Author Topic: [FH1] Submarine Tactics  (Read 3701 times)

Offline Mspfc Doc DuFresne

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 677
  • A Poet and I didn't Know It
    • View Profile
[FH1] Submarine Tactics
« on: 30-03-2009, 01:03:40 »
(Since the prevailing mood seems to be with options 'c' or 'd' I have gone with 'c')

Here is my accumulated knowledge on Submarine warfare, the sneakiest nautical vessel on all the seven seas:

Depth
Depth is controlled with the up and down arrow keys, and affects your speed, awareness, vulnerability, and air supply

1. Fully Surfaced

Fast But Vulnerable. When fully surfaced your submarine is at its quickest and most vulnerable. You will move faster than at any other state, but aircraft may bomb or strafe you, and ships may shell you. You may also use your deck guns to fire on aircraft, the shore, and ships, though of course any ship the size of a destroyer and above will easily defeat you in a gun duel, and it is safest to submerge is spotted by an aircraft rather than fight it. In this state pressing 'E' will cause you to exit the vehicle, and anytime you exit your submarine it will surface.

2. Hull Down, Conning Tower Up

Hard to Hit, Easy to See. In this state the majority of your hull is underwater, while your conning tower is surfaced. You move slower than you do when you are fully surfaced, but faster than you do when submerged. Depending on the placement of your guns you may be able to use some of them (the Gato Class has .50 caliber machine guns on the conning tower) but if you get out to use them the submarine will surface fully. You are still easy to spot from the air or sea, but are a more difficult target for bombs or shells. Near misses that land above your submerged hull will still cause damage, but not as much. On some submarines you can still exit the boat, while on others you can't. This state is the most convenient if you are carrying survivors to a friendly ship or want to travel quickly.

3. Periscope Depth

The Most Versatile State. This is the most common depth for a submarine. In this state you cannot use your deck guns or exit the vehicle, and you move more slowly than when surfaced. However, you are nearly immune to shells and bombs, only taking damage if they land directly over your conning tower. You are difficult to spot, but certainly not invisible. Planes find it especially hard to see you, while it is easiest for submarines to spot you. You still have an unlimited air supply, and can quickly dive or surface. Your only weapons are your torpedoes. Torpedoes fired from submarines and destroyers and dropped from planes can hit any part of your hull, and it only takes two to send you plummeting to the briny deep, trapped inside.

4. Fully Submerged

Dead Reckoning, Safety at DepthThis state is radically different from the other three. You can no longer use your periscopes or exterior view, you are invisible to anything except sonar, and you have a limited air supply. You move much more slowly when fully submerged, and have a wide range of depths to chose from. Your torpedoes may or may not hit their mark, and aiming consists of dead reckoning and spreading your shots across different angles. Here you navigate by watching your symbol creep across a map, and listen closely for the sound of sonar. You have a limited air supply which will force you to surface regularly. You are trapped inside your ship; 'E' does nothing and if you take too much damage you will sink to the bottom until crushed. The only weapon that is really a threat is the depth charge or a torpedo fired by a submarine at the same depth.

Tactics

1. Proper use of the Periscope

The most basic thing to remember here is keep the periscope swiveling. This will allow you to quickly spot threats and opportunities. If an enemy submarine surfaces behind you, you have to know quickly so you can dodge his torpedo or fire one of your own. The periscope's view can be obstructed if you turn sharply and you sub tilts; looking towards the inside of the turn will show you the sky, and looking towards the outside will show you the sea, instead of the horizon. The periscope will also refill your air supply at a deeper depth than you can see out of it; if you are submerged you can rise until the tip of your periscope is above the water, and refill with barely any danger. However, this also means that is you are barely submerged, you may think you are underwater and invisible while being easy to see by the top of your periscope.

2. Evading a Depth Charge Attack

The only way to do this is to Dive Silent, Dive Deep. Dive as deep as you can as rapidly as you can; the deeper you go the less damage you will take from each depth charge. Also, the destroyer is the only ship with both sonar and depth charges. Supply ships and Catalinas both have depth charges, but they will lose track of you if you dive. Also, supply ships are ponderous, and you may be able to place it in your crosshairs and sink it before it attacks or after you evade it.

3. Escaping a Ramming

For many ships, the only weapon they can use against submarines is themselves. The only known time where a Battleship defeated a submarine was where a U-Boat was spotted and rammed. In F|H, being rammed will result in you being dragged under the water and suffocated. The ship that most commonly rams submarines is, once again, our old nemesis, the destroyer. This fast, agile, and sonar equipped ship will line up on your conning tower in an attempt to depth charge you, and will oftentimes be on you before you can dodge or line up your torpedo tubes. However, there is an easy, simple way to escape: Dive Deep! This will cause the entire submarine to pass beneath the ship, even if you have already been rammed and are being drug beneath the water.

4. Proper use of your Torpedo Tubes
Remember all your tubes. The Gato Class has 8 torpedo tubes facing forwards and 2 facing rearwards. If fighting a submarine or destroyer it is best to aim the closest tubes towards the target, even if the closest tubes are to your rear. It only takes two torpedoes to sink a sub or destroyer, so you can easily kill a target behind you if you line up your shots correctly. Also, if you are alone and your tubes are mostly empty, and you have reloads waiting inside your ship, feel free to fire off your remaining torpedoes so all the tubes reload, giving you 8 torpedoes instead of, say, 2, the next time you see a target.

5. Fighting another Submarine

Keep track of your Relative Positions. In many ways a duel between two subs is like a slow motion, two dimensional dogfight. If it looks like he is about to line up a shot, dive deep and use dead reckoning to aim for where you think he will be when he surfaces. Surface quickly, rapidly scan the horizon for him, and if you can, fire two torpedoes into him. If you cannot, try and dive again before he spots you, and repeat. If you cannot see him, dive again, because he has probably dived to prevent you from spotting him and is trying to get into position to fire on where he thinks you will have gone to fire on where you think he will have gone (its all a bit like chess, in a way). Remember, at the close ranges these dogfights take place, the torpedo moves extremely quickly, so do NOT lead your target. If you like, you may find it helpful to surface to increase your speed and maneuverability, though you will be vulnerable if he has called for air support, and it will take longer for you to dive.

6. Fighting a Destroyer

Keep track of your Relative Positions, and wait for him to set up your shot for you. With the differences in speed and maneuverability between a submarine and a destroyer, every shot you get will be courtesy of your opponent's carelessness. When you first spot him, he will likely be coming towards you, and if you are speedy you may be able to dive before he spots you. However, if you hear the characteristic 'ping' of sonar, he is likely within sonar range, and you should dive deep to evade depth charges. After the depth charges pass by, surface to look for him. He is probably already turning back towards you, showing a broadside. If you are close enough to read the name tags see how many people are crewing the ship; if it is more than one or two the torpedo launchers are a valid threat, so watch to see if those are moving. Destroyers are fast, so it will often be necessary to lead your target. At three ship lengths away it will probably be necessary to aim about half his length in front of him to hit him in the center. Remember, it only takes two torpedoes to sink him, so do not neglect your stern tubes. He will also try to shell you, and if he gets lucky you might take damage from near misses. Remember, he will most likely set your shot up for you, so be patient and vigilant. And if it gets too hot for you, call in air support.

7. Deck Guns

Dive Before They Fight Back. Pretty simple when you think about it. You are a sitting duck on the surface, so anything with a cannon can hurt you. You can also shell land targets with your deck gun, strafe survivors and landing craft from ships that you sink, strafe the decks of aircraft carriers, shoot at harmless planes like fighters(or bombers if you are suicidal), or pick off infantry on battleships, destroyers, and supply ships if you are really crazy. However, deck guns are most useful for targets of opportunity, such as a seaplane that has landed or a PT boat, or having a gun battle with another surfaced submarine.

8. Don't Get Cocky or Impatient

If you follow the rules above, you can survive almost anything, but if you break them because you think you are safe or because you got impatient, you will be nothing but a target.



Like most things, in capable hands the submarine is deadly, while in incompetent ones it is a sitting duck. The submarine can evade almost any attack, sink any ship, and capture flags or act as a spawn point deep behind enemy lines. Bad luck can still strike, but the submarine is like a scalpel in capable hands. You won't get the most kills, but you can evade death, sink fleets, and keep whole areas of the map in your team's hands. I have successfully fought a submarine, destroyer, and bombers at the same time. But I, too, have gotten cocky or impatient, been drug underwater and drowned, been torpedoed from behind because I neglected to look around(I knew they were behind me, but I surfaced to gain more speed anyways. grrr...), and gotten beached on an island. Hopefully you can learn as much from my mistakes as I have.

Sincerely,
Doc DuFresne
Twilight - the movie is just like Schindler's list... You know you're watching a crime against humanity, but it's sort of entertaining.~~Ts4EVER

Offline Kebert Xela

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 119
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #1 on: 30-03-2009, 14:03:35 »
nice info
but the best FH1 sub tactic is to use the gato and not, i repeat: not the sub7c or whatever its called (the jap one). Simply because of the difference in  damage they can take.
« Last Edit: 30-03-2009, 15:03:23 by >TDP<KillACola »

Offline Kubador

  • FH-Betatester
  • ***
  • Posts: 1.531
  • Flippin' Warbears since 1988
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #2 on: 30-03-2009, 18:03:16 »
Great tut! Only some images (to meet perfection) are missing. Got me hooked to meke some of my own :P

Offline Cpl. Mallard

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 97
  • Proud owner of an SMLE Mk.III*
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #3 on: 05-04-2009, 06:04:52 »
One more rule. Stay the hell away from the back end of my Fletcher class destroyer, cause ill send you to Davey Jones locker!
"And on the sixth day, God saw the need of a high powered rifle that could slaughter Germans at ranges in excess of 2000 yards, and so He created the Lee Enfield. And He saw that it was good, and so on the seventh day, God rested."

Offline ???

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 17
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #4 on: 25-04-2009, 16:04:59 »
FH2 has subs?! :o

Offline Flippy Warbear

  • Global Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 6.921
  • Adequately docile
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #5 on: 25-04-2009, 16:04:23 »
It says [FH1] Submarine Tactics, meaning 0.7 or previous FH versions, not FH2 or any of its versions.

However, there are submarines made for FH2. But they arent in the mod yet.

Offline Torenico

  • Masterspammer
  • ****
  • Posts: 5.632
  • ¡Viva la Revolución!
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #6 on: 25-04-2009, 19:04:49 »
It says [FH1] Submarine Tactics, meaning 0.7 or previous FH versions, not FH2 or any of its versions.

However, there are submarines made for FH2. But they arent in the mod yet.

They are.

I got a vid of them.. everything works.. the 20mm AA Machinegun doesnt have a texture.. periscope is unfinished.

I may upload it again.


Offline Torenico

  • Masterspammer
  • ****
  • Posts: 5.632
  • ¡Viva la Revolución!
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #7 on: 25-04-2009, 19:04:08 »
It says [FH1] Submarine Tactics, meaning 0.7 or previous FH versions, not FH2 or any of its versions.

However, there are submarines made for FH2. But they arent in the mod yet.

They are.

I got a vid of them.. everything works.. the 20mm AA Machinegun doesnt have a texture.. periscope is unfinished.

I may upload the video.


Offline Mspfc Doc DuFresne

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 677
  • A Poet and I didn't Know It
    • View Profile
Re: [FH1] Submarine Tactics
« Reply #8 on: 27-04-2009, 05:04:29 »
Twilight - the movie is just like Schindler's list... You know you're watching a crime against humanity, but it's sort of entertaining.~~Ts4EVER