Silent Hunter I

[Millipede]

Nefaro - I see that you've some experience with the Trigger Maru mod for SH4 and I wondered if you've tried "Fall of the Rising Sun - UE" (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=5572). It's another mega mod in the same vein as Trigger Maru. If you have had the opportunity to play it, I wonder which you prefer?

[Toonces]

^ I'd like to hear about that, too.

Jarhead, thanks for the heads up.  I haven't tried that but I'll take a look.  I was mostly wondering if I'm doing something wrong.  Honestly I just wish there was a button to start the patrol on station.  The transit just plain sucks and isn't fun.

[Toonces]

Ok, so JH, that was a useful suggestion.

I did find the parameters in the .cfg file and I see what can be edited.  Perhaps of more value was seeing what parameters influence the air strikes, eg. base experience, range, times detected, etc. 

So...I suppose that I'm playing the game too complacently for a 1942 campaign and need to alter my navigation appropriately.  I was experimenting with just course changes during air attacks with some success, but then eventually (after 4 hours of "real" time  :pullhair:  ) I got caught by a well-placed, insta-kill depth charge from a PBY.  Sigh.  I restarted a 1940 campaign out of France and it was totally different.  Of course my sub had not nearly enough torps, but at least I completed a patrol in about 2 hours.

I'm not going to mod it out just yet.  I need to change my approach to the game first.  Maybe Bergen isn't the best base from which to start a mid-Atlantic patrol, you know?

[Toonces]

I should have taken the time to search out an appropriate SH3/4 thread but it just didn't pop.  Regardless:

1.  I find it weird that GOG only has SH2 but not SH1.

2.  Am I crazy, or is playing these WW2 sub sims more fun as the Germans than the Americans?  I dunno, maybe it's just me.  But I find in both Wings Over Flanders Fields (WW1 flight sim) and in pre-1945 sub sims, I prefer playing the Germans, even if, I guess, they're the "bad guys."  I just find their crafts, and something about the utilitarian nature of their vehicles just appealing.  I absolutely LOVE WW1 German biplanes compared to anyone else's.  And while I don't know much about the WW2 subs, I enjoy the hunting and killing aspect of the U-boats compared to the Pacific U.S. campaign.

I've tried repeatedly to get into SH4, but I keep coming back to the German side as where this conflict thrives as a game.

[Staggerwing]

You can find copies of SH1 CE on eBay. They vary in price and completeness (box, inserts, etc) but I imagine most of the documentation is available online somewhere. If you've purchased a used but original disk then there is no shame in downloading a pdf of the manual. 

[Tripoli]

I should have taken the time to search out an appropriate SH3/4 thread but it just didn't pop.  Regardless:

1.  I find it weird that GOG only has SH2 but not SH1.

2.  Am I crazy, or is playing these WW2 sub sims more fun as the Germans than the Americans?  I dunno, maybe it's just me.  But I find in both Wings Over Flanders Fields (WW1 flight sim) and in pre-1945 sub sims, I prefer playing the Germans, even if, I guess, they're the "bad guys."  I just find their crafts, and something about the utilitarian nature of their vehicles just appealing.  I absolutely LOVE WW1 German biplanes compared to anyone else's.  And while I don't know much about the WW2 subs, I enjoy the hunting and killing aspect of the U-boats compared to the Pacific U.S. campaign.

I've tried repeatedly to get into SH4, but I keep coming back to the German side as where this conflict thrives as a game.

IMHO, SH3 is more interesting than SH4 because the Allies are a tougher opponent.  The IJN wasn't that good at ASW.  Plus, the frustration with the USN torpedoes  until 1943 is almost unbearable.  Also, The Atlantic war has almost epic fictional-book  quality to the overall narrative: a relatively quiet early phase (until May 1940), followed by the "Happy Times" (until Feb 1941), Followed by a period of rough parity until December 1941.  A second "Happy Time" commenced in December 1941, lasting until June 1942, succeeded by another period of rough parity until February 1943, with a climax in the Spring of 1943, followed by a descent into complete defeat.  The epic quality of the history makes the SH3 game more interesting as a campaign game.

[Nefaro]

Nefaro - I see that you've some experience with the Trigger Maru mod for SH4 and I wondered if you've tried "Fall of the Rising Sun - UE" (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=5572). It's another mega mod in the same vein as Trigger Maru. If you have had the opportunity to play it, I wonder which you prefer?

Thanks for the recommendation.  Will try it when I next load up SH4.

Recently loaded up SH5 with the The Wolves Of Steel megamod after picking up Uboat on Steam.  Been a few years since I did some sub simming.  It's good to see people are still making them, even if they're in long Early Access states.

[Jarhead0331]

Recently loaded up SH5 with the The Wolves Of Steel megamod after picking up Uboat on Steam. 

I think it is hilarious when that happens. Buy a new game and what do we do? Ignore it, install an old game and play that instead. lol

[Nefaro]

I should have taken the time to search out an appropriate SH3/4 thread but it just didn't pop.  Regardless:

1.  I find it weird that GOG only has SH2 but not SH1. 

The only complaint I'd really have about SH1:CE right now is the low resolution.  I tend to play it on my smaller-res laptop screen so it doesn't have to be in a tiny window or too stretched & looking worse for it.

2.  Am I crazy, or is playing these WW2 sub sims more fun as the Germans than the Americans?  I dunno, maybe it's just me.  But I find in both Wings Over Flanders Fields (WW1 flight sim) and in pre-1945 sub sims, I prefer playing the Germans, even if, I guess, they're the "bad guys."  I just find their crafts, and something about the utilitarian nature of their vehicles just appealing.  I absolutely LOVE WW1 German biplanes compared to anyone else's.  And while I don't know much about the WW2 subs, I enjoy the hunting and killing aspect of the U-boats compared to the Pacific U.S. campaign.

I've tried repeatedly to get into SH4, but I keep coming back to the German side as where this conflict thrives as a game.

SH2 was the worst of the series.  What a mess!  The campaigns also sucked.

As for Uboats vs Fleet Boats, I enjoy both.  Although SH4 (US fleet boats) had some issues that needed to be modded regarding Japanese destroyer ability.  They were greatly varied, and often pretty crappy, so I always modded that stuff if whatever megamod I was using didn't do so enough.  On the other hand, the stock (and even mod) chances of encountering air patrols was jacked up so much I would be constantly running into enemy air patrols, mulitple times a day, even early on in the war.

There are obviously differences in the flavors.  Running German U-boats, notably the Type VIIs which is the majority, had a much larger focus on deep open water and big convoy attacks.  Whereas the US boats in the Pacific meant you were often dodging islands and fighting for your life in shallow water on long patrols.  I enjoy them both.  Variety and all that.

[Nefaro]

Recently loaded up SH5 with the The Wolves Of Steel megamod after picking up Uboat on Steam. 

I think it is hilarious when that happens. Buy a new game and what do we do? Ignore it, install an old game and play that instead. lol

I always use the 'Early Access' excuse.   ;D   Uboat does look interesting, and a different take on it, so I'm looking forward to more stuff in the future.

[JasonPratt]

Uboat development has trawled along pretty well; slow but steady. Still a fair way to go for a proper campaign, but it's very playable.