Towing German Barges in Pat's BoB

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Daiwilletti

Charter Member
Just a screenie of some barges which would look good as a coastal shipping spawn in Pat's BoB. I put together a short mission to see what a tight formation would look like.
 

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What stimulated this idea was a guide to formations in CFS3. I had forgotten that I had it, it is from long ago. The information is excellent and I think it should be uploaded and referenced in the MS sticky.

Anyway, the guide suggests that the maximum number of barges that can be strung behind a tug is 15 (ie. a total of 16 vessels) with some computers only displaying 12. Apparently different formations will not display as many vessels.

The other thing that is needed is a small wake for the barge.....
 
Daiwilletti said:
..........................

The other thing that is needed is a small wake for the barge.....
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I imagine a wake isn't needed for the barges as I doubt a full line of them was going much more than 5 knots or so in a not completely smooth sea. The tug boat would be working hard though and would need a propeller wash effect for sure!
 
mongoose said:
I imagine a wake isn't needed for the barges as I doubt a full line of them was going much more than 5 knots or so in a not completely smooth sea. The tug boat would be working hard though and would need a propeller wash effect for sure!
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Yes I've got them doing 4 knots. I'll give the LST wake a try, I just need something subtle...
 
WoW!
Not seeing a wake in the lower picture. In any case is it just from the hard working tug?
I take it there is no actual hawser(s), or is there, between the tug and barges? If only a formation thing in the mission, thar must take a little work to get it correct. I assume an actual facility won't do the job as far as a moving tug and barges goes?
 
mongoose said:
WoW!
Not seeing a wake in the lower picture. In any case is it just from the hard working tug?
I take it there is no actual hawser(s), or is there, between the tug and barges? If only a formation thing in the mission, thar must take a little work to get it correct. I assume an actual facility won't do the job as far as a moving tug and barges goes?
Click to expand...

It's all done quite simply using a formation with a small spacing, in a mission. Once one of the barges is damaged, the formation stops and hence no wake in the second picture. As I mentioned before, I came across an old guide to formations which I think is excellent. I will upload once I get a Round Tuit. My final spacing has settled on 1.5, which looks better than these pictures.
 
So the whole formation including the tug stop when one is hit? Is that differnt from say aircraft formations?
 
mongoose said:
So the whole formation including the tug stop when one is hit? Is that differnt from say aircraft formations?
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Its a quirk of ship formations, unfortunately. Once one ship in the formation takes on too much damage, the whole lot grind to a halt. Luckily, aircraft behave differently!
 
I looked at the CFS3 mission Editor app to see if it was of any use to make really close individual units following the same WPs and speed, but it seems a little clumsy at that. Maybe just editing in the mission.xml file might be possible?
 
Formations stopping when damaged

mongoose said:
I looked at the CFS3 mission Editor app to see if it was of any use to make really close individual units following the same WPs and speed, but it seems a little clumsy at that. Maybe just editing in the mission.xml file might be possible?
Click to expand...
There may be a work-around but as you say it will be clumsy. In this specific circumstance having the formation stop is not too unrealistic, if damaged vessels are being towed. A few waterlogged barges would soon slow the tug down!
I have in mind a mission involving an invasion fleet where tugs would tow a smaller number of barges. It would be something like a mobile Invasion Fleet facility, Is it possible for a whole facility to move, I wonder? That would overcome any lack of shipping lanes to specific English beaches. Mind you, an invasion mission could simply use a modified Invasion Facility with some independent formations.
 
Not only that, but I'm sure tugs were used on the Rhine, and other waterways, and maybe the Kiel Canal if that's there. Of course the Thames and Humber estuaries. Not sure if they wedre used in D-day though.
 
This is a very interesting breakthrough . Got my attention ! Hope this goes further to a addon for the ETO expansion. Would love to see this in action ! Regards,Scott
 
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