Stadimeter never seems to be accurate!!

[Washington]

The stadimeter never seems to be accurate when I use it around 3-5 thousand yards. I line up the horizontal like of the attack scope with the waterline of my target after locking the scope and identifying the ship. Then, I bring the second prism image to the indicated mark of the accuracy mod I downloaded. I always seem to have a distance that is several hundred yards to long or short. Are there certain strategies you guys could tell me on the exact specifics you use? Tell me how you use the stadimeter down to the last detail!! I am getting really frustrated trying to get the data I need to setup a good shot:damn: Thank you!

[AVGWarhawk]

Personally I do not go for the long shot unless I have to or I'm 90 degrees off the port or starboard of a convoy. I get a better chance of hitting a overlapping vessel in the next column over if I'm off by quite a large number. Doctrine called for 1500 yards or less for final firing of torpedoes. This is what I stick to and it is just about fail safe. Anyway, we are also looking at pixels on a screen and it is hard to determine sometimes where the stadi should stop and entry made of that value. The closer you get, the more accurate your sightings will be. Do not get me wrong, RL skippers took the long shot quite often and with great success. For me, I like warm and cozy with the soon to be doomed vessel.

[maelstormic]

The stadimeter never seems to be accurate when I use it around 3-5 thousand yards. I line up the horizontal like of the attack scope with the waterline of my target after locking the scope and identifying the ship. Then, I bring the second prism image to the indicated mark of the accuracy mod I downloaded. I always seem to have a distance that is several hundred yards to long or short. Are there certain strategies you guys could tell me on the exact specifics you use? Tell me how you use the stadimeter down to the last detail!! I am getting really frustrated trying to get the data I need to setup a good shot:damn: Thank you!
I think the stadimeter is more accurate when you identify the ship(using recognition manual) and then you send the mast height. I tested this and it actually worked better when sending the mast height. Hope I could help.:ping:

[WargamerScott]

The stadimeter never seems to be accurate when I use it around 3-5 thousand yards. I line up the horizontal like of the attack scope with the waterline of my target after locking the scope and identifying the ship. Then, I bring the second prism image to the indicated mark of the accuracy mod I downloaded. I always seem to have a distance that is several hundred yards to long or short. Are there certain strategies you guys could tell me on the exact specifics you use? Tell me how you use the stadimeter down to the last detail!! I am getting really frustrated trying to get the data I need to setup a good shot:damn: Thank you!

Yes! Complete agreement! Yesterday I had posted the same observation on the offical SH4 forums. Determining range on a target using the stad is almost useless unless you are under 5000 yards, and even then you get inaccurate readings. When it comes to launching an attack, I just get as close as possible so that no matter what the range actually is, I cannot miss! :D

[piersyf]

Guys, it's an optical device. Of course it's better at close ranges. All visual rangefinders lose accuracy with range. Even the huge ones on battleships (stereoscopes with 30ft between mirrors) only work to about 25,000yds. You're using something that's trying to work from sea level through a periscope...

It is accurate to about 2,500 to 3000 yds depending on conditions. You MUST have identified the ship for it to work properly. A ship with a mast height of 100ft will appear as tall as a ship with a mast of 50ft at half the range... get it?

If you want to practice, next time you get a lone merchantman get ahead of him (about 8,000yds) turn perpendicular to his track so he'll pass right in front at about 1,000yds, then take a range using the stadimeter AFTER you have entered a ship type on the TDC. Jump to the map and use your ruler to measure the indicated distance there. If you are out by about 10% you are doing well. You should find that as the range gets less, the accuracy improves. I regularly get ranges from the stadimeter that match the map and sonar ranges to about 50yds. Plenty accurate enough for a torpedo.

Piers