SC sonar puzzle

Robsoie · 07-02-08, 10:09 AM

Hello,

I am relatively new to this game (using SC 1.08, no SCX2 as i am learning the base game before migrating to the mod), after lots of reading and testing in the mission editor and trying some missions, i think i was beginning to understand the sonar and TMA functions.

Well, until i tried to play the campaign for the SSN688i

In the 1st mission "Halifax", no problem, i stay undetected while approaching both targets under 4 nautic miles then going to periscop depth, as instructed.

As instructed i then wait until 2230 and use the radio antenna to recieve the HQ message telling me to see if i can confirm an Akula presence in the sector.
After roaming the see and finding only fishings boats and other civilians vessels , i found no sonar contact that could be identified as a russian sub (the first fishing boat could have been one, but from the demon and going nearer lead me to confirm it was just a fishing boat).
Even if i didn't found it, the mission was completed anyways.

So i tried then the second mission "Port Egress" in which i must reach a release zone and optionally confirm the presence of an Akula and 2 other russian hardware.
Considering my lack of success at detecting the Akula in the previous mission, i used the AI crew to replace me in the sonar.

After a while, always adjusting my depth to be near the sea ground (as in that mission the sea ground is very near the surface) and never going more than 5 knots, after detecting lots of civilian boats , i am warned that i am counter-detected (maybe one of those civilian boats was a traitor , can't be sure).

Then +/- 10mn later, near the release zone, the AI crew warn me of a sierra 10 detected and in the same time a scenario message warn me that the Akula is detected. So S10 is the Akula despite it can't be confirmed, as apparently the scenario does not need the Akula to be confirmed, it is just scripted so as soon as a trace appear it is considered detected.

So i went to the sonar station, looked at each screen and was totally puzzled :

J is the S10 position

On the narrow broadband i put the cursor above where S10 was detected.

As you can see (ignore the JPG compression artefacts that could lead into thinking there was a slight trace, there is really nothing in fact) there is nothing on both.
Those for the towed array, the sphere array showed nothing either.
Usually in my tests in the mission editor i was able to detect a sub because of very faint trace on the narrowband search, but in that situation i see zero faint trace the screen is well black.

So, certainly something has escaped me during my learning sessions, as none of the screen on the towed array (even on sphere) show anything where that S10 is supposed to have been detected.

Any ideas to help me understand why i see nothing and why the AI crew was capable of detecting a contact in S10 position ?

07-02-08, 10:09 AM	#1
Robsoie Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 130 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	SC sonar puzzle Hello, I am relatively new to this game (using SC 1.08, no SCX2 as i am learning the base game before migrating to the mod), after lots of reading and testing in the mission editor and trying some missions, i think i was beginning to understand the sonar and TMA functions. Well, until i tried to play the campaign for the SSN688i In the 1st mission "Halifax", no problem, i stay undetected while approaching both targets under 4 nautic miles then going to periscop depth, as instructed. As instructed i then wait until 2230 and use the radio antenna to recieve the HQ message telling me to see if i can confirm an Akula presence in the sector. After roaming the see and finding only fishings boats and other civilians vessels , i found no sonar contact that could be identified as a russian sub (the first fishing boat could have been one, but from the demon and going nearer lead me to confirm it was just a fishing boat). Even if i didn't found it, the mission was completed anyways. So i tried then the second mission "Port Egress" in which i must reach a release zone and optionally confirm the presence of an Akula and 2 other russian hardware. Considering my lack of success at detecting the Akula in the previous mission, i used the AI crew to replace me in the sonar. After a while, always adjusting my depth to be near the sea ground (as in that mission the sea ground is very near the surface) and never going more than 5 knots, after detecting lots of civilian boats , i am warned that i am counter-detected (maybe one of those civilian boats was a traitor , can't be sure). Then +/- 10mn later, near the release zone, the AI crew warn me of a sierra 10 detected and in the same time a scenario message warn me that the Akula is detected. So S10 is the Akula despite it can't be confirmed, as apparently the scenario does not need the Akula to be confirmed, it is just scripted so as soon as a trace appear it is considered detected. So i went to the sonar station, looked at each screen and was totally puzzled : J is the S10 position On the narrow broadband i put the cursor above where S10 was detected. As you can see (ignore the JPG compression artefacts that could lead into thinking there was a slight trace, there is really nothing in fact) there is nothing on both. Those for the towed array, the sphere array showed nothing either. Usually in my tests in the mission editor i was able to detect a sub because of very faint trace on the narrowband search, but in that situation i see zero faint trace the screen is well black. So, certainly something has escaped me during my learning sessions, as none of the screen on the towed array (even on sphere) show anything where that S10 is supposed to have been detected. Any ideas to help me understand why i see nothing and why the AI crew was capable of detecting a contact in S10 position ?