Fusing Question

[NoMan]

How rough do the seas need to be before the magnetic fuse becomes completley worthless? For that matter, does the impact fuse EVER work?


Using TMO.

[Armistead]

If you have heavy seas it can set the influence off easier, so just set them to contact. Still, the way things are programmed you're gonna have lots of torp failures early war. Set them to influence, more prematures, set them to contact, more duds. Either way it's about the same percentage.

Shooting at slow speeds with some angle is supposed to help. You may want to carry some M10's, not as powerful, but work most the time.

[Platapus]

When using contact exploders only, be sure to set your depth rather shallow.

1. Mark 14s run deeper than the depth you set them
2. At the deeper depths the hull of the merchant slopes sharply which can result in your torpedo literally bouncing off. You want a nice flat surface of the hull.

I never use the magnetic pistol. In real life, even in the later years of the war they were still a problem.

When shooting at a merchant, I use 1 torpedo per 3-5,000 tons plus 1 for BurOrd (that the dud torpedo). So I shoot a minimum of two torpedoes and most often shoot 3-4 on all merchants. Dud rate is about 20%-50% in RFB+RSRD in my opinion. I have had dud rates of 75-100 % in the game.

[NoMan]

Thanks. What prompted the question was 14 torpedos bouncing off of a tanker. I failed to consider the slope on the lower hull, but most of my shots were high anyway. Was using contact because the seas were rough and had already prematured two shots.

[John Channing]

I never use the magnetic pistol. In real life, even in the later years of the war they were still a problem.


In fact their use was officially discontinued in '43 by order of Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid. Christie never fully got over it.

JCC

[tater]

Thanks. What prompted the question was 14 torpedos bouncing off of a tanker. I failed to consider the slope on the lower hull, but most of my shots were high anyway. Was using contact because the seas were rough and had already prematured two shots.


14 makes me think you might be too close. Mk14s take 450 yards to arm---any less and they will just bounce off.

[razark]

Thanks. What prompted the question was 14 torpedos bouncing off of a tanker. I failed to consider the slope on the lower hull, but most of my shots were high anyway. Was using contact because the seas were rough and had already prematured two shots.
Also, shoot so the torpedo hits at an angle. The firing pin was faulty, and hitting at the "optimal" 90 degrees would result in a dud.

This seems to be realistic in game, as well.

[ancient46]

14 torpedoes is only 2 more than Dan Daspit fired at the Tonan Maru #3. The first hit the propellers and disabled the ship. The Tinosa submerged and closed to 800 yards in a perfect firing position. He fired 11 torpedoes, one at a time, at the ship and all did not expolde. The crew performed maintenance on each one before they were fired but it did not help. Eventually he watched a destroyer come and tow the target into Truk.

Daspit's return to Pearl and his immediate report to Admiral Lockwood was the catalyst for the experiments that proved the torpedo, as the submariners claimed, was the problem, not the boat captains who BuOrd blamed.

[NoMan]

14 makes me think you might be too close. Mk14s take 450 yards to arm---any less and they will just bounce off.


2000 Yds.