Attacking during fog and night...

[Fattysbox]

So....

At about 3 am sometime in 1942 while patroling the Makassar (sp?) strait, I decide to go topside to check out the monsoon rolling in. 15m/s, fog heavy, raining heavily. 5 mintues later the sounds man reports sound contact 10 degrees to starboard. Sure enough through the squall and gloom I can barely make out the outline of a tanker lumbering along.

None of my deck watch see it even though I can make it out :hmm: making auto-targeting rather useless.

I haven't jumped into manual targeting, but do any of you have any tactics for putting some fish into targets during a monsoon (via autotargeting?)

At some point I should switch to manual for added complexity and realism. Is there any way to switch to manual in-game?

thanks - J

ps sunk it with about 50 shells. With 5 fires watch crew still didn't see it :doh:

[Nisgeis]

If you can see it and place your crosshairs on the target, you should be able to force a temporary lock of a about two seconds, before the game decides that you really can't see it after all and breaks the lock. What this should do is set all the current target data into the TDC. If you start the PK running, then force a lock, it should give 100% accurate speed, AoB, Range etcetera and the PK will then continue to track it, assuming the target isn't manouevering. This is sort of like automatic manual mode. The PK can be started regardless of whether you are in manual or automatic targetting mode. Your torpedoes should be up to date with the latest target position. If you need a final check though, just re-lock on the target.

Anyone with RFB having a lock problem might also want to try that.

[banjo]

NIsgesis is right. Too force the lock he mentions hit your L key just as you normally would.

[Fattysbox]

Sorry for the noobish question but what is PK?

So, as soon I go to the UZO and get the target, lock it up and it sends the data to the TDC?


cheers!

[Quillan]

The PK is the Position Keeper. The US fleet boats had the most advanced torpedo data computer in existence at the time. One of its features was the position keeper. Once you input the data for bearing, AOB and target speed, it would continuously update the firing solution. As long as the target didn't change speed or course, you could fire from the solution in the PK without needing to update the data.

In game, there's a button on the bottom right of the target/torpedo station in the scope/TBT that turns the PK on and off. If, while running auto targeting, you lock onto the target with the PK turned on, it'll take that data and update from there.

[Hoss1193]

...most advanced torpedo data computer in existence at the time.
I can't resist pointing out the irony; combination of "best TDC" with "lousiest torpedoes". I'll bet the early-war skippers would gladly have put up with a more rudimentary solution-obtainment device in exchange for reliable weapons.

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Regarding the "beyond visual range" temporary lock, I've also found it useful in preparing for convoy attacks - picking my target out of the crowd and getting the PK calculation entered before my derelict command team awakes from their stupor long enough to realize that there's actually ships out there somewhere. Slackers.

If I waited for those delinquents to actually discern the ships in the periscope and plot them for me, that flanking escort would be MUCH closer to seeing my periscope sticking out of the water.