Thanks!

[cdragon]

I want to thank CB and Horsa for everything they've done for the work they've done on SoF. I bought the game via download on Monday and have had a blast.

An example of how their work has paid off for me:

Tonight, I set up a quick mission (Mediterranean, 1914, evening, small convoy). I set myself about 600 meters off the convoy's track, dived and turned perpendicular to the convoy's heading. I brought the boat to about 8 meters and held it there, while I waited for the first ship in the convoy's column.

Using CB's discovery that a little bit of periscope will not get you detected, I kept the periscope mostly awash. I raised it just enough at times to peek over the wave tops to make sure the convoy was on track, then ducked back. This was very fun. I mean, it felt very real for me, like something I would do as an actual captain. And knowing that it mattered in the sim, the height of periscope, was cool.

Using Horsa's Deflection Table, I set up on the first ship on the column. The ship was coming on at 5 knots. I set up tube 1 for 36 knots speed, 0 degree deflection. According to Horsa's table, those settings meant I had to shoot when the target was 15 degrees off my bow. Horsa is right: without an accurate reading of the periscope bearing, its very hard to be sure the periscope was facing the right way. I guestimated from the angle of view indicator in the compass when the periscope was pointing the right way. I also tried to get a feel for how much the bearing changed with each touch of the "left" and "right" keys to rotate the scope. Eventually I felt I knew where 15 degrees was. I set the scope there, placed my mouse pointer in the center of the view, and waited.

The wait was so tense! The scope was so low I'd lose sight of the ship from time to time, and as it neared where I was take my shot each loss would have me on the edge of my seat. Would he go past before I could take the shot? Would he spot me after all?

His bow crossed my mouse pointer reticule. I waited...past his forward mast...past his bridge now...passing his centerline...

Fire!

I couldn't get the torpedo cam to work. I had no time of run. I kept watching, as this would be the only way to know if I was right, or if I had wasted a torpedo.

WHAM! A geyser of water spouted just fore of his centerline, under his bridge. A near-perfect shot! Woooo! My first torpedo shot in anger, and its a direct hit!

Anyway, thanks again, CB and Horsa!

C.

[horsa]

Using Horsa's Deflection Table,
I'd love to take the credit for this but it was Hitman who did the work on the deflection table .... but yes, I agree this is where the fun is with SOF. There are several precalculations that can be used here, and I guess the Uboat crews probably used the pencil and paper approach themselves.

[Chock]

Don't forget this one either (by me!), which I believe is what Hitman based the calculations on (or at least got the ball rolling):

http://www.mediafire.com/?6dcmzll1u5j

:D Chock

[cdragon]

Using Horsa's Deflection Table, I'd love to take the credit for this but it was Hitman who did the work on the deflection table .... but yes, I agree this is where the fun is with SOF. There are several precalculations that can be used here, and I guess the Uboat crews probably used the pencil and paper approach themselves.

Whoops! Thanks, Hitman!

What tools did the actual crews have to make a firing solution? I'm assuming they had slide rules and pencil and paper, and charts of Sines and CoSines and all that fun stuff. Did they have anything else?

[cdragon]

Don't forget this one either (by me!), which I believe is what Hitman based the calculations on (or at least got the ball rolling):

http://www.mediafire.com/?6dcmzll1u5j

:D Chock

Thanks, Chock! I got that one, too!

I'm thinking I'm going to build me a slide rule! :)

C.

[Hitman]

What tools did the actual crews have to make a firing solution? I'm assuming they had slide rules and pencil and paper, and charts of Sines and CoSines and all that fun stuff. Did they have anything else?

yes, any slide ruler with a Sine scale will do :up:

You can learn more advanced solutions using a slide ruler with this tutorial I prepared for the S-Boats in Silent Hunter 4

http://files.filefront.com/No+TDC+Tutorial+for+S+Bospdf/;8261928;/fileinfo.html

Happt hunting

[cdragon]

What tools did the actual crews have to make a firing solution? I'm assuming they had slide rules and pencil and paper, and charts of Sines and CoSines and all that fun stuff. Did they have anything else?
yes, any slide ruler with a Sine scale will do :up:

You can learn more advanced solutions using a slide ruler with this tutorial I prepared for the S-Boats in Silent Hunter 4

http://files.filefront.com/No+TDC+Tutorial+for+S+Bospdf/;8261928;/fileinfo.html

Happt hunting

Hitman! Thanks! :up: I'm checking out the tutorial now!

C.

[Chock]

Or you could just surface and go at 'em with the deck gun (assuming you got a sub with a gun), apparently that's how the number on sub skipper of all time got most of his kills: http://www.uboat.net/wwi/men/index.html?officer=10

:D Chock

[cdragon]

Or you could just surface and go at 'em with the deck gun (assuming you got a sub with a gun), apparently that's how the number on sub skipper of all time got most of his kills: http://www.uboat.net/wwi/men/index.html?officer=10

:D Chock

Actually I tried that the first time I played. I wanted to see how the little convoy would react to a wolf charging into their midst. I used automatic gun control for the attack, so I could concentrate on the ship tracks. I was surprised to see that the gun was actually manned by sailors; for some reason I was expecting the gun to be fired by ghosts, a' la SH2. Alas, I was also surprised by the shooting from the convoy, which for some reason I was expecting to be made up of unarmed ships. I died. :cry:

I was avenged the next time I tried it, on a different three ship convoy. My gun crew got them all!

I'm guessing I should save the torpedoes for large, dangerous targets, like warships, and save the gun for the merchants.

C.

[horsa]

Alas, I was also surprised by the shooting from the convoy, which for some reason I was expecting to be made up of unarmed ships. I died. :cry:
You've just simulated history. :D This nasty surprise was exactly what happened early in the war. The Germans considered the mounting of guns on merchants to be a serious escalation, that impacted heavily on of the rules of engagment.

[cdragon]

Alas, I was also surprised by the shooting from the convoy, which for some reason I was expecting to be made up of unarmed ships. I died. :cry: You've just simulated history. :D This nasty surprise was exactly what happened early in the war. The Germans considered the mounting of guns on merchants to be a serious escalation, that impacted heavily on of the rules of engagment.

I can understand that. There's nothing more shocking than hearing the whizzing of an incoming shell where none was expected. The first reflex is to shoot back.

Actually, being able to stop and search merchants would have been an interesting feature in the game. Stop and Searches were more relevant to WWI than WWII, especially early on in the war. Or am I getting my history wrong?

[CB..]

cheers CD.:up: .

[Chock]

Actually, being able to stop and search merchants would have been an interesting feature in the game. Stop and Searches were more relevant to WWI than WWII, especially early on in the war. Or am I getting my history wrong?
Nope, your history is spot on, it was somewhat gentlemanly very early in the war, with subs stopping ships boarding and searching them, checking manifests etc, giving the crew time to board lifeboats, then sinking the merchant, (often by scuttling it rather than with shellfire). It all changed really when the British developed the Q-ships, disguised as crappy merchants to lure U-Boats into traps, which in turn led to less gentelmanly conduct from both sides, including the notorious 'Baralong' incident, when the British Q-ship crew executed several crew members of a U-Boat.

There's an interesting book about this called 'Smoke and Mirrors: Q-ships Against the U-Boats in the First World War', it's by Deborah Lake (ISBN 0-7509-4605-9 published by Sutton Publishing). Well worth a read, and it has some good pictures in it too. Recommended!

:D Chock

[cdragon]

[quote]There's an interesting book about this called 'Smoke and Mirrors: Q-ships Against the U-Boats in the First World War', it's by Deborah Lake (ISBN 0-7509-4605-9 published by Sutton Publishing). Well worth a read, and it has some good pictures in it too. Recommended!

:D Chock

The local library network has a copy of "Smoke and Mirrors", and as soon as I can I'll pick it up. I was looking for some good WWI U-boat boats! The only one I own is "Raiders of the Deep" by Lowell Thomas. Thanks, Chock!

[stellaferox]

Where would I find this table by Horsa. I already got the Solution Chart.
thnx
StellaFerox

PS: Already found it, buried in the long post. Thanks for all your efforts gents...

[cdragon]

Where would I find this table by Horsa. I already got the Solution Chart.
thnx
StellaFerox

PS: Already found it, buried in the long post. Thanks for all your efforts gents...

Hey, Stellaferox. Glad you found the table (which is by Hitman, actually). I hope you find it as useful as I have.

C.

[RConch]

[quote]There's an interesting book about this called 'Smoke and Mirrors: Q-ships Against the U-Boats in the First World War', it's by Deborah Lake (ISBN 0-7509-4605-9 published by Sutton Publishing). Well worth a read, and it has some good pictures in it too. Recommended!

:D Chock

The local library network has a copy of "Smoke and Mirrors", and as soon as I can I'll pick it up. I was looking for some good WWI U-boat boats! The only one I own is "Raiders of the Deep" by Lowell Thomas. Thanks, Chock!

You can try and find "The Killing Time" by Edwyn A. Gray. You will have to find it by book search or online from your favorite used book source. Published in 1972, by Charles Scribner's Sons.
There is a relatively new book out by Jak Showell called the "U-Boat Century." I just ordered it so I can not say how much WW I is there.
Finally, there is "The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945" by V.E. Tarrant which is published by the Naval Institute Press.
Good pictures and half the book is dedicated to WW I U-boats.

[RConch]

Here is a link to where to find the books and the costs.
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?wtopicr=History%20Military%20World%20Wa r%20I%20History%20Military%20Naval%20Q%20ships%20W orld%20War%201914%201918%20Naval%20operations%20Hi story%20Submarine%20warfare&rtit=Sea+killers+in+disguise+%3A+the+story+of+the+ Q+ships+%26+decoy+ships+in+the+First+World+War&rauth=Bridgland%2C+Tony&cm_re=works*listing*more

[RConch]

One book I forgot, but you can get it at the same location is:
"FIBS" Legendary U-Boat Commander 1915-1918, published also by the Naval Institute Press. Good read.:know:

[cdragon]

[quote]
You can try and find "The Killing Time" by Edwyn A. Gray. You will have to find it by book search or online from your favorite used book source. Published in 1972, by Charles Scribner's Sons.
My local library network has copies available of this book, so its first on my reading list. Thanks, Rconch!

C.

[RConch]

Your welcome.:)

[don1reed]

made easy with Hitman's Kriegsmarine Angriffscheibe (WhizWheel) and

Chock's reticule mod.

The compass on the bottom right of the screen is divided into 16's of a circle--22.5°. When in high pwr x4, the entire field of view through scope = 22.5°.

It's amazing how accurately you can place the aal into the side of a hull even with rudimentary tools.