AOD Still Rocks

I started a new AOD game today, mainly because I want to see some wolfpacks. In April 1941 I was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla in La Rochelle and given command of U-114, a Type IID boat, with orders to patrol Grid AM97. I reached AM97 and soon afterwards U-398 reported a convoy heading into English waters north of me. Hours later Bdu gave me orders to intercept the convoy. After diving to avoid several aircraft I sighted a heavily escorted convoy in shallow waters. Depth under keep 18 meters, not good. Nevertheless, I positioned myself at periscope depth in front of the convoy and stopped my engines. Remaining undetected I found myself in perfect position to attack a 15,000 ton troop ship, 500 meters away. I launched all 3 of my torpedo tubes. All three hit the target and sunk the ship. Great first kill. Just minutes later my sonarman detected high speed screws. Upon checking my periscope sure enough a destroyer was heading my way. I rung for silent running and begun to move away. While at silent running my bilge pumps overflowed and I hit the bottom. I decided to stay at the bottom, and wait for the escorts to give up. After hours of pinging and a few depth charges the escorts finally gave up and continued with the convoy and I was able to escape. Despite it's age AOD is still a lot of fun to play.

The last line of the SHII review said "Silent Hunter II will be replacing Aces and SH1 as the new WWII subsim benchmark." Come on, SHII didn't even have a dynamic campaign. SHIII on the other hand is a great game, but there are features that I sill miss from AOD. Mainly wolfpacks, and a more complex and interactive radio system. Not to mention you could abandon ship when the going gets tough. AOD is still a great game.

[Sailor Steve]

As is SH1, and for the same reasons. The main reason I prefer SH3 over AOD is simply that part of being in the navy for me was actually being on the water, and seeing the sights going in and out of port; something that only comes with the newer graphics.

I agree - AOD is still well worth playing, and in some respects is still the best of them all.

[MarkShot]

AOD had game play and atomosphere. A very immersive balance.

Also, certain modeling regarding LOS & acoustic detection probably were better modeled in AOD than SH3 (with or without any of the total mods).

And don't forget you got all of that out of the box!

I do play SH3/GWX2 and I have to say that the graphics are a form of immersion in themselves. I only wish the game play was more solid.

In my opinion, AOD, SH1, and SH3 (+mods) each has strengths to offer and respective weaknesses. So, I play them all.

[Sailor Steve]

Mark, you're alive! Good to see you still read these threads. Good to hear from you, too!

[Eugene]

Mark is indeed alive. And everywhere! He is an active and primary voice at the Matrix Forums.

[MarkShot]

This must be yank my chain day.

What's this "Mark's alive"? Did someone pronounce me dead?

And where/how do you guys, Sailor Steve and Eugene know me from?

---

I haven't dived for a while. I tend to go from genre to genre. I went from subs to trading/money/strategy games to geo-political games, but I think it's time to go back out on patrol. I definitely don't want the War to end without me! Ich bin zeruck gekommen!

[Syxx_Killer]

AOD is what got me into sub sims. I loved it back in the day. I loved just watching the ships sink (I still do in in SH3 and SH4). I had Command: Aces of the Deep and played it to death. I still have the box and everything. To this day that game has a certain aura about it that just hasn't been matched. I wish there was a modern version of the theme music from CAOD out there. What better way to go out on patrol than to listen to that old tune! Come to think of it, I'd also like the Silent Service music for SH4 and the CAOD music for SH4: UBM.

Today I got a reminder of how much more difficult the game is. On my next patrol while on my way to my patrol area I spotted an escort in bad weather heading straight for me. I dove to 150 meters and changed direction. Unfortunately my stern was hit with depth charges damaging the rear hatch and the electric engines. It said my electric engines were critically damaged. Despite this my speed didn't change, so I decided to go to 170, and stay submerged. Soon on my map I got 6 escorts detected by hydrophones. As one was making a pass over me I tried to go to flank and turn but the game wasn't bull****ting me about the engines because I couldn't gain any speed. I got hit by a few more depth charges causing damage in almost every compartment. I tried to blow ballast but it was too late and the last depth charge burst my pressure hull.

[Sailor Steve]

As I told Mark privately the only place I know him from is these forums. It's just that one day he was posting a lot, and then not, and it was nice to read a post from him again.

As for AOD, yeah, there are still some things at which it hasn't been beat. When SH3 was still under development and discussions were rife concerning what it would contain and do, I posted once that I'd be happy for an AOD2 with SH2's graphics.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Syxx_Killer

AOD is what got me into sub sims. I loved it back in the day. I loved just watching the ships sink (I still do in in SH3 and SH4). I had Command: Aces of the Deep and played it to death. I still have the box and everything. To this day that game has a certain aura about it that just hasn't been matched. I wish there was a modern version of the theme music from CAOD out there. What better way to go out on patrol than to listen to that old tune! Come to think of it, I'd also like the Silent Service music for SH4 and the CAOD music for SH4: UBM.

I cut my teeth on GATO. AOTD was great, but it had some bad bugs in it which would raise their heads every now and then.

[MarkShot]

AOD does atomosphere and game play really, really well. Of course, it looks like a cartoon, but subsimming is a state of mind ... otherwise unlike flight simming which should be an awesome panorama.

I've always found modded SH3 to have some amazing acoustic sensitivity that probably is not reasonable. AOD is much better in this regard. You can maneuver, dive deep, and slip by a screen (with the convoy mainly coming to you). Modded SH3 gives escorts passive detection capabilities that any modern navy would be proud of today.

Certain convoy behaviors in AOD are much better. Convoys will zig every few hours and around Sun set and rise. It can be really hard at times to approach. Modded SH3 saw improvements in course changes more than previously, but you can still draw a straight line and often find them 10 hours later.

The are other areas where SH3 is weak ... LOS and visibility behavior. I've covered that elsewhere. Additionally, poke up a scope and watch the escorts not follow any fire discipline and shoot the each other to pieces as they target your scope. Another thing which is amusing is escorts blowing themselves up on their own DCs.

SH3 (and mods) is great, but if you can look past the cartoon graphics of AOD, you will find a gem of a game waiting for a serious sub captain to take the helm.

[MarkShot]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

As I told Mark privately the only place I know him from is these forums. It's just that one day he was posting a lot, and then not, and it was nice to read a post from him again.

Yes, it was very kind that Steve personally welcomed me back to the site. I did gaming guides for online air combat and stuff, but didn't think anyone connected me much with subs. Happy to be back.

[MarkShot]

SHCE is very good.

Some problems were the incredible amount of enemy traffic. They simply over did it trying to make the game easy to find the enemy.

Now, unlike SH2/PA and SH4, SH1 made it easy to get into the action, since the patrol areas were pre-made maps. Skip the long transit or having to travel in TC at 2048 or 4096. On the other hand, I like in AOD staying with a convoy for four days and hitting right before sunset over and over again. You cannot do that in SHCE, because you run off the map in day or so.

SHCE escorts are generally better I think than SH3 escorts (especially out of the box). However, AOD has the best most challenging escort behavior, patterns, and coordination. SHCE was a little weak on making escorts vulnerable to "down the throat" shots. In real life, a destroyer is a fast and agile ship which when bow on does not present too much profile. Not the idea adversary to play chicken with. It was not accident that ramming was an acceptable tactic to deal with a shallow sub.

I play SHCE with a house rule that the escorts are not fair game. In AOD, that is not necessary, since they are hard to take out and not worth the use ordnance.

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by MarkShot

This must be yank my chain day.

What's this "Mark's alive"? Did someone pronounce me dead?

And where/how do you guys, Sailor Steve and Eugene know me from?

Mark, I knew you were alive, and not departed from the scene because of your gracious and indispensible presence over at the Matrix forums, especially the COTA, HTTR, and related forums. You would recognize me, except that there and only there I have to be "Laramie" because someone had already taken my "normal" name, Eugene.

[MarkShot]

Nice to bump into you again.

Have fun subsimming, Eugene!