destroyer going to ram me head on

[angrysquirrel]

Question for you folks. Is there a way I can waste destroyers that charge me head on once I've been detected? How do I shoot a torpedo straight ahead into the charging destroyer? What do I need to set to make the torpedo go straight ahead? Thanks!

[Hylander_1314]

Hitting a destroyer th a "down the throat" shot takes a little practice. Depending on how fast they are going, playing "chicken" with them can be interesting.
What I do, is set the torpedoes for a shallow in advance anticipating them discovering I'm there. have the doors for the tubes open, and if it is calm, keeping the periscope as low on the water as possible is a must.

Usually, when they get close enough, they will slow down. Be patient, because they will usually start to zig-zag. When they are 800 to 1000 yards, fire a torpedo when they are dead-on straight. Quick select another tube, because if they start to turn to avoid that torpedo, fire another at them before they get too far into the turn.

Most of the time, the first shot will get them. Later when the electric, wakeless torpedoes are available, put them in your loadout just for that purpose. They don't have a far range and they work great for those pesky DDs that come after you.

Just make sure you have the torpedo reload buttom set to manual loading, so you can load an electric torpedo after firing one.

Best way to practice this, is to save your game regularly. That way, if you have an encounter and things go wrong, you can reload the game from that save and do it again.

[WernherVonTrapp]

The last two DDs I sank were done without aiming. Just don't lock onto anything and the torp should shoot straight ahead. I fired my torps by LOS (line of sight) simply by watching how far across my bearing the DD would zig and shooting straight ahead to where I thought he'd be on his next turn. Don't try doing this beyond 1200yds unless you're really good at it, which I am not.;)

[Armistead]

First, make sure you put it head on at 0 degrees, set your AOB to 0, set speed to 0, set your bearing, again you want to be head on close to 0 as you can get so your bearing will be zero. Now your torps will do go straight. Just remember the zero rule, if you have him coming dead on, set everything to 0, leave PK off.

A escort will usually come dead on until he gets about 1500 yards from you if he knows you're there, then go into a small zig, but his base course should stay the same. His speed is no factor for a true DTT shot, so don't try to adust factors for his zigs. I actually prefer to let my torps go before he gets so close to zig. You also want your torps to all leave together as soon as possible. I'll leave the door closed for the first one, open for the next two, shoot them together as fast as possible so they all arrive about the same time. If you don't, he may dodge them one at a time. If you miss, you can still take another shot.

I prefer spreads of 3. Instead of using the spread wheel, I'll shoot my first one head one, then set a new bearing about 5 degress left for the next, then a new bearing 5 degrees right. If he's in a zig, I'll time the torp. If he's zigging my left, I'll shoot dead on, next one to the right, next to the left. Hopefully they'll arrive at the same time he goe's into the next zig.

If I have M18's, I may only shoot one if I have all factors zero, first one about 1000 yards, miss, give you time to shoot another.

[commandosolo2009]

I made this vid when I was happy with SH5..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys1QFGRHRhY

Now, 4 is different since the Japs usually zig before they go straight. So, what to do?

Simple, match your aft to his bow every move, and when he detects you, fire at 0 or 180 (preferably aft since you dont want to run face to face with his cans and certainly you're able to knuckle while still going away from his course..

BE ADVISED Its not advisable AT ALL to run and play with DDs in shallow coastal waters since you are out of depths and their blasts will eff your hull if not destroy it!!! Play it safe...

[TorpX]

I made this vid when I was happy with SH5..

I hate to stray off topic, but I have to ask, why did you bail out on SH5 so quickly?

[angrysquirrel]

Thanks for your help folks! I'll give your tips a shot and see what happens! :)

[commandosolo2009]

I hate to stray off topic, but I have to ask, why did you bail out on SH5 so quickly?


Well, basically I didnt.. It's just that stock game is trouble and the last laptop I had fried something and cost me alot of money to replace it (was my brother's) and now after I got my new laptop, I decided to keep things simple by playing SH4 alone.. I wish I had the guts to install mods to that one, but certainly I wont since laptops cost a fortune you know...

Besides, who can say no to sonar in Fleet Boats, when Germans only had to rely on trained ears and not sonar? :D :salute:

[sharkbit]

Will escorts stop zigging if they spot your periscope?

I've never been able to really determine if they do or not. My experience in SH4 with DTT shots is nil and I've only tried a couple in SH3.

I've read a couple accounts of skippers leaving their scopes up to give the escort something to aim at and to maybe stop them from zigging when shooting a DTT shot.

:)

[torpedobait]

That tactic (periscope up) worked well for me in SH3-GWX, but doesn't seem to affect the Sons of Nipon in SH4 TMO RSRD - they keep zigging and zagging, at least until they are inside 500 yards, the minimum shooting range for a MK-14 (in my experience, anyway). I prefer to avoid them unless I have no choice. Then, if I survive the DCs, I try for a following shot after they pass and start to turn, assuming they don't turn too short. Once the range crosses 500 yards and they are turning close to a right angle to me, it is very hard for them to avoid a high-speed torp set to run shallow. Of course, I have an advantage (some would say cheating): I don't have the math skills or motivation to use manual targeting, which makes my life a lot easier, I'm sure. Oh well, to each his own, eh?

Good luck with those DD's, Captain! :salute:

[Armistead]

In TMO/RSRD escorts will usually come running straight towards where you're last known position. Obvious, by some method you have to be found out. Once they get to your last known point they go into search mode and start zigging, once they pick you up on shortscale, they come at you, but too close to shoot them then.

For me it's hard to tell, for sure they will ram you on the surface, I've had my scope rammed, but it seems more they're just making runs.

If they do spot your scope, they will come at it, but usually zigging until close to run. It is a valid tactic to get them to come to you. Even zigging, their base course will be basically the same.