1941, hunting with a sonar

[Zblort]

Hello everyone. I was playing this game a few years back and I decided to restart a campaign, this time with 100% realism (which meant adding the "no update on map" setting). It is 1941. And I'm pulling my hair away.

I just can't understand how the sonar works. I get an update saying that there is a target at bearing 252, coming straight at us. I go to the sonar, set the bearing at 252. I click for a distance ping, learn that it is 20 000 yards away, use time compression while having my crew follow the target until it gets close enough, and before I know it my boat is sinking, the enemy boat being right next to me without any notice.

So I tried to check every five minute. I did it three times, got a planned route thanks to the three marks : the enemy is at bearing 252, distance 6000 miles, closing in. Got into position, check again on target ; he is five billion miles away from me, going away, at bearing 560756998.

I don't know if this is a bug (I'm playing the U-Boat missions update) but I'm going close to bat**** insane here. I don't know which to click between the "send distance to TDC" which gives me an estimate distance, and the button which has the crew estimate the distance.

Please help !

[Hylander_1314]

Be very careful using TC with enemy ships, especially warships close by.

Getting an estimated course on the target is a good thing. But then try to race ahead of the target and set up an intercept point. But remember, the enemy ship can and usually will change course. So just keep tracking them. It takes a little getting used to, so be patient, and expect to make mistakes at first. If you need to, save the game when you first make contact, and if you need to, restart the game from that point, and practice over and over again until you get the hang of it.

It's tough trying to do the work of the whole staff on duty. But don't put any data into the TDC until you get some sort of visual confirmation.

There are some tutorial vids on youtube I think by RockinRobbins that show how to do the procedures for manual targeting, although they are with the fleetboats. But the same principles apply.

[Armistead]

If you actually ping a target, it's possible they heard your ping and went into evasion mode, better to track passive sonar only.

Know many factors effect passive sonar, your speed, thermals, etc...don't put all your trust in sonar lines.

Were you tracking only one ship, if so, it appears it was a DD that sunk you, rare you run into lone escorts.

I take it the range and bearings were sarcasm.

Low TC is your friend, like 32 at most with these conditions.