AOB dial - slightly confusing me...

[Raven Morpheus]

As the title says, the AOB dial is slightly confusing me.

I've got the Game Fixes Only mod installed.

I'm using the Dick O'Kane method of manual TDC.

As an example - I'm targeting a ship coming from my left at what I think is 9 knots (as per the Sub School torpedo mission)

Do I then set the AOB dial relative to which direction the target is coming at me, in this example that'd be Port, or do I set it relative to the side of the target I'm on, in this example Starboard?


I've never had a problem with the AOB dial in SH5 although at this point in time which direction I set it to if I was using my example above escapes me.


I ask this (more for clarification than anything) because several times I've checked the attack map to see the projected torpedo path and when I've set the AOB dial to Port (my left as per the direction of travel towards me of the target) the projected torpedo path has been such that I'll completely miss the target and my torpedo's will shoot behind the target.

But I've also had the projected torpedo path look wrong when I've set the AOB dial to Starboard. :hmmm:

And on all occasions I always press the red "send to TDC" button twice.

[ETR3(SS)]

AOB can be simply defined as the relative bearing from your target to you. I.E. if you were standing on your targets bridge, what would his lookouts say the relative bearing to you is.

So per your example the target would have a starboard AOB. Guessing the correct AOB can be difficult at first but the more you do it the better your guess will be.

[Rockin Robbins]

Okay, here's the really tricky part of the Dick Okane system and the only common mistake that makes you miss. And when you miss this way, the torpedo just takes a sharp turn and heads for Toledo! It doesn't go anywhere NEAR the target, as you saw.

When you see this it's guaranteed to be only one kind of error. You have to be very careful about whether you set to starboard or port AoB. Visualize your target as you will as it approaches. Which side of the target will you be looking at, its starboard or port side? THAT is the AoB setting you will use. Because it's starboard or port 90-the lead angle. Setting starboard when it should be port is going to send the torpedoes to Toledo.

Here's your setup:
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa293/RockinRobbins13/Silent%20Hunter%204/OkaneApproach_zps0aa9fb7f.png

Ignore the course for the submarine, its true course is 78º.

[Raven Morpheus]

Thanks.

Tried the Sub School mission again just now and ascertained that in that example it is starboard that I need to set because my sub is on the starboard side of the target as the target passes 0 bearing on my scope.

I swear though the GFO mod switches the AOB dial setting around (it certainly affects the range dial), because I'm sure when I did that Sub School mission without the GFO mod I was having to set AOB to port as though I was taking the AOB as being referenced from my bridge, not the targets. Or perhaps I was just forgetting what I've learnt in SH5 and set it wrong but got lucky and hit anyway.

Oh BTW Rockin Robbins I watched your Dick O'Kane tutorial vid on youtube, very helpful, it seems like the most simple method to use (almost as simple as the method described in Trevally's manual TDC tutorials for SH5). Although I noted that after you missed on the 1st shot, you then adjusted the periscope to ahead of 0, but I don't get what you did to correct the TDC, do you just click on range and then the "send to TDC" button again?

[Rockin Robbins]

In the video I didn't reset the range at all. I just pointed at the new bearing, stabbed the send to TDC button (studiously ignoring that this also set the AoB wrong) and fired new shots. I left the video as is to show that the method is very, very error tolerant.

[Raven Morpheus]

I see, OK that explains that then. I wasn't entirely sure what you did there.

Thanks.

[I'm goin' down]

Well, make my day. The Rock is still around, breaking in the new captains. Give him your nuclear tipped torpedoes, and he will give the enemy hell.