What do you do when out of fuel

[Sailor Steve]

SH1 had two little markers on the fuel gauge. In SH1 you were teleported to and from your patrol area. The needle was always on the first marker when you started, showing you that the amount of fuel you had used getting there. All you needed to remember was to click the 'Go Home' button before the needle reached the second mark.

That all went out the window if you started at Manila in an 'S' boat. The needle was showing a full tank. I scooted around and did my duty until the needle was just above that lower mark. Hit the button and got told the Philippines had fallen and my base had changed to Surabaya. Of course I didn't have anywhere near enough fuel to get there and my career was over.

[HertogJan]

There's one way of knowing when to leave.

After you plotted your course and reached your patrol area hover the mouse over the fuel bar, it will tell you how much you've used up.
You'll need at least that amount of percentages to get home, some times you'll be able to refuel at a friendly port, recalculate form your patrol area to there.

Fictional example:
Start from Pearl, plot a course to Midway and refuel, plot a course to your patrol area and note the number of Nm to it (say 10.000Nm). On arrival, your fuel gauge has dropped to 85%, it took you 15% fuel to get from A to B (A being Midway cause you topped off there).
Bingo fuel is going to be at 15% you think... Think again you'll need to recharge your batteries after each dive and that uses up fuel, add 10% to it and you'll have your Bingo fuel.
You'll probably get more than one patrol area to investigate so after you set course from B to C, D or E..... redo the math each time but keep in mind... don't forget to add 10% for recharging your batteries!

You can also look at it form another angle....
In our fictional example going to our patrol area was 10.000Nm adding 2500Nm for battery recharge made 25% fuel consumption, round trip would be less than 50% fuel consumption (only count battery recharge once!) plenty of room to maneuver as long as you keep calculating form last waypoint (being new patrol area) to home or friendly base no exceeding 12.500Nm.

Also, check distance to friendly ports by plotting a course to it and redo the math again, this is particularly helpful if you get send to a area and you'r wondering if you can make it back home or not.
Side note: most friendly ports will eventually be conquered so take note of the Radio reports, no point in sailing for 5 days to a 'used to be friendly port' if you already got the message 3 day's ago saying Manila is being run over or something like that.

[thegrindre]

Question: How do I know a friendly port from an enemy port? Is it the ones with the anchors?
I need a port in the Philippines.

Had to return for more "bullets" and fuel before I can go to my next assignment.

Had to cut my trip a little short. It says 19/100 and I'm not there yet.
Kept running into enemy ships that needed sinking.

[HertogJan]

Yes, the anchors are the places where you can refit at, the tilted anchor is your homebase.

_ Quick few question tho, what kind of speed setting do you uses to get from A to B, what speed do you set when patrolling and while I'm at it... what submerged speeds do you use?

I haven't played Stock in a while but by the looks of it you're guzzling fuel, I used to be able to do at least 4 patrols in the area and easily make Pearl without a stop at Midway.

[Friedhelm Winter]

Pray to the fuel God.

[thegrindre]

Pulled in at 14%. I may have a fuel leak. I couldn't do the second mission. Didn't have enough fuel plus I forgot my camera. I gotta take some pictures when I go back.
I read around here that standard speed is the most fuel efficient for traveling.
I rarely travel any faster.
TC is mostly at 1024 to 2048. I've never gone faster then that and I only do it while at the nav-map. Tapping the num-pad ENTER key will instantly bring me back to normal speed again.

Thanks

[les green01]

depends on the mod but i go 2/3 or 10 knots then in my patrol area use 1/3

[HertogJan]

Originally Posted by les green01

depends on the mod but i go 2/3 or 10 knots then in my patrol area use 1/3

yes, for TMO its 10knts, well I set it 3knts lower than standard speed, for Porpoise it is 10knts, no what other subs standard speed it tho.



have no idea what best fuel efficiency for stock is.

[thegrindre]

Originally Posted by les green01

i ran out about 30 miles from base but had a full battery charge so submerge and coasted it home lesson learn after a contact kick it back down to 1/3 or 2/3 not standard before hitting tc

I'm getting exceptionally good fuel mileage when running at 9 knots while running TC. That's 1 knot less then Standard, BTW. Any faster, (10 or more knots), and there seems to be a hole in the tank.

[Sniper297]

"I need a port in the Philippines"

Try my "GONE ASIATIC" mod.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=4358

Also works with Pearl careers, you won't get the action at the beginning but can still refuel and reload at the secret bases.

[ssjtoma]

Originally Posted by razark

One possibility I've heard of:
Submerge and run on battery.
When the battery gives out, surface.
Even though you're out of fuel, the battery still recharges.

It's slow going, but I've heard of people making it back to port this way.
I remember reading about one boat that was heavily damaged. The crew tried to rig up a sail to get closer to land before scuttling the boat. Can't remember which one it was right now.

Edit:
USS Grenadier (SS-210)
After thirteen hours stuck on the bottom at 270 feet:

lmao!!!!! Thats funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sniper297]

Dunno if American or British subs ever used it, but German U-boats in both wars were issued sails and articulated masts for emergency use. I only recall reading one story about actual usage, can't remember which book.

Another item - in the sub type SIM file (Silent 3ditor again) the range submerged is all screwed up and not worth tinkering with. But the surfaced range and the speed to obtain that range is straightforward and works like you'd expect. So if you want to increase max range and/or change the max range cruising speed from 10 to 12 or even 15 knots, that works fine. I increased all of mine to 15 knots for max range because I get enough tedium in real life without having to put up with it in computer games.

[YonMaruIchi]

I've only run out of fuel once when I calculated the fuel I'd have left over when I made it back to port would be about 5% (cutting it close) and suddenly ended up driving through heavy seas unawares for several hours. Needless to say I ran dry well before I made it to port.

However I remember submerging and making it back at an extremely slow 1kt after the battery ran out. I'm not sure which mod configuration this was but I definitely remember it happening. That 1kt even on the highest time compression took quite a long time. I had to surface whenever CO2 levels got too high.

So depending on what your setup is I'd try that. I figured it was realistic in that even though the batteries are dead manpower could suffice in either recharging them or manually turning the props? Maybe I'm wrong but I can't see how it's not possible in safe waters (outside of Aussie port)

I decided to continue the campaign using that explanation. Of course I think a tug would've had come IRL.

[Longknife]

I wish I would have seen this thread a few days ago. My beloved Pigboat ran out of fuel 42mi from Freemantle & I ended up deleting the campaign. Shame too, I was having an amazing patrol.

One of the things that amazes me is the dramatic effect sea state can have. Coming back from the Java Sea to Freemantle in high seas used nearly 50% fuel (my sub was somewhat damaged so that may have played a part) Same trip in calm seas is more like 20%. This is in a Pigboat at 6kts.

[thegrindre]

Originally Posted by Sniper297

"I need a port in the Philippines"

Try my "GONE ASIATIC" mod.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=4358

Also works with Pearl careers, you won't get the action at the beginning but can still refuel and reload at the secret bases.

OK, I'll try it with a new career. It doesn't work while in an existing career in SH4 v1.5 Gold.

(I see you get around, Jim. MSTS?)