Anyone been to Southern Africa in early 43?

[Captain Affenschwanz]

I sunk over 62,000 tons on my 18th trip, but I guess it wasn't enough... The Admiral has given me orders to patrol GR 96 at the bottom of Africa! It's the middle of March, 1943. Anyone been down there around this time? If so, how was the hunting?

My inclination is to go as far as Sector DL and hang around taking advantage of the lack of Allied planes there. Any suggestions?

[P_Funk]

As I recall when Erich Topp retired to teach new Kaleuns how to command their U-boats he did it with the condition that his U-boat and its crew would spend the rest of the war patrolling in the SOuth Atlantic in the hopes that they'd survive. And they did.

So apparently the South Atlantic wasn't as exiting a place as the North. What this means in the game I'm not sure.

[Ducimus]

Ive been down to the south afican area on 3 patrols. I didnt see anything but a spitfire that tried to bomb me.

Later i cheated and looked at the SCR layer in the editor. Not a whole lot down there, or in the indian ocean.

Im currenly fixing that with my own little at home modification (well as soon as i get home from work i will be)

[HEMISENT]

I've been down there a number of times. Great time to catch up on your reading and work on your tan. Maybe take all you torpedos out and give 'em a good wash & wax job.

[Ducimus]

Well i have been looking at the situation in the editor. Primarly because i fancy a campaign as a Monsun boat in an IXD2.. Doesnt get more far off and exotic then that.


As near as i can tell, heres the deal.


In the indian ocean (and probably in south atlantic as well) there are single ship spawns (with a chance to spawn a 2nd ship) set to spawn anywhere between 40 and 80 hours throughout all years of the war. I beleive the chance for them to spawn was around 40% if not lower.

Now heres the kicker.
The contact reports on them is set to have a 40% chance of being sent.... once every FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS! Now factor in that by default you have to be in the vacinity of the report to get it to begin with. It's no wonder why you dont see anything down here.


Like i said, ive been retooling this. Im modifing the Improved Convoy's mod for the RND Layer and part of the Harbor traffic mod for the LND and SCR layers. Right now im just doing this for myself, if i get permission to use IC and HT as a base for an "offical" mod they i'll release what i got.

That said its not very hard to spice things up in the indian ocean, you just have to take the time to do it.

Right now ive cut back all single merchant encounters to 15%, and have small convoys spawning once a week from the spawn points provided. The convoys im putting in are 4 ship convoys, comprised of fat juciy targets, but well escorted by a min of 3 vetran to elite escorts. I tend to make the most tempting target in the convoy the convoy leader. My hope is that by taking this ship out, it will make the DDs swarm on you like a pack of dogs on a 3legged cat. (U505 single mission has this behavior).

On top of that im putting in a hunter killer group made of 6 vet/elite DE's and two escort carriers. Im limiting the contact reports on these guys, i dont want to know where they are. Need a "crap yer pants" surpise every now and then. Oh ya been ading large air bases, and various ports in austrila like Brisbane, syndey, melborune, etc, a couple warship groups too. A regualr pacific/indian campaign. Its not historcal by any means, but it ought to be action packed and fun.

Another kicker is, you cant get upgrades in penang. So if i want to upgrade my boat, i have to go back to germany.

[JohnnyPotPie]

Ive been ordered to the south atlantic 3 times, and only once did I reach my grid (FW) i belive. And wasted a full tank of gas, so I disregard any orders that send me beyond the equator... screw HQ, they dont know jack.

[Marhkimov]

Hi Ducimus!

Keep us up-to-date on your work. It sounds intriguing.

[Captain Affenschwanz]

Sounds like my best move is to use my Captain's discretion and deviate from my Orders...

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by marhkimov

Hi Ducimus!

Keep us up-to-date on your work. It sounds intriguing.

Well ill share my thoughts on it.

Aimed at 1943-45, because im lazy and dont want to work on spawns all years.

The 1942 spawns i tweaked with, and made them run into 43 for single ship encounters. After the 9th month in 43, theres still *a few* single ships (the 44-45 spawn i havent touched, they're default which means you'll hardly see them). In 43 i think i have this transition from singleship and small convoy to just small convoys.

The convoys themselves im having fun with logic here. For instance one of the major spawn areas is in that water way next to saudi arabia. Needless to say 90% of coming out of their is fuel. Ought to make for some 1 shot wonders. T3 tankers, T2's, a few C2s carring fuel, etc.

I can think of one other convoy where i put in a troop ship or passanger liner accompanied by a C2 carrying tanks and another trucks.

Any convoy im teaking will have big targets, but it will be no more then 4 ships, with no fewer then 3 escorts. Small, valuable, and well guarded. I need to go back and add in more escorts acutally cause i made all convoys with 3 of em. I should add in a 4th now and then.

Right now i have multiple small convoys spawning about once a week, and that may be too much, im not sure. Right now i have contact reports set for every 12 hours, 100% probablyit. Ill have to decrease that.

Two task group encounters, 50% probablity. One has two cruisers and a BB, the other has two cruisers and a fleet carrier. Both have 6 elite DD's or DD's.

The hunter killer group of 6 DD's 4 planes, and 2 Escort carriers do a round robin in the indian ociean. They have a 100% probably to spawn every 500 hours.

Its a regular shooting gallery at the moment. Just who's doing the shooting i dunno yet Havent seen any air come out of the air bases yet, i probably didnt do it right.

Im trying to make it HARD, DANGEROUS, but very rewarding. Considering you can't choose your torpedo,s upgrade equipment, and the only viable boat is an IXD2 (unless you use HT's milk cows).

[glenno]

Lets see you try to get close to a port down there in good oL 1943 . :rotfl: (RUB 1.45 + Commander 2.3 + harbour traffic 1.46)

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by glenno

Lets see you try to get close to a port down there in good oL 1943 . :rotfl: (RUB 1.45 + Commander 2.3 + harbour traffic 1.46)

HEH, well i found out last night i overdid it.

See, alot of the convoys tend to hug the coast. Along the coast i put in few large air bases. About 3 acutally. Its enough to cover the approaches of 90% of the coastline from south affrica to saudi to the southern tip of india. Penang is *JUST* outside of air strike range.

Okkaaayyyyyy... seeing 14 damn sunderers was NOT what i was intending. :rotfl: I have sinced turned those down to small US air bases. This is supposed to be the backwaters, not Biscay bay!

That said, i got my hiney kicked from some escorts. One dropped an ashcan right in the pickle barrel on the first run. First time i ever reloaded a game from death. Once i get things dialed in ill probably play Dead is dead.

Im debating if i should try and make penang a german port - thereby hopefully making it full service, or at least set the starting position there.

Convienant yes, but it kills the feeling of operating remotely. So i dont think il do that. Right now you have to make the long jorney to get there, and once your there your on your own. Stay there long enough and your boat will be behind the times in the atlanstic. About the only thing you'll get in penang is fuel and fresh torpedo's, and you can't even choose those, you just get em. (err unless you edit your basic.cfg ahead of time)

[Marhkimov]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

About the only thing you'll get in penang is fuel and fresh torpedo's, and you can't even choose those, you just get em. (err unless you edit your basic.cfg ahead of time)

Already done!

[Godalmighty83]

theres naff all in africa at that time, just about every harbour is constantly empty.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by marhkimov

Already done!

EXACTLY!

Ive upped the convoy contact reports to 12 hours, 100% probably. I forgot that i had increased the contract report range in my contacts.cfg. so what im seeing isnt what someone else would normally be seeing unless they edited it too.

If i could nerf the damn weather id be pretty happy about now.

[Marhkimov]

I'll ask TT regarding weather...