Alfa Class Craziness

[Firov]

I've been playing the 1986 campaign for awhile in an LA class, and it's been fun, but decided I wanted to try something different so I installed the Playable Subs mod and tried a USSR 1986 Campaign in an Alfa class. I figured Captain Comrade Smirnoff and the good ship Vodka would provide a change of pace...

This thing is absolutely ridiculous. In my very first mission with it I had to deal with a Nimitz and about 5 escorts. I figured I'd be pretty much dead, as I would be in the LA class... but no, once I engaged my sub's FTL drive I realized that torpedoes, especially air launched ASW torps, were pitiful... I ended the mission undamaged, having sunk the Nimitz and 3.5 of it's escorts.

Even enemy subs have been easy to out maneuver and sink... when I can find them anyway.

It actually feels laughably overpowered. I mean, sure, it's noisy, and mildly deaf, but it doesn't much matter since nothing can hit it anyway. After just an hour or two in my campaign, I'm pretty sure I've sunk most of the NATO carriers...

In short... I really love this sub! Though I'm glad I haven't had to face one in my US campaign. Kind of curious how that's going to go down...

Anyway, point of the story, having tried the mod, I really hope the devs either release a Cold Waters 2 with Soviet Campaigns, or release an official expansion for this game. The Soviet Subs, certainly the Alfa, provides a very different game play experience to the US subs...

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Looks like I'm going to have to send out the FOG Super! LA.

120 knots of terror with supercavitating 360 knot torpedos.

XD

Nothing quite as funny as watching ships 'start' their turns as the torpedo hits them. Even more funny is snagging the profile data on the ASROC style sub-launched missiles and bolting a fast torpedo onto them. Torpedo hits the water near the enemy sub, five seconds later, their crews are breathing bubbles.

[Cheap_Trick]

If you continue to use the Alfa for your CW fix...you'll never be able to play the game as designed.

[Cpl. Hicks]

I have modified most 1984 Soviet subs to carry USET-80 or TEST-71 torpedoes (as they historically should). This made gameplay with them a lot more interesting because their short range, in order to be effective against capital ships, you have to combine your USET-80s with your long range wake homing torpedoes or missiles.

It forces you to make use of your whole arsenal rather then having one torpedo for everything like with the US.

[Cheap_Trick]

^^ I can dig that....sounds good and plentyful. I run set65 and ssn15 on my alfa. Lots of giggles when I locate a whiskey or tango and the ssn15 drops smack on their mast ....now that I got the ranging nailed down some w/the RU missle drops

[Cpl. Hicks]

Originally posted by Cheap_Trick:

^^ I can dig that....sounds good and plentyful. I run set65 and ssn15 on my alfa. Lots of giggles when I locate a whiskey or tango and the ssn15 drops smack on their mast ....now that I got the ranging nailed down some w/the RU missle drops

You should try the Victor III with USET-80s and the 65-76.

[Cheap_Trick]

^^ will get on it....couldn't sleep tnite so its time for some coffee and just push thru this day-

[Cheap_Trick]

wp_65-76

[Hydra]

Of course if they add Spearfish torpedoes to this game Alfa will become quite balanced. ;)

[Cheap_Trick]

Originally posted by Hydra:

Of course if they add Spearfish torpedoes to this game Alfa will become quite balanced. ;)

Please tell me what the SpearFish qualities are, as I'm new to the mod parts of the game. ThankYou

[Fairey Gannet]

Originally posted by Cheap_Trick:

Originally posted by Hydra:

Of course if they add Spearfish torpedoes to this game Alfa will become quite balanced. ;)

Please tell me what the SpearFish qualities are, as I'm new to the mod parts of the game. ThankYou

Very clever British torpedo. It has sensor, that discriminates background noise, as well as sees through knuckles, decoys and such. It also uses, when wire is intact, subs sonar, and provides feedback from its own sensor to the sub. It has number of autonomical re-attack patterns, and uses them as situation demands. Oh, and it does 80 knots. Clever, little thing, this one.

[Firov]

Originally posted by Cheap_Trick:

^^ I can dig that....sounds good and plentyful. I run set65 and ssn15 on my alfa. Lots of giggles when I locate a whiskey or tango and the ssn15 drops smack on their mast ....now that I got the ranging nailed down some w/the RU missle drops

Oddly, in the Red Dawn Rising campaign, the Alfa only seems to be able to carry USET-80, the SET-65, the 53-65M (wake homing?), and the MG-74 decoy. Sadly, I don't have the option for the SS-N-15, which is kind of sad, since it would be fun to carry a couple of those to deal with enemy subs at a distance.

Of course, considering the speed, I'm usually more than capable of dealing with anything with just a loadout of USET-80's and MG-74's...

I am curious though, did you mod it to be able to carry the SS-N-15? Or are you playing a different campaign?

[Cheap_Trick]

Originally posted by Firov:

...Oddly, in the Red Dawn Rising campaign, the Alfa only seems to be able to carry USET-80, the SET-65, the 53-65M (wake homing?), and the MG-74 decoy. Sadly, I don't have the option for the SS-N-15, which is kind of sad, since it would be fun to carry a couple of those to deal with enemy subs at a distance.

Of course, considering the speed, I'm usually more than capable of dealing with anything with just a loadout of USET-80's and MG-74's...

I am curious though, did you mod it to be able to carry the SS-N-15? Or are you playing a different campaign?

I modded the Alfa in the oem game, Im not referring to using a mod for the game. I edit the files directly for using the alfa as a part of the USA selection. I did the same for the plan_Han as well..

My Alfa runs set65,usn_moss and SS-N-16. I edit the speeds and dive instances very slightly, add Anechoic Coating to their hull construction, and basically just have a ball in them. After looking over files that the mods included, I simply stepped in and made some edits of my own for spits and giggles. It extremely easy to do.

Make a copy of your Alfa in the game's VESSELS folder. Now open the Alfa file and look for the following:

[Movement]
SurfaceSpeed=16
SubmergedSpeed=42
AccelerationRate=0.35
DecelerationRate=0.08
RudderTurnRate=1
TurnRate=2.8
PivotPointTurning=0.256
DiveRate=6
SurfaceRate=6
BallastRate=0.25
Waterline=0.04
SubmergedAt=0.114
CavitationParameters=20,-100
PropRotationSpeed=-150
EscapeDepth=2000
TestDepth=2000
PeriscopeDepthInFeet=35

[Acoustics & Sensors]
SelfNoise=142
ActiveSonarReflection=20
ActiveSonarModel=wp_squid_arm
PassiveSonarModel=wp_squid_arm
TowedArrayModel=FALSE
AnechoicCoating=FALSE
RADAR=wp_snoop_head
RADARSignature=SMALL

[Weapon Systems]
TorpedoTypes=wp_set-65m,wp_ss-n-15
TorpedoNumbers=14,4
TorpedoTubes=6
TubeConfig=1,1,1,1,1,1
TorpedoTubeSize=21
TubeReloadTime=30
NoisemakerName=wp_noisemaker
NumberOfNoisemakers=20
NoisemakerReloadTime=20


NOW ADJUST THE VALUES AS YOU SEE BELOW---

[Movement]
SurfaceSpeed=16
SubmergedSpeed=43
TelegraphSpeeds=-14,0,5,10,15,22,43
AccelerationRate=0.35
DecelerationRate=0.08
RudderTurnRate=1
TurnRate=2.8
PivotPointTurning=0.256
DiveRate=6
SurfaceRate=6
BallastRate=0.25
Waterline=0.04
SubmergedAt=0.114
CavitationParameters=20,-100
PropRotationSpeed=-150
EscapeDepth=2000
TestDepth=2000
PeriscopeDepthInFeet=35

[Acoustics & Sensors]
SelfNoise=125
ActiveSonarReflection=20
ActiveSonarModel=wp_squid_arm
PassiveSonarModel=wp_squid_arm
TowedArrayModel=FALSE
AnechoicCoating=TRUE
RADAR=wp_snoop_head
RADARSignature=SMALL

[Weapon Systems]
TorpedoTypes=wp_set-65m,usn_moss,wp_ss-n-16
TorpedoNumbers=12,2,4
TorpedoTubes=6
TubeConfig=1,1,1,1,1,1
TorpedoTubeSize=21
TubeReloadTime=30
NoisemakerName=wp_noisemaker
NumberOfNoisemakers=35
NoisemakerReloadTime=16


Next you have to add the Alfa as an option to use in the simple mission found in the defaut folder....single001,single002...etc-
Simply Include the file name of the Alfa..in this instance-
wp_ssn_alfa

so for example, my single001 file reads the following choices given to me to use for that mission-

PlayerVessels=plan_ssn_han,wp_ssn_alfa,usn_ssn_narwhal,usn_ssn_skipjack,usn_ssn_permit,usn_ssn_los_angeles_flt2,usn_ssn_los_angeles_flt3,usn_ssn_seawolf

Notice how the statement reads for the first two sub options I may choose from are the Han and the Alfa....

Thats it for making it work for single missions and quick mission generators.
Now, should you wish to run your Alfa in the campaigns, you must go thru each campaign file and look for all of the enemy listings that include the option to have an Alfa as part of an event/engagement. Simply change out the Alfa to something you're more comfortable with...personally, I swap out the Alfa in campaign files for a Kilo or a Vic1 or a Romeo/Juilet.

Same steps are taken for the China campaign if I wish to use the Han...I go through every campain file thats called up and look for enemy listings option that include the plan_han and simply substitute it for another plan submarine.

From there, you're done. I've only had success with adding the Han and the Alfa to my fleet and choice of vessles to use for a mission assignment or simple mission.

Should you wish to polish off your edits, you go to the Default/Vessles/Profile folder and add the national flag of your choice to the Han and/or Alfa.
Then look to the Default/Language_en/Vessel folder and find the Han/Alfa descriptions, and you may edit the details you see fit to include or modify.

The vessel edits found above and their corresponding files have worked flawless for me. Indeed, I've given the ExtraSubs mod a try...albeit, there have been a few times that something went very sour using the mod we all know about and grab.

So, to wrap it up, if you want to add an Alfa to your fleet, or even the Han...the steps above will take you there. Should you have a question, feel free to ask.

[Cheap_Trick]

PS- I have a heck of a time trying to bring down the Russian surface ships using the set65m...They can outmanuever the 65 so easy, I practically have to get within 1500 yards to bring one down...and yes, there are other torps flying around looking for something to impact on....fun and engaging (to borrow a line from wargaming)

[johncage]

game needs high detail modesl of subs!

[Cpl. Hicks]

Originally posted by Firov:

Originally posted by Cheap_Trick:

^^ I can dig that....sounds good and plentyful. I run set65 and ssn15 on my alfa. Lots of giggles when I locate a whiskey or tango and the ssn15 drops smack on their mast ....now that I got the ranging nailed down some w/the RU missle drops

Oddly, in the Red Dawn Rising campaign, the Alfa only seems to be able to carry USET-80, the SET-65, the 53-65M (wake homing?), and the MG-74 decoy. Sadly, I don't have the option for the SS-N-15, which is kind of sad, since it would be fun to carry a couple of those to deal with enemy subs at a distance.

Of course, considering the speed, I'm usually more than capable of dealing with anything with just a loadout of USET-80's and MG-74's...

I am curious though, did you mod it to be able to carry the SS-N-15? Or are you playing a different campaign?

The Alfa with anti-submraine missiles is plain overkill.