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Relative New Boy

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Relative New Boy

#1
😵

I'm a relative novice at all this but I am struggling with the 'strategy'.

I sort of know a little about the historical background, so I understand the Asdic, hydrophone and all that I am just simply getting blown out the water all the time and slightly confused about what/how things are simulated i.e.

I'm a sub.

If I hear a ping, does that mean that I've been detected?

I though it did, but the other day I was being pinged but the swarms of destroyers actually didn't seem to know where I was.

I understand that when I get a load of hedgehogs or whatever blowing up and I am not dead already, I've got a 10 secs or so window to get away, is that correct?

Dolphining torpedoes! I set mine to run at about 3 meters and at full tilt, is that sensible?

At what sort of ranges is the asdic effective and at what depths?

I understand in real life it is not effectively in close range and also not fully effective if the sub (me) is close to the surface.

How does my depth effect the asdic effectiveness?

Thermal layers in the water?

I also understand from a previous thread that my relative speed has an effect as well.

😵 Do they always see my periscope when it goes up? Does my speed and distance and weather effect the likelyhood of them seeing me?.

The bottom line is I feel as if they almost ALWAYS know where I am and when they've got me in their sites, it may take them two or three runs, but I'm a gonner.

😵

I rarely if ever escape their clutches.

The other problem I have is that my allied subs seem to be completely stupid, in about 30 goes of LFN sub 6 (I think) they have only sunk one of the 'DESRON' ever. They don't seem to follow my orders (maybe I'm doing it wrong) and blindly steam towards the DESRON at full tilt - BANG - BOOM, BOOM, BOOM - bye bye.

Is hard easy and easy hard - to me it all seems hard.

The best I've done on LFN sub 6 (the DESRON one) is 3 out of 6. I've looked at the tactics thread, but I don't understand it - and I don't see any 'strategy'.

What would be nice is a novices guide to tactics.

😵

Relative New Boy

#2
Okay. The I-15 is basically an escort destroyer that can go underwater. It is an evil ship to learn.

The Viper and Mark Nine of the IGN are far better trainers.

The basic trick for submarining is to remain between three and nine meters, and have torpedos set for two meters and maximum speed.

Anticipate the course of a ship and have your bow tubes aimed at where they will be- not where they are! Make sure your periscope is zoomed out all the way, since variable zoom makes for an aiming nightmare.

Always fire a full spread of at least three torpedos if you feel you have a sure shot, and fire at close range. But at too close a range, your torps will not arm in time and pass beneath the enemy ship. In that case, make an emergency turn to the opposite direction and full ahead. Then try to hit them with your assward tubes as they overshoot.

Deep diving is to be avoided, as it means limited manouverability plus no ability to shoot back. Only dive to avoid depth charges and torpedos, and by staying near the surface you'll have fewer incidents with charges. When you hear torp alarm, most often the torp will pass over you. However, if you're patient or in choppy water, hit crash dive for a ten count until the torpedo dopplers above and past your sub. Then get back to surface and hunting asap.

Basically, submarines live and die by your torpedo marksmanship and ability to pre-position your sub for the killing shot. It's the naval equivalent of sniping. Destroyers and such are just like heavily armed infantry. Deadly, but only if your first shot misses and they catch you flat-footed.

Relative New Boy

#3
Everything Vaarok has said is right. But cutting the engines and going deep has saved my ass many a time, once the first charge goes off go flank speed and hard to port or starboard. But once the bangs stop kill the engines and wait.

So with a full spread it?s about 10-15 seconds of blind time when the hydrophones don?t work.

Sometimes they give up on you or keep rolling charges in the area where they "think" you are. If they give up, creep to periscope depth and torp em!

When it works, it works well! And when it doesn't, you get to meet Davy Jones.

ASDIC - get close to the offending ship and go deep! ASDIC cone that goes out from the ship 4000m 12 degrees down off the bow ( I think? hmm:

The pings really mean nothing, i was getting pinged even when 3 DE where moving away from me (no other ships in the area either)

Don?t count on friendly AI subs, they do suck :)

They are best used as distractions, coz if the enemy lose you, they go after the next target which poses the greatest threat.

And let me add another one to the ?reasons to dive? list:

if they are about to run you over, DIVE, DIVE, DIVE! ;)

Evasion tips:

Try running at Ahead 1/3 as it is pretty quiet

Depth can hide your engines noise at 1/3 if you get to about 150 or below (in my experience)

Only run full or flank if on the surface or if charges are going off

If the charges are going to hit you, Flank it without a turn just to stay alive long enough to go silent.

And finally, just keep practicing :) try the Type 7 and Type 9 as Vaarok suggested and do some Training Patrols

Good luck fellow Submariner!

Relative New Boy

#4
Actually before reading these replies I miraculously finished LFN 4 rolleyes:

BEFORE reading these replies :P

The stuff about ASDIC is usefull - on LFN 5 the escorts seem to find you, even if you sit silently at 200m at a range of 4000 yards.

If the asdic cone works as you describe I should be able to sit at periscope depth undetected buxton:

I'll try it later.

I can thankfully ignore the PING then - it was driving me mad.

And the miraculously missing point blank range shots are now explained.

So my allied subs suck - it's not me then - I'll give up frantically clicking 'broadcast' 'attack' and wondering why nothing seems to happen.

I'd love to swap this I-15 crate for a RN T class - but it's not there and I'm unwilling to jump ship and betray my faction (I know it's only a game but even so). cry:

Does anyone know where I can download the newest manual? I've installed the patches and there's all sorts of torpodoe stuff that makes no sense.

buxton:

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