Torpedo turns left/right, even with angle at 0

[fastbikkel]

I play at level slightly higher than easy, im a noob.

I have sunk quite a list of ships, but i have something that seriously bothers me with my aim.

Till now, i have been doing all my kills with manual aiming. Meaning, i try and get a 90degree angle at the target's course and launch the torps using my eyes only.

But in a lot of cases, when launching the torps, they use an angle, either left or right.
But i have checked the angle (and depth) of each and every torp before launch.
Is this something with the difficulty level? I notice the dials rotating automatically when i look through the scope. I made sure that red button was not pressed, the button that says something like "follow automatic", hell i forgot the exact name of that thing.

Meaning, if i take the hardest level, will the dials stop to rotate and keep my torps go straight.

I will eventually have to learn how to operate those things, but i was kind of disturbed by the fact my torps angle while i just want a straight aim.

[jldjs]

Do not turn PK on if you want to shoot that way.

[fastbikkel]

PK is that button right?

I do not press that.

[BigWalleye]

PK is that button right?

I do not press that.

IIRC, it's on by default.

[fastbikkel]

Ok?
I saw in a youtube movie it had to burn red when it was on.

My bad then.
So i have to increase my level of difficulty or just deal with it.

[BigWalleye]

Ok?
I saw in a youtube movie it had to burn red when it was on.

My bad then.
So i have to increase my level of difficulty or just deal with it.

No, I meant that I think it begins on. You have to turn it off manually.

[UKönig]

Something similar happened to me when playing SH1.

The japanese were giving it to me pretty badly, the Gato was chewed up, lots of systems out. No scope, so I had to use the sound sensors for general range and direction, so I programmed the TDC manually and just kinda "fired blind".
Hit and sunk. Quite a satisfying thing to hear your weapons officer saying "enemy unit destroyed, sir", when you knew it was a fluke.
If I want to fire 'straight ahead' in silent hunter 3, I just make sure my scope is at "0" or "360" , I'm not targeting anything else and nothing interferes, the I just hit 'launch'.

[THEBERBSTER]

I recommend Scaf with Max optics

Link below.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=126016 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=126016)

This is extremely accurate when using the ‘Stadimeter.

Each 'Target' has a ‘Hotspot’ in the ‘Recognition Manual’

Check out the ‘Readme’ that comes with the mod.

My mod list

Game Fixes Only Mod v1.1

New Orders Bar Menu

Webster's No Crew Fatigue

Webster's Improved US Torpedo v2

Magnified Hud Dials for v1.5_Large

Bigger Better Protractors

Extra Allied naval bases for Stock SH4 + UBM v3.0

Webster's Ship Manuvering Fix

3000 Yard Bearing Tool (1920x)

SCAF for SH 1.5

MaxOptics3 for SCAF 1.5

Webster's New sonar view for v1.5

Eye Patch for Stock

shSpeech

SOBERS COMPASS MOD VERSION COLOUR

Webster's Eliminate Floating Plankton

Webster's Upgraded Deck Gun v1


I only play at a 'Medium ' level as I am fairly new to ‘SH4’ on 3rd Patrol

If you are playing with ‘Map Contacts' showing.

Use the 3 minute time rule on the 'Stopwatch' to get the 'Speed.'

Identify the ‘Target’ and send the ‘Mast Height' to the ‘TDC.’

Pause the Game

Use the ‘Protractor’ and draw out the angle from the ’Target’ back to the’ U-boat’ to get the ‘AOB.’

Take the ‘Ruler’ and measure the 'Range' from the ‘Target’ back to the ‘U-boat.’

Unpause the game.

Enter all the data in to the ‘TDC’ and start the ‘PK.’

The 'Attack Map' will now show what adjustments you need to make as to where the ‘White Marker’ is.

The importance with’ Scaf’ is to keep updating with the 'Stadimeter.’

I adjust the 'Speed' up or down and send it to the 'TDC' the ‘PK’ monitors this and the ‘Attack Map’ confirms where the ‘White Marker’ is relation to the ‘Target.’

The ‘AOB’ angle will increase the closer the ‘Target’ gets to the ‘U-boat.’

The ‘PK’ is already monitoring this so it is easy to make small adjustments.

Using this method I usually get the ‘White Marker’ over or in line with the ‘Target.’

[John Channing]

Default for the Position Keeper (PK) is off. When the red light is lit, it is on.

JCC

[BigWalleye]

Default for the Position Keeper (PK) is off. When the red light is lit, it is on.

JCC

Excuse me. My error. Been fighting for the Axis too long. TVR defaults to "engaged.":)

[Warren Peace]

First question, do you have manual targeting selected in the realism options? If you're unsure, when you're aiming at a ship, does it get a little colored arrow underneath it? If the answer to either of those are 'yes', your Weapon Officer is calculating the shot for you and updating the TDC without your consent.

[magic452]

In the easy settings the default setting for auto targeting is on. The torpedoes will go where ever the periscope is pointed. That is when you'll see the little arrows that Warren Peace is talking about. When you get a green arrow just pull the trigger and the torpedo will hit the part of the ship you are looking at. That is why the dials spin when you move the periscope, you are changing the firing solution automatically.

When you set the difficulty higher auto targeting is getting turned off. Manual targeting.

To set the game the way you want, when you're in the office before you start a patrol, click on the radio on the left side of the screen and choose custom settings and you can select auto targeting on or off, you can also change all other options as well. The radio is the only way to change options for career mode.

The red button you are seeing is the position keeper. when lit the TDC will update your manual targeting firing solution automatically as the target moves.

Magic

[fastbikkel]

First question, do you have manual targeting selected in the realism options? If you're unsure, when you're aiming at a ship, does it get a little colored arrow underneath it? If the answer to either of those are 'yes', your Weapon Officer is calculating the shot for you and updating the TDC without your consent.


I get a little yellow arrow/triangle for sure.

The light is not burning red either.

When i keep the scope at 0 degrees, the torps always seem to aim a little bit behind the target. So now i fire one torp to see where it is heading, then quickly adjust the direction of the boat to compensate. This cannot be the right way of doing things because all my preparation is undone with this.


I have set all the realism as hard as possible, apart from "external view".
But when i make a career and select "medium level", all those settings i made earlier are overwritten.
I know this because i definately want the fuel to burn, but it does not.
And it is not like i can make my "custom" difficulty available in career mode, or i missed something.

I have read all the replies here, awesome guys for the support. It will however take me some moments to go through them and understand them fully.

I eventually want the hardest level, so i am not too worried about the settings, but i am working on my experience. This is just my 2nd week in this sim.

[fastbikkel]

In the easy settings the default setting for auto targeting is on. The torpedoes will go where ever the periscope is pointed.
Magic

That is what i figured as well.
But in my last mission, this did not work, i pointed the scope a little ahead of the target, because i noticed my first torp going to miss the rear of the target.
So i pointed ahead and ahead even further. I eventually turned the ship and fired all my torps to at least get a hit.

I usually at close range, under 800m.

[THEBERBSTER]

In 'Game Options' tick the box 'Manual Targeting.'

This will remove the coloured triangles and auto TDC.

You will need to start a new game for it to work as you are already in game play.

[Pisces]

Is there any chance this might have been a 'circle runner'? A faulty torpedo with messed up steering mechanism, forced to make it turn into a circle. Did it eventually go into a straight path after the turn?

Was this just a single torpedo occurance, or did this happen with multiple torpedoes one after the other. (So with similar targeting settings.)

[fastbikkel]

@pisces
All torps go in the same direction, not just one.

@others
Setting realism options in the main menu gets ignored as soon as i select a difficulty level upon starting a new career.
I have tried that like 5 times already.

[Pisces]

@pisces
All torps go in the same direction, not just one.Ok, had to rule out the circle runners.


@others
Setting realism options in the main menu gets ignored as soon as i select a difficulty level upon starting a new career.
I have tried that like 5 times already.But as said, you can change the gameplay (realism) settings when in the office by going to the radio near the window. If you manually select settings to your preferences, it changes to custom. In the end, that is what you want.

The TDC and position keeper will not change their behaviour based on how many options you choose, or whether the level is low medium or hard. Only the "Manual Targeting System" option has relevance to this. And all it does is make you able to change the dials/feed the settings, or not.

Do not forget to send a range to the TDC when you want to aim at a target at a certain bearing! Just looking at something isn't sufficient when doing manual targeting (in SH4). Bearing and range are sent at the same time. If you don't send it to the TDC, then the pointing might be from long ago, and completely in the wrong direction.

Same goes for AOB and speed, if you want to change it, then you need to use the "Send to TDC" button to make it valid.

In order to let the TDC calculate the speed and course of the target you need to send 2 times a range (with bearing), with sufficient time in between to make it accurate. After the second range is sent to the TDC, press the speed button. Then press the stopwatch. The crew should calculate the motion of the target during the last interval, and calculate course and speed from it. This is reported into the text window. The speed dial will also be set to the right value. All you need to do is send it to the TDC. Then to the AOB dial setting, and adjust it until the target symbol on the left side dial point to the right course that was given. It should also resemble the AOB as seen in a top-view. Then send that to the TDC. At this point you can turn on the Position keeper, and then the position will be kept updated in the TDC as best as is known.
Afterwards you can update the Position keeper manually to the last seen position by entering a range with bearing. It will then start counting from that.

This link is from the Ubisoft forum, but should guide you through the whole process: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/606735-Manual-TDC-A-tutorial-for-newbies-updated-13-March-Forums

But don't forget to read Rockin Robin's Subskippers Bag of Tricks thread. It's stickied in the SH4 forum of Subsim.com.

[Pisces]

Also, if you are serious about using the manual targeting option, you should include this mod in your soup. ;)

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1228

This allows the sub, target and torpedo course dials on the left to be updated in real time as you change the AOB, speed and range dial on the right. It also allows you to drag the range indicator triangle to manual mast height settings if you want to align different parts on the target to the waterline.

[fastbikkel]

@pisces

Thanks !
I like what i am reading.
The info is clear, i am going to put some time into it right now. Weekend is coming up, i will give it some more time.

The immersion in this sim is quite awesome. It really feels the ships have size and weight, even the enemy ships when you spot them.
Intimidating could be the right word.

O yeah and i missed that deckgun all those years i played the nuke subsims, i have come to realise.
:rock:

[TorpX]

I would follow Pisces advice. The TDC is a little tricky in that you must remember to input new information, or it will use whatever it was using from before (perhaps long before).

Also, if you are in doubt as to the gyro angle the torps will take, look at the left slide out, where the position keeper and angle solver displays information. On the lower dial is the information related to your boat. The little arrow shows the gyro angle the torpedoes will take. If you put the mouse cursor in the arrow, it will display the gyro angle, and the torpedo's course; in this case, 300 degrees relative (or 60 deg. port), and 170 degrees true.

[ignore the underlined stuff; I recycled this image from another post]

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m526/TorpX/Tracking%20Party%20tutorial/ExGyroset_zpsd4729a41.png

[magic452]

When you are in auto targeting and are missing astern it is possible that you haven't opened the torpedo doors before you shoot.
Auto or manual you must open the doors well before you shoot.

If you're going to try manual targeting I would suggest that you forget the school mission as it's not worth much. You are way too close to the target to learn much of anything.

Do a war patrol and go find a ship someplace and save the game at first contact. Then you can use that as a school mission, just keep replaying the save till you get the hang of manual targeting. It takes some time to learn but isn't really that hard. This way you also get some practice at setting up your shots. The better your set up is the easier the shooting will be. A good firing position is the most important factor as far as I'm concerned.

Good luck and good hunting :up:
Magic

[fastbikkel]

Adjusting realism settings through the "radio" in the office worked. I seriously had never seen that thing "highlight" when i moved the mouse around.

I will continue practise tonight.

Yesterday i got my neck stuck in trouble a bit too deep.
Did a patrol close to the entrance to Tokyo.

I noticed a big cruiseliner being escorted by a destroyer/cruiser and there were at least 3 other destroyers patrolling the area.

I did blow the escort clean out of the water, 4 torps hit it. I missed the cruiseliner.
A destroyer got a sonar lock on me. I did not dive deep enough or something, i was scared to go under 160feet. But i am thinking now i could probably have gone deeper.
:D

@magic452
I had the doors open, i made a little checklist that usually helps me not to forget. :-) Good suggestion though, thanks.

[torpedobait]

When you are in auto targeting and are missing astern it is possible that you haven't opened the torpedo doors before you shoot.
Auto or manual you must open the doors well before you shoot.

If you're going to try manual targeting I would suggest that you forget the school mission as it's not worth much. You are way too close to the target to learn much of anything.

Do a war patrol and go find a ship someplace and save the game at first contact. Then you can use that as a school mission, just keep replaying the save till you get the hang of manual targeting. It takes some time to learn but isn't really that hard. This way you also get some practice at setting up your shots. The better your set up is the easier the shooting will be. A good firing position is the most important factor as far as I'm concerned.

Good luck and good hunting :up:
Magic

Something else to check when using auto targeting. Even though you set the periscope to 0 degrees, go look at the Attack screen (PF6 in TMO). You will see the projected torpedo track is still a few degrees to one side or the other! I check this and adjust the periscope heading(and/or the TBT if surfaced) a corresponding number of degrees in the opposite direction so that the torpedo track is dead ahead. Then it is a matter of estimating target speed and knowing how long it takes your torpedo to cover the distance to the target's track. It's the only way I know to get a true straight-ahead track when using auto targeting without being able to see the target. Works for me! :salute:

[fastbikkel]

Thanks!


I however have put it all on manual and i have liked it so far.
Now i do aim on sight and not completely on how it really is done.
But this helps me already so much, being able to aim directly ahead.

I doubt i am changing back to automatic.


I am still a noob, even with my 57000+ score.
That huge western liner certainly beefed up my tonnage. Man those escorts must have been pissed when i did kill their main objective.
Close to tokyo i noticed the liner leaving port and i just had to shoot it :-)

[magic452]

Now that you're on manual targeting, if you haven't already, take a look at this thread.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=146795

It's long but packed with valuable info.

Magic

[fastbikkel]

Cheers!
I will read it!
(i had seen this link before, i will need some time to through all the things there, but i will do. :-)