New to Sub games(manual targeting, general mod questions)

[Reignhardt]

Hello all,
I am very new to SH4. I have not played a sub game since Silent Service 2 on my 386. I have been missing a lot. This game is awesome and I have not even played a career yet. I played the training missions and had a blast on the last one where you attack the single convoy. I spent ~5 hours running, stalking, diving below thermal layer and loved every minute of it! Reminded my of U571. Surprisingly, the game felt very familiar from my experience with SS2 and the graphics are awesome. Anyway, on to my questions:

1. <<Manuel firing solution deleted as I did not read the stickys above yet.>> Also, how many of you actually use the manual firing? I feel that I am cheating by using the casual settings for firing, but if i knew that most people used the casual settings it would sit better with me.

2. Are there some "Must-Have" mods for this game to make it more realistic, or is vanilla SH4 pretty good for realism on its own? I am looking for mods that add to realism, not make it where you can hold 500 fish. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

3. As I was playing the convoy training mission. When diving from the destroyers under the thermal layer, I discovered I could pop-up my observation scope a bit and watch them pass overhead and maneuver my sub to avoid being DC'd. Is this even possible on a real sub or would that never happen? I found it was invaluable to avoid being DC'd as I could not only hear from what general direction they were approaching from but then I could see them at the last moment and hurry out of the way before the DC's started going off. Comments, Opinions?

I really appreciate your help! Thanks a lot!

[Ducimus_Rapax]

1. I use the autoTDC when im feeling impatient. I'll switch manual TDC off and on quite a bit. Mainly to stay in practice. But ive been subsimming for a few years now, and ive reached a point where more often then not my thoughts are "yes yes yes, i know how to do this, lets get the fish out of the damn tubes already".

2. I can't comment on this.

3. I highly doubt a real periscope works underwater. Theres not enough light entering the lenses to refract an image. I admit thoguh, its FUN! That said, thank you for reminding me to reduce underwater visiblity.

[lane2512]

Howdy Cap'n!

I'm gonna start by pointing you to this thread...
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/1...491042675#1491042675 (http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6421019045/m/1491042675?r=1491042675#1491042675)

It is general instructions on how to properly install the mod installer program and any mods you wish to put in.

I recommend the Trigger Maru 1.5 (soon to be 1.6) Mod. You can read up at it at subsim.com..
You have to register there, but it is free and a sub forum like this one dedicated to SH4 and SH3. On the bottom of their first page you will see a menu bar for other forums. You want the SH4 Mod Workshop forum. In there you will find links to many many mods.

Others will be by to give you manual targeting stuff. My trifocals interfere with my fat fingers and my torps usually end up in San Diego bay.

Good Hunting!

[silentscorp1971]

I am currently using manual tdc. I read all the tutorials, watched all the videos by Werner and practiced sinking the heavy cruier until ordered by FDR to stop wasting torpedos. I have been hooked ever since on manual.

I have since tried to go back and use auto, but find it way too inaccurate. With manual you have total control over your fish.

Manual is also just as easy as auto if you get to within 800 yards. Throw in a semi-close AoB guess, guesstimate the speed, throw in a range/bearing, turn on PK, drop scope and begin firing your fish using a 1-2 degree spread.. guaranteed 2 out of 3 hits (usually 3).
If the target is moving 1 knot or less you don't even have to fool with AoB or Speed, just guesstimate range and set it manually, send to get bearing and fire, fire, fire. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/59.gif

I personally would like a middle ground between the auto and manual tdc. You would have to gather the information needed by observing the target and IDing it and when an alloted time has passed you would get a button to "call out information to tdc operator". Once this was done you could order spread and depth and fire as usual.

I am using Trigger Maru 1.5, TM Graphics mod, the periscope fix, and the Realistic Sinking mod.
I enjoy the realistic sinking mod because it forces you to spread the damage if you want a faster sink.
I hit one heavy cruiser with 4 torpedos in a line (one impact point and damage mark), it slowly sank by the stern then stabilized and eventually sailed off. I hit another with a perfect spread of 4 torpedos, 4 damage areas spread from bow to stern, rolled over and sank in 15 minutes. I hit another with 3 on the starboard side (2 damage marks), it slowly settled and began to list heavily. I circled it and hit it with 2 on the port side (2 damage marks). It slowly leveled out! Eventually it sank, with just a slight starboard list.

[csouth111]

Originally posted by Ducimus_Rapax:
2. I can't comment on this.

http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/88.gif http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/88.gif

[Gh3ngis]

1) Yes i use Manual targeting, watch the video on youtube and the tutorials that are stickied.

2)Trigger Maru 1.5, *loody good mod. (thank you to Ducimus)

3) What Ducimus said.

[Realjambo]

3. As I was playing the convoy training mission. When diving from the destroyers under the thermal layer, I discovered I could pop-up my observation scope a bit and watch them pass overhead and maneuver my sub to avoid being DC'd. Is this even possible on a real sub or would that never happen? I found it was invaluable to avoid being DC'd as I could not only hear from what general direction they were approaching from but then I could see them at the last moment and hurry out of the way before the DC's started going off. Comments, Opinions?


Welcome to the forum Reignhardt. I hadn't thought of doing what you descibe above (and I'm a supposed U-Boat/Sub Commander 'veteran'! http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/16x16_smiley-very-happy.gif ) I'll give that a try on my next patrol! http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/25.gif

[Reignhardt]

Thanks for all your help guys! I have since installed TM1.6 and I am loving it. Only one problem. I'm still learning the ropes of manual targeting and I think that auto targeting has been removed from the game in 1.6. I loaded the game and unchecked the box for manual targeting but when starting my first career, no auto targeting. Oh well, guess its time to learn to sink or swim. Great mod so far! Love the new water effects!
Good Hunting!

[kikn79]

Originally posted by Reignhardt:
Thanks for all your help guys! I have since installed TM1.6 and I am loving it. Only one problem. I'm still learning the ropes of manual targeting and I think that auto targeting has been removed from the game in 1.6. I loaded the game and unchecked the box for manual targeting but when starting my first career, no auto targeting. Oh well, guess its time to learn to sink or swim. Great mod so far! Love the new water effects!
Good Hunting!

If you've started a career, you'll have to re-apply the settings in the "captain's office" by clicking on the radio on your left. There, you can remove manual targeting (again) and use auto. I always use auto, 'cause I suck at math.

Chuck

[Reignhardt]

Thank you so much kikn79! I will do that right away!

[peanuts111358]

So far I have been thinking about switching from auto targeting to manual, but never "bit the bullet" yet. Perhaps in my next career I will use manual http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/25.gif

[Holtz_]

I fell into it the other way around. I learned manual targeting first with SH3 and carried that over to SH4.

Finally maybe a month ago I finally decided I had enough schooling with manual settings to switch to auto and do so with a guilt-free conscience (in terms of the sim aspect of the game).

I have switched it back on every so often, but like D.R. mentions up above sometimes I just wanna shoot.

[RogerDodger1946]

Originally posted by kikn79:
I always use auto, 'cause I suck at math.

Chuck

What he said. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/touche.gif

Actually, for me its more like role playing. I run the 'scope and call out bearing and range to the TDC officer. I 'just assume' I'm also giving him the estimated speed and angle on the bow figures. Whirr, whirr, whirr goes the TDC. When I get a solution light, Fire away!

When I'm setting up a shot, I really don't want to put the game on pause while I figure out the math. For me, its the hunt, not the math that's fun.

Run Silent, Run Deep

[Raptor22ADF]

Originally posted by RogerDodger1946:

... For me, its the hunt, not the math that's fun.



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