Suggestions on attacking more than one ship

[Slyguy3129]

Hey guys, still rather new here and I was wondering how you guys went about firing at more than one ship.

Currently I play TMO with RSRD plus max optics 4 with an S-18 class boat. Normally when I find a convoy I only fire at one target and bug out. How do you more experienced captians shoot at multiple targets?

I use the cross the wire firing solution as well.

[razark]

...with an S-18 class boat.
With only four tubes, I don't know how well firing at multiple targets would go. It's worth a shot though, to see if it works for you.

My usual tactic was to use the constant bearing wire method, modified. I'd pick two targets, one behind the other in a single column. I'd figure the angle for the aft ship first, line up, and wait. Once he crosses the wire, I'd fire, and immediately turn my attention to the forward ship. Calculate an angle right in front of him, aim the scope, and let him cross.

If you do it right, you get one of the most rewarding sounds... two torpedo impacts at the same time.

[I'm goin' down]

See the tutorials in the Skipper's Bag of Tricks sticky in the main forum. There is one on attacking two target's. You can attack multiple targets using the Easy Aob mod (manual targeting.) I have sunk three target's using the Easy Aob mod. Gutted has attacked two simultaneously using forward tubes on the first salvo and aft tubes on the second, but he has skills in that regard that are a standard many of use will never attain, me included. I have never sunk four ships in one attack run for that reason. When I sunk three, I went after a fourth with my aft tubes. It was too much to do, too little time, and I missed by a wide margin. I guess I spent too much time rubber necking, i.e., watching the ship's I managed to hit roll over and sink. I have never hit two targets at different ranges simultaneously, but that is an event that does not particularly interest me. I usually spend most of my energy escaping TMO's infamous dds.

[Slyguy3129]

*facepalm* Never thought of looking through the sticky for ideas even though I look through it often.

I also never thought of targeting the aft ship first but then again with the S-18 and it's mark 10s may make this close to impossible as was stated.

I might have to wait for ideal curcimstances in order to make the move. I might have to wait till I get a different fleet boat as well.

I will try the aft idea first in the morning. Thanks for the tips.

[TorpX]

Hey guys, still rather new here and I was wondering how you guys went about firing at more than one ship.

Currently I play TMO with RSRD plus max optics 4 with an S-18 class boat. Normally when I find a convoy I only fire at one target and bug out. How do you more experienced captians shoot at multiple targets?

I use the cross the wire firing solution as well.
I'm playing a S-18 with high realism and manual fire control (and by this I mean no TDC). I don't really try to hit multiple targets. I am not saying I never would, but circumstances would have to be very favorable. With no map contacts, plotting, calculating, there is a lot to do. Also, the way the game is, it's very easy for the ships to evade your torpedos; too easy if you ask me. If your making a night surface attack, you can quickly evade, and then make another attack later. For me, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[Elektroniikka-Asentaja]

TMO and RSRD make this hard.. Depending on a ship types and my career advancing (if I've just started it and I can risk getting canned down) I may attack two ships, both with two torps. If there is destroyers then possibly even 3 or 4 different ships at the time. It's a huge risk but with a good luck you'll have 2 - 4 crippled (or some sunken) ships on your nose and then you can just wait for tubes to reload and let it sing again.

About mark 10s, In my opinion they're better than mark 14s. They may be slower and have shorter range but at the worst I may miss 5/6 shots with m14s (due to duds and depth control fails etc.) but I rather rarely encounter these problems in my S-boat careers. May be that it's Vanilla problem but always before you start the mission look in your torpedo stations! I ran into a nice trap during my last career:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5450556312_16c41a10ab_b.jpg

Yeap, they load your ship with mark 14s whether your boat can use them or not. luckily you can shoot those 4 in your tubes but you can't reload any more...

Good luck! :salute:

[reignofdeath]

If its in a convoy, pick two ships which are right next to eachother in their columns.. kinda like so (The ones you pick will be red in this example)

- - - - -
- - - - -
|

You are the vertical line, sitting perpendicular to the convoy far enough away, now what you do is pick the ship furthest from you and calculate a firing solution (Or if you have auto well then no need, just lock on and wait until the triangle turns green then unlock after you fire and leave your scope right where it is)

Once you find out your gyro, set your scope there and wait for that ship to cross it. Fire away whatever you plan on sending its way. Now leave the scope right where its at, and switch tubes, shortly the second ship (The closest one) should be crossing your crosshairs soon. As soon as the juicy parts do, fire away, then dive deep and order silent running. IF you do it right (I use fast settings for the far one and medium or slow for the closer one) you should get close to two simaultaneous impacts.

Hope that helps, sorry for the crappy illistration.:up:

[I'm goin' down]

About mark 10s, In my opinion they're better than mark 14s. They may be slower and have shorter range but at the worst I may miss 5/6 shots with m14s (due to duds and depth control fails etc.) but I rather rarely encounter these problems in my S-boat careers. May be that it's Vanilla problem


If its in a convoy, pick two ships which are right next to eachother in their columns.. kinda like so (The ones you pick will be red in this example)

- - - - -
- - - - -
|

You are the vertical line, sitting perpendicular to the convoy far enough away, now what you do is pick the ship furthest from you and calculate a firing solution (Or if you have auto well then no need, just lock on and wait until the triangle turns green then unlock after you fire and leave your scope right where it is)

Once you find out your gyro, set your scope there and wait for that ship to cross it. Fire away whatever you plan on sending its way. Now leave the scope right where its at, and switch tubes, shortly the second ship (The closest one) should be crossing your crosshairs soon. As soon as the juicy parts do, fire away, then dive deep and order silent running. IF you do it right (I use fast settings for the far one and medium or slow for the closer one) you should get close to two simaultaneous impacts.

Hope that helps, sorry for the crappy illistration.:up:

Okay boys, let's get serious.

Mk 14s:
Mark 14s caused me problems with duds and premature explosions until Ducimus (creator of TMO mod) let the cat out the bag. Set the torp speed "fast" and set the torp for "magnetic" explosion. In fairly calm waters you rarely experience duds (maybe 25 percent of the time or less.)

Multiple targets:
Using Easy Aob is a great way to hit mutoiple targets a convoy. Here is an explanation. Once you hit the first target, wheel your periscope and lock it on the second target with the "L" key. Let's assume you are firing forward tubes. First, deactivate the PK and reset range. Second, reactivate the PK and fire when ready. Do this quickly. Since the convoys are usually composed of ships proceeding on the same course, you do not need to recalculate speed or Aob (I have not done this for awhile, and I am not positive about not having to recalculate Aob--you can figure it out. If you have to reset the Aob, the adjustments are usually minor.) Confirm the firing solution on the Attack Map (the white "x" and course line should match the target's speed and course), and you are in business. This is advanced manual targeting.

If you have fired all forward tubes and some convoy targets are approaching from the aft position on the same course, wheel the periscope to the aft target and lock on with the "L" key. Reset range and Aob (Aob has changed since the target profile of the target exposed to your boat is reversed.) Check the firing solution on the Attack Map (the white "x" and course line should match the target's speed and course), and you are in business. This is more difficult than the set up in the preceding paragraph because you are switching between forward and aft tubes, and it is easy to screw up the Aob setting for the aft torpedoes due to stress of the short element involved in the attack with aft tubes (i.e. the changes to Aob and range generally occurs while you in the middle of an attack run, target's are usually fairly close, your wife is screaming at you to take the garbage out, feed your dog, or put the damned tiolet seat down, and your crew is under fairly severe time pressure.)

You can pursue an attack against a convoy using the same principles using the OKane technique and the gutted's fixed bearing techniqe (see RocknShoals thread), both of which are discussed in depth in the Skippers Bag of Tricks sticky. If you want to use a great program to understand all of this, download gutted's Solution Solver program. It is a stand alone program you can access by closing the SH4 screen mid game and enter data into the program to calculate your boat's course and set a firing angle for an O'Kane or fixed bearing shot using forward or aft tubes. Gutted progam is a work of brillance, and combines a complete understanding of attack elements, attack theory and computer graphics. When it and the Easy Aob were released SH4 took a major leap forward into the future, the time of which is now.

[commandosolo2009]

my advice to you, is to dance singles until you get a 'decent' boat, be it Porpoise, Balao, etc...

with 4 tubes, I think your best bet is no farther than saipan or guam, merely doing shore attacks on shallow sailing coastal ships...

However, to answer your inquiry, I found this to be quite useful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnOsBxVi84U

its 2 parts, but for convoys, and your boat, would be a nice start.

Get a bigger boat!

Regards,
CS2k9

[Slyguy3129]

Hey thanks for all the replies!

I tried hitting multiple targets this morning but I'm afraid that the convoy was simply going to fast.

I will continue to look for ripe pickings ( Slow Convoy) but for the time being I know I can hit a target I aim out with atleast one salvo.

Again thanks for all the ideas!

[Armistead]

I wouldn't be worried about hitting targets at the same time, although it's fun. The best tactic is to get in the middle of a group. Much easier with RSRD as the convoys are larger and usually more spread out.

With M14's, the second one ship spots the wake, they will change speed and zig, so it's hard hitting multiples at the same time, much easier with M18's. Main thing is to shoot at the furthest target first.

I find it always best to be in the middle using sterns and bows. Like here, I'm in the middle of two carriers and hit both at the same time. I used slow speed for one, spun around and use high speed for the other.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-03_011432_113.jpg

[Slyguy3129]

Wow two carriers! Man I beat COMSUBPAC was falling rear over tea kettle to give you all the luxury you ever needed.

Had a chance a few minutes ago but when I put in the bearing I left the range at zero (didn't know it would do that) and it made the solution all wacky. Spent to long figuring that out but man did it make it exciting. Hope I still have some hair left after that run.

Yes I am using manual targeting, but with TMOs map updates on.