Strange sinking ... bug?

[Sniper297]

Agree with that one, the main advantage to manual targeting is the ability to use "Kentucky Windage" to take snapshots at targets currently in the process of turning. I've found that getting close - and when you think you're close enough get closer - makes for a much higher percentage of hits.

(Angle of impact makes a difference there, if the fish is approaching the target from the beam the minimum range is 400 yards, if forward of the beam you should increase to 600 yards, aft of the beam you can get away with 250 or even less depending on how fast the target is moving. If you have a destroyer running at 34 knots and shoot from directly behind at 50 yards, a 46 knot torpedo will run 400 yards or more while catching up to him.)

A beam shot with a zero gyro angle also results in a higher percentage of hits, and inside 1000 yards the target really has no time to avoid it even if he sees the wake immediately - even a Mark 10 will travel 1000 yards in a little less than a minute.

My biggest objection to manual targeting is it's just not realistic - in real life you had another officer (usually the XO) waltzing around on the back side of the periscope reading the ranges and bearings, with several other attack team members adding inputs to the TDC and keeping plots on paper while doing all the calculations for you. The game simply has too much to do in too little time without automatic targeting.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Spraug

Guys, I'm terribly sorry to keep pestering you, but something else occurred to me: Playing without the mods and with Auto-targetting, I have over 400 kt to my credit with corresponding Renown. It's early 1943 and my trusty USS Drum is a Gato-Class.

Now the question: why can't I get or when will I be able to get the 40mm Bofors? Historically, it should be available by now, I guess.

And, while we're on the topic of AA guns, can I damage ships with a 20mm gun, e.g. killing gun crew or is that a waste of bullets?

Thanks a lot

P.S.: The only airplanes I shoot at are the ones landed in a harbour. (HAR, take this for forcing me to dive-surface-dive-surface-dive… the whole time)

Edit: Yes, I'm trying to learn new techniques, and I'm consuming all the tutorials on different aiming technologies. My problem is the speed: My main tactic is to dive deep before the convoy/task force and then surface in the middle in parallel to the ships. I then choose one side and attack with bow and stern tubes, before going deep again (60-70m). Only below the thermal layer do I call battle stations and cancel silent running to get the tubes reloaded. Then I try to sneak out in the turmoil and maybe loiter around to pick of stragglers or ships that are dead in the water but refuse to go down. I just need to aim off-course and very quickly and at multiple targets.

That's one of my favorite tactics, get between lines of ships in a convoy parallel and shoot bows and sterns. I call it box shooting, like i'm in the middle of the box and shooting ships at four corners. Even close, 300 yards, due to the angle torps have to turn, you get hits.

You just have to pay attention and make adjustments fast. Just look at what they are, so you can switch them and get a new bearing. If you know the enemies course previously, you can use that in the AOB wheel for a perfect AOB...

[Spraug]

Originally Posted by Sniper297

My biggest objection to manual targeting is it's just not realistic - in real life you had another officer (usually the XO) waltzing around on the back side of the periscope reading the ranges and bearings, with several other attack team members adding inputs to the TDC and keeping plots on paper while doing all the calculations for you. The game simply has too much to do in too little time without automatic targeting.

That's exactly my feeling. I like working with all the technology of the time but getting any support seems harsh, especially given that you actually have active crew management. A problem for me is also that I have problems telling all these merchant ships apart. It takes me too long and then I'm already so close that that I can get out of the boat and drill holes into them saving my torpedoes.

[merc4ulfate]

Ships are the only thing I shoot at with my AA weapons. Yes they can cause damage.

On the Bofor it is going to be available at certain time and at certain ports. If your port is Pearl it should be available there first.

As to your damage control team they can and will repair the boat. I would suggest using a mod that allows for longer and more realistic repairs and deaths.

Travellers MODs (README HERE :http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=203542)
should be a must for OM and TMO players. Traveller 2.6 will give you great chances of shell hits death on the surface but longer deaths as well. It even has an SOS feature but at a renown cost.

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST ON WHAT TRAVELLER MOD DOES.

Failure to do so will have you scratching your head and pitching a fit on the forums asking questions that are already answered in the read me file.

You can find the file here:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=4106

Traveller is a boss at making these mods. They are very fun to play with.

By the way ... pay attention to the section on firing at land based items ... you get renown for blowing up certain items with it!

[Spraug]

Thank you very much, of course at the end of the patrol after my last post 40mm Bofors became available. And - since I was upgraded to a Balao-Class - I now have two of them.

In the future I will definitely look into mods, but I'm still in my first career, so I try to perfect my seamanship first. RSRD seems to be THE standard mad with more realistic japanese traffic. I'll probably look into that some more. I am also a bit uneasy about the huge tonnage volume you can sink, but that is more due to unguarded 10'000t-tankers running around than weak escorts to me. Attacking a convoy or task force is more than enough challenge for me, right now.

One thing that is stopping me from using manual TDC is ship identification. I need to be close to a merchant to actually identify it and that means I have already lost a lot of potential data from my range finder (so far - in the rare cases that I use manual TDC - I use the distance on the map, but that kind of defeats the purpose of using manual). Is there a mod that lets me use manual TDC but where I can get my crew to ID the ships? Because I saw a video where a guy pressed "I" for identification and that seems not to be standard.

[THEBERBSTER]

This mod has an icon that will identify the target for you.

All you need to do is be able to lock on to the target.

Press the icon.

Also sends the mast height to the TDC.


Download Link to SH4 TMOwtw 2.5 (A Lighter Version Of The Original TMO)

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=194223

My mod list

TMOwTw 2.50
wTw 2.50 Max Optics with Crosshair
Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton
Eye Patch for TMO v1.7
Bigger Better Protractors
Convoy Routes TMO+RSRD
Pacific Sound Mod
Stop The Shouting
wTw 2.50 Stock Sub Underwater Marker

Peter

[Spraug]

Thank you!

[merc4ulfate]

yes but berster does the mod know the difference between split rake bow enemy and split rake bow friend?

[Spraug]

1) RSRD/TMOwTw are MODs I'm contemplating (after my current career ends that is) and they are big realisticism-boosters, as far as I understand. Since I'm still a noob: can I still run auto-TDC with them, or are they manual only?

2) Also: I am currently in September 1943 (still running 1.5 on plain vanilla) and a small REFIT supply base has opened for the US somewhere in the Halmahera or Bacan or somewhere. What's going on there? The New-Guinea campaign isn't even through, our guys are probably just attacking Lae, so how would we have a base in the Maluk Islands?

3) 1943 seems to be rather boring as far as fleet actions are concerned. I'm still doing well in killing merchant tonnage, but where would I find a couple of warships to sink, for a change? Any good ideas?

Thanks

[Dread Knot]

Originally Posted by Spraug

1) RSRD/TMOwTw are MODs I'm contemplating (after my current career ends that is) and they are big realisticism-boosters, as far as I understand. Since I'm still a noob: can I still run auto-TDC with them, or are they manual only?

2) Also: I am currently in September 1943 (still running 1.5 on plain vanilla) and a small REFIT supply base has opened for the US somewhere in the Halmahera or Bacan or somewhere. What's going on there? The New-Guinea campaign isn't even through, our guys are probably just attacking Lae, so how would we have a base in the Maluk Islands?

3) 1943 seems to be rather boring as far as fleet actions are concerned. I'm still doing well in killing merchant tonnage, but where would I find a couple of warships to sink, for a change? Any good ideas?

1. You can use auto-targeting in RSRD or TMO. You just need to check the appropriate boxes in the realism settings when you start a new career.

2. Yeah. Vanilla SH4 is riddled with all manner of historical and mechanical errors and oversights. That's why all the super-mods got built.

3. Most of the naval action in 1943 was confined to the upper Solomon Islands. The Battles of Kula Gulf, Vella Lavella, Empress Augusta Bay, Cape St. George. You might catch some there. However, I doubt Vanilla SH4 recreates most of these historically obscure engagements.

Bagging capital ships is largely the luck of being in the right place at the right time. If they have any sort of lead on you they are almost impossible to catch up to. It's even tougher in the RSRD and TMO mods as they try to pare ship movements down to historical traffic and numbers.

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi M4U

I do not have an answer to your question.

If both are in the rec manual then it should as the mast height is sent to the TDC.

The ship ID icon is part of the TMOwtw mod and those modders know what they are doing.

Peter

[Spraug]

And thanks again. So, I'll just try to survive 1943, then try to catch the big battles in 1944 and survive 1945 again for a good war career and for the next one, I'll install the mods, I think.

Let's see what else I can sink, I did get a couple of capital ships in 1941 and '42 after all.

[Spraug]

Being sent to take ship pictures is not that great, but this time, I'm specifically being sent to the "Battle ship anchorage of Koror" in Palau!

Wow, I didn't even know that existed. Now, there is another thread discussing whether or not to attack harbours when you are supposed to take pictures. To each their own, but ever since I figured out that harbours are basically undefended and the ships don't react realistically, I only raid when I have two torpedoes to get rid of at the end of a patrol.

So, after long explanations. Obviously the battleships won't just take to the sea, but if there is a specific "battle ship anchorage" is it worthwhile to camp it, because Task Forces will spawn / despawn there? Or is that a waste of time?

Thank you in advance your help is tremendously effective for me.

[TorpX]

Originally Posted by Spraug

So, after long explanations. Obviously the battleships won't just take to the sea, but if there is a specific "battle ship anchorage" is it worthwhile to camp it, because Task Forces will spawn / despawn there? Or is that a waste of time?

If you are too close to a spawn point, nothing will spawn there. This has to be done to prevent ships just appearing from thin air. So I wouldn't spend a lot of time lurking close by enemy ports/bases.

[merc4ulfate]

Make sure you shoot at the correct flag ... I have spotted ships in the distant but did not use use flag recognition and sank american merchants during an allied campaign.

I lied to the crew.