Noob Struggling in Tutorials

[Swordfish12]

Hi,
I am trying to complete the torpedo practice/tutorial and when it starts Im usuually too close to a Japanese Mogami class and cant catch it. Im too close and play catch up until it leaves me behind and I get fed up chasing then give up.
Any ideas ?
Still in sub school for a while yet .

Swordfish12

[magic452]

Those tutorials pretty much suck as you are too close. The next one is even worse. The best thing to do is just forget the training tutorials and just start a single mission.

Hellcat is a good one. Don't worry about the mission objective. Just plot a course to the Luzon Strait and patrol between the strait and Manila, you're sure to find something there to shoot. You will have Radar so finding a target is easy. Once Radar picks up a target save the game so you can replay it till you get the hang of plotting it's course and getting it's speed.

To get course wait till the radar target jumps(Radar updated every 20 seconds) When it jumps start the stopwatch and than mark an X on the target. Wait 3 minutes and when the target jumps at 3 minutes mark another X. I do this three times (9 minutes) and this will give you a very good speed and course.

Draw a line through the X's and that will give the course.
Extend that line about 15 miles and than you can figure out a good place to intercept it. Plot your course to put you about 1500 yards off the target's course at about a 90° angle or a little less.

For speed, measure the distance between the first two X's and that distance divided by 100 is the speed. 1000 yards = 10 knots, 500 yd. = 5 knots etc. Most ships in the game will maintain that speed so you have 1/3 of your firing solution already. You know where it will be when you intercept it so you can get a pretty good estimate on the AoB 2/3 done and you haven't even seen the target yet. All you need is range and bearing. Get this with the steadimeter when it get close and you're all set to shoot.

Input speed first, than AoB(estimate) and last range and bearing. Check the firing solution on the attack map. The white X is torpedo impact and should be right over or very close to the target and should stay there, if it doesn't than adjust your data as needed. If the X is too long or to short take another Steadimeter reading. If the speed is off the X will move ahead or behind the target. If AoB is wrong the X will slowly drift off target.

Keep replaying the target till you see what is going on and than you'll get better as you get more practice. Clear as mud right :D
If you have problems just post here and we will see what we can do.

Magic

[Swordfish12]

magic452,
Thanks for the tips. It sure is frustrating starting so close to the target and then having to slowly wait until its far enough away to not spot your sub when I surface. Then its a chase scenario and Im finding it hard to catch it . Thats even before I even think of firing at it.

I'll try the single mission "Hellcat" as suggested and see how I get on.

Thanks for your help

Swordfish12

[Ace1973]

I've been having trouble getting the hang of plotting courses, firing, etc. This explanation is great! I'm gonna give Hellcat a try as well.

[I'm goin' down]

In the training mission with the Mogami, you should not have to surface. As I recall, the Mogami is doing nine knots (maybe 12 kts?) Set up for a broadside shot. Set the Aob at 90 degrees port, set speed at 9 kts., and range at maximum distance. Do not turn on the PK (the button that turns on the red light.) When you enter the data in the Attack Dial (upper right of screen), double click the button on the Dial to send the data to the TDC. Fire when the Mogami passes 350 degrees on the periscope (that is referred to the point where the target crosses the "wire.") Set the torpedeos to run shallow to make sure they do not run under the target. The TDC will calculate the lead angle the torpedoes will run to hit the target. They will impact the target around 0 degrees on the scope.

I haven't played the tutorial for a LONG time, so I think this is the correct way to attack the target.

[Swordfish12]

Ok,
Thanks for the guidance and advice. Im going to have to read up again on Aob and inputting data , not really done it before except in the tutorial and even then I messed up.

I will need to read up on the Steadimeter as well. Seems there is so much to remember whilst the enemy ship steams past and I end up rushing everything, missing my shot and saying "stuff it , I'll get the next one " :oops:

Swordfish12

[I'm goin' down]

your boat is moving (sometimes), the target is moving (always), the topedoes are running (always), so you you need to plan an intercept where the target and torpedoes rondevous. Start with the O'Kane method. See the Skipper's bag of tricks thread. Then move on to manual targeting.
O'Kane sets your boat up to fire broadsides. Even though the PK is not activated the TDC will take the information you input via the Attack Dials and calculate a lead angle so the torpedoes will find the target.

[magic452]

When you get to Luzon Strait just set up a zig zag patrol pattern south down towards Manila, stay about 30 miles off the coast and stay surfaced at 10 knots. When you get near Manila turn around and repeat till you find something.

On the surface your Radar will pick up a target 20 or so miles away, spend 10 minutes getting course and speed and than plot an intercept course to cut it off as quickly as possible. You have plenty of time and a big speed advantage (flank speed) over a merchant, so use them to get into a good position and stay on the surface till you are. The merchant won't see you till it's about 10 or so miles away so you don't have to dive till than. The target may change course so keep it on Radar and make an adjustment if it does.

Set your boat up perpendicular to the targets course or a little less, something between 70 to 90° as the target is approaching.

The very best way to get AoB is this.
Once you have the targets course click on the tool helper (the little compass thingy) and than click on the ruler tool, a compass rose will show up. Put the center of the rose on the target's course line ahead of the target and read the heading number on the outer ring. The rose is backwards so read the number that is closest to the target.
A target that is heading from left to right straight across the screen is heading east and the heading in degrees will be 90° on the rose. Remember this heading number, we'll use it a little later.

You now have 2/3 of your firing solution and the target is still 17 miles away. Speed using the three minute rule from above and the target course in degrees, this will give you a perfect AoB later.

You will see the target before it sees you so stay on the surface and get to your intercept point and just wait for it to come to you. When you get a "Ship sighted sir" call go to periscope depth and wait till you can get a good steadimeter reading on it about 3000 yards away.

Turn on the Position Keeper (the red button on the bottom right of the left hand slid out panel). Go to the right side panel and select the speed dial
and turn it to the speed you got earlier and click the send to PK button.
Next select the AoB dial and we'll input a perfect AoB. Remember that AoB is from the target ship to your boat, what the captain would see if he saw your boat.

Lets say the target is moving left to right at a 90° heading and you are south of it (you are below it on the screen) the target will be showing it's right side to you so it will have a starboard AoB. Turn the dial to the starboard side and to about the numbers 3 or 4 (30 or 40°) click the send to PK button. When you do this look at the left set of dials and the top most will turn in that direction and the point of the little ship symbol will point to a number on the outer ring. This number should be something close to the 90° heading of the target. Turn the right input dial till the target ship on the left is pointed exactly at 90° (the number 9). Remember to hit the send to PK button for each adjustment. If you read all the numbers correctly you will have a perfect AoB and the Position Keeper will update this for you as the target gets closer.
If the target's true course is something different than use that heading number. If the target is moving north east the heading would be 45° so the pointer would point to 4.5 on the dial. This sounds complicated but it really isn't once you get the hang of it, quit simple really.

You're not going to do this the first time or ever the first three or four times you try this so save the game as soon as you see the target clearly in the scope and you can replay till you get it. Practice makes perfect. This is a training mission.

The above is even more true for using the steadimeter.
Make sure you identify the target correctly and click the check mark to send the mast height to the steadimeter. Bring the water line of the mirror ship down to the top of the mast and release the mouse button.
Click the send to PK button twice as some people have an issue with this.
Your entire firing solution is displayed on the left hand set of dials.
The top dial is the target and the lower one is your boat. You can see the PK update the solution as the target gets closer.

There are mods out there that make all this somewhat easier.
TMO has a button to id the ship.
SCAF uses the tops of the funnels or decks to get range.
There are also other shooting methods that are deadly accurate and can be used without even seeing the target. Very handy in really bad weather. And really bad weather is your best friend.

It's a steep learning curve but well worth the effort as it's really a fun game to play and it's even more fun to play it right. Once you learn the basics and start to mod the game it becomes a completely different game.

Magic

[I'm goin' down]

or, you can email Rockin Robbins and ask him to send you his O'Kane training mission which you can load via JGSME. then you can practice in the sunny waters of Southern California. Keep one eye on the beach and you might see California Girls swimming topless. It's amazing what you can see with a periscope....

[Rockin Robbins]

<insert obligatory advertisement for the Bag of Tricks (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=146795) thread>

Oh! Dick O'Kane Practice Mission (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1898)
and Rockin Robbins' Convoy from Hell (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/smartdark/createlink.gif) practice mission