To increase complexity for the machinist, a simplified fuel management/delivery system could be implemented. Delivery could be assumed to come from the internal bunkers only, as that provides some extra responsibility for the machinist (a hull valve for pressure water that must be closed on diving). This proposal would give the machinist 4 additional valves to operate and monitor, as well as make the diesel gravity tanks interactive, so that the player must monitor the fuel level in the gravity tanks and refill them when necessary to keep the diesels running. It would also require that the fuel service flow meter at the end of the gravity tank be implemented to cumulatively count the amount of fuel being sucked by the diesel feed pumps as a way for the machinist to have another way of keeping track of his gravity tank contents.
Although fuel is unlimited in game, the gravity tanks could be made to be consumable, requiring the player to top them off periodically in order to keep the diesels running. How often? Wolfpack could “shrink” the capacity of the gravity tanks by half. In real life, each could hold 700 L, which at flank speed on both diesels would last just over an hour per half. Wolfpack could make them each 350 L, which would give the machinist more work to keep them filled. I would also propose making the starting contents of the gravity tanks random at the start of the engagement. The in-game flow meter shows a total of 250 L. If each half is 350, one full revolution of the counter would mean 100 L remaining in that half, which could be a good time to refill and pull from the other half.
Simplified Fuel Management - Wolfpack
New items:
New items:
New items:
New items:
Filling the Gravity Tanks:
One half is filled at a time, while the other half is used by the diesels (allows sediment to settle in the just-filled half).
Ensure pressure water hull valve is open and selector lever set to handle down position (deliver). “Dive” is handle left.
Set lever based on what tank half you intend to fill - the handle will point toward the tank half you will fill, and the diesels will pull from the other half. The image below shows the handle in the position used to bypass the gravity tanks:
Open valve next to port diesel to deliver to gravity tank:
Fill until sight glass of intended half shows full, closing delivery valve when done.