Course Plotting and Actual Submarine Range

corsair15 · 10-07-10, 08:16 PM

This is a grievance of mine that I've been dealing with ever since I started playing Silent Hunter 4 on 100% Realism. Basically, I've set up a Tambor Class submarine to run a plotted course for 5,500 Nautical Miles, make ONE 90 Degree turn, and run another 5,500 Nautical miles for a total of 11,000 Nautical miles which is what the manual says the maximum range is for this class.

I set up a course to run from Midway, starting at 177*30'W Long. 28*0'N Lat. on heading 180 Degrees South for 5,500nm. Then at 177*30'W Long. 57* or 58*S Lat. or something like that. I've set a course change 90 Degrees to starboard on heading 270 Degrees extending another 5,500 Nautical miles. I plotted this course specifically so that I wouldn't run into any land. Turning west AFTER the submarine passes New Zealand.

Also, I've set waypoints in my plot for every 5 degrees south and west that the submarine could travel on these two courses. Starting at 25* N Lat. and another at 20*N Lat. and so on and so forth for the entire course.

What I noticed is that the Submarine deviates from my plotted course by one or two minutes of angle for every waypoint. So the conclusion I came to was that the curvature of the simulated planet had something to do with it. What I'm afraid of, is that the boys in my control room aren't exactly following the plotted course as I've set and I'm actually using more fuel to travel to each waypoint because of the deviation.

The reason it's important to me is for specifically that reason. I want to be able to calculate (correctly) how long I can run at certain speeds for a set distance.

For example: Lets say I wanted to plot a course from Midway Atoll to Brisbane, Australia. I want to be able to figure out (approximately) what speed I can run at for a set distance, and then increase speed to flank speed for the rest of the trip. It would just save a whole lot of time if I could figure out how far I can travel per percentage of fuel that the submarine holds.

I estimated that my Tambor class submarine could travel some 3,900 miles before running out of fuel at Flank Speed. So that would mean, theoretically that for every 39 Nautical Miles I travel, I use 1% of my total diesel fuel. However, since I was using the course I gave you above, my estimation could be wrong; and since I play "Dead is Dead," well, you get the idea.

Basically, I just want to be able to run a course to Brisbane or Dutch Harbor, and know that I can run at 2/3 Speed for whatever distance and run at Flank speed the rest of the trip; but I can't do that unless I have an approximation of my fuel economy for each speed setting.

I mean, I'm really talking about plotting a well thought out course here.

This is more or less a request for information.
Have any of you collected specific data on Submarine Range at different speeds? Is there anywhere I could find that information for all of the classes of submarines in Silent Hunter 4?

It would be greatly beneficial to me.
Thanks all!

NOTE: If this information hasn't been collected already for each possible speed. I will try and collect it all myself for the rest of you. I just don't want to waste my time doing it if it's already been done. I've searched and searched and can't find anything on this subject in these forums though.

And also, there are a lot of variables that come into account here: Rough Seas, Calm Seas, Storms (Or anything that might cause me to use more fuel to travel the same distance I would in calm seas.) So I would probably run courses 5 or 6 times in different places at the same speed to find the best approximation possible.

10-07-10, 08:16 PM	#1
corsair15 Watch Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 21 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Course Plotting and Actual Submarine Range This is a grievance of mine that I've been dealing with ever since I started playing Silent Hunter 4 on 100% Realism. Basically, I've set up a Tambor Class submarine to run a plotted course for 5,500 Nautical Miles, make ONE 90 Degree turn, and run another 5,500 Nautical miles for a total of 11,000 Nautical miles which is what the manual says the maximum range is for this class. I set up a course to run from Midway, starting at 17730'W Long. 280'N Lat. on heading 180 Degrees South for 5,500nm. Then at 17730'W Long. 57 or 58S Lat. or something like that. I've set a course change 90 Degrees to starboard on heading 270 Degrees extending another 5,500 Nautical miles. I plotted this course specifically so that I wouldn't run into any land. Turning west AFTER the submarine passes New Zealand. Also, I've set waypoints in my plot for every 5 degrees south and west that the submarine could travel on these two courses. Starting at 25 N Lat. and another at 20*N Lat. and so on and so forth for the entire course. What I noticed is that the Submarine deviates from my plotted course by one or two minutes of angle for every waypoint. So the conclusion I came to was that the curvature of the simulated planet had something to do with it. What I'm afraid of, is that the boys in my control room aren't exactly following the plotted course as I've set and I'm actually using more fuel to travel to each waypoint because of the deviation. The reason it's important to me is for specifically that reason. I want to be able to calculate (correctly) how long I can run at certain speeds for a set distance. For example: Lets say I wanted to plot a course from Midway Atoll to Brisbane, Australia. I want to be able to figure out (approximately) what speed I can run at for a set distance, and then increase speed to flank speed for the rest of the trip. It would just save a whole lot of time if I could figure out how far I can travel per percentage of fuel that the submarine holds. I estimated that my Tambor class submarine could travel some 3,900 miles before running out of fuel at Flank Speed. So that would mean, theoretically that for every 39 Nautical Miles I travel, I use 1% of my total diesel fuel. However, since I was using the course I gave you above, my estimation could be wrong; and since I play "Dead is Dead," well, you get the idea. Basically, I just want to be able to run a course to Brisbane or Dutch Harbor, and know that I can run at 2/3 Speed for whatever distance and run at Flank speed the rest of the trip; but I can't do that unless I have an approximation of my fuel economy for each speed setting. I mean, I'm really talking about plotting a well thought out course here. This is more or less a request for information. Have any of you collected specific data on Submarine Range at different speeds? Is there anywhere I could find that information for all of the classes of submarines in Silent Hunter 4? It would be greatly beneficial to me. Thanks all! NOTE: If this information hasn't been collected already for each possible speed. I will try and collect it all myself for the rest of you. I just don't want to waste my time doing it if it's already been done. I've searched and searched and can't find anything on this subject in these forums though. And also, there are a lot of variables that come into account here: Rough Seas, Calm Seas, Storms (Or anything that might cause me to use more fuel to travel the same distance I would in calm seas.) So I would probably run courses 5 or 6 times in different places at the same speed to find the best approximation possible.