Back in the water!

[MarkShot]

20:36 - It finally all comes together ... practice, tactics, planning, timing, ...

Firing 3 salvos of 2 bow fish at 3 targets ... practically point blank.  Immediately after the last fish is away, I order a crash dive.  I think there are no escorts, but I am not willing to bet my life on it.

2 duds or misses out of 6 fish.  But oh the beauty, one ship going down as we hear and feel the bulk heads collapsing ... two other ships likely crippled after we heard solid primaries followed by some secondaries.

If no high speed screws of escorts churn the water in a minute or two, then we are coming back up to finish the two cripples with our stern tubes!  This patrol will be a success!

[MarkShot]

The best night of sub action for a while ...

[Nefaro]

I kinda like the quick transit to patrol map in SH1.

One of the big drags of the latest ones is having to pump up time compression and wait out the long transit times to & from home port.   I'd prefer just being "warped" to some point a relatively small distance away from my first assigned patrol area and save all that dead waiting time coming out of home waters.

We already spend a lot of transit time while looking for targets on the patrol, so it just provides more quality gaming time without wasting so much.

[Oche]

That TDC screen is what I miss more about SH. Why couldn't this be integrated into SH4??!! :(

[Nefaro]

That TDC screen is what I miss more about SH. Why couldn't this be integrated into SH4??!! :(

I'm a bit more practical, I suppose.   I'm fine with all those TDC dials being on slide-outs in the scope screens.  I can still use them, and they look pretty much the same so it's all good.

[MarkShot]

Someone asked for a blog about relocation to Taiwan.  Well, I am not going do one, but I'll give you some local color before I go back out on patrol.

BTW, it's Friday evening already on this side of the World!  (in Taiwan Margaritaville always comes early)

I became a vegetarian about 7 months ago and lost 35 pounds.  But d*m, I forgot just how hot and oppressively humid it is here.  Back in NJ, the farmers were getting frost warnings.  Not here ... it's like 90 and so humid a fish could breath.  Getting back to my weight ... this weather will definitely encourage me to lose more.  I could lose another 35 pounds and it would still be too much to carry in this heat!

Well, just like 30 years ago ... total strangers are coming up to me and trying to strike up a conversation.  It's freaking out my wife ... despite having lived here before too, I guess, she has spent too many years in NYC.  In NYC, chatty strangers is often an RX for trouble.  But here they just want to practice their English or ask something about the USA.  I lied to the last one today ... "You American?" ... "Ich bin Deustche" and walked away.  I just didn't have the time.

For the most part there is a friendliness in Taipei and good manners that you don't find in America's big cities like NYC, Philly, DC ...  It's refreshing.  I cannot really say this is a Chinese thing ... it's a Taiwanese thing.  I find the Cantonese in Hong Kong well rival NYC for manners and attitude.

I've been struggling with Mandarin after not speaking for more than 30 years.  While struggling, I tend to ask "Nay sik m sik gong Guan Dong wah? (Cantonese:  Do you speak Cantonese?).  Generally, most here don't, but having seen enough Hong Kong tourist and TV to recognize it when they hear it.  Beside the fact that I do speak some Mandarin, this instantly scores me mucho cultural bonus points that I speak a Chinese dialect that they don't.  The only way to hike my cultural score any higher would be if I spoke Taiwanese which is basically the same as Fukinese spoken across the Strait in the PRC.

Okay, I have to get back out on patrol.  It's 1942 and the Chinese are important allies.  (until 1949)  Just like few Americans give enough credit to the 30 million Soviets who died defeating Hitler ... most Americans don't realize that WWII began much earlier for China.  Also, despite Japanese predictions of a quick victory against their own untermensch, the Chinese.  China tied up the Emperor's troops and resources that otherwise would have been deployed against the USA's advance towards the Home Islands.

[MarkShot]

That TDC screen is what I miss more about SH. Why couldn't this be integrated into SH4??!! :(

I'm a bit more practical, I suppose.   I'm fine with all those TDC dials being on slide-outs in the scope screens.  I can still use them, and they look pretty much the same so it's all good.

Well, in SHCE, you can also step through a sequence of the TDC controls either on the scope or TBT screens.  As you can see, I am not doing manual TCD.

I know AOD didn't model the Earth's curvature (SHCE does), do the later SH releases model this?

I remember playing SH3 and sneaking in for an attack in the fog "deck awash" (meaning very low in the water).  I cannot remember if that really reduced spotting SH3.  But there was no danger doing it.  Of course, in real life, you risked flooding the boat or getting water in the induction valve (air intake for the diesels).

[MarkShot]

BTW, this is the mod I am using, but for the moment I haven't tweaked anything for this career:

Kim's Multi Purpose Tool.
Version 1.2.4.2

This Tool lets you change data in the SH data files.

It's fairly simple to use just follow the numbers – press buttons, chose "things" by the number (start with 1 !).

You can change the following data :
The Patrol area.
The Submarine type and name.
The gun position (for or aft) – but only on fleet submarines.
The crew experience level.
The torpedo load (type of torpedoes, and distribution into tubes and racks)
You can reload fuel and ammo for the gun.

But not all can be done a once, it depends on your patrol status (harbour or on patrol).

Before you start .
The program must be saved in the Save folder (directory) under the Silent Hunter folder. Just unzip the program and this manual into the Save folder.

When changing a "harbour" file (def= a career file saved before you leave the harbour). You can change sub, crew experience, gun position (but only on fleet type subs).

When changing a "on patrol" file (def= a career file saved after you have left the harbour). You can change torpedo types and number, and position the different torpedoes, refuel and reload ammo for the gun. 

The patrol area can be changed if you choose a harbour file AND if NO file I chosen.


How to use the program:
Depending on whether you are at the beginning of a career or not the program is used differently.
Torpedoes, fuel and ammo can only be changed at sea (using a patrol file), this is due to a technicality in the way Silent Hunter is programmed.
You can start up in 2 different ways.
1)   Choose a patrol area then go to SH and start a patrol or
2)   Create a career in SH and then go the TCT program and change the patrol area.

The advantage of method 1 :
You don't get any choice of command area (ComSubPac or ComSubSoWesPac) in SH if the patrol area is chosen first, this is especially an advantage if you have to sail under Taskforce 42.
The disadvantage is :
You have to first start the TCT then SH and then start the TCT again, that's a lot of program switching, especially if you want to change the torpedo config which requires yet another SH startup and a TCT startup.

The advantage of method 2 :
You just have 2 steps – a) start SH, create a career save it then start TCT up, choose the patrol area, and all the rest : sub, crew experience and gun position.
The disadvantage is :
You may not bee able to get to the patrol area, if the program places you at the wrong start harbour, especially if you are assign to Taskforce 42.

My advice is use method 2 normally, except if you are assign to taskforce 42.

Method 1 :
A) You start up the TCT program  – choose the PZPick tab.
Now change 1 (Year and month) to the year and month of your patrol.
Then click on the command you wish to sail under and press 2
You should now se all the patrol areas und that command . Now choose a patrol area (click on it) and press 3 the Choose Patrol area button.
B) Then close the TCT program and start up Silent Hunter create a career using the same month and date, you should now not get any choice of Command area, the program should give you a valid start port.
Accept the command and sub and exit the program. Your new career should be saved as a  harbour file.
C) Start up the TCT program – 1 choose the career you just made (click on it). Then press 2 the GetSubData button then go to the SubInfo tab.
1) Choose the subtype by clicking the type – then choose the specific sub you where assign to and 2) click on the Change Sub button.
If you want to change the Crew experience and/or the Gun position then click on the appropriate buttons (Change Crew Exp and/or Reposition Gun).

Method 2
You may have to start up the TCT program first – to reset all the patrol areas, this can be done from the front page – just press the Reset All Patrol Zones button.
A)   Start Silent hunter and create a new career, accept the command and sub then close the program.
B) Start up the TCT program – 1 choose the career you just made (click on it). Then press 2 the GetSubData button then go to the SubInfo tab.
1) Choose the subtype by clicking the type – then choose the specific sub you where assign to and 2) click on the Change Sub button.
If you want to change the Crew experience and/or the Gun position and click on the appropriate buttons (Change Crew Exp and/or Reposition Gun).
C) Now click on the PZPick button, the year and month of you patrol is marked in the year and month window, but you can't change them.
Click on the command you wish to sail under and press 1 The List patrol Areas Button.
You should now se all the patrol areas und that command1. Now choose a patrol area (click on it) and press 2 the Choose Patrol area button.
That's it.

To change Torpedoes, fuel and ammo.
A)   You must start your patrol ( this should only be done AFTER you have uses method 1 or 2 above), then save the patrol when at sea (Press Alt O, choose save career – name the file and accept) Now exit SH and
B)   Start the TCT program – choose the saved patrol file, it will be marked on Patrol
C)   Press 2 the GetSubData button, 2 more options now appear 3 the torpedo distribution, input the numbers of different torpedoes you want, into the windows at 3 (Note the program won't let you uses torpedoes that are not available at the time, and won't let you load any more torpedoes that the sub can carry – don't try it, it won't work).
D)   When you are satisfied with your mix – press 4 the Input Available Torpedoes button. If the choice is valid the program jumps you to the Torpedoes and fuel page:
E)   Input the torpedoes one by one into the torpedo tubes and racks 5, choosing the torpedo type that you want (You only have the torpedoes that are available from the first page to choose among) – When you are satisfied with your choice press
F)   6 the load torpedo button – and the torpedoes are loaded into the tubes and racks.
G)   If you want to refuel (and can – this should only be done where it was done in WW II – ask the group if you are in doubt, I sure you will get an answer) or if you wish to restock the ammo (under the same conditions as before), just press the Reload or/and refuel button and the boat is filled up.

Known Errors:
Once you chosen a career file don't chose another unless you close and restart the program again. It doesn't function well if you use the restart button.

Technical stuff :
When the program is started, it reads your roster files (That's where SH saves your careers). The program changes your roster files in SH.
NO Backup of the roster files are made.
And the program changes the Subs.dat file (Gun position)
NO backup of the Subs.dat file is made.

NOTE 1 : you can't take any more torpedoes than the boat can carry, and you can't input mark14 and 18's into S, Barracuda and Narwhale type submarines.

NOTE 2: the program reads the Career date, and only lets you choose Subs, Torpedoes and patrol areas that are available at that date.

That's All Folks


Kim Rønhof

[MarkShot]

And this is why folks use the above mod, since, as you can see, I am being sent back to the exact same patrol area!

[MarkShot]

I think I'll head South and see what shipping looks like around Tokyo.  At least, we'll be able to receive some big band music from Tokyo Rose.

[Oche]

That TDC screen is what I miss more about SH. Why couldn't this be integrated into SH4??!! :(

I'm a bit more practical, I suppose.   I'm fine with all those TDC dials being on slide-outs in the scope screens.  I can still use them, and they look pretty much the same so it's all good.

Well, in SHCE, you can also step through a sequence of the TDC controls either on the scope or TBT screens.  As you can see, I am not doing manual TCD.

I know AOD didn't model the Earth's curvature (SHCE does), do the later SH releases model this?

I remember playing SH3 and sneaking in for an attack in the fog "deck awash" (meaning very low in the water).  I cannot remember if that really reduced spotting SH3.  But there was no danger doing it.  Of course, in real life, you risked flooding the boat or getting water in the induction valve (air intake for the diesels).

In SH1, if weather was clear, i remember aircraft spotting and dropping bombs over your submerged sub silhouette if you were too shallow say at PD 65 feet. How's that for realism?

[Nefaro]

Well, in SHCE, you can also step through a sequence of the TDC controls either on the scope or TBT screens.  As you can see, I am not doing manual TCD.

I know AOD didn't model the Earth's curvature (SHCE does), do the later SH releases model this?

I have no idea whether the earth's curvature is modelled in any Silent Hunter games, after the first.  Hell, they didn't even have a thermocline layer modelled until SH4 (one of the things sorely missing from SH3).

I remember playing SH3 and sneaking in for an attack in the fog "deck awash" (meaning very low in the water).  I cannot remember if that really reduced spotting SH3.  But there was no danger doing it.  Of course, in real life, you risked flooding the boat or getting water in the induction valve (air intake for the diesels).

Yes, the viewable cross-section of your sub was modelled.. at least in SH3 and up.  I regularly modded some of the easy values for sighting in SH4 because night-time spotting of your sub usually prevented realistic surface attacks in the dark in 3 & 4 due to the sighting model not being as refined as we'd like.  I still never got the results I wanted but it could be tweaked closer, IIRC.  I also preferred to beef up enemy sonar performance so that even Average quality crews would still likely find you if you were above the layer and within around 750 to 1k yards of the operating destroyer's active sonar arc.  The stock was often just too easy to evade, and would only seem to get an Active Sonar hit if it was within about 400 to 500 yds.

In SH5, there's a handy visibility overlay 'cheat' that shows on the map just how far away you're likely to be spotted.  It's an approximation but helps give you a good idea how effective your surface stealth tactics are within the game engine, and helps you refine them.  I believe this is only active when you're at PD with your scope up, however,  and you'll notice the difference heights at which the sighting range will drop.  It's not fully linear but stair-stepped so obviously the engine is rounding off calculations for either the displayed estimate or both that and the engine calculations.  I seem to recall the earlier ones (SH3 & 4) had some generic sighting thing that I never used because I had most of the Realism settings on but this one seems to be on all the time, anyway, in SH5.

You can still benefit from attacking decks awash in the latest SH'es.  I'm pretty sure it was somewhat effective in SH3 through SH5 although I get the feeling that the sighting mechanics got a little extra needed work in SH5 since the previous two.  I've not really done enough long-term gaming with it to be sure, however.

[Oche]

All these SH1 screens are so good too see again that i really got in the mood to resume my SHIV campaign. This is on my 2nd patrol, "P" class, USS Pollack, near Manila (already captured by Japan), Jan 1942,  i found a loner ship, i peppered it with the 4 inch deck gun with my last AP rounds, it's gun was still firing at our sub so i dived to PD, it didn't want to sink so i went for a snap shot from stern tube 5...

[MarkShot]

Nice pics ... my laptop doesn't even do them justice, since it is a 2004 with 15" 1024x768 display.  So, I have to scroll left and right to view them!

Yesterday, I was in a perfect forward attack profile at PD off of Hitachi.  I salvo-ed 3x2 and all were duds!  Sometimes, turning on realism options can be very painful!!!  I then went deep and cried!

---

[Taiwan blog mode ON]

Yesterday morning, I went for some basic medical screening required for immigration processing.

I was somewhat depressed afterwards.  I realized that if I ever want to be an adult in this society simply speaking Mandarin will not be good enough.  I'll have to, at least, be able to read Chinese.

Previously, I had thought that speaking would be good enough.  We go back to Macau and Hong Kong every year.  For the most part, speaking Cantonese is good enough.  But these societies are very different.  Both are former colonies.  The use of written English signs and forms is much more pervasive.  Not so, in Taiwan.

Learning to read is going to be a lot of work.  I can read and write Chinese somewhat already, but that is with computer assistance.  Doing it completely manually requires pure intellect.  It's either learn or forever be dependent on the kindness of strangers to guide me even when the answer is posted on a sign staring me in the face.

Although I like that everyone is so helpful, I don't want be so dependent the rest of my life.  So, after a six month break, I started sending my first emails in written Chinese to local friends.  I find that this is one of fastest ways to improve character recognition as opposed to brute force memorization.

[Taiwan blog mode OFF]

[MarkShot]

From my setup off of Hitachi.  Note, in the second screen shot ... the fish impact count down timer ... and the bottom of the screen my OOD reporting "Dud torpedo, Sir!".  That is really upsetting after such a great attack run!!!