SCX wake-homers not enabling
 

Hi guys - once more got bitten by the SC bug and decided to reinstall the Steam version with SCX IIC. Everything went as hoped in that respect, but I'm finding that the Russian wake-homing torpedoes aren't enabling at all. They simply launch from the tubes and zoom off in a straight line, never once activating their sensors. Moreover, the auto-crew (if you choose to use them) will frequently set the torpedo's Run To Enable to a figure which will take it far past its intended target before enabling.

I don't remember this being a problem in previous install of SCX IIC, not even previous Steam installs; and, sadly, it really draws the teeth of the Russian boats a bit, particularly those with the 650mm tubes.

I realise probably nobody plays SC anymore, and I imagine the SCX team are long moved on to fresh woods and pastures new, but if anyone has any helpful insights I'd be appreciative :)

Torpedo Auto-crew isn't very smart to begin with in SC. So they are best left off and do it yourself. It's not so hard to do it really.

Don't know about the wakehomer issue. Never used them much. The target does need to have a certain speed for the wake to be detected though.

Aye, the torpedo AC are pretty stupid. But even if I turn them off and set the RTE to, say, 5,000m, the torpedo doesn't arm. It's not that the torp doesn't find its mark - it doesn't even try to. The wake-homing sensor never once activates. Last time I fired them against a Chinese frigate doing 32 knots on bearing 082. The torpedoes left their tubes on course 057 (I think), ran straight, and never armed.

Those bearings say nothing until you tell us where the Chinese frigate was going to (course). Could be that it needs to cross the track a certain distance behind it. You data does not allow to make an intercept course calculation.

Course was also 082. Regardless of that, however, I repeat that the torpedo never armed. It didn't actually search for anything. I tracked it on the Launch Control station's chart, and it didn't actually activate. That, right there, is the problem here. However good the course is, if the thing never actually arms it's just a self-propelled can of HTP with some snazzy orange paint on the front.

I assume wake homing isn't perfect (otherwise everyone would do it). It does provide a very stealthy and hard to spoof attack.

If you miss identify your target you may fire on the wrong location (or do what I did once - fire a weak homing torpedo at a helicopter :D )

There is also the danger of your torpedo being slightly inaccurate and passing in front of the enemy (rather than behind - where it can find the wake). So, the best scenario would be to calculate the firing solution yourself. I can't be bothered so I usually attack from the stern or the bow (as this largely solves the problem).

Note also that - even if the torpedo acquires the wake - depending on the angle there is a chance it will turn in exactly the opposite direction of what it should.

Finally - I tend to set running depth to 20 metres (as I believe this is the listed acquisition depth - although the game default/AI selected values is a deeper depth ...well below the wake).

I hope that helps.

Good hunting