How to build - Submarines

## Overview

This article goes over the basics of submarine construction.

Not the process is similar to constructing a Ship with added components necessary.

There will be construction tips inserted in each step of building, which are optional and open for use if desired.

## Getting Started - Setting up to Build

### Step 1 - Get a Plot

Submarines are built in the Dockyard, where you need to select a plot of adequate size for the submarine you intend to build.

Construction Tips: Generally, speaking Submarines are built in Destroyer / Destroyer Escort Size plots, Large plots such for cruisers or battleships while still possible will add expense (lag on the server, which large vehicle are limited in spawning in faction worlds.). However, submarines can be any size.

### Step 2 - Choose What your Building

* (SSC) Submarine, Coastal - Coastal Submarine - Basic submarine intended for patrol and near shore, small size/length
* (SS) Submarine, Attack - Attack Submarine - Intended to prey on task forces (military & cargo ships), medium size/length
* (SF) Submarine, Fleet - Fleet Submarine - Large submarine, able take on multiple tasks, medium to large size/length
* (SC) Submarine, Cruiser - Submarine Cruiser - Largest submarine design available, with ability mount large caliber cannons or aircraft to launch.

Coastal SubmarineAttack SubmarineFleet SubmarineCruiser Submarine
### Step 3 - Hull Form and Layout

Depending on size of the submarine your building, historical designs are generally used as a starting point for build.

Make sure that you plan out where you want you're weapons, control room, and engine room to be and any other odd ends you want for your design.

*Critical Importance*, BallastTank blocks are needed to be part of submarines hull SOMEWHERE. This block acts as a virtual water tank that collects sea water to make the submarine heavier or lighter. While not decorative in some cases, they can be slipped behind hull plates or even trapdoors with color. It

**Construction Tip (Hull Forms)**: While not a ship, the ship movement is effected by shape of it's hull. The How to Build - Ship's Hull article can help you get general idea, what allows water to flow. Remember: World War I & World War II Style submarines run on surface most of the time until they need to submerge. Ironically, this generation submarines unlike modern ones used now, are slower underwater than on the surface. Thus why the Ship's Hull article is good starting point to get feel what you want build.

### Step 4 - Adding Engines and Batteries

Heart of your submarine, source power is the Engine Room. Typically, you need diesel engines to power the electric motors on board the ship. While fuel is put in the lower half the submarine, to power the engines. Needed are engine blocks and engine signs, Diesel Sign and Motor sign. More than one each can be used. Read the article Diesel Engines for more details. In addition to making sure fuel blocks are placed to feed your diesel engines, you will want place battery blocks. They're needs to be enough to travel for a time underwater or the Motors Signs will die.

Construction Tip: More engine blocks equals more power your vehicle will have, but they will use up more fuel. Optionally Boilers can be used on submarines, but rarely used due to their nature and slow time to power up.

### Step 5 - Adding Weapons

* Torpedoes: Submarines typically are armed with at least two Torpedo Tubes mounted in bow (front) of the ship. However, they can have more than 2, can be stacked on one another 4 to 6 depending on the size of the submarines (if it's a classic design type). They also can have same number (typically less) in the stern of the ship. Additionally, torpedo launcher have torpedo rooms where reloads can be moved by human crew into their respective torpedo tube. However, not all torpedo tube must be reloaded, they can be due to small size typically be non-reloadable torpedo tube, which only needs lever to reload and button to fire the weapon. Non-Reloadable torpedo can be used as emergency shot when there no hope or room for path to reload.

**Construction Tip (Torpedoes)**: It should be noted there are DIFFERENT types of Torpedoes, which can be adjust for speed, power, or duration. This is depending on what type blocks it's made out of. Red, Black, or White. See the Torpedo article for more on that. This is benefit of having the ability to reload torpedo tube. TDC signs & Tube signs allows for even more control of torpedoes.

* Cannons: World War I & II era Submarines were known to have small or medium sized cannons (less than 6 inch) on the top deck, as form of finishing off a surface ship. However, this more used when sinking a near unarmed merchant ship. Small cannons such as 20mm or 40mm autocannons can be used against aircraft or enemy commandos trying board the ship. Like all weapons, ammo box for the type cannon used must be present somewhere on the ship.

**Construction Tip (Cannons)**: Ammo box per type cannon can be place near by the ship, perhaps covered for decorative purposes. Ammo boxes can be handled by human crew and placed into the gun's breech if NPC crew is not manning the weapon.

Cut through of a full size Torpedo Tube (launcher)Signs used for a torpedo Launcher, this arrangement has stacked pairs of torpedo tubes.Torpedo Tube setup, with number Tube signs mounted in front of the launchers.Aft 3inch Gun/Cannon. Used for limited surface action.
### Step 6 - Control Room and Associated signs

Perhaps most important part of the ship is the Control Room (or CIC) where you will control your submarine.

Aside from Ship sign itself, the Ship's Wheel and Periscope are needed. When placing the periscope, you want to place it so it lined up with the it's two components.

The ship sign, while it does not need be in CIC, typically on especially small subs do not need have in a protected spot from battle damage. Thus it can be placed near periscope or proximity of it for easy of access.

Placement of signs and switches is crucial to controlling your ship.
Submarines depend on more than just the Ship's Wheel. It requires separate Wheel to control the Diveplanes (controls vertical up and down), Buoyancy Sign to show state of ship's weight and control it, Divestation Sign which shows current status of a Submarine in motion. DepthUnder sign to detect the how deep the water goes. Nav sign for navigating the world, Sonar to detect actively for ships, Hydrophone to passively listen to movement of ships and submarines.

Example of a pair of active DiveStation sign & Buoyancy SignsDiveStation Sign, Buoyancy Sign, DepthUnder Sign. Wheel seen in this picture manipulates the Divestation SignControl Room arrangement of Ship Wheel (Left corner), Divestation (sign & wheel left) Ship Sign (Right corner), Periscope (Attack) in center. Close Right of the image is the BattleAlarm Function Sign. This activates GQ.
Vcrew is needed to supply NPC Crewmembers to the ship, while bunk beds needed to be added to equal amount of crew needed.

### Step 7 - Miscellaneous but Important equipment

* Ship Sign
Submarine Sign is needed to be added, like the Ship Sign, this identifies to server and navycraft plugin what kind ship it is. And will scan the ship at it's first activation if all expected parts are present and put together right to operate as vehicle you chosen to be.

The sign should have type submarine it is SC, SS, SF, SC on the topline. Prefix (Example USS) what nation its from, Name of the Ship, Ship serial number. (Example SS-215)

### Step 8 - Testing

* Scan Testing
After everything is added, test the sub. Clicking on the Submarine main sign The test should indicate if the submarine is functional or what it's missing. All blocks are inspected.

* Float Test
Go and teleport (Change Worlds) to the /Seatrials area, choose the spawn the ship based on the size of the ship. Submarines tend to use unmarked spawning sign, unless large. Use a CL/DD Spawning sign. You will instantly be teleported as Captain/Owner of the ship. You will hear the engines powering up, you will get text report of the status of vehicle as it attempts get through start up. Keep eye on buoyancy sign if you have one. If the ships can end up being too heavy, it will sink as it moves out dock. Thus you will need /ship destroy return to the /Hub do /plot tp. Figure out what went wrong what can be reduce to make ship right weight.

* Engine Failures
Keep eye out for messages of engines failing while trying to stay on or turn on. If the submarine prematurely sinking, it will kill diesel engines. Batteries will be initially charged when submarine switches, however long before they will need to charge batteries properly and ultimately you're ship will shutdown when power is exhausted.