Presenting: 'The Cruel Sea' - Page 2

Case · August 6, 2001, 06:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Cal
Does sinking a RCN corvette also count as sinking a regular corvette?

Yes. The spreadsheet entry reads covrette (both types) meaning normal and RCN corvettes.

In addition to my earlier post asking for peoples scores, I'm also interested in sugestions for improvements to the scenario - I'm pretty sure that I'll put out a version 2.0 at some stage

Cal · August 6, 2001, 15:31

Here's two more things I noticed:

1. In the events war is triggered between the Germans and the Americans on the Jan. 1942 turn, not the Dec. 1941 turn.

2. Patrol boats and Type II u-boats get lost away from shore... why?

While playing on Prince, I can usually score at least one or two thousand, but on the harder difficulties, it's difficult to get beyond a hundred or so.

Berzerker · August 6, 2001, 23:00

Yup, I had the city (Konigsberg?) putting out a Bismark each turn when those 5 or 6 mines just appeared out of nowhere. Oh, I guess they came from the waters in Russian territory withdrawn to the nearest German city when the alliance was canceled. But since we cant move them out of the city to protect German waters what use are they other than disbanding them?

Case, do I literally enter the numbers of ships sunk on the spreadsheet next to the categories of ships and the score automatically tabulates at the bottom? I better read the readme section on that feature, lol.

Cal · August 7, 2001, 00:46

Final Score after one complete game at King level:
2136, German Victory.

I earned the most points from sinking light cruisers, I sunk 124 of them, earning me 3720 points; the highest point contributor in the game. The second highest was the frieghters I had sunk, 196 of them, which earned me 1960 points.

My losses:
I lost 109 Type VII's and 124 IX's; the point value for losing that many is so high it isn't a number, but a figure that reads "*****" for both of them.

I'll have to try it on deity next.

Oh, and it is possible to get Elektro boats before the war ends, but only if you research nothing but techs to get you elektro boats, I had quite a few floating around when the game ended.

Case · August 7, 2001, 16:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
Case, do I literally enter the numbers of ships sunk on the spreadsheet next to the categories of ships and the score automatically tabulates at the bottom?

Enter the number of each type of ships killed in the corrresponding field in the 'number killed' column. This will then adjust the final score which is automatically calculated at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

For example, in the following picture, the Germans have lost 11 Type VII's and 8 Type IX's and no Allied ships have been sunk by anyone. This results in a score of -690, which means that the Germans are clearly losing.

Berzerker · August 8, 2001, 00:03

Sorry, but how do I open the worksheet? What program/software do I need?

Case · August 8, 2001, 03:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Berzerker
Sorry, but how do I open the worksheet? What program/software do I need?

As it says in the readme, the spreadsheet is in MS Works format. I also have an Excel version which I'm going to include with version 2.0

Jimmywax · August 9, 2001, 16:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Cal
Here's two more things I noticed:

1. In the events war is triggered between the Germans and the Americans on the Jan. 1942 turn, not the Dec. 1941 turn.

2. Patrol boats and Type II u-boats get lost away from shore... why?

Are you sure? I am not questioning your judgement or anything, but in my copy war is declared in Dec. at the end of the U.S. turn. Also, I can take any boat out into the ocean.

Jimmywax · August 9, 2001, 16:59

First of all Case I have to say that you are a bastard. Just as I was getting my life back, you had to send me 'Cruel Sea'. I started playing it yesterday after work at four and I had to make myself quit at about three in the morning beacause I had to be to work by eight. I got about three hours of total sleep. It is a good thing taday was a short day or I would be forced to firebomb your ass.

BTW, I love it! it is completely original and a refreshing change of pace and tactics.

P.S. My girlfriend hates your guts for making me into a civ zombie again.

Cal · August 9, 2001, 17:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Jimmywax

Are you sure? I am not questioning your judgement or anything, but in my copy war is declared in Dec. at the end of the U.S. turn. Also, I can take any boat out into the ocean.

...Huh? Is this just me?

In my events, war is declared on the Soviets at the right time, in June, which is turn 12.
So, the Dec. 1941 turn should be turn 18, but the events have the declare war w/america event to occur on turn 19.

And, I checked the rules: e-boats, patrol boats, and type II's have the trireme flag set.

The ANZAC · August 9, 2001, 18:09

In my copy it works fine. Have you checked the Events.txt? Also if anyone noticed, the Germans only have a peace treaty with the Americans, so you could declare war on them whenever you want.

Case · August 9, 2001, 19:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Jimmywax
First of all Case I have to say that you are a bastard... It is a good thing taday was a short day or I would be forced to firebomb your ass ... My girlfriend hates your guts for making me into a civ zombie again.

(do give your girlfriend my apologies though

)

The Type II was a small coastal submarine, completly unsuited for open ocean patrols. They were used as training subs, and patroled the Baltic and North Sea on occasion.
Patrol-boats and E-boats were also mainly used in coastal waters due to thier small size.

As for the events, there are a few problems with the dates of some events. I'll definetly cheek the Pearl Harbour one.

Boco · August 9, 2001, 21:53

Quote:

My losses:
I lost 109 Type VII's and 124 IX's; the point value for losing that many is so high it isn't a number, but a figure that reads "*****" for both of them.

...Cal

Are you using my XLS file imported into Quattro? Simplistic idea -- is the column width is too narrow for such a large figure? If you've been trying to reach me, my Operamail address has been down for a week!

Cal, looks like you've found a tactic that turns the game into a rout.

Quote:

Sorry, but how do I open the worksheet? What program/software do I need?

...Berzerker

Case's original spreadsheet is a MS Works file. Cal can't open it in Quattro Pro, and I can't open it in Excel 2000. I've written an Excel 2000 version that I can send to you if you want it.

Berzerker · August 9, 2001, 22:27

Okay, thanks! You can send it to:

berzerker3@excite.com or
berzerkr@dophnic.yi.org or
icq 38356654
I think the second address might be the best for sending a file
Thanks again

Case · August 9, 2001, 23:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Boco
If you've been trying to reach me, my Operamail address has been down for a week!

I guess that means you didn't recive the email I sent you on Monday.

techumseh · August 13, 2001, 13:35

Case, if you're still planning on revising Cruel Sea, you'll need a Short Sunderland, the main British long range antisubmarine flying boat. BTW, these were also used by the Australians.

techumseh · August 13, 2001, 13:35

Why this thing double posts all the time is a mystery to me!

Case · August 13, 2001, 19:13

Techumseh thats fantastic, thanks a lot! I'll definetly include it in the upgrade

By the way, is there any chance that you could do a PBY Catalina for me?

Boco · August 13, 2001, 22:40

Quote:

Case, if you're still planning on revising Cruel Sea, you'll need a Short Sunderland, the main British long range antisubmarine flying boat. BTW, these were also used by the Australians.

...techumseh

Good idea! They were a workhorse for the RAF Coastal Command.

Trivia time

The RAAF was the first to fly the version with quad .303's in the nose, used effectively against enemy gunners on Flak UBoats (Jan, '44). The first RAF squadrons started flying them around Jan 1940. It equipped over 28 RAF squadrons by the end of the war. Dubbed Stachelschwein by the Luftwaffe, which learned that a Sunderland flying at wavetop level was no easy target.

Case · August 14, 2001, 02:14

It also seems like Sunderlands were the most comfortable way to patrol the Atlantic. To quote U-Boat.net: "The lower deck also had a wardroom, a galley with two primus stoves and an oven, two bunks for off-duty crewmembers, a flush lavatory, a wash basin, and a shaving mirror. Crews would often collect their own set of dishes and cooking utensils, add curtains to the small wardroom, and install luxuries like a portable radio"

According to raafmuseum.com.au, 10 squadron of the RAAF set the coastal comand record for most hours flown in a month, and 461 squadron of the RAAF introduced the first galley mounted machine guns on Sunderlands, wich was later taken up by the entire RAF.

techumseh · August 14, 2001, 04:44

PBY Catilina? Do you want American....

techumseh · August 14, 2001, 04:45

or British?

techumseh · August 14, 2001, 04:55

I also took the liberty of changing the Canadian crest on the corvette. The present red and white flag was not adopted until 1967. Up to then Canada had the Red Ensign, which had the Union Jack and the Canadian coat of arms. This maple leaf is more representative of one on the coat of arms.

Now, I really have to get back to Barsoom.

Paul Hanson · August 14, 2001, 09:54

I was doing quite well on this (or so I thought) until I read the readme file, and discovered that sitting all your u-boats on the mines is considered cheating.

At that point, I went into a deep depression from which I have not yet recovered.