‘Precise range to target’ and ‘estimate range to target’

[hitman911946]

Hello guys,

I’ve started playing SH5 recently with no map contacts pretty much 100% realism, turning on external view for a patrol now and again. It’s a pretty humbling experience from being an ace in SH4 with map contacts just sinking anything that moves, to getting 2 out of 4 hits on a target that I manage to find with sonar in SH5.

I do have a sonar question with the NewUIs_TDC_7_1_0_ByTheDarkWraith, basically what is the difference between ‘precise range to target’ button and ‘estimate range to target’ button. When using precise range to target I get nice consistent numbers, I like consistent numbers, but they don’t always make sense. For example, I’ll be overtaking a merchant for a bearing about 240 and when I ask for a ‘precise range to target’ I’ll get a number of 4000. Is that number in meters? Km? Yards? Feet? Parsecs? I am using the metric system. When I look up at the periscope, it’s not 4000m away, and ask for an ‘estimate range to target’ I don’t get consistent numbers, but they make a little more sense. When sonar man tells me the target is between 7000m or 6000m, I believe that because it’s just not 4km away.

I don’t mean to write a novel here but what is the difference between ‘precise range to target’ and ‘estimate range to target’?

Thanks in advance.

[gap]

Good question, hitman911946

As I understand it, 'precise range to target' should be the range as measured using an active sonar, i.e. by pinging the target, whereas 'estimate range to target' is the estimation made by the sonarman, based on target's sound as heard on hydrophone.

The discrepancy between different range estimations seems logical to me, though a difference of 1,000 or so meters for consecutie estimations (done within few seconds one from the other), makes me to think that our sonarman is probably affected by a premature form of Alzheimer's disease.

On the other hand, I've never used the precise range calculation, for 3 reasons:

1. I am not sure that type VII U-boats were eqipped with active sonars;

2. using an active sonar should involve the risk of giving up our presence, but I am unsure that this fact was modelled in game;

3. last but not least, as noted by you the 'precise range to target' gives ranges consistently wrong :hmmm:

Welcome aboard! :salute:

[Fish In The Water]

The previous post seems to sum it up nicely, so I'll just add a warm welcome! :sunny:

[Cybermat47]

Maybe it's some sick joke by TDW...

Oh, and...
WELCOME
TO
SUBSIM!

[Trevally.]

The ping for depth under keel will alert escorts, but the range ping will not.

[gap]

The ping for depth under keel will alert escorts, but the range ping will not.

I thought so, thank you for confirming it!

[Gerald]

Maybe it's some sick joke by TDW...

Oh, and...
WELCOME
TO
SUBSIM! Big letters are big,:hmmm:

[Fish In The Water]

Big letters are big,:hmmm:

Another pearl of wisdom! :D