack
ships (like planes sometimes do in SH3).

That's all; no true wolfpacks.

Actually I think that is precise how wolfpacks worked.

[jimmie]

You won't be informed by the BdU who're in the action. AIs won't probably be in the see in the first place (to affect campaign result) so there won't be true radio reports, and of course so no AI to shadow. Your shadowing effort will not be awarded by BdU either (probably) It's not wolfpack but more like corp action on the sight. The lack of interactive BdU is in my top disappointment.

Who cares about wolfpacks, all we'd see is a few distant explosions and maybe hear a few depth charges....thats rubbish. I'd much rather UBI and the devs spent the time animating little objects on the VII and enhancing the crew's facial features so that their personality shines through.

Wolfpacks indeed!...are you all mad?!!

Originally Posted by Laffertytig

i cant find any info on this, has there been any official word on wolfpacks in sh5?

yes, if you read the interview with neal they said totally autonomous AI controlled subs in the area will close on a convoy you are shadowing and they will atack it but you wont interact with them but your actions in the game will effect if you see them or not.

if you dont shadow convoys then its pure chance you come accross other subs but if you maintain contact shadowing a convoy, at some point the other boats in the area will show up and attack the convoy.

you dont get any reward for this or penalty if you lose contact which prevents the trap being sprung but when or if it happens can be effected by your actions.


so the short answer is yes they have wolfpacks but you cant join or interact with them so its not the wolfpacks that people have in mind. i assume and hope we will be able to clean up the disabled ships afterwards.

[GoldenRivet]

i would still like to know of AI units:

1. Will there be AI fired torpedoes?

2. Will subs as well as surface craft or even airplanes be capable of using them?

3. Will AI subs evade enemy units by submerging or surfacing at will?

those are three other big ticket items as far as im concerned.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

1. Will there be AI fired torpedoes?

Remember the dev Q&A?

This is a nice feature and one we have in plan. However, it is regarded as less important than other features such as AI submarines - friendly and enemy.

Which to me seems like a complete contradiction....I don't see how you could have one (AI submarines) without the other (AI fired torpedoes). How do they expect the AI sub to fight?

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Remember the dev Q&A?



Which to me seems like a complete contradiction....I don't see how you could have one (AI submarines) without the other (AI fired torpedoes). How do they expect the AI sub to fight?

thanks mookie i dont think i noticed that in the interview.

personally i agree.

if you have AI subs who will form up and attack they MUST have torpedoes.

thats like havign a formation of AI F-16s in a combat flight sim but they can only use guns - not missiles.

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

i would still like to know of AI units:

1. Will there be AI fired torpedoes?

2. Will subs as well as surface craft or even airplanes be capable of using them?

3. Will AI subs evade enemy units by submerging or surfacing at will?

those are three other big ticket items as far as im concerned.

1 - yes dan said AI subs will fire torpedos

2 - last i heard there was no definate answer on this (it was the standard line of "its an interesting idea we are going to be looking into") but dan hinted that if it didnt happen modders should be able to "take hints" from the subs to add them to surface ships.

3 - yes dan did say AI subs will submerge and surface in response to your presence or the AI but as a side note i dont ever recall if they said if subs would only fire torpedos when surfaced or submerged or both.

[Letum]

Originally Posted by looney

Actually I think that is precise how wolfpacks worked.

Certainly not.

In the happy times boats would communicate with Bdu (and hence other
boats via friendly interception) and Bdu would coordinate other boats to
stalk convoys. Attack orders where also given by Bdu and one boat
was generally ordered not to attack, but to send regular position reports.

There where some two dozen organized attacks like this in 42 involving
5-20 u-boats. The attacks often lasted several days or even a week or
more.

The point is; these where successful because they where organized and
involved communication. This is what SHV's AI encounters will not
include.

A wolf-pack without organizational and communication is no pack at all.

[longam]

Originally Posted by Letum

Certainly not.

In the happy times boats would communicate with Bdu (and hence other
boats via friendly interception) and Bdu would coordinate other boats to
stalk convoys. Attack orders where also given by Bdu and one boat
was generally ordered not to attack, but to send regular position reports.

There where some two dozen organized attacks like this in 42 involving
5-20 u-boats. The attacks often lasted several days or even a week or
more.

The point is; these where successful because they where organized and
involved communication. This is what SHV's AI encounters will not
include.

A wolf-pack without organizational and communication is no pack at all.

But according to the interview this actually happens just without the communication part. You just have to be in the area where the WP are in and hang or shadow.

[GoldenRivet]

Originally Posted by longam

But according to the interview this actually happens just without the communication part. You just have to be in the area where the WP are in and hang or shadow.

I'll wager that with some modding, these communications can be simulated