DARN IT!! How do you tell what nation they are??

fastfed · 09-15-10, 02:52 PM

I just wasted 4 torps on a "Large merchant"

I have W/A targeting.. I also no longer have ext. cam, so I cannot zoom in on the flag.. I just realized I sunk a AXIS merchant..

Its night and foggy.. How am I to tell what nation the ships are??

THANKS

Draka · 09-15-10, 02:57 PM

Welcome to reality .... basic rule of thumb is, if ya can't ID it, hold yer fire. Foggy, stormy and other low-visibility situations are truly frustrating - but that is part of the Great Game.

Weiss Pinguin · 09-15-10, 02:57 PM

There's a mod out there that brightens nationality flags to help, or you can just adjust the monitor's brightness like me

I also jack up the brightness and contrast settings on my video card, but that doesn't always help at night (but it looks better than the default settngs IMO)

JokerOfFate · 09-15-10, 02:59 PM

I got sunk by an english warship because I though they were axis too stormy to see surfaced *boom*

Gerald · 09-15-10, 03:00 PM

JokerOfFate · 09-15-10, 03:02 PM

No I just need glasses

CherryHarbey · 09-15-10, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastfed

I just wasted 4 torps on a "Large merchant"

I have W/A targeting.. I also no longer have ext. cam, so I cannot zoom in on the flag.. I just realized I sunk a AXIS merchant..

Its night and foggy.. How am I to tell what nation the ships are??

THANKS

could be worse, you could be the merchant captain.

ralphnader23 · 09-15-10, 06:53 PM

Yeah you gotta check the flag. Or just hang out where only British ships hang out...

Herr-Berbunch · 09-15-10, 06:57 PM

Meh, Jan '40 and I've just sunk a neutral parked up in Norwegian fjord, displayed no flag - I even double checked with external cam, no lights, just a couple of guys on some rear guns, now they're paddling back to shore in a life-raft

Easy done

09-15-10, 10:30 PM

You'd be amazed at how easy it is to gauge nationality with a carefully aimed torpedo. Things brighten up immediately!

Tessa · 09-15-10, 10:38 PM

It's too bad that prize rules can't really be scripted into the game as it was during the days. Pull up next to em, find the contraband and sink a neutral ship and get the right credit for it.

StorageSteve · 09-17-10, 12:04 PM

Am patroling off the west coast of Africa. Detect a line of ships, get into perfect intercept position. There are 3 ships in line. Get within 600 meters, its noon, in between 2 ships flying the Portugese flag, is one flying the flag of Brazil. It also has the elevated lights shining on the flag. When I whip out my handy flag chart it ID's Brazil as Allied (GWX 3.0) so she gets 3 eels. Hope the chart was right and the Brazilian ship was just trying to be sneaky.

CherryHarbey · 09-17-10, 12:26 PM

GWX models the changing status of the nations, whilst Brazil is an enemy for a short period (when it got fed up with U-boats sinking its neutral ships!) it is neutral most of the time and the fact that it had its flag lit up usually means neutrallity.
that said as others have pointed out the reown system isn't great when it comes to neutral ships, penalising you sinking ships that would have been sunk in the war without question, neutral ships inside convoys etc
so some choose to edit the renown files or even the way the renown is given for neutrals. if want to go that way, there will be plenty of people able to tell you how to do it.

K-61 · 09-17-10, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CherryHarbey

GWX models the changing status of the nations, whilst Brazil is an enemy for a short period (when it got fed up with U-boats sinking its neutral ships!) it is neutral most of the time and the fact that it had its flag lit up usually means neutrallity.
that said as others have pointed out the reown system isn't great when it comes to neutral ships, penalising you sinking ships that would have been sunk in the war without question, neutral ships inside convoys etc
so some choose to edit the renown files or even the way the renown is given for neutrals. if want to go that way, there will be plenty of people able to tell you how to do it.

I do that, but not to "cheat" in the normal sense of the word. I think the decision by the game developers to protect neutral ships by having them sail inside of belligerent convoys is wrong. There's no way any international court of law would look down upon an attacker taking out a "neutral" behaving thus. As well, is it realistic to expect a U-boat captain, often forced to attack in the dark and/or from some distance due to increased convoy protection or operational conditions, to discern nationalities from a mass of shipping and not to attack the privileged "neutrals?" What about when you start firing FAT's or even an errant torpedo that missed its intended target and hits the next ship over? The whole idea is blatantly ridiculous! It would be like a Red Cross ambulance driving in a convoy of panzers in Normandy protesting because it came under fire from Allied fighters and bombers!

I simply edit the relevant file, [basic.cfg?] to change the "-1" on the neutral line to "1." Having done so, I am no longer penalized for sinking a neutral. In turn, I do not willy nilly sink any neutrals on sight. If a neutral is sailing independently I do not attack it, even if it appears to be headed to Britain. If it is sailing as part of a belligerent convoy, she's a legitimate target. I feel these restrictions are a fair balance on my part, removing the consequences for sinking neutrals acting in a hostile manner but also allowing me to abide by an honourable code of conduct in respect to neutrals in general.

Edit: The file to modify is "basic" and it is found in the data\cfg folder inside your game directory. Near the top of the file you will find the line for neutral; you can edit the file with a basic text editor or word processing file. Don't forget to save the changes before you exit.

Draka · 09-17-10, 02:23 PM

I also follow the basic policy that K-61 spoke of.

In addition, I was a tad short to the OP earlier - was rushed. But think about it - normally in any kind of fog there is no wind - or the fog would very shortly be cleared off. In that situation, the flag even if flown is limp and just hanging down - VERY hard to see and ID. Ditto in any strong wind - either they take it down, or it is whipping so hard it again is hard to see, and in addition has a very good chance to be in tatters soon.

Under prize rules, a darkened ship was presumed to be non-neutral as she is obviously trying to be sneaky - a true neutral will be brilliantly lit up with the flag especially lit up whenever she is anywhere near known hostile waters. Act accordingly.

09-15-10, 02:52 PM	#1
fastfed Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 786 Downloads: 254 Uploads: 0	DARN IT!! How do you tell what nation they are?? I just wasted 4 torps on a "Large merchant" I have W/A targeting.. I also no longer have ext. cam, so I cannot zoom in on the flag.. I just realized I sunk a AXIS merchant.. Its night and foggy.. How am I to tell what nation the ships are?? THANKS

09-15-10, 02:57 PM	#3
Weiss Pinguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Auburn, Alabama Posts: 3,333 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 0	There's a mod out there that brightens nationality flags to help, or you can just adjust the monitor's brightness like me I also jack up the brightness and contrast settings on my video card, but that doesn't always help at night (but it looks better than the default settngs IMO) __________________

09-15-10, 03:00 PM	#5
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	Please use the binoculars more often, __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

09-15-10, 06:57 PM	#9
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	Meh, Jan '40 and I've just sunk a neutral parked up in Norwegian fjord, displayed no flag - I even double checked with external cam, no lights, just a couple of guys on some rear guns, now they're paddling back to shore in a life-raft Easy done __________________

09-17-10, 12:04 PM	#12
StorageSteve Swabbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6 Downloads: 12 Uploads: 0	Neutral? Am patroling off the west coast of Africa. Detect a line of ships, get into perfect intercept position. There are 3 ships in line. Get within 600 meters, its noon, in between 2 ships flying the Portugese flag, is one flying the flag of Brazil. It also has the elevated lights shining on the flag. When I whip out my handy flag chart it ID's Brazil as Allied (GWX 3.0) so she gets 3 eels. Hope the chart was right and the Brazilian ship was just trying to be sneaky.

09-15-10, 02:57 PM	#2
Draka Lieutenant Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 256 Downloads: 322 Uploads: 0	Welcome to reality .... basic rule of thumb is, if ya can't ID it, hold yer fire. Foggy, stormy and other low-visibility situations are truly frustrating - but that is part of the Great Game.

09-15-10, 02:59 PM	#4
JokerOfFate Sonar Guy Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 387 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	I got sunk by an english warship because I though they were axis too stormy to see surfaced boom

09-15-10, 03:02 PM	#6
JokerOfFate Sonar Guy Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 387 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	No I just need glasses

09-15-10, 06:53 PM	#8
ralphnader23 Bosun Join Date: May 2010 Location: Periscope Depth Posts: 66 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Yeah you gotta check the flag. Or just hang out where only British ships hang out...

09-15-10, 10:30 PM	#10
Hans Uberman Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	You'd be amazed at how easy it is to gauge nationality with a carefully aimed torpedo. Things brighten up immediately!

09-15-10, 10:38 PM	#11
Tessa Grey Wolf Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CG 96 Posts: 861 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	It's too bad that prize rules can't really be scripted into the game as it was during the days. Pull up next to em, find the contraband and sink a neutral ship and get the right credit for it.

09-17-10, 12:26 PM	#13
CherryHarbey Engineer Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Derby, UK Posts: 200 Downloads: 86 Uploads: 0	GWX models the changing status of the nations, whilst Brazil is an enemy for a short period (when it got fed up with U-boats sinking its neutral ships!) it is neutral most of the time and the fact that it had its flag lit up usually means neutrallity. that said as others have pointed out the reown system isn't great when it comes to neutral ships, penalising you sinking ships that would have been sunk in the war without question, neutral ships inside convoys etc so some choose to edit the renown files or even the way the renown is given for neutrals. if want to go that way, there will be plenty of people able to tell you how to do it.

09-17-10, 02:23 PM	#15
Draka Lieutenant Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 256 Downloads: 322 Uploads: 0	I also follow the basic policy that K-61 spoke of. In addition, I was a tad short to the OP earlier - was rushed. But think about it - normally in any kind of fog there is no wind - or the fog would very shortly be cleared off. In that situation, the flag even if flown is limp and just hanging down - VERY hard to see and ID. Ditto in any strong wind - either they take it down, or it is whipping so hard it again is hard to see, and in addition has a very good chance to be in tatters soon. Under prize rules, a darkened ship was presumed to be non-neutral as she is obviously trying to be sneaky - a true neutral will be brilliantly lit up with the flag especially lit up whenever she is anywhere near known hostile waters. Act accordingly.