#6 Submarines
Aegio mini sub by Dio.
The Aegio mini sub is a vehicle providing an ok user experience, with few controls for the few systems present onboard. All necessary indicators are present, including a compass, speed depth and depth under keel. Some controls are unlabeled, and some have no effect. The HUD in front of the helm station does not display anything, because the HUD is not connected to power, as are several other items like bilge pumps, severely hindering the operation of the ship.
Visibility from the helm is ok, but very limiting in the up/down view, resembling a bunker viewing port.
It's an at times wonky experience, but overall not too hard to use
6/10
Performance:
A depth hold system is present which is rather convenient, as the sub wobbles around quite a bit at times. A snorkle does give the sub up to 3m running depth, feeding the diesel while the rest of the vehicle is submerged, allowing for sneaky sailing under diesel power. Having to find the correct clutch setting is rather bothersome at times, as full clutch will stall the engine.
5/10
Effectiveness:
Its role isn't clearly defined, but it seems like it wouldn't excel at any given task.
3/10
Design:
special features, except some lighting on paintable indicators, quite a lot of equipment and a bed.
7.5/10
Overall: 5.375/10
Lamprey by Kestrel
The Lamprey has a lot of instrument panels in the bridge, all of which are strewn across the ceiling. They're colour coded and labelled making everything fairly easy to find, albeit at the cost of having to look up all the time. The axis controls are not standard key binds making it extremely inconvenient to use. The yaw and roll are switched, which could be forgiven, if not for the swapped pitch and throttle. The swapped pitch and throttle makes it nearly impossible to use, especially as the throttle is on a reset. Switching on Cruise control is necessary if the driver wants to move forward while not holding W the entire time. The extendable arm uses look inputs and responds well. Although the Lamprey has excellent forward, side, and downwards visibility, there is no upward visibility at all. There is a HUD in front of the driver with a sonar overlay which furthermore blocks the front view when enabled. Having no artificial horizon makes it even harder to orient underwater.
4/10
Performance:
Performance is decent. The range is plenty high, with a 50km range on diesel, and about 15km on electric. In order to recharge the batteries, the throttle must be kept up by holding W in the driver's seat, unless cruise control is enabled. The recharge rate is abysmal with recharging the battery 1 percent taking about 50 seconds. The maneuverability is solid, with sufficient throttle response and pitch and yaw rate. 6.5/10
Effectiveness:
The submarine is meant for salvaging and picking up things underwater. In practice it did not perform that task well, since the mag-alls disconnected most of the time. The arm is, as mentioned, very easy to use, but it's still hard to pick up objects, since the handling of the vehicle is messy at best. It did not perform well while trying to pick up a light bush plane from the seafloor. The biggest problem was that it overshot the plane because of the unusual controls. While being underwater the pumps did not drain the inside, but rather did nothing at all. Meaning when water gets in it cant be drained until the submarine returns to the surface. The winches work, but the bottom rear one does not have a cable/rope/hose attached upon spawning.
5/10
Design:
The Lamprey is tube shaped, with a huge glass front. There is only minor detailing on the top and sides, while next to none is on the bottom. The colouring is a pleasant yellow, with some orange stripes. The interior is a basic green plaster-like colour, with equipment and pumps scattered around making it look slightly cramped. Overall nothing super special, but completely adequate. 4.5/10
Overall: 5/10
S-1 Oranda by B0MPS
User Friendliness:
The S-1 Oranda is an extremely simple vehicle, with barebones controls, making it very easy to use.
With steering controls bound to the view axis, accurate maneuvering at constant speeds is not a problem, but stopping in a chosen spot can be difficult.
The helm features a few readouts, including speed, battery charge, depth etc, as well as a moving map, but the given readouts don't give full information about the vehicle, and the map features no zoom control.
No equipment is present on board, making the operation of the vehicle a lot less sustainable and more difficult. It's overall very easy to use, but mostly because it lacks features.
4/10
The S-1 Oranda is an extremely simple vehicle, with barebones controls, making it very easy to use.
With steering controls bound to the view axis, accurate maneuvering at constant speeds is not a problem, but stopping in a chosen spot can be difficult.
The helm features a few readouts, including speed, battery charge, depth etc, as well as a moving map, but the given readouts don't give full information about the vehicle, and the map features no zoom control.
No equipment is present on board, making the operation of the vehicle a lot less sustainable and more difficult. It's overall very easy to use, but mostly because it lacks features.
4/10
Performance:
The engine is an electric motor, meaning it is fast, reaching around 100 kph, but hard to control at top speed. Its range is also very much a shortcoming. Quite literally since at max speed it's only 3km. At optimal speed it is 8km. No way to recharge the batteries is present, meaning that range cannot be extended.
The batteries run out in a few minutes, so it really is only for very short actions. Maneuverability at lower speeds is ok, but maneuvering to a certain spot can be difficult, as no reverse is available, and adjusting the throttle is only possible by manually adjusting throttle position, meaning the ship will pitch down and turn left.
3.5/10
The engine is an electric motor, meaning it is fast, reaching around 100 kph, but hard to control at top speed. Its range is also very much a shortcoming. Quite literally since at max speed it's only 3km. At optimal speed it is 8km. No way to recharge the batteries is present, meaning that range cannot be extended.
The batteries run out in a few minutes, so it really is only for very short actions. Maneuverability at lower speeds is ok, but maneuvering to a certain spot can be difficult, as no reverse is available, and adjusting the throttle is only possible by manually adjusting throttle position, meaning the ship will pitch down and turn left.
3.5/10
Effectiveness:
Equipped with a single battle cannon loaded with 23 armor piercing rounds, the vehicle seems to be made for attacking other ships and submarines, and it does that ok. Getting the gun on target is not a problem, as steering at lower throttle settings is quite accurate, and the laser + gun sight combo will let you know when the gun is on target. Armor piercing rounds are fairly effective, despite being fired underwater.
However, the limited time and range the vehicle has means that it could only really be used as an underwater interceptor, for defense work.
4/10
Equipped with a single battle cannon loaded with 23 armor piercing rounds, the vehicle seems to be made for attacking other ships and submarines, and it does that ok. Getting the gun on target is not a problem, as steering at lower throttle settings is quite accurate, and the laser + gun sight combo will let you know when the gun is on target. Armor piercing rounds are fairly effective, despite being fired underwater.
However, the limited time and range the vehicle has means that it could only really be used as an underwater interceptor, for defense work.
4/10
Design:
The S-1 is basically a plane but in submarine form. It has the general shape of a wing, with a twin boom tail and a big open glass front windshield. The Black and Yellow colour is very contrasting and fits very well. The inside is oddly painted,and has no detail, or anything to speak of really. It is simply the open room with the cockpit being the only compartment. The thick tail booms combined with large control surfaces and propeller give it a very bulky look.
6/10
The S-1 is basically a plane but in submarine form. It has the general shape of a wing, with a twin boom tail and a big open glass front windshield. The Black and Yellow colour is very contrasting and fits very well. The inside is oddly painted,and has no detail, or anything to speak of really. It is simply the open room with the cockpit being the only compartment. The thick tail booms combined with large control surfaces and propeller give it a very bulky look.
6/10
Overall: 4.375/10
PingWorks SB1 by Ping
User Friendliness:
The SB1 is a true multi crew vehicle, with several stations dedicated to each task onboard, including engine management in engineering, and helm, sonar and navigation stations on the bridge. This makes at least 2 people a requirement to operate the ship.
It is very unfinished, with a lot of displays not connected to logic or electricity, including depth, electric power, the map always displays the 0,0 coordinate, and the sonar only ever displays contacts at 90 or 270.
This makes the vehicle difficult to navigate, and borderline impossible to use in combat.
3/10
The SB1 is a true multi crew vehicle, with several stations dedicated to each task onboard, including engine management in engineering, and helm, sonar and navigation stations on the bridge. This makes at least 2 people a requirement to operate the ship.
It is very unfinished, with a lot of displays not connected to logic or electricity, including depth, electric power, the map always displays the 0,0 coordinate, and the sonar only ever displays contacts at 90 or 270.
This makes the vehicle difficult to navigate, and borderline impossible to use in combat.
3/10
Performance:
With a top speed of 30 kph, and a fuel tank of 11t, the SB1 reaches a max range of 66km under diesel power, which is more than enough range to reach a target area and come back. It will take 2 hours, but the ship will make it. Under electric power, the ship can reach up to 40 kph, and up to 47 in hybrid power, while reducing the range. Maneuvering is ok for a ship this size, but getting it into a specific spot can be hard, because reverse does not work. Controlling depth can also be difficult, as the aft ballast tank cannot be drained.
3/10
3/10
Effectiveness:
Weapons present onboard the ship are incredibly difficult to use. The 4 sonar guided torpedoes don't guide properly, seemingly locking onto fish´ around the target, missing almost every time once a lock has been acquired. Before they've locked, they circle around to the left, potentially striking the launching ship.
The deck gun is armed with only 20 rounds of incendiary ammunition, and aiming it at angles larger than 30 deg from the boresight is impossible, because it operates on absolute axis, instead of relative, meaning you don't see your target if you have to aim too far to the side. It is a combat submarine without any functional combat capabilities.
2/10
Weapons present onboard the ship are incredibly difficult to use. The 4 sonar guided torpedoes don't guide properly, seemingly locking onto fish´ around the target, missing almost every time once a lock has been acquired. Before they've locked, they circle around to the left, potentially striking the launching ship.
The deck gun is armed with only 20 rounds of incendiary ammunition, and aiming it at angles larger than 30 deg from the boresight is impossible, because it operates on absolute axis, instead of relative, meaning you don't see your target if you have to aim too far to the side. It is a combat submarine without any functional combat capabilities.
2/10
Design:
The vehicle looks like a ww1 or ww2 type of military submarine, the grey-blue camouflage complementing the look pretty good. The overall shape is very good, even with detailing on the deck. The deck gun also being very small meaning it doesn't take anything away from the overall look. The tower is very oval shaped and streamline. The overall outside look is rather elegant and sleek. But the inside design has a lot more to worry about. First the kitchen. It is very detailed and even the Heating plates glow red when you turn them on. The other rooms on the other hand. Mostly undetailed and walls covered with either exposed logic or just blank blocks.
6.5/10
The vehicle looks like a ww1 or ww2 type of military submarine, the grey-blue camouflage complementing the look pretty good. The overall shape is very good, even with detailing on the deck. The deck gun also being very small meaning it doesn't take anything away from the overall look. The tower is very oval shaped and streamline. The overall outside look is rather elegant and sleek. But the inside design has a lot more to worry about. First the kitchen. It is very detailed and even the Heating plates glow red when you turn them on. The other rooms on the other hand. Mostly undetailed and walls covered with either exposed logic or just blank blocks.
6.5/10
Overall: 3.625/10
JOE JOE by sobiet union
User Friendliness:
The JOE JOE is a bothersome vehicle to use, with several issues making operation of this vehicle risky.
The top hatch will move you out of the top compartment if it is closed with you inside it, forcing you to enter the main airlock compartment before closing the top hatches. As a result, the sail bridge compartment is unusable. It also has no features, literally just an empty compartment.
Dark inside of the crew compartment makes it difficult to see. Only very few readouts are available, and some are not even labelled. Controls are counter intuitive and lackluster, while also being unlabeled.
It's overall a pain to use, and requires some getting used to. The airlock draining pump is an impeller pump, which means it will let water into the airlock, filling it completely over time. There is also no ladder in the airlock, so it's not possible to leave the vehicle unless the airlock is flooded.
2/10
The JOE JOE is a bothersome vehicle to use, with several issues making operation of this vehicle risky.
The top hatch will move you out of the top compartment if it is closed with you inside it, forcing you to enter the main airlock compartment before closing the top hatches. As a result, the sail bridge compartment is unusable. It also has no features, literally just an empty compartment.
Dark inside of the crew compartment makes it difficult to see. Only very few readouts are available, and some are not even labelled. Controls are counter intuitive and lackluster, while also being unlabeled.
It's overall a pain to use, and requires some getting used to. The airlock draining pump is an impeller pump, which means it will let water into the airlock, filling it completely over time. There is also no ladder in the airlock, so it's not possible to leave the vehicle unless the airlock is flooded.
2/10
Performance:
Top speed is actually really good, reaching 75 kph and maintaining 40 km estimated range while doing so, thanks to the large amounts of the solar panels on top of the vehicle. That's where the good things end however. The pitch of the submarine is controlled by either 6 fins on the front with the W/S axis, which is oriented in the opposite direction than most pitch controls usually are, or with the single aft fin controlled by an unlabeled throttle on the right wall.
Rudders are mounted really high, meaning if surfaced, there is no way to make the submarine turn without diving first. There is also no roll control to speak of, with the sub having to rely on it's natural buoyancy and mass positions to roll upright, which is not satisfactory.
The ship is also not buoyant enough to remain surfaced, meaning it will always sink if stationary.
2/10
Top speed is actually really good, reaching 75 kph and maintaining 40 km estimated range while doing so, thanks to the large amounts of the solar panels on top of the vehicle. That's where the good things end however. The pitch of the submarine is controlled by either 6 fins on the front with the W/S axis, which is oriented in the opposite direction than most pitch controls usually are, or with the single aft fin controlled by an unlabeled throttle on the right wall.
Rudders are mounted really high, meaning if surfaced, there is no way to make the submarine turn without diving first. There is also no roll control to speak of, with the sub having to rely on it's natural buoyancy and mass positions to roll upright, which is not satisfactory.
The ship is also not buoyant enough to remain surfaced, meaning it will always sink if stationary.
2/10
Effectiveness:
No role was specified for the vehicle, and it has no clear purpose in its design. There are a few things that the submarine can perform, including personnel transport, exploration and towing, as a single winch is mounted on the front. Towing is definitely not JOE JOE's forte, as the winch is mounted in front of the center of mass, meaning towing will either try to rotate the submarine around, as reversing is not possible.
Exploration would be difficult, as the lights are incredibly dim, and no navigational equipment is present. Finally, personnel transport. It would actually be ok at this role, as the high speed and range of the vehicle lend it well to transporting people around. Stopping will however mean the vehicle will sink, making boarding and exiting the vehicle without flooding it impossible.
No role was specified for the vehicle, and it has no clear purpose in its design. There are a few things that the submarine can perform, including personnel transport, exploration and towing, as a single winch is mounted on the front. Towing is definitely not JOE JOE's forte, as the winch is mounted in front of the center of mass, meaning towing will either try to rotate the submarine around, as reversing is not possible.
Exploration would be difficult, as the lights are incredibly dim, and no navigational equipment is present. Finally, personnel transport. It would actually be ok at this role, as the high speed and range of the vehicle lend it well to transporting people around. Stopping will however mean the vehicle will sink, making boarding and exiting the vehicle without flooding it impossible.
0.75/10
Design:
The JOE JOE looks like a typical modern russian submarine, remaining quite small. The front is basically just glass and a few spotlights, giving it a very mosaic like look. The rear is basically just prime minecraft material. It looks very blocky, and it contrasts a lot with the rest of the submarine where wedges are used. The bottom of the submarine is just filled with weight blocks. The submarine is painted black on top and red underneath, although there are a few mispainted blocks. In general, the submarine has a very strong unfinished feel about it, leaving a lot to be desired in terms of looks
1.5/10
1.5/10
Overall: 1.5625/10