I wanted to start a thread on depth charges because it seems there are a lot of questions out there and we all could benefit from some answers to them. So, if you have some observations please feel free to post here.
Mine are the following:
1. The depth charges fall at a certain rate. You will need to drop ahead of the sub further and further the deeper you set them to go off. I use the first ring at the 500 meter scale on the radar for drops at 200-250. I estimate from there the drops for other depths.
2. The sub will sometime change speed and direction. This will throw off your estimate of it's location. One tactic that seems to work for me if it seems the sub is trying to hide and probably won't surface directly under your ship, is to overtake it directly above it on the same course. This allows you to guage it's relative speed. which will help you time your drop better. You will also quickly note any turning the sub may do and allow you to get back on top of it's course. Getting the hang of just when to drop charges takes a bit of practice. Experience rises with each time you drop, so drop until you find what works.
3. I have found that dropping at various depths on each successive pass, rather than sticking with one depth level works a lot better than hoping the sub moves into the level you are dropping your charges.
4. It seems to me if the sub/contact disappears after you pass close by it's location on the scope, it is likely at the deepest level. Twice now I've dropped on this type of contact at max depth setting on the charges and have nailed the little offender to the sea bottom. I don't know if the game has thermoclines modeled realistically, but this is the effect you would get on ASDIC/SONAR if a sub went through one.
5. I usually blow across the intended drop location at maximum speed to get maximum dispersion of my charges. The theory being that this will spread out the concussion area for maximum effect. It seems to me that having a lot of redundantly overlapping shock zones is less efficient use of charge's energy.
6. If you overtake the contact by approaching from behind along it's track, then dropping along its intended course you will increase your chances of hitting the target . A head to head approach has probably the worst chance of working due to the smaller window of opportunity due to the closure rate. A side approach has a narrow overlap of the subs course also, and thereby reduces your chances of a charge dropping in it's back pocket.
7. The slow turn rate of the submarine will make the task of determining where to drop easier. Assume a straight course unless you see that the sub is in a turn at the time you start tracking it's movement and move to your drop location.
Nice post CIWS. Just starting surface missions now after me sub stuff done
This was very clear and well explained and will try it all.
Several questions:
1--You mentioned the first "line" of the 500 meter scale. geeze, was dropping just ahead of the ship, or maybe a length ahead. So I will play with that, the distances seem "greater" on tac map, and will not seem to hit,
but I forget how really close you are.
2--I can't really see how to drop DC's versus Hedges, and the depths go
only to 150 when I attempt to drop. My choices I think are 20-55-95-150?
I know I am missing many things, but not sure what I am looking at here. I am in a DE now and I thought they had hedges? And torps? (I truly thought DE's were firing something like that at me. ehhehehe.) Which ships have Hedges? How do you differentiate and "target" three lines
ahead for hedges? Click the ship?...whoa, soooooooo confused.
Also the post mentions firing twice at different depths. I usually get one?
Is there a way to control this?
Sorry, some of these quesions probably seem stupid but thats where I am
at now in surface.
Will fool around with this, its lots of fun. Have to admit though, those PT
boats make the hair stand on end in the wind heheheh.
I'm still new to surface combat but reckon i can help a little bit. As far as i'm aware only flower corvettes (LFN) get hedgehogs. Hedgehogs fire a load of small charges in front of the ship that will fall roughly by the third ring marker.
To lay a string of charges you have to drop at the first depth then click "cease" (under the list of different depths) and then click a new depth, repeat as often as you want. The only charge depths are 20-55-95-150 subs can't really go deeper than that so there ain't much point dropping lower.
The majority of my kills have been made at 95 meters, I'm starting to get the feeling that if theyre not shooting at you then theyre running deep.
Hope it helps some, please correct me if i'm wrong boy does this surface fighting take some practice!!
Thx Crunch for your comments. You clarified the method "multiple" firing DC's for me...one thing though. Subs can go to 200 generally or thereabouts(say 198meters) without hull damage, depends on ship
and some luck I'd say to go deeper(someone had a Screenshot of sub
at 250 with NO hull damage? still trying to figure that one out and I guess
its random).
Also, thx for clarification of Hedgehogs and Flower class LFN boats.
Back to your comments on sub depths. Subs CAN go deeper than 150. I found yesterday that you can Voice Command deeper than 150, by saying,
"set charge for 200" etc. The drones may only go to 150 or less(KIA'd one
yesterday at 153 though). But human players probably will go VERY deep
on occasion to evade. This will probably make Voice Commands necessary
if you suspect ship is over 170m(think kill zone is within 20 meters?).
And yes, this is going to take LOTS of practice for me!
All the booze must be frying my brain. Of course you're right about sub depths, guess i'm one of those wimps so scared of crush depth i blanked it from my mind.
Thanks for the tip on voicing deeper depths if.....no, WHEN the multiplayer arrives thered would of been a whole load of sub skippers laughing there ass off at me.
1---A bunch of times when I have ordered "Deck Guns Defend" I have gotten message, "you are firing on a friendly". When this has happened
I have had to cease fire and wait to try again. Why does this happen?
It has not always happened when I have had an allied ship in front of or
blocking a target.
2---Is there a method to order a convoy, in toto, to a rendevous point?
It is tedious to do this on each ship(tho sometimes it might come in handy).
And also, after giving orders to each ship I have often noticed ships have
no orders, which forces me to go over the group several times. What made
me think it was possible to give mass orders is that on one occasion, I received the message from an Oiler "On our way Sir!", the same message you get from combat ships who you give orders to. It would be nice to
give orders to a Convoy leader and have all obey.
3--Is there a verbal command to fire torps from DE's.etc? I know there is one for Vospers/Pt boats, but it doesn't seem to work with larger ships with
torps.
4--When a Spectator view has been chosen, is there a way to keep that
perspective when toggling back and forth between lrg. Tac screen and
Spectator? Each time you must re-adjust otherwise.
1: happens cause a friendly ship is in your line of fire
2: no, but it will be added "group select"
3: click F3 or F4 in game to open voice commands menu.
4: no there is not.
