What am i doing wrong? (manual targeting)

[Nuoz]

I'm currently trying manual targeting. In the training mission "torpedos" i don't move. I wondered if it was possible to hit the costal merchant ships from afar. I tune in manual mode. Get the speed for one costal who is moving straight away about 45º port. I'm facing north. His speed being in that wide angle could be determined by the usual method (i have no accessories, currently dwing the gwxm, the compass is HORRIBLE, you can't nothing right at first with that, btw). Now the speed, 2kts isnt nothing spec, range is almost exactly (stable periscope is on, shame on me) 800 meters. The angle, 45º is less clear but i think the real problem is these kinds of merchant ships accelerate quickly when they detect my torpedo. How to insert that? Also when i hit F6 and try to manually change settings i get no digits whatsoever, help please. How can one manually target like this? Obviously SH3 non modded is, in my oppinion inferior to SH2 (at least in gameplay).

[Iron Budokan]

Yes, they see the wake of your torp and gun their enginesn to escape. You gotta lead 'em a little more, that's all. It's like hunting doves. Lead 'em just right and you can blow 'em out of the sky...or in this case, water.

You can also sneak in a little closer. Pop a cap in their hull when you are just over 300m away. They won't be able to accelerate enough to dodge your torp then.

[Nuoz]

Yes, they see the wake of your torp and gun their enginesn to escape. You gotta lead 'em a little more, that's all. It's like hunting doves. Lead 'em just right and you can blow 'em out of the sky...or in this case, water.

You can also sneak in a little closer. Pop a cap in their hull when you are just over 300m away. They won't be able to accelerate enough to dodge your torp then.
Thanks. How about AoB, I havent fond any guide yet :( I've heard about "Aspect Ratio". What is that and how to use it in SH3? Remember the only mod i'm planning to install is the GWXM.

[Chock]

AOB is simply the angle between straight ahead on the ship, and the direction to your boat; so the easiest way to work it out is to imagine yourself stood on the bridge of the ship you intend to shoot at - however far you would have to turn your head in order to see the submarine would be the AOB (i.e. if you had to look directly to the left when on the ship to see your submarine, the AOB would be 90 degrees port).

Golden Rivet put a simple and very helpful tutorial on this forum a couple of days ago on how to calculate AOB.

:D Chock

[Nuoz]

Thanks. I hope i can also get a new compass from the GWXM as the one shipped with the game simply put, sucks.

[Puster Bill]

If you want to make manual targeting in SHIII easy, go to this thread:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=114351&highlight=whiz

and download Hitman's Kriegsmarine Whiz Wheel. It makes reducing the data to input into the TDC simple.

[Nuoz]

Thanks for the info, sir. On a second note, doesnt the fact one has the cpu puting down his contacts on the MAP defeats the point of having the manual targeting on?
I was testing this and i found out all i had to do, should i have the auto mapping on, was to raise the periscope (page up) press F6 and "play" with the manual settings until the green thingy is a little ahead of the target (controling range and what not directly!). At first i thought the TDC would only display what i had collected as i had manual targeting on. NOT. It would already know the distance. Speed and AoB is irrelevant as you simple "point and shoot". :stare: I also found these solutions to be more accurate than if i just find distance, speed and Aob using the game's instruments.
For reference, i'm still talking about the training mission "torpedos".
It would be cool if the god's eyes want more than what you figure out of the target. It wouldnt be so unrealistic and it would spare you the work of marking every relevant position. Another complaint to the Ubi team who made such a complex and beatifull game, yet forgot to had all the instruments one needs to succeed.
Thanks, comments are appreciated

[Hondo314]

Also when i hit F6 and try to manually change settings i get no digits whatsoever, help please.

I'm not sure I understand what you're referring to exactly here. Are you saying you are unable to adjust any of the settings manually because the dials won't turn? Please clarify.

[fair_weather]

AoB...that was the one thing I had trouble with...however...I did what all skippers do...use what I have available.

I thought to myself, what is angle on bow really? It's an angle...duh...do we have anything onboard that calculates angles...

...how bout the protractor!

Fairly easy. Go to the nav screen, find your target ship, grab the protractor and if the ship is moving slow enough, click on the bow of the ship and go down the length of it until you reach the mid point of it, then click again and finally drag the final point to your subs position.

Tada! Angle on bow! And it worked the few times I tried it.

[P_Funk]

You can figure out AoB mathematically or by visual estimation.

AoB = (Target Bearing due North - Target Course) +/- 180

This works well for attacking convoys that you've observed enough to get the course down accurately. However for lone ships estimation is your best bet when you cant take good measurements of target ocurse.

[Maraz]

Thanks. I hope i can also get a new compass from the GWXM as the one shipped with the game simply put, sucks.

Maybe you can try Poor Sailor's "My Favourite Dials" mod, very useful for manual targeting (bigger dials and also TDC dials available when in Periscope and UZO view).

Also you should read Wazoo's tutorial about manual targeting
http://www.paulwasserman.net/SHIII/#Introduction

Cheers
Maraz

[maillemaker]

What does the torpedo track line in the TDC actually show?

In other words, where should the track lie in relation to the target you are shooting at?

[Nuoz]

Also when i hit F6 and try to manually change settings i get no digits whatsoever, help please.
I'm not sure I understand what you're referring to exactly here. Are you saying you are unable to adjust any of the settings manually because the dials won't turn? Please clarify.
I meant there is no actuall figures around the knobs but i figured that out. I'm still reading the rest of the replies

[Nuoz]

What does the torpedo track line in the TDC actually show?

In other words, where should the track lie in relation to the target you are shooting at?
I believe its a bug, as i mentioned before.. just because your periscope is raised (you're not even in the periscope station) you shouldnt get immediate range and pretty ship drawing with absolutly the right... everything! At this point we don't even know whats the target description let alone range and angle. Try the "Gods eye" option on and you'll see you don't need any other than periscope up and playing with the TDC (thus no figures required in the knobs). Another (last one i promise) complaint - the absence of a bearing indicator besides the blurry compass! I really hope GWXM fixes these when i install it. Comments please. Any GWXM users?

[P_Funk]

What does the torpedo track line in the TDC actually show?

In other words, where should the track lie in relation to the target you are shooting at? I believe its a bug, as i mentioned before.. just because your periscope is raised (you're not even in the periscope station) you shouldnt get immediate range and pretty ship drawing with absolutly the right... everything! At this point we don't even know whats the target description let alone range and angle. Try the "Gods eye" option on and you'll see you don't need any other than periscope up and playing with the TDC (thus no figures required in the knobs). Another (last one i promise) complaint - the absence of a bearing indicator besides the blurry compass! I really hope GWXM fixes these when i install it. Comments please. Any GWXM users?
The reason the whole peri up and all that info stuff is so cheap is beacuse it is. Its not a bug. When god's view on the map is enabled in the realism settings you get all the info you need to collect on the map. With auto TDC turned on you get all the targeting info without doing anything. Turn both off and the only thing that will be on the map and in the TDC are what you put there.

And as for your "last" complaint, if you are referring to a lack of a clear indicator of your own ship's course there are a few ways around this. Firstly you can go into your periscope or Uzo and point the reticle at 0 and press the '=' key. This will tell your engineer to change course to exactly the same one you're already on. You will then be informed of the course you're on.

The 2nd way, and a much nicer one, is to use the larger slide out dials mod. This (http://files.filefront.com/GWX102_IO_TDC_6Sliderar/;7385596;/fileinfo.html) version which I have on my filefront page contains Integrated Orders, the slideout dials, and a slideout TDC all in one package. Its made for GWX 1.02 but I haven't encountered any issues so far.

This one is a similar mod but without integrated orders and made for GWX 1.03. However I prefer the other dials in the first link. But try them both. The jumbo compass is a lifesaver.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=109214&highlight=simfeeling

[Nuoz]

Thanks man! Btw, is there any easy methodic way to determine AoB? I mean u-boat isnt AT 90 to the target and maybe moving a bit... The problem with charting is it takes quite a bit and you need to start watch everytime you beguin. Is there any easy way to startwatch? Short key? How to i put the ruler on top of an existing ruler line? also the ruler distances seem to be wrong. GWX really helps alot targeting under 1500m but still need easy way to AoB. Thanks