One puzzle you guys can probably solve for me. If I want to send 4 eels into a convoy WITHOUT any solution (crowded convoy I dont need one).. how do I do it? It doesnt seem to be obvious... The manual lever at the bow tube just sends the torp on whatever solution (or non solution) is in the TDC. Also whats the earliest date supply ships become available?
I had to register a new account for some reason after the forum reset my COMBAT99 account would not let me post..
Well that sucks. Glad you're back.
Good patrol reports Kaleunen. Is that plural for kaleun?
Supply ships in this game are Type XIV U-tankers which have the ability to also supply torpedoes, which were only Type VIIF, so the game makes a concession. To get one you have to complete an objective that rewards a milk cow. Not sure which will be the earliest. Probably December 1941 when Drumbeat starts. But whatever task you undertake to get it would be a long one, before you have gotten a milk cow, so probably looking at February 1942 or thereabouts. In my current career my first came from the Aruba bombardment mission May 1942. In my first career it came from Black Pit, but that was later on, January 1943 I think.
For the current run in U-327 we used the Aruba cow to good effect. Time was ticking and I wanted to complete Drumbeat for the achievement. In one patrol to the Americas, I did indeed visit Hatteras and it was a total bust. Didn't see anything over a week. It's a shame because it's the perfect spot, with the continental shelf at it's narrowest on the eastern seaboard. But we found no targets and returned to the waters east of Halifax. Came home with 110,000 Drumbeat tons over a couple sorties, and was relieved to see you only need 200k to finish. The others are 250k, and that might not seem like much difference, but it made getting it done before February 1943 easier. Had three milks cows by now (each phase of Drumbeat gives another cow) and we just stayed out there until we had sunk the 90k we needed, topping off and resupplying from the cows as needed. Total time at sea 66 days, my longest time at sea yet, and tied up January 1, 1943 so would not have had time to run another patrol to the Americas. That was a tough one for the crew but they took it with grim determination and now get a few weeks at the French chalet.
It's now January 1943 and we have completed Battle of the Med and Drumbeat. Undecided if I should head back to the Med (I do want to see what it is like in '43 and later), transfer to Bergen ad try to complete Arctic Convoys (and those are no joke, heavily escorted) or stay in France for a while.
For the question about shooting a full salvo at a convoy without a solution, you can quickly dial up TDC data by locking any ship you can see through the UZO or scope. At least with the settings I use, this brings up a panel where you can manually input speed, AoB and range. So let's say you want to just shoot straight out boresight. Put a speed of zero in and whatever you want for AoB and range (a shot taken with speed zero will go straight on the scope bearing). Using the solution on the map (if enabled) you can see how the path the torpedo will take can be moved by moving the optics. Place the UZO/scope on 0/360 for a straight shot off the bow. Of course you can also enter a speed other than zero, so that the gyros provide any lead you need. Or you can shoot 'by eye'.
You can shoot singles, flooding them one by one, or use the salvo option of course if you want a fan. This is just one way to do it, but I like it because I can do it from the UZO/scope view rather than go to the TDC in the conning tower and twisting the dials and flipping the switches.
