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View Full Version : December 1940 radar-like search


madkiwi
11-29-12, 02:00 PM
I decided to sniff around the shipping channels west of Gibraltar on my way back from a boring patrol off the coast of Africa. I was loitering (2 knots) at periscope depth when my sonar operator detected a warship at least 10 km to my southeast. I did have my periscope up, but thought nothing of it and hit time compression (256x) to wait for some prey.

A couple seconds later I noticed the sonar track getting much, much shorter and the sonar operator informs that the ship is closing, and increasing speed. I dropped back to normal time and peeked through the periscope at a destroyer now 2800 meters away, bearing straight down on me.

I rigged for silent running, set depth for 120 meters, and stowed the periscope.

The destroyer came right to where I was and started dropping depth charges like a possessed lunatic, Y launchers and all, pinging the crap out of me. After some evasive manouvers and speed runs I was able to get away undamaged.

But my question is- how is this happening? It is December 22nd 1940 and he was at least 8,000 meters away before he started coming in hot. I was at 12 meters in a VIIB, admittedly my periscope was up but visibility was moderate with overcast conditions.

Only mods (presently) GWX 3, Lite Harbor traffic, enhanced damage effects and merchant Fleet Mod 3.2 and skin packs.

Very disturbing that centimetric radar is somehow available much earlier than October 1941.

HW3
11-29-12, 03:03 PM
Low flying A/C spotted you and radioed your location to him or, the destroyer was manned by crew of eagle eyed carrot eating sailors who spotted your scope or, the rabbit eared hydrophone operator on the destroyer picked you up.

I really do not know why it happens, it just does, frustrating, but it does happen. It does however teach us to never let our guard down or, take anything for granted.

:salute:

RConch
11-30-12, 03:35 AM
Nothing good happens at 256x.

sublynx
11-30-12, 12:32 PM
Time compression trouble is my guess for an explanation as well.

TwoGamers
11-30-12, 03:14 PM
256x is the highest you can go but when tracking something best only go at 32x once in visual

HundertzehnGustav
12-01-12, 07:35 AM
LOL he had a course that took him to you... without him even having any bad intentions.

but since you did not observe but stuck your head into the sand you realized that only too late.

and since he did not see you headon but from the side probably, your echo in the water was BIG.

so he heard you (no silent running) from afar...

and took a dump on your head.

like any good DD captain would have done.

* DD anywhere close?
-no time compression
-dive to 120
-rig for silent running
-recite Prayers of your preferred religion

You now gained a bunch of experience...

RConch
12-01-12, 01:05 PM
It is a game to savored, not "wolfed" down.
It has a save feature, so use it, and bring your TC down to 64x max. All will be revealed with time to react.
At 256x you are lucky it was not a plane with you on the surface or you would have been dead before you knew it.:salute: