Topic: Anyone playing Silent Hunter III?

[Commander La'ra]

Just bought SH3 yesterday.  Note what time I'm posting;  I spent most of the night on my first patrol (7th Flotilla out of Kiel).

So far the game is blowing me away.  I got a serious gamer's rush at several points, especially when, chasing my third kill through heavy rain and fog, I had to go all back emergency to avoid hitting the merchie when it zig-zagged toward me...I didn't realize what was happening until I saw the ship loom out of the mist in front of me.

I wish there were more 'rest' spots available for your officer's though.  I had no problem rotating crew enough to keep them fresh, but the officers ended up pretty reamed by the end of the patrol.

The promotions and decorations and such at the end of an outing are very satisfying.

[J. Carney]

I wish there were more 'rest' spots available for your officer's though.  I had no problem rotating crew enough to keep them fresh, but the officers ended up pretty reamed by the end of the patrol.

When you move up to the bigger Type-VII's, the problem is the opposite; you have 5 officers and enough to keep up a fairly steady rotation, but you are about 10 berths short for your crewmen.

[Just plain old Punisher]

I put them in the torpedo tubes, as a plus you can fire them when you run out of torpedos.

[IAF Lyrkiller]

After not playing for several years AoD, I finally survived my first run in w/ a convoy between Ireland and England. took out 2 tankers for a total of 23000 tons.

The pesky escort would not leave me alone. will post more of my adventures here. 

[Dracho]

Well.. you twerps made me go out and spend $29.95 on this one (not a bad price really). I spent last evening going through the training missions.  Did anyone else have difficulty sinking enough freighters in the torpedo training mission?  I kept getting duds, or the costal freighters would zig after the fish launched, or 1 torpedo wouldn't break the ship.

I finally passed the test by sinking 5 of the 6.  I put my last torpedo into the light tanker, but it didn't explode.

Regardless, the graphics are impressive (the sea foam in the binoculars when running at speed is annoying).  I can't wait to put to sea tonight on a campaign.

[CaptStumpy]

I think you are suffering from a known bug. If you are getting the sea-foam problem you might try hitting ctrl-P. Especially when using the UZO at speed. This turns off graphic particulates. Just remember to toggle them back on or you won't get the spray in external view. Apparently we Nvidia card users suffer from this bug.

[Dracho]

Ah!  Yep.. GeForce 5200FX.. you sir, get a +1. 

[Dracho]

Okay.. I put to see last night for my fist real cruise.. 1939 in the North Sea in a Type VII boat.  I didn't actually go to the bridge to cast off, and apparently "dinged" something at the dock, as there was a lound bang and the crew went screaming down the corrigdors, knocking the wurst (knockwurst, get?) off the walls, and generally panicking like a one-legged man at a leiderhosen sale.  Next time, I will not leave port using only the map and waypoints.


So, I get to sea, about 1 day NE of Scapa Flow and I see an enemy ship on the map. I go to the bridge to find it, and HOLY CRAP.. we are in what could only be a hurricane. The waves were at least 3 meters.   The boat is rolling and listing at least 60 degrees, and the waves are plunging over the deck, leaving at times only the conning tower out of the water.  The graphics were so realistic I felt a little green.  The fact that it was night made it even cooler.

I decided to man the deck gun and hunt down the enemy merchant.  The crew told me to basically bite them, they weren't going out on that deck come hell or high water, and the high water was already here.  At that point the dogs discovered a raccoon or something, woke up the wife with their barking,.  She gave me "that look" and reminded me it was 1 am and I had to get up at 6. 

Beware Merchants, Captain Dracho hunts you this night.  Muhahahahahaha!

[manitoba1073]

i cant find it around here yet. avast i have this weekend to look. 

[oldmanken]

I have two questions for you guys, as this is the first sub sim.  (note, i'm a newb but play everything on full real...with the exception of external view, which is used sparingly)

1) What is the most effective way to slip away undetected from a convoy that has spotted you?

2) Are the only ports which have 'stuff' at them the ones that are labelled, or can i go to the location of any port.  (I ask only because I want to see if they model St. John's port...i'm looking out over he narrows at the moment, and I'de love to see it in the game as well)

[J. Carney]

I have two questions for you guys, as this is the first sub sim.  (note, i'm a newb but play everything on full real...with the exception of external view, which is used sparingly)

1) What is the most effective way to slip away undetected from a convoy that has spotted you?

2) Are the only ports which have 'stuff' at them the ones that are labelled, or can i go to the location of any port.  (I ask only because I want to see if they model St. John's port...i'm looking out over he narrows at the moment, and I'de love to see it in the game as well)

OK, first off, the important operational stuff:

The best way IMHO to break contact after attacking a convoy is TOWARDS the convoy. Don't make the mistake of trying to run AWAY. If you run AWAY, there is only one ship for the escorts to hear on their sonar (you). If you break contact INTO the convoy they are likely to loose your screw noise amidst the 'thundering herd.'

After you fire your fish, dive immediately to the deepest safe depth that your boat can handle (test depth). Start moving through the convoy in whatever direction the escorts aren't- i.e. if they are in the front, dive and proceed through the convoy, exiting through the rear. Keep your speed down to 2-5 knots... slower while the escorts are near, and increase speed as you place the body of the convoy betweeen them and your ship.

That's how I slip away after a convoy attack. It's pretty successful, as my guy is still alive and it's 1942.


As for the ports, I think that the only ones that have any type of structure are the labled ones. THERE ARE NO SHIPS IN THE PORTS. I went into Scappa Flow looking for a capital ship to kill, and found nothing. Going into ports is kinda a waste of time... though I DID want to get some periscope pics of Mobile, Al.

[CaptStumpy]

1.2 patch out.

http://www.silent-hunteriii.com/uk/updates.php

Make sure you go to port first before installing.

Good hunting.

Stumpy out.

[oldmanken]

Ok, another question...have nay of you had any problems finding contacts on patrols?  In my previous career (which I got frustrated with and quit), I went three patrols without even finding an enemy unit.  Considering the time it takes to get through a patrol it's a tad frustrating.  Anybody else have this problem?

[CaptStumpy]

Ok, another question...have nay of you had any problems finding contacts on patrols?  In my previous career (which I got frustrated with and quit), I went three patrols without even finding an enemy unit.  Considering the time it takes to get through a patrol it's a tad frustrating.  Anybody else have this problem?

The first couple patrols for me were a little sparse, the traffic seems to get heavier around 1940.

At what realism are you playing? It is alot easier if you check the map update option. I know many people prefer max realism but you might want to try it for abit to get the hang of it.

I'm assuming you are seeing enemy red unit markers on the map occasionally?

It is a good idea to occasionally submerge and do a manual sonar check in likely areas of enemy traffic, engines at stop, passive only of course. You can often pick up a distant sound of screws even though your crew has not reported it. I can usually pick up contacts long before sighting them on the surface, especially in bad weather.

The second part is actually finding the ship. Once you determine approximate course and speed you need to plot an intercept course. To do this I take the ruler tool and draw a line estimating the course of the ship. Then I take the compass tool and draw a 3 kilometer circle around the enemy contact. Then draw two lines on opposite sides of the object and follow the ruler line parallel to the course of the ship. Essentially you are creating a 6 kilometer path to search.

Then taking into account the target's speed plot a course that will intersect the targets course within the 6 kilometer search area and work toward the target on a opposite course. Make sure you enter the search area far before you estimate the target will arrive at where you entered the search area. If you do this right you will be able to intercept the target in a potentially good firing position with plenty of time to set yourself up for the shot.

Hope this helps.

[J. Carney]

Ok, another question...have nay of you had any problems finding contacts on patrols?  In my previous career (which I got frustrated with and quit), I went three patrols without even finding an enemy unit.  Considering the time it takes to get through a patrol it's a tad frustrating.  Anybody else have this problem?

The first couple patrols for me were a little sparse, the traffic seems to get heavier around 1940.

At what realism are you playing? It is alot easier if you check the map update option. I know many people prefer max realism but you might want to try it for abit to get the hang of it.

I'm assuming you are seeing enemy red unit markers on the map occasionally?

It is a good idea to occasionally submerge and do a manual sonar check in likely areas of enemy traffic, engines at stop, passive only of course. You can often pick up a distant sound of screws even though your crew has not reported it. I can usually pick up contacts long before sighting them on the surface, especially in bad weather.

The second part is actually finding the ship. Once you determine approximate course and speed you need to plot an intercept course. To do this I take the ruler tool and draw a line estimating the course of the ship. Then I take the compass tool and draw a 3 kilometer circle around the enemy contact. Then draw two lines on opposite sides of the object and follow the ruler line parallel to the course of the ship. Essentially you are creating a 6 kilometer path to search.

Then taking into account the target's speed plot a course that will intersect the targets course within the 6 kilometer search area and work toward the target on a opposite course. Make sure you enter the search area far before you estimate the target will arrive at where you entered the search area. If you do this right you will be able to intercept the target in a potentially good firing position with plenty of time to set yourself up for the shot.

Hope this helps.

Damn, Stumpy... break out the slide rule why don't ya? Compute the firing solutiuons manually, even!!!

I like realism in my gameplay, so I do keep the update off. However, I also use the 'sprint and drift' listening method when I'm in a convoy route. It's always going to turn up something if you do it long enough.


And OMK... most U-boat patrols were either fruitless or nearly so, except for a few very notable skippers. That's why the highest scorers in the war stayed at about 400,000 DWT of shipping, and the average skipper only knocked out about 100,000 DWT.

[Commander La'ra]

The map they gave you with the game is very useful.  If you didn't buy the DVD version and just downloaded it, it's in a pdf I think. 

Check out the convoy and single merchant routes to find good places to lurk.  BdU may send you to an inactive grid square, but once you've patrolled it for twenty-four hours, your free to hunt as you wish.  Prowling through the 'high traffic areas' around Britain in 1939 and 40 netted me a whole lot of solitary merchants, and it's easy to find convoys at the north and south approaches to the Bristol Channel.  Downside there is the water is shallow, and if you have to dive to get away from the escorts, you don't have much room to hide.

I've had a LOT of luck in Orkney's around Scapa Flow, btw.  Seems to be an unusual amount of small merchant traffic up there.

I love doing what Stumpy suggested and manually track my prey with the hydrophones.  I spent thirty minutes real time finding a contact on one patrol.  Alas, it turned out to be a civillian trawler.  Of course, after all that time, I felt obligated to torpedo it.  Good for morale, and all that.

Hey Carney, they added minefields and torpedo nets in the latest patch.  I suspect that's the first step toward 'living harbors'.  I have the inkling that they didn't want to provide motionless targets at the pier unless you had to really work to get in there.

Has anyone waited until Barbarossa kicks off and gone over into the waters about Riga.  Torpedoing the British is nice and all, but can I inflict punishment on the Russian Baltic Sea fleet too?

[J. Carney]

Hey Carney, they added minefields and torpedo nets in the latest patch.  I suspect that's the first step toward 'living harbors'.  I have the inkling that they didn't want to provide motionless targets at the pier unless you had to really work to get in there.

Well, I went into the Firth of Forth tonight, and didn't find any nets or ships in port... but I did find a minefield, I think... one of the Luftwaffe's airdropped jobs off the Firth. All I know is that ships were sinking North of my position- I didn't want to go that way as I figured there was also a fair to midling chance that I would get offed by a mysterious "Hand of God" bug, similar to the one we all remember from SFC.

ANyway, I had an oopsy and lost my good career. I'm back in a IID patroling the North Sea in '39.

[manitoba1073]

i found it i found it finally 

[J. Carney]

i found it i found it finally 

Good luck, and remember to tuck the kids in before they get to tired or you'll see a lot of these...
!!!!!

which means that your boys are about to go on strike.

[manitoba1073]

i found it i found it finally 

Good luck, and remember to tuck the kids in before they get to tired or you'll see a lot of these...
!!!!!

which means that your boys are about to go on strike.

i found that out already, but thanxs    but i got my first kill on my 3rd patrol.

lol i found that out already.  got my first kill though on my 3rd patrol