Torpedoes

[stevee620]

Hello everyone, new to this game but really loving it. Just one quick question, how do i find out how many torpedoes i have on board. I've tried pressing "I" which gives me the type of torpedo. Its the first career mission, in a IIA sub i think,
Thanks,
Stephen.

[Dread Knot]

I forget which function button it is, but in a diminutive Type II U-Boat you'll never have more than five torpedoes. Three in the tubes, and two reloads.

[HW3]

Your weapons officer can tell you.

[WilhelmSchulz.]

Welcome Stevee620!

The "I" button will tell you how many and what type of fish you have. the Type II only has 5 so if you have already shot 2 you will only see what is in the tubes.

[stevee620]

Thanks for your advice. seems like i've only got whats in the tubes then thats it...

Nope, sorry, just checked again, you were right Wilhelm, i thought i'd none in reserve but i have 2 so like you say, 5 in total. Now, i've got to patrol this area for 24 hours, so don't know what i'm supposed to do once i've fired em all lol.

[Kielhauler1961]

...so don't know what i'm supposed to do once i've fired em all lol.

As you're in a Type II, I presume you are operating in the North Sea early in the war? If so, there is one way to make your limited stock of torpedoes go further but it calls for a bit of patience. Firstly, DON'T waste a precious torpedo on anything less than a Small Merchant or Small Freighter. I expect each torpedo to account for 2000 tons plus. Ignore Tramp Steamers and Coastal Freighters (just under 2000 tons). Don't fret if you haven't had a decent contact after letting one or two Trampers go by, something bigger (or smaller) will be along eventually.

Choose a spot about 50-80km from the British East coast, set a course between SW and NW and dive. Set sped for 1 knot and TC for x64. Listen on hydrophones yourself every hour or so, staying submerged until the air runs low. Turn the boat every so often to sweep the hydrophone dead zone (baffles) ahead and astern. When your sonarman detects a contact, kill TC back to x1 immediately and start plotting an interception.

You will quickly learn to distinguish between ship types by their unique sound. Beware that to our ears, an armed trawler sounds just like a civilian trawler but your sonarman can somehow tell the difference (that's when he can hear it at all!) Trawlers make a distinctive 'ticking' sound.

The East coast of Britain has of lot of small-fry North-South traffic that are easy prey for the flak gun, such as fishing boats (90 tons), coal tenders (300 t), larger trawlers (800 t), tugboats (1100 t) and coastal tankers (1300 t+). If you get in the habit of moving around slowly and listening regularly you will be surprised how much is out there. The targets may not be individually that valuable but it all adds up... It's also great fun!

If you return to port out of torpedoes but with flak gun ammo remaining you've missed an opportunity.

KH

[Sailor Steve]

Now, i've got to patrol this area for 24 hours, so don't know what i'm supposed to do once i've fired em all lol.
The '24 Hours' bit was left over from what they originally planned for SH3. That all changed before the game was released. In real life they were told to go to a grid and stay there until further orders. In the game there are no further orders, so what you do is your choice.

As for what to do after you fired all your eels, the answer is simple: Go home. You're not going to sink very many Tommy ships without anything to shoot at them. :sunny:

[UKönig]

If you feel brave (lucky) enough, you can sneak up to Hartlepool and try to attack any ships in the harbour. I caught 2 destroyers in this way. Be careful of mines though. I found that if you stay directly inside of the lighthouses, then you will avoid any nasty surprises.

[Dread Knot]

I suppose if you are out of torpedoes you could always try to find some English fishing smacks to beat up on with that puny peashooter of a AA gun on the bow deck. But I'm not sure even that would work so it's best to head home and get some more eels in the tubes.