Just when I decide to try playing without cheater cams...

treblesum81 · 06-06-10, 06:10 AM

So I spent the last three hours tracking what I thought was a convoy in bad weather in the Makassar Strait in early '42. It was moving fairly slow and was pretty tightly packed, so I figured if I got in decent position, I'd be able to fire some fish in and at least hit something. After spending all that time getting into position and setting up a shot, I sat under the thermal layer until the first escorts passed, then I popped up to periscope depth to fire my fish at near point blank range. I set my torpedos to 12ft, thinking that would be a good depth to hit most freighters and let them loose. Well... the shots looked good on the sonar tails passing the range point slightly in front, but I got no hits. A few seconds later, the water lit up with all sorts of active sonar and I had to run deep and sneak away. Giving up on the whole "realism" thing, I gave a cycle through the ships in the fleet and found that there were 11 DD's and Subchasers escorting a single light cruiser and that they were running slow and slow screws because they were in some sort of crazy traffic jam (I actually saw a few of them reverse to avoid collisions). So, not only did I fail to identify what I was shooting at, but had the weather been any better, I probably would be dead...

Any tips on identifying ships in this sort of circumstance? Both so that I can avoid kicking the hornet's nest like an idiot, and so that I don't waste hours of time tracking down a useless convoy?

Thanks

Armistead · 06-06-10, 11:15 AM

If you listen on sonar, DD's usually have faster screws. Sonar ID on the top left will list as warship or merchant if a good contact, course a TF or large convoy has a lot of escorts, just means it's a good target. The issue is not attacking a TF with lots of escorts, but how you did it. If a convoy has lots of escorts, that's a target you want.

First question, bad weather early 42, I would've stayed on the surface. If you also have contacts off watch the sonar lines and use the icon to track nearest warship. being aware that you don't run into one. Why get trapped underwater if you have bad weather cover. The only issue being if they had surface radar and you're using one of the supermods like TMO. When they have surface radar they will hunt you in storms and often run right up your stern if your not watching. Still, if your careful you can easily stay away from them.

Bad weather, early 42, even dived, no escort should be able to find you in those conditions if you evade properly. High sea's make them deaf, even with harder supermods.

I assume you didn't have surface radar, which would make it much easier to track ships and ID them, fairly easy to know the outer ring is escorts.

Are you playing with cams and contacts off, cause sounds like you have contacts off also.

If merchants, use your deckgun if needed. You don't have to see the ship. Watch sonar or radar, get to about 700 yards from it, and shoot that range you choose down the bearing, you can hardly miss. Once it's on fire, it's easy to see. You can run in and out blasting away and save those torps if you're worried about sonar shooting.

treblesum81 · 06-06-10, 01:01 PM

I'm running TMO, so I could probably have made a surface attack, but the problem isn't that I didn't do a good attack, but rather that there was nothing to shoot at. Like I said, the central group of DD's and the light cruiser were in a traffic jam so their screws were slower than normal, and there literally wasn't anything else to shoot at... all of those escorts were there for just one light cruiser. What I want to know, if there is a way, is how to better identify ships at a decent range without cheater cams so I don't end up wasting all evening tracking down my own death...

G2B · 06-06-10, 06:35 PM

Engine sounds, different ships have different engine sounds even at slower speeds, At long distance's its hard to pick out individual ships in a convoy or TF. With some practice listening you can usually pick up the larger ships in the group.

Armistead · 06-06-10, 07:03 PM

It should be rare that they're all milling like that since TMO correctly a lot of stock traffic. There are TF like that, few thankfully, so wouldn't concern myself with it.

No real way to ID a ship until you can get visuals on it, other than warship. Sometimes you step into the hornets nest.

However, if you want, you can clear a storm by pressing control N, just be far enough away so they don't see you.

treblesum81 · 06-06-10, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

It should be rare that they're all milling like that since TMO correctly a lot of stock traffic. There are TF like that, few thankfully, so wouldn't concern myself with it.

No real way to ID a ship until you can get visuals on it, other than warship. Sometimes you step into the hornets nest.

However, if you want, you can clear a storm by pressing control N, just be far enough away so they don't see you.

LOL, avoid using god-mode cameras by using god-mode weather controls :P

green_abobo · 06-07-10, 08:35 PM

as much as i would love to play w/o external views,my dead reckoning skills are sufficiently challenged,even with MOBO,i still have to have it.

maybe in stock i could do it. RFB,no way.

Ducimus · 06-07-10, 09:06 PM

Sounds like i either missed a task force entry in the campaign files, or made a typo and pressed 11 instead of 1. ehh.... oopsy.

rein1705 · 06-07-10, 11:37 PM

pretend it was an admiral on a cruse to somewhere important.

06-06-10, 06:10 AM	#1
treblesum81 Frogman Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 308 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	Just when I decide to try playing without cheater cams... So I spent the last three hours tracking what I thought was a convoy in bad weather in the Makassar Strait in early '42. It was moving fairly slow and was pretty tightly packed, so I figured if I got in decent position, I'd be able to fire some fish in and at least hit something. After spending all that time getting into position and setting up a shot, I sat under the thermal layer until the first escorts passed, then I popped up to periscope depth to fire my fish at near point blank range. I set my torpedos to 12ft, thinking that would be a good depth to hit most freighters and let them loose. Well... the shots looked good on the sonar tails passing the range point slightly in front, but I got no hits. A few seconds later, the water lit up with all sorts of active sonar and I had to run deep and sneak away. Giving up on the whole "realism" thing, I gave a cycle through the ships in the fleet and found that there were 11 DD's and Subchasers escorting a single light cruiser and that they were running slow and slow screws because they were in some sort of crazy traffic jam (I actually saw a few of them reverse to avoid collisions). So, not only did I fail to identify what I was shooting at, but had the weather been any better, I probably would be dead... Any tips on identifying ships in this sort of circumstance? Both so that I can avoid kicking the hornet's nest like an idiot, and so that I don't waste hours of time tracking down a useless convoy? Thanks

06-06-10, 11:15 AM	#2
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	If you listen on sonar, DD's usually have faster screws. Sonar ID on the top left will list as warship or merchant if a good contact, course a TF or large convoy has a lot of escorts, just means it's a good target. The issue is not attacking a TF with lots of escorts, but how you did it. If a convoy has lots of escorts, that's a target you want. First question, bad weather early 42, I would've stayed on the surface. If you also have contacts off watch the sonar lines and use the icon to track nearest warship. being aware that you don't run into one. Why get trapped underwater if you have bad weather cover. The only issue being if they had surface radar and you're using one of the supermods like TMO. When they have surface radar they will hunt you in storms and often run right up your stern if your not watching. Still, if your careful you can easily stay away from them. Bad weather, early 42, even dived, no escort should be able to find you in those conditions if you evade properly. High sea's make them deaf, even with harder supermods. I assume you didn't have surface radar, which would make it much easier to track ships and ID them, fairly easy to know the outer ring is escorts. Are you playing with cams and contacts off, cause sounds like you have contacts off also. If merchants, use your deckgun if needed. You don't have to see the ship. Watch sonar or radar, get to about 700 yards from it, and shoot that range you choose down the bearing, you can hardly miss. Once it's on fire, it's easy to see. You can run in and out blasting away and save those torps if you're worried about sonar shooting. Last edited by Armistead; 06-06-10 at 12:19 PM.

06-06-10, 06:35 PM	#4
G2B XO Join Date: May 2009 Location: Guam, I think Posts: 420 Downloads: 80 Uploads: 0	Engine sounds, different ships have different engine sounds even at slower speeds, At long distance's its hard to pick out individual ships in a convoy or TF. With some practice listening you can usually pick up the larger ships in the group. __________________

06-07-10, 08:35 PM	#7
green_abobo Sparky Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: running silent 700 meters off your starboard bow.. Posts: 152 Downloads: 50 Uploads: 0	as much as i would love to play w/o external views,my dead reckoning skills are sufficiently challenged,even with MOBO,i still have to have it. maybe in stock i could do it. RFB,no way. __________________

06-07-10, 11:37 PM	#9
rein1705 Samurai Navy Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: somewhere in the Past. Posts: 582 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 0	pretend it was an admiral on a cruse to somewhere important. __________________ "Diesel Pig" Not so long ago...

06-06-10, 01:01 PM	#3
treblesum81 Frogman Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 308 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	I'm running TMO, so I could probably have made a surface attack, but the problem isn't that I didn't do a good attack, but rather that there was nothing to shoot at. Like I said, the central group of DD's and the light cruiser were in a traffic jam so their screws were slower than normal, and there literally wasn't anything else to shoot at... all of those escorts were there for just one light cruiser. What I want to know, if there is a way, is how to better identify ships at a decent range without cheater cams so I don't end up wasting all evening tracking down my own death...

06-06-10, 07:03 PM	#5
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	It should be rare that they're all milling like that since TMO correctly a lot of stock traffic. There are TF like that, few thankfully, so wouldn't concern myself with it. No real way to ID a ship until you can get visuals on it, other than warship. Sometimes you step into the hornets nest. However, if you want, you can clear a storm by pressing control N, just be far enough away so they don't see you.

06-07-10, 09:06 PM	#8
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Sounds like i either missed a task force entry in the campaign files, or made a typo and pressed 11 instead of 1. ehh.... oopsy.