Cant Hit Anything with Manual TDC?

[Erika_Itsumi]

I've recently gotten into the Silent Hunter Series, so I should be considered a noob. I know for a fact that there's no way in Hades I could ever hit a thing with that stupid auto TDC Crap where you line up the numbers, so I've been trying manual. I still can't manage to hit a thing.

I watched a few tutorials and I've been doing the following:

1. Identifying the ship
2. Finding the range by using the ruler on the map (the default instrument which it tells you to use doesn't seem to work for me)
3. Finding the angle on bow by using protractor on map

I'm using the default torpedos; in all of my attempts of sinking merchant ships, I've always come close to hitting them, but it misses. Should I abort the patrol and refit with the other torpedos which are hard to spot, in case it's just due to the ships spotting the torps and then zigzagging?

Help would be appreciated

[Aktungbby]

Erika_Itsumi! :Kaleun_Salute:

[Jimbuna]

Practice usually makes perfect.

Welcome to SubSim :sunny:

[ikalugin]

Maybe attack from shorter range using faster speed setting on torps?

[Poacher886]

I always find that by the time you have worked everything out, the findings have changed again....its as if you need to make all the calcs in a nano second before the range changes again..

[KirinFrost]

Even with manual aiming, i find that it is still easy to hit the ship if you just set a firing solution and just wait for the ship to REACH that spot before firing your torpedoes.

Even better if you are 90 degrees to the ship and less than a km away. With your speed, it should be no problem at all. Just try to attack at night though or they have a much higher chance of spotting you or the torpedoes ;p

[Gunsilnger]

What they said! Draw a line estimating their course then do the math for where you want them to be. When they start getting closer do the math again to get your numbers more precise and then calculate one final time when they get to your pre picked spot. As above try and keep range under 1 km, and try and get target speed as close as possible. Hope that helps a bit,

Happy hunting!

[THEBERBSTER]

A warm welcome ‘Erika_Itsumi’ to the Subsim family.:subsim:

You will always find someone here to help you.:)

Link to my SH3 – SH4 – SH5 posts::salute:

Step By Step Tutorials & How To Do It.:up:

Also Included Are Some Useful Download Links

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=211804 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=211804)

You can use TDW’Generic File Patcher with STEAM see my Tutorial Post #125

[V13dweller]

Or wait until 1944 when the Homing torpedoes come into play, then just point and click.

I used the TDC pretty well when I used to play, but that was more than a year ago, so my information is pretty out of date and sketchy.

[tat501]

First - get close (to where you think the targets will be heading).

Estimate their course, speed and range at a set point from you - I normally get a shot lined up for a bow angle of 45 degrees - and then one from 15 degrees.

So by the time the target steams into view you've already got your shot lined up. Check the target again with the jadgchrono to estimate speed again, and use the "Range to target" button to get a good idea of the targets range - plot it - and then do it again 3minutes 15 seconds later - and make a second plot - join the lines to get their course. Their speed will be the distance travelled in that time. It should match up to your Jagdchrono calculation.

Make sure you are close - set torpedo depths and detonators. If its daytime use the Electric wakeless torps. If its a destroyer get close and use fast speed torps.

Once everything is set up you just wait until the target crosses the crosshairs of your periscope at the angle you set up and fire!

If firing at a convoy - fire at the furthest target away first - ideally with a faster torpedo - then go back to closer targets with slower torpedoes. You want them to both hit as close together as possible so they don't have chance to be alerted and evade your fish.

[THEBERBSTER]

If you have given bonus points to your torpedo man this will mess up your torpedo solutions.

[Sjizzle]

there are a few manual target guides on youtube and if i remember as well also Trevally have included in game tutorials....
personally i use the Dick O'Kane Targeting Technique it's the easiest manual targeting solution.

Stoian video tutorial here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMYz1Oxg6rY)
and to make an idea how Dick O'Kane Targeting Technique works watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k5yJI6Z5AU) video it's SH4 one but is same in SH5