Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks

[Rockin Robbins]

I doubt it. Sonar ranges are not exact. You have to take several readings and kind of average them by gut feeling. Of course, while you are taking the ranges, the range is changing, adding to the challenge.

Sonar only can never be as accurate as periscope guided and radar guided attacks. And we've got it easy! Our sonar bearings are exact, where on the real boats there was a 2º slop factor where it was impossible to perfectly center the sonar bearing. I'm unclear whether that was plus or minus two degrees or two degrees total error. It doesn't matter. It means sonar only was more difficult for a real submarine than it is for us.

In the game, make sure your sonar man is following and announcing the target bearing. Put your sonar on that bearing when you ping and don't forget to send bearing and range separately. In the stock game you can use the switches on the panel. For some reason in TMO and RFB you need to use the button bar to send range but can still send bearing from the panel. Be sure you send both to the TDC! I just use the button bar to send both and remove all doubt.

You're right. The sonar only method should never be your default method. It is mostly a demonstration exercise that gives tremendous satisfaction when it works properly. However, in real combat it is VERY useful in heavy fog or rain, where you can get darned close and blast 'em from nowhere.