Watch tower destroyed........

[suitednate]

So after having played this game for awhile, came across a new critical situation.....

To provide some context, I play at 88% realism (the only things not checked are map contacts off and the noise meter off cause my noise meter is actually a weather indicator)......

My patrol before this (November 1940) was pretty darn succesful, I was the bane of a convoy in the AM52 area inbound to Liverpool. Racked up about 80K tons from this convoy on 3 or 4 separate attacks which included sinking the Nelson. Also managed to survive (and not incur any damage) after a relentless pounding from 3 escorts in water only about 60 m deep. It was crazy and tiring evading all of the depth charge attacks but hugely satisfying that I managed to sneak away and return home...

My confidence from this success almost caused this career's demise on the very next patrol. Late December '40 just off the northern coast of Ireland I'm harassing another convoy with a good weather night attack and manage to hit 4 separate large ships (ranging anywhere from 3.5km-5km range at launch) with one forward salvo. Planned and launched where the torps all would hit within about 30 seconds of each other., and they did. It was a beautiful thing.... 1 ship sank right away after some explosions (ammo ship) and the other 3 were starting to take on water but not sink. Move away, reload and go in again submerged this time for a closer attack. Nail a previously unhit ore carrier towards the other side of the convoy (goes down in short order) and maneuver to bring my aft tube to bear on a near-side ore carrier that was previously hit but not finished. The near side escort detected me, I got my aft shot off, it hit, he's sinking, then hit flank to dive quick and evade his first DC run. Water here was about 100m deep. Evade a couple depth charge attacks and then turn towards the 2 limpers I had previously hit and were falling behind......while on my way Im between the rear of the convoy and the lagging limpers headed towards them at silent running. The escort pinged me and got a great fix on me, I didn't evade in time and he made a perfect attack coming up my stern.....and I mean that literally and figuratively.......because the charges were perfectly placed and my damage board lit up like a Christmas tree (not to mention the shaking, depth charge shake mod). The worst of which was that my conning tower, watch tower, and everything in it was destroyed. Was also flooding in 2 other compartments. Also both my sonar and radio guy were killed. Hydrophone/radio both destroyed as well. The fact that the bottom was only 100m deep saved me. I bottomed out and repaired all the repairable damage and got the flooding under control. A couple other depth charge attacks came while I was bottomed but didn't inflict anymore damage and I managed to sneak away.

After I surfaced (convoy and that attacking escort had moved on), I couldn't put my WO or any sailors on the deck since my watch tower was destroyed....I mean I could look around up there myself but couldn't place any crew up there. So no visual contacts would be reported on my journey back to France.....

I thought this was kinda BS.....so for the first time I used the "end patrol teleport option" to return to base right then.........anyone else ever have this happen? I realize the game has limitations but in a similar situation IRL I would think they could at least get 1 or 2 guys up there to keep a look out as long as the seas weren't too heavy. Thoughts anyone?

[Nemo66]

Hi mate,


this occurred to me many times, and i think its perfectly realistic. Once i luckily sank a destroyer this way, who had overran me from bow to stern while i was starting to crash dive. My tower and deck were razored off completely, but his belly was opened like a tin can, 30 seconds later he travelled to deep sea grounds forever while i was still afloat.

But A DESTROYED (not damaged only) tower can be manned by nobody anymore, just imagine it in a real u-boat. The tower's hatch would not open anymore, and you surely would pray that it stayed closed for the rest of the journey. Maybe you could climb up on its outside like an ape using a deck hatch, but that's something one can't expect in a game i think. (would be nice though). It's some sort of thougtless programming in the game i think, that you as a captain/player still are able to do it.

I know this hurts and really gets on a players nerve, but that's "reality"

You only could have tried to man the deck gun (if still ok), and hope that maybe you or your gunmen spot a ship from there, though chances are very small because of the low-horizon and smaller angle of sight.

I personally see it as an extra-challenge to bring my wrecked boat and shocked crew home, especially without any real sensors anymore, and never teleport in a situation like this. To me the game is not only about attacking and tonnage, i find it really challenging just to survive.

[Aras]

Originally Posted by Nemo66

I personally see it as an extra-challenge to bring my wrecked boat and shocked crew home, especially without any real sensors anymore, and never teleport in a situation like this. To me the game is not only about attacking and tonnage, i find it really challenging just to survive.

I salute you for your understanding. Keep this spirit

[suitednate]

Originally Posted by Nemo66

Hi mate,


this occurred to me many times, and i think its perfectly realistic. Once i luckily sank a destroyer this way, who had overran me from bow to stern while i was starting to crash dive. My tower and deck were razored off completely, but his belly was opened like a tin can, 30 seconds later he travelled to deep sea grounds forever while i was still afloat.

But A DESTROYED (not damaged only) tower can be manned by nobody anymore, just imagine it in a real u-boat. The tower's hatch would not open anymore, and you surely would pray that it stayed closed for the rest of the journey. Maybe you could climb up on its outside like an ape using a deck hatch, but that's something one can't expect in a game i think. (would be nice though). It's some sort of thougtless programming in the game i think, that you as a captain/player still are able to do it.

I know this hurts and really gets on a players nerve, but that's "reality"

You only could have tried to man the deck gun (if still ok), and hope that maybe you or your gunmen spot a ship from there, though chances are very small because of the low-horizon and smaller angle of sight.

I personally see it as an extra-challenge to bring my wrecked boat and shocked crew home, especially without any real sensors anymore, and never teleport in a situation like this. To me the game is not only about attacking and tonnage, i find it really challenging just to survive.

Ok good thoughts, and by the way, my deck gun was destroyed as well. So basically I was blind as a bat.....er......more blind than a bat because at least a bat still has some type of sonar, my hydrophones and radio were destroyed as well. So I take it that the (quick) realistic play is to set a course for home and crank up the time compression and hope nothing happens? I actually did that for a little bit but finally teleported. The suspense was terrible.......considering the time compression wouldn't go back down in the presence of an enemy or collision or whatever. I was just waiting for a loud boom then dead all of a sudden with no chance to turn/dive.

[UKönig]

It really depends on how much damage I may have taken during the patrol, and if I still have torpedoes left. If I am low on or out of ammo, then I will usually just 'teleport back to base'. But lately I've decided to plot a return trip and sail back the long way, to collect the renown bonus, that I've been denying myself for so long.