I read it somewhere that the thermocline is always between the Shallow and Intermed bands.

And it has (had?) some effects, this is an update from the v1.32 (DOS version) release notes:

 

README.132

----------------------------------------------------------------
Submarines attempt to put the thermocline between themselves
and searching torpedoes. A bug in this code caused them to always
change to snorkel depth.

 

Hope someone can answer my question on this in the ASW 101 topic:

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/18895-work-on-tactics-101-asw-part-4-resumes/

As far as a thermocline, I think modeling one would be a bitch unless there was always one at an arbitrary depth over the entire map. But perhaps that depth could change from one scenario to the next, or even over time within a single scenario. That, though, would require some gear to detect it, or at the very least one of those usually annoying staff notes to pop up and report that the thermocline depth has changed.

Explained this in the other thread that Grumble posted in, but suffice to say that there is a thermocline, and its actually one of those features that the code does a respectable job.

 

Though, then we might have to start defining sub depth in terms of actual feet instead of general terms like shallow and deep.

This is precisely the lack of near-realistic ocean environment that I was referring to earlier. Right now depth is simply a function of distance from land.

Grumble, on 01 May 2013 - 4:24 PM, said:

I read it somewhere that the thermocline is always between the Shallow and Intermed bands.

And it has (had?) some effects, this is an update from the v1.32 (DOS version) release notes:

 

README.132

----------------------------------------------------------------

Submarines attempt to put the thermocline between themselves

and searching torpedoes. A bug in this code caused them to always

change to snorkel depth.

 

Hope someone can answer my question on this in the ASW 101 topic:

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/18895-work-on-tactics-101-asw-part-4-resumes/

My first thought is there is a good chance subs no longer try to go below the layer when attacked. Bret, the programmer before me (and who broke me in) re-wrote the submarine AI and I think that capability may not have been implemented in the new model. Definitely something you can game to determine though. The complicating factor is that he has submarines jinking around so much it may be difficult to determine why they go deep or shallow .

My first thought is there is a good chance subs no longer try to go below the layer when attacked. Bret, the programmer before me (and who broke me in) re-wrote the submarine AI and I think that capability may not have been implemented in the new model. Definitely something you can game to determine though. The complicating factor is that he has submarines jinking around so much it may be difficult to determine why they go deep or shallow .

I have noticed that submarines capable of VDeep will often go to that depth when under attack. Not always, but often. It works very well against torpedoes incapable of achieving VDeep, of course.

I tend to prioritise maintaining contact and keeping my surface units at a safe distance.

If I have enough air units I use two at a time but not if that stops keeping reserves to bring out as fuel is exhausted.

I tend not to use air units to "attack" from out of torpedo range but to set a course for the centre of the uncertainty region or to the exact fix (if I have it). If I have an exact fix I head for a mile or so astern then set a two path course overrunning the sub then back track, as I cruise over the sub if I have sonar bouys I drop them either side and on top and also drop a torpedo right on top. If I have two units I'll set one loitering or hovering over the sub and manually up date its position or I might "attack" with it from outside the torpedo range but cancel its torpedo launches (unless it is dead over the top of an exact fix).

If I don't ahve an exact fix I usually set up a square based pattern around and then through the uncertainty region and manually drop bouys or set dipping sonar - if I'm lucky my search unit has MAD.

If I can maintain an exact fix I can usually drop torps right ontop and either sink or force to surface most subs without using a whole arsenal.

If I loose the fix then more often than not she gets away so having a helo or getting a good coverage of sonar bouys is very helpful.

The work Tony is doing giving teeth to the export DLL function might soon be able to let us write an external procedure for automating these currently manual ASW hunting methods. EG a helo to maintain position over a sub and drop bouys, dipping sonar to maintain an exact fix would be nice, so to an over fly and back track with torp drop dead on the nose ( or just in front) of the sub.