Manual Fire Help

[Capt. EJ]

Hello!

Very frustrated captain here. So been playing around with 80% realism, GFO mod. All is toggeled except map contacts and external view.

Now my issue is, since installing GFO I cannot hit anything, at least not without reloading and trying multiple time (which destroys the fun for me).

My main issue is that since the mod the sea is constantly choppy which means it is very difficult for me to get accurate readings on the target, especially range, since my periscope is under-water 90% of the time (very annoying). I can get AoB and Speed but I think the range is messing me up. about 7/10 times my torps at around 600 yards (my standard attack range) miss wide of the mark. I calculate range via the stadiometer since I do not know how to input range manually.

I have tried a suggestion for "free" firing, set everything to 0 and aim the boat 10 degress off the target then fire. I have had some success with this (when the torps don't fail) but this doesn't work when firing stern tubes as the computer refuses to let me fire (no solution).

So now I am in the situation where I sink nothing or reload mutliple times and neither is a good thing, I want to play without any loads but also want to hit something once in awhile! :D

As such, very tempted to turn manual targeting off but then that kinda ruins it as well as all I have to do is point and shoot.

As such, do any skippers here have any tips on what I could do to increase my hit rate in the constantly choppy water or are there mods that kinda allow your crew to input some of the data into the TDC (i.e not fully manual but not fully automatic fireing)?

Sorry for the rant, just frustated at this point in time is all :)

[jldjs]

"it is very difficult for me to get accurate readings on the target"
Try using the map since you have the target in visual range and measure the range to target. Or, estimate, and enter the range manually by spinning the range dial on the TDC.

Are you using the PK? Since you are able to get speed and AoB, you enter these into the TDC, spped first, then range, then AoB, then turn on the PK and let it track the target and fire when within the rnge you set for your torps.

" but this doesn't work when firing stern tubes as the computer refuses to let me fire (no solution)."

Your bearing to target must be within that of the stern tubes. Ideally you shoot on bearing 180, but can also shoot from 90 to 270 I think. I always check my solution by viewing the attack map. If the TDC can't shoot on your bearing it will not show a solution on the attack map.

[Capt. EJ]

Seems most of the answers where provided in a different thread. Cannot find the delete button so just want to apologise for making a duplicate post here...frustrated captain on the rampage :D

[Capt. EJ]

"it is very difficult for me to get accurate readings on the target"
Try using the map since you have the target in visual range and measure the range to target. Or, estimate, and enter the range manually by spinning the range dial on the TDC.

Are you using the PK? Since you are able to get speed and AoB, you enter these into the TDC, spped first, then range, then AoB, then turn on the PK and let it track the target and fire when within the rnge you set for your torps.

" but this doesn't work when firing stern tubes as the computer refuses to let me fire (no solution)."

Your bearing to target must be within that of the stern tubes. Ideally you shoot on bearing 180, but can also shoot from 90 to 270 I think. I always check my solution by viewing the attack map. If the TDC can't shoot on your bearing it will not show a solution on the attack map.

Thanks for your imput.

I did not know you could imput range manually on the TDC...Is that the one where you set the mast height?

Also, sorry stupid question but whats PK?

As for the stern tubes, that is when "blind fireing", i.e setting everything to zero, getting a 10 degree angle on the target and firing. This works reasonably well for bow tubes when the target is close but I cannot get it to work for stern tubes as the comp says "No fireing solution". I don't want one, I just want the torps to fire in a straight line :)

Thanks for your imput though, will check out the dial.

[Sniper297]

With manual firing, point the scope the direction you want (180 relative bearing for stern tubes) then click the "Send bearing and range to TDC" button on the stadimeter, and fire. Shift the scope a few degrees and click the button again, that points the gyros in the new direction. Best to have zero speed dialed in so the TDC doesn't set the gyros to compensate for a target that's moving in a different direction from the one dialed into the AOB.

As for setting range manually, you can't - what I do is crank the mast height to maximum then click the "Send bearing and range to TDC" button on the stadimeter, which sets the range to something like 1200 yards.

One way to input range besides the stadimeter is a sort of cheat - active sonar. In real life it would be a bad idea to ping the target if any escorts are in the neighborhood, since passive sonar can hear any ping that anyone else sends out. Ingame they pay no attention to it, so set the sonar bearing to the same bearing as the scope, move it back and forth til you find the middle (loudest noise and halfway between the two bearings where the green light goes out) then hit the "Visual Audible Manual Keying" switch under the indicator (it actually doesn't have four functions, just sends a single ping out) to ping the target. Even if the target is not within the 4500 yard max range you can hit the "Send Range" switch and the message screen will tell you the range and send it to the TDC.

PK I forget, probably something like "Position Keeper", that's the little button at lower right on the torpedo settings and position keeper (hey!) panel. Focus on a target which you have all the dope dialed in (heading range bearing speed) and click the button, it turns red - now the TDC is automatically calculating and updating the current position of the target even while the periscope is down or you're looking at something else. Assuming your info is accurate and the target doesn't change course or speed, when it gets close the actual will match the computational pretty close. However it's advisable to turn it off (unlock the target with the scope facing empty space and hit L) after making a note of the range and bearing the TDC has been keeping track of, then take the range and bearing again before firing (speed should still be the same but check the AOB).

Again I would advise playing with these tools with map updates on and autotargeting for a while to get used to what each one does and what its capabilities/limitations are.

[merc4ulfate]

I enjoy reading the reports from world war 2 captains who were running submarines. You should be glad no one has modeled the fog in the scope issues many sub captains ran into. I was reading one report where the captain stated than on raising the scope he had ten seconds for viewing before it fogged up so much he could not see.

Nothing like raising and lowering the scope every ten seconds huh?

You can find those reports here:

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/subreports.htm

[THEBERBSTER]

Check these mods informative readme's. I use them with GFO.

SCAF for SH 1.5 (Ship Centred Accuracy Fix) (Shows you on what part of the target to place the Stadimeter)

Maxoptics3 for SCAF 1.5 (Improves Scopes, Binos, Guns)