All ahead flank?

[TychoBrahe208]

I cannot help feeling a bit bothered when watching - and enjoying - content creators stream Uboat gameplay. They tend to use "all ahead flank" ALL the time. It just breaks my immersion.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't flank-speed reserved for emergency-only? Ie. rarely, and for short time-periods only? I would imagine it puts a lot of strain on the engines, causing considerable wear and tear. Anyone know if there was any official guidelines for use of the ahead-flank setting?

I ask because I KNOW that in modern aviation, pilots have a somewhat similar setting called TOGA - take-off/go-around, used when extra engine-power is necessary. But even that only goes to approx. 90% of full power, unless pilots insist on 100%. And again, this setting is only used for maximum 2-5 minutes at a time.

It seems to me to be an example of "gamers optimizing the fun out of games". I might be nitpicking, sure. Maybe streamers just try to please an impatient crowd? :)

[Twelvefield]

If you need more immersion, crash dive.

But yes, flank speed is not good for the engine. At some point after using it too much in the game, you may need the lubrication resource to keep the engine from spewing smoke.

Content creators focus on their work, which is to support social media and therefore themselves. It's not easy to take very many of them seriously. If you watch that stuff, it's for your own entertainment; as Duolingo puts it, it's time you could have spent learning a new language.

[SpaceBikerV]

Uboat Commander Handbook (1943), Section IIIB, 222:

“When a target is sighted, first show the narrow side, keep the course, ascertain the change in bearing, and try later to reach a position ahead of the beam, traveling at top speed on the confines of the enemy's range of sight, in order to be able to carry out the attack proper from the forward position. Do not give up the attempt to bring the submarine forward to a position ahead of the beam, and thus to make the attack, even when the excess of speed of the submarine appears only slight. Changes of course on the part of the enemy may alter the chances of success of the submarine at any moment”

I interpret “top speed” to just mean “flank speed”. The line “even when the excess of speed is slight” seems to suggest even if you’re getting a mere 1 knot of extra speed, do it anyway

I haven’t had an engine breakdown yet, save for one time. That was when i was trying to intercept a special target with the Type IID from the entire longitudinal distance of Ireland, at Flank speed the entire time

To use Flank speed even in normal, calm circumstances, is a waste of fuel and a damper to your range

[Svartkladd]

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

But yes, flank speed is not good for the engine. At some point after using it too much in the game, you may need the lubrication resource to keep the engine from spewing smoke.

For some reason type VII don't care about it; both my mechanic have related machine spirit praising perk that makes diesel vape rather than smoke.
But unless you play with unlimited fuel it's totally non-viable, of course.

[Placebo]

Hello.

Originally posted by TychoBrahe208:

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't flank-speed reserved for emergency-only? Ie. rarely, and for short time-periods only?

From my limited experience, there may be "governors" or "speed limiters" well in-place which prevents excessive revolutions per minute(RPM). "All Ahead Flank"(Navigational Full Ahead) could also be called "Maximum Safe Speed" or the highest speed a vessel can sustain while still ensuring the safety of the vessel and crew.

Though it is possible to exceed the RPM well outside the top most engine telegraph order, it is not advised; and if the need arises, it is not recommended to be sustained for a prolonged period of time.

Originally posted by TychoBrahe208:

I would imagine it puts a lot of strain on the engines, causing considerable wear and tear.

Yes, I feel that there is this thing which fits this description. It may be called "Critical RPM", and it is between "Finished with Main Engine/s"(or "Finished with Engine/s", FWE, etc. — an order where the engine is at rest and not in use; a separte order from "Stop" or "Stop Engine/s".) and Navigational Full Ahead. It is not recommended to operate near this RPM; and if the need arises, not advised for a long time.

To explain further: things in the sub vibrate at their own frequency; the engine vibrates at some frequency, and the place it was mounted on also vibrates at some frequency. If the frequency of the engine coincides(frequency change due to some level of use) with that of the place it was mounted on, then the entire assembly vibrates at resonance with high amplitude.

This video may be good to look into in your spare time, it may explain it better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTUfWB3GxfM

I did not make this video, and take no credit.

[BlackSeed_CH]

3x Wahnsinnige

Spitzname für AK bei Zuschaltung der E-Maschinen und kurzzeitiger Überlastung der Dieselmotoren.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIQETV30_u8&t=115s

is this simulated in the game, or only without electro?

would be a nice thing, if you run too long on it, you damage the engines