Tracking contacts at night?

[Sigurd]

So I decided to give Manual Targeting a go after downloading OLC's GUI. When I was out patrolling, I saw a merchant ship out in the distance, but because it was so dark, I found it hard to calculate its range and AOB. Because of this, I had to stay out of visual range for about 2 or 3 hours until the sun came up.

Is there a better way? Such as just using the map tools to calculate everything? Or is it really best to gather data during the day, then attack at night?

[Puster Bill]

So I decided to give Manual Targeting a go after downloading OLC's GUI. When I was out patrolling, I saw a merchant ship out in the distance, but because it was so dark, I found it hard to calculate its range and AOB. Because of this, I had to stay out of visual range for about 2 or 3 hours until the sun came up.

Is there a better way? Such as just using the map tools to calculate everything? Or is it really best to gather data during the day, then attack at night?

Want to know what I do?

I ask the watch officer for the nearest contact. It's his job to do that.

Obviously that assumes you are surfaced.

Also, at night you can get pretty close without being spotted, provided you keep a narrow profile and don't go to fast.

[Sigurd]

Want to know what I do?

I ask the watch officer for the nearest contact. It's his job to do that.

Obviously that assumes you are surfaced.

Also, at night you can get pretty close without being spotted, provided you keep a narrow profile and don't go to fast.
:damn: Forgot about the damn watch officer.

In any case, it doesnt really help with the AoB (provided I cant get into a 90 degree intercept), as I still cant see the ship well enough to measure it.

[BulSoldier]

In darker nights you can get really very close to the ships without beeing noticed even surfaced.Ive been 2km from the nearest convoy lane and havent been spoted till the aals began exploading.

For lone travelers you can attack in daylight.They arent that dangerous especilly if you are below the surface.


MY GOD WHAT IS THAT PICTURE !?!

[Sigurd]

In darker nights you can get really very close to the ships without beeing noticed even surfaced.Ive been 2km from the nearest convoy lane and havent been spoted till the aals began exploading.

For lone travelers you can attack in daylight.They arent that dangerous especilly if you are below the surface.
My problem isnt getting close, its being able to notice the ship clearly at night. The ship I was looking at blended into the sky, and even though I was able to get the range, I couldnt get the AOB using the Range/AOB finder because I couldnt see where the ship ended on the tick marks that are used in the calculation.

[Abd_von_Mumit]

I don't know if my method would be historically correct, but in such a situation I'd just use "Wazoo's 3.15 minutes" method - tracking the ship for a period of time, plotting it's course on the map, getting the speed after 2 or more observations and then going to proper intercept course.

[Heibges]

I moderate visibilty you should be able to get within 1200m of a target before being visually spotted at night.

Of course in 400m visibility you are pretty much buggered.

[joegrundman]

Night time is different. The U-jagd tools, especially the AOB finder, are primarily for daytime attack.

At night, as already stated, use the watch officer, perform an overhaul maneuver and get really close.

[High Voltage]

Okay, so on a related note, what is the closest you'll get for a nighttime surfaced attack on a) a convoy, and b) a single vessel?

[Abd_von_Mumit]

Okay, so on a related note, what is the closest you'll get for a nighttime surfaced attack on a) a convoy, and b) a single vessel?
It really depends on weather, your stealth (speed, depth, RPMs) and the period of the war. I've successfully deployed convoy attacks surfaced, at night, in the MIDDLE of convoys, but other times I've also been detected before I even saw a merchant ship. So there is not a firm rule for that.