Automated Subs and Diving.

[Jaded]

Hi all

Trying to figure out how to tell my AI to make my Submarine dive. To be specific, I cannot issue movement commands or set minimum cruising depth with a negative altitude. infact my tactical menu says the ship cannot go bellow 0 alt and have a maximum of 31.

Ship has all of the AI propulsion cards and a complex controller. Am i missing something in my construction or in the user interface?

EDIT: I actually just discovered how to connect the Automated control Block. Is this what i'm looking for?

[Solusphere]

Subs aren't really my specialty, but yes, most subs use ACBs for altitude control. I think a lot of them work by adjusting air pump settings.

[KingKoopa]

Hi,
I make my subs dive by using a combination of hydrofoils and ACBs. Like that you can tell your sub to maintain a specific depth.

The bigger problem with subs is keeping them stable in the water especially when turning.
It often requires quite a few jetstabilisers and being mindful of your propulsion placement in regards to your center of mass.

[Antypodish]

If you have sub balanced fairly well, you can stabilize rolling, using ACBs controling indepedently left/right hydrofoils. Or, if you have enough space on board, you can do the same with air pumps. No need for jet stabilizers.

[Jaded]

Thanks, this is all very good information. Is there any limit to how many ACBs can be active apart from how many you can fit on the ship?

[Pondafarr]

Not that I'm aware of, just be sure to set the distance limiters properly to avoid the ACB's fighting each other.

[KingKoopa]

I will have to try out stabilizing with hydrofoils, but i think in battle it is more practical to have jet stabilisers. Because when you are suddenly missing a few hydrofoils a elegant solution can turn into a bad one very fast.^^

[Antypodish]

Stabilizer are ok for smaller and medium vehicles. For anything bigger, you need add many of them, to be effective, so they may be cause of potential lag. So need be careful wit them too.