Sniper31
04-15-09, 08:43 PM
Okay Gang, SOS in effect....
I have been working on my manual targeting experience (which is very rusty to say the least) and using the wonderful tutorial video from Rockin Robbins as a reference (the Dick O'Kane Targeting Video). Last night I was practicing the technique diligently to say the least, and I kept coming up with some issues that, I'm hoping, can have some better light shed on them from all the superb skippers here at Subsim.
First, let me set the scenario. I am in a campaign under TMO 1.7, with RSRDC running as well. It is December 1942. The weather is no clouds or precipitation, light fog and fairly calm seas, and it is late afternoon. My boat is the USS Grouper (SS-214 Gato class) and I have Mk14 Torpedoes loaded. I have watched and rewatched, paused, hit back several times during the video to make sure I am doing things right. In so doing, I came across one small detail, that I do not think is a problem at all, but just to make sure, I wanted to ask here. In the Dick O'Kane video, when setting the range to target using the TDC, the 'little plastic triangle' referred to does not actually move as indicated. Rather, the range wheel itself rotates, allowwing one to align the desired range with the 'little plastic triangle'. No big deal, I just wanted to make sure that since its not causing me issues with range settings. Now on to the real reason for this post.
So, given the above scenario, I have set up for a nice 90 degree attack on a small, two ship convoy (a Large Old Passenger Carrier and Small Modern Composite Freighter). The convoy is heading South, and I am attacking from the East, approximately 1100 yards from the convoy's course track. I am at periscope depth (battlestations manned) and creeping East, closer to the convoy's course track at exactly a 90 degree angle. Using the technique from the video, I had earlier estimated the convoy speed at 11 knots. All torpedoes set to 'FAST'.I saved the situation at this point so I can rework the attack several times for practice. From this point on, I tried a few different things to try and have success. Here's what I tried:
1) Set all torpedoe's depth 3-5 feet less than the draft of the ships
2) Set all torpedoe's depth 3-5 feet more than the draft of the ships
3) Set a mix of torpedo depths from 5 feet to draft depth of ships
4) matched range in TDC to actual range of target ships
5) tried a range setting slightly farther than the target ships actual range
6) tried a range setting slightly less than the target ships actual range
7) tried a mix of 'Contact' only and 'Contact Influence'
and lastly
8) pointed bow and stern at targets, fired every tube regardless of TDC settings, fore and aft out of frustration, hopelessly praying for a hit
Regardless of the above, I would get one outcome or a second, or even a mixture of the two. The first outcome is that the fish would appear to go beneath the target, regardless of range settings and exlode harmlessly past the ship, on the far side (this is what led me to trying different range settings). The second outcome is that the torpedoe's would occasionaly impact and be reported as duds, but not nearly as much as the first outcome.
I probably ran the above scenario 20 times last night and never got a hit, only LOTS of near misses. Several times I could see the torpedo wake going straight for the bow of the ship, only to blow up on the far side. I just don't get it. What am I doing wrong? Do I have that many bad torpedoes at one time? I know historically the U.S. Navy had severe problems with the Mk14, if that is the problem than why am I not getting more hits with dud reports as opposed to the explosion on the far side of the target ship. That outcome was by far the most common.
Okay, this post has gone on long enough. Thank you for bearing with it, and hopefully it boils down to me just making a small mistake....wishful thinking.:salute:
I have been working on my manual targeting experience (which is very rusty to say the least) and using the wonderful tutorial video from Rockin Robbins as a reference (the Dick O'Kane Targeting Video). Last night I was practicing the technique diligently to say the least, and I kept coming up with some issues that, I'm hoping, can have some better light shed on them from all the superb skippers here at Subsim.
First, let me set the scenario. I am in a campaign under TMO 1.7, with RSRDC running as well. It is December 1942. The weather is no clouds or precipitation, light fog and fairly calm seas, and it is late afternoon. My boat is the USS Grouper (SS-214 Gato class) and I have Mk14 Torpedoes loaded. I have watched and rewatched, paused, hit back several times during the video to make sure I am doing things right. In so doing, I came across one small detail, that I do not think is a problem at all, but just to make sure, I wanted to ask here. In the Dick O'Kane video, when setting the range to target using the TDC, the 'little plastic triangle' referred to does not actually move as indicated. Rather, the range wheel itself rotates, allowwing one to align the desired range with the 'little plastic triangle'. No big deal, I just wanted to make sure that since its not causing me issues with range settings. Now on to the real reason for this post.
So, given the above scenario, I have set up for a nice 90 degree attack on a small, two ship convoy (a Large Old Passenger Carrier and Small Modern Composite Freighter). The convoy is heading South, and I am attacking from the East, approximately 1100 yards from the convoy's course track. I am at periscope depth (battlestations manned) and creeping East, closer to the convoy's course track at exactly a 90 degree angle. Using the technique from the video, I had earlier estimated the convoy speed at 11 knots. All torpedoes set to 'FAST'.I saved the situation at this point so I can rework the attack several times for practice. From this point on, I tried a few different things to try and have success. Here's what I tried:
1) Set all torpedoe's depth 3-5 feet less than the draft of the ships
2) Set all torpedoe's depth 3-5 feet more than the draft of the ships
3) Set a mix of torpedo depths from 5 feet to draft depth of ships
4) matched range in TDC to actual range of target ships
5) tried a range setting slightly farther than the target ships actual range
6) tried a range setting slightly less than the target ships actual range
7) tried a mix of 'Contact' only and 'Contact Influence'
and lastly
8) pointed bow and stern at targets, fired every tube regardless of TDC settings, fore and aft out of frustration, hopelessly praying for a hit
Regardless of the above, I would get one outcome or a second, or even a mixture of the two. The first outcome is that the fish would appear to go beneath the target, regardless of range settings and exlode harmlessly past the ship, on the far side (this is what led me to trying different range settings). The second outcome is that the torpedoe's would occasionaly impact and be reported as duds, but not nearly as much as the first outcome.
I probably ran the above scenario 20 times last night and never got a hit, only LOTS of near misses. Several times I could see the torpedo wake going straight for the bow of the ship, only to blow up on the far side. I just don't get it. What am I doing wrong? Do I have that many bad torpedoes at one time? I know historically the U.S. Navy had severe problems with the Mk14, if that is the problem than why am I not getting more hits with dud reports as opposed to the explosion on the far side of the target ship. That outcome was by far the most common.
Okay, this post has gone on long enough. Thank you for bearing with it, and hopefully it boils down to me just making a small mistake....wishful thinking.:salute: