Sub Buddy - the World's First Attack Disc & TADS Computer on iOS & Android

[PoutyBatFace Studios]

PoutyBatFace Studios proudly presents, your very own...

Sub Buddy!

If you play WW2 Submarine games, or you have an interest in historical mathematical devices, or even want to become a wiz at 'whizz wheels' then Sub Buddy is for you.

With both the most historically accurate digital German U-boat Attack Disc, our unique TADS Computer disc and the brand new 'Visual AoB Helper' tool, you can perform a huge amount of complex calculations incredibly quickly and far faster than with a calculator or a spreadsheet, whether you play US Navy, German U-boats or any other submarine game.

If you always wanted to learn how the 'Attack Disc' worked, but always felt intimidated or confused, don't worry anymore!

Sub Buddy also contains 27 Tutorial Videos that not only explain the overall concepts behind the Attack Disc and the TADS Computer, but also break down virtually every type of calculation you could ever want to learn for your sub-sim gameplay. Within minutes you'll learn how to use these two discs to make intercepting convoys, planning approaches and fast and accurate torpedo solutions with or without the TDC!

Please check out our website for a demonstration video and samples from our Tutorial Video series.

poutybatface.com/subbuddy (https://www.poutybatface.com/subbuddy)

And maybe check out our privacy policy too...it's not very long but we think it's important.

poutybatface.com/privacypolicy (https://www.poutybatface.com/privacypolicy)

App Requirements:

Sub Buddy fully supports all iOS Devices running iOS 12.0 or newer.

Sub Buddy on Android requires Nougat 7.0.0 or newer.


NOTE: SubSim and Onkel Neal have given us permission to post and cross post. Thank you Neal!

[derstosstrupp]

Can confirm! I helped them make the videos etc and I can attest to how much work went into this product. The makers did an outstanding job making the attack disc historically correct down to the last detail, and the TADS Computer slide rule is incredibly versatile and surprisingly quicker than using a calculator in many cases.

More goodies in there too, like the visual AOB helper and the retranslated wartime U-boat Commander’s Handbook!

I don’t share in the proceeds - labor of love for the subject matter!

[JuanLiquid]

I purchased it yesterday, and the tutorials worth the full price - very clear voice that people which have problems understanding spoken english can listen with the help of youtube's automatic transcriptor.


The tools are very well modeled and easy to use.


A small problem: when you use them from a phone, it's difficult that the disc you just touched stay on place when you release your finger from the screen - the snap to nearest degree doesn't seem working on Android - I miss it too in the TADS.

[Convoi_PQ17]

Very nice!
https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4fb3/d5kk6ku24bttzvr6g.jpg

[PoutyBatFace Studios]

Thanks destosstrupp! It's great to see all the feedback on the videos in this and another thread, you have done a fantastic job at showcasing these discs.



JuanLiquid - yeah we couldn't add the snap to the TADS as the marks aren't on the degrees due to the logarithmic scales. It should work fine on the Attack Disc on Android though. PM me your phone model and Android OS details and I'll see if I can replicate in a simulator.

[JuanLiquid]

My bad: it works on Attack disc. I just noticed it snaps as soon as you release your finger. I was expecting it snaps while you were dragging, but this solution is also good.


For the TADS I'm touching the screen with a second finger before release the first one, in this way I avoid moving accidentally any disc while releasing my fingers after dragging

[Aktungbby]

PoutyBatFace Studios!:Kaleun_Salute:

[ceh]

Wonderful work!

May I suggest a zoomed in flyout while dragging the discs?
https://prnt.sc/pq9bke

[Lost At Sea]

Purchased yesterday, absolutely fantastic :up:
Great on my iPad !

Cheers,
Lost

[PoutyBatFace Studios]

Wonderful work!

May I suggest a zoomed in flyout while dragging the discs?
https://prnt.sc/pq9bke


Thanks for the feedback! Just want to check, as we've had feedback that the 2-finger pan/zoom isn't clear how to do on Android: Is the current ability to zoom in to the focus area not meeting the need to see clearly the finer detail?

[ceh]

Ah, must've missed that piece of info. Tried now, works beautifully :)

I just purchased and dove into the application without reading much about it. TBH, I don't think I even finished reading the initial post. Absolutely my bad.

:Kaleun_Cheers:

[makman94]

PoutyBatFace Studios proudly presents, your very own...

Sub Buddy!

If you play WW2 Submarine games, or you have an interest in historical mathematical devices, or even want to become a wiz at 'whizz wheels' then Sub Buddy is for you.

With both the most historically accurate digital German U-boat Attack Disc, our unique TADS Computer disc and the brand new 'Visual AoB Helper' tool, you can perform a huge amount of complex calculations incredibly quickly and far faster than with a calculator or a spreadsheet, whether you play US Navy, German U-boats or any other submarine game.

If you always wanted to learn how the 'Attack Disc' worked, but always felt intimidated or confused, don't worry anymore!

Sub Buddy also contains 27 Tutorial Videos that not only explain the overall concepts behind the Attack Disc and the TADS Computer, but also break down virtually every type of calculation you could ever want to learn for your sub-sim gameplay. Within minutes you'll learn how to use these two discs to make intercepting convoys, planning approaches and fast and accurate torpedo solutions with or without the TDC!

Please check out our website for a demonstration video and samples from our Tutorial Video series.

poutybatface.com/subbuddy (https://www.poutybatface.com/subbuddy)

And maybe check out our privacy policy too...it's not very long but we think it's important.

poutybatface.com/privacypolicy (https://www.poutybatface.com/privacypolicy)

App Requirements:

Sub Buddy fully supports all iOS Devices running iOS 12.0 or newer.

Sub Buddy on Android requires Nougat 7.0.0 or newer.


NOTE: SubSim and Onkel Neal have given us permission to post and cross post. Thank you Neal!

... our unique TADS Computer disc ...

"Your" "unique" tool is nothing more but an identical (100%) remake of "Manos Bearing Computer" (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=235423)

How can you say that this is the "unique" when i firstly created and released, for free, the "Manos Bearing Computer" in 2017 ?

A remake yes but an unique...no! you should have mentioned this at your credits instead of renaming it.

[PoutyBatFace Studios]

The Sub Buddy TADS Computer is unique as it’s the first time, angle, distance and speed disc on mobile devices - and as such doesn’t require the use of any specific PC game or any 3rd party mod. It's also unique amongst other similar discs because it has a second pointer that is used for fast underwater nav plot calculations. The TADS training video 14 shows how that second pointer is used to calculate the turn radius for underwater dead-reckoning navigation, and video 15 also goes on to show the chord length calculation.

The TADS Computer was inspired by discs such as the US Navy “IS-WAS”, multiple circular slide rulers from Silent Hunter 3 mods, makman94's Manos Bearing Computer (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=235423), and the CRP-5 and E6B flight computer slide rules which Sub Buddy's lead developer has a very long and intimate working knowledge of. As you’re of course aware, the rules, the order and the values are as such because of how the calculations need to work and to maximise accuracy. Whilst no one would ever claim any generic circular slide rule is a world’s first, we feel our TADS Computer is justified in that claim for the two reasons mentioned previously; we are most definitely unique amongst any other digital slide rule.

Thank you makman94 for your support in helping us understand slide rule formulas while Sub Buddy was in development. We have credited you in the in-app credits, as we said we would when you were in communication with us during its development. We also provide a link back to your SubSim profile page for people to check out your own contributions to the community.

Thank you also to Pisces for help with our advanced maths understanding, another person we happily credited in-app!


[Edited 8-Nov-2020 to state makman94's Manos Bearing Computer's full name. The original abbreviation to MBC was an oversight and we did not mean any disrespect. Our apologies to makman94 for this oversight, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.]

[Convoi_PQ17]

Very nice!
https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4fb3/d5kk6ku24bttzvr6g.jpg

[hachiman]

Any chance you'll "Fix" it to work on older android devices?
I purchased it without reading you needed Nougat or above for it to work.
Never had to pay attention to that before. My bad, but can't see any reason why you've made it so.

[PoutyBatFace Studios]

Any chance you'll "Fix" it to work on older android devices?
I purchased it without reading you needed Nougat or above for it to work.
Never had to pay attention to that before. My bad, but can't see any reason why you've made it so.

Hi Hachiman, thanks for your question. Firstly I'm sorry you didn't notice the system requirements before you purchased, Google do offer a 48 hour refund policy so please ensure you take advantage of that.

The reason Sub Buddy doesn't support Android OS prior to Nougat is the approach we took to create it. The best way to code an Android app (to my knowledge) is to use Java. I have no doubt that a Java developer who is well experienced coding Android apps would have been able to create a version of Sub Buddy that would support a wider range of devices and operating systems. We don't have that expertise in-house and hiring someone was not an option for this project.

The skills we do have available in-house are with a framework called React, which has a library called React Native that can be used to create mobile apps. This library is limited, which means the options we had to solve problems such as "how to tell which disc is being touched to rotate it", "how to animate a rotation smoothly" and "how to display a 3D model of a ship" had only one answer, rather than several that would have allowed choices around optimisation.

As a result when we tested the Android version in simulators and on physical devices we found that OS prior to Nougat had issues with loading and rotating the discs, and with the AoB estimator functionality, making the app unusable.

So this wasn't a decision at the beginning, but instead was a constraint imposed upon us as a result of the options we had available to create Sub Buddy on Android. Because of those constraints we don't have a route to making changes that would allow it to work on older OS. I know that is not the answer you are looking for, which is why I wanted to give this full explanation.

I totally understand your disappointment that it doesn't work on your phone/tablet. I wish we could have supported more devices. Given the challenges we faced creating Sub Buddy on Android we are really proud of how it has turned out, and the features that it has, which allows (many) Android users to enjoy the app, as well as iOS users.

[hachiman]

Thanks for the reply.
Appreciate the time taken to answer.

[Cherrybark]

Just returning to sub games, after a couple of years wandering in deep space with, Elite Dangerous. With lots of patient help from THEBERBSTER I just managed to get SH5 / Wolves of Steel installed and am a bit overwhelmed with the learning curve for full realism play, the attack disc, etc. There are scattered resources and YouTube videos but I'm delighted to find this app with tutorials.

Looks beautiful on an iPad!

[derstosstrupp]

Thanks for the review, Neal! I very much enjoyed working with Zoe on the app. The quality is there in spades!

[Gray Lensman]

Purchased this a few days ago. Kinda interesting, BUT, how useful is it with different speed torpedos. Do you have to separately "look up" lead angles for various "own" ship intercept heading(s) combined with different torp speed settings? Incidentally, I'm in the process of making a spreadsheet that does just that and that's why I question whether this device accommodates these various torp speed/intercept angle combinations.


For instance (SH4): using the vector analysis attack rules and the in-sim measuring tools (and just a zero gyro angle shot to keep things simple):

Let's say you are 80 degrees to the Target course using a Mk 14 at high speed (46 kts). and the target is moving 7 kts. The lead angle is approx. 8 degrees (set the optics to 72 degrees).

If you use the Mk 14 at slow speed (31 Kts), and everything else remains the same, the lead angle is approx. 12 degrees (set the optics to 68 degrees).


These lead angles also change according to the "own" ship course relative to the target course

For example again using the Mk 14 at high speed (46 kts), and the target is still moving at 7 kts, but instead you are 45 degrees to the target, the lead angle is approx. 6 degrees instead of 8 as above.

and if you use the Mk 14 at slow speed (31 kts), target still moving 7 kts, and you are 45 degrees to the target, the lead angle is approx. 8 degrees instead of 12 as above.


Nowhere in the tutorial(s) for this device did I find anything allowing for different torpedo speed settings for the various lead angle computations. I suspect (though I may be wrong), that the device is probably only good for a specific speed torpedo (maybe the German torpedos that were in use).

[derstosstrupp]

Purchased this a few days ago. Kinda interesting, BUT, how useful is it with different speed torpedos. Do you have to separately "look up" lead angles for various "own" ship intercept heading(s) combined with different torp speed settings? Incidentally, I'm in the process of making a spreadsheet that does just that and that's why I question whether this device accommodates these various torp speed/intercept angle combinations.

For instance (SH4): using the vector analysis attack rules and the in-sim measuring tools (and just a zero gyro angle shot to keep things simple):

Let's say you are 80 degrees to the Target course using a Mk 14 at high speed (46 kts). and the target is moving 7 kts. The lead angle is approx. 8 degrees (set the optics to 72 degrees).

If you use the Mk 14 at slow speed (31 Kts), and everything else remains the same, the lead angle is approx. 12 degrees (set the optics to 68 degrees).


These lead angles also change according to the "own" ship course relative to the target course

For example again using the Mk 14 at high speed (46 kts), and the target is still moving at 7 kts, but instead you are 45 degrees to the target, the lead angle is approx. 6 degrees instead of 8 as above.

and if you use the Mk 14 at slow speed (31 kts), target still moving 7 kts, and you are 45 degrees to the target, the lead angle is approx. 8 degrees instead of 12 as above.


Nowhere in the tutorial(s) for this device did I find anything allowing for different torpedo speed settings for the various lead angle computations. I suspect (though I may be wrong), that the device is probably only good for a specific speed torpedo (maybe the German torpedos that were in use).

It’s there. Please watch the lead angle ones carefully. It’s simply a matter of aligning the correct torpedo speed on the speed ring. The examples I put in the tutorials are just that - examples. They don’t mean that the numbers in them are all you can use. A slide rule is a calculator. Just as you can punch whatever numbers you want into a pocket calculator, so can you align whatever numbers you want on a slide rule.

Be advised though - the distance scale is calibrated to meters. All that means to go to imperial though is one extra step, not a big deal. That has no impact however on lead angle calculations.

[Gray Lensman]

It’s there. Please watch the lead angle ones carefully. It’s simply a matter of aligning the correct torpedo speed on the speed ring. The examples I put in the tutorials are just that - examples. They don’t mean that the numbers in them are all you can use. A slide rule is a calculator. Just as you can punch whatever numbers you want into a pocket calculator, so can you align whatever numbers you want on a slide rule.

Be advised though - the distance scale is calibrated to meters. All that means to go to imperial though is one extra step, not a big deal. That has no impact however on lead angle calculations.


Thanks... This makes my spreadsheet effort ridiculously obsolete especially since the onscreen measuring tools are subject to pixelated interpolation errors. :Kaleun_Cheers:

[Gray Lensman]

As a suggestion, I would love to see a version of this as a standalone PC app using a mouse also. (NOT installed in-game as a tool). Using an android is kinda finger shaky for me especially with the enlarging necessary to read the scales. Be glad to pay extra for such a version.


edit> It would also help the tutorial process if the tutorials were available on the PoutyBatFace Studios YouTube channel so that someone could view the tutorial while handling the Attack/TADS disc WITHOUT switching back and forth from the tutorial.

[derstosstrupp]

Very good suggestion!

[siege00]

As a suggestion, I would love to see a version of this as a standalone PC app using a mouse also. (NOT installed in-game as a tool). Using an android is kinda finger shaky for me especially with the enlarging necessary to read the scales. Be glad to pay extra for such a version.


edit> It would also help the tutorial process if the tutorials were available on the PoutyBatFace Studios YouTube channel so that someone could view the tutorial while handling the Attack/TADS disc WITHOUT switching back and forth from the tutorial.

There is a variation of this for PC, which I've been using on MS Surface, called Solution Solver. https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2601519&postcount=1

It's not the same but has some of the same functionality.

I'm pulling Sub Buddy down on my iPad right now. Can't wait to give it a go!

[Elphaba]

I'm pulling Sub Buddy down on my iPad right now. Can't wait to give it a go!

I hope you love it!

:Kaleun_Salute:

[siege00]

I hope you love it!

:Kaleun_Salute:

Absolutely love it! This is what I've been waiting for, and have been trying to find the time to do myself. I'd much rather pay someone for it though. :D Many thanks to the dev team and all who supported in making this happen.:salute:

If I may, I have a suggestion that I would love to see happen with this product. On the front-side of the attack disk, would it be possible either via a switch or something, to unlock the outer ring? The logic behind this is that I could change course after setting up the enemy course and AOB, etc, without having to update the rest of the disks simply by rotating the outer ring to reflect my new course.

I hope that makes sense, and thank you for such a great product! Pulling this tool out adds a new layer of realism as well as the improved upon graphics and dial alignment. As a fan of the old style circular Jeppesen Flight Computers, like the CR-5, this is right up my alley. Now if only there were a physical version. ;)

:Kaleun_Applaud:

[Pisces]

There are template files around here in Subsim if you want to DIY. (like the link in my signature) They precede Sub Buddy and it is based on them. So you can make a cardboard physical implementation of it. It won't be exactly like the Sub Buddy disks. Sub Buddy is made with it's own twist on it. On the TADS side it uses 2 orders of magnitude per scale (as opposed to 1 order of magnitude) and adds a tangent scale.

I agree that the dark brown relative bearing disk should be rotatable for easier use. With my physical template disk I grab and hold the (white) compass disk with the AOB disk and other pointers clamped together to set ownship course by turning the brown disk underneath.

[Macgregor the Hammer]

There's an Android Emulator available for PC called Blue Stacks. It's free and Sub Buddy runs well on it.

[Elphaba]

Calling out to anyone on iOS (initially) if they'd like to volunteer to beta test Sub Buddy 2.0.

As things get closer to release (weeks) we'll be inviting 'droid owners to join in the Beta.

If you'd like to join you'll need an iOS device running iOS 12 or better, then please PM me with your Apple ID Email address and I'll add you to our beta testers.

New features and suggestions are behind the push for Sub Buddy 2.0, and if we're still missing something you want, please get in touch.

Thanks to the sub community.

Stay safe out there.

Sub Buddy Team.

[Torpex77]

Ya Mean I dont have to do this in my head anymore?...All those years on Subs doing Mental Gym,,,dang all I needed was a smart phone..LOL

[Gray Lensman]

Are the Sub Buddy developers around anymore? I have a small bug which I reported via their contact email and I have yet to receive an acknowledgement.

[Elphaba]

Are the Sub Buddy developers around anymore? I have a small bug which I reported via their contact email and I have yet to receive an acknowledgement.

I’m right here. Are you on iOS or ‘droid?

If iOS email me at support@ideasoftware.uk
If ‘droid email Dax at support@subbuddyandroid.com

We haven’t received any recent support requests this year at all.

[Beardmoresam]

Do you take feature requests or is it bug support only these days?

A few features that I think would be useful are:
- Ability to rotate the outer ring on the attack disc side much like is possible on the TDS computer side.

- Markings on the TDS log slide rule for common unit conversions (yards, meters, feet, nautical miles, kilometers) much like you would find on an E6B. This would help with mixed unit situations in various naval sims.

- The ability to re-scale the torpedo deflection angle scale according to a pre-programmed torpedo speed.

Thank you!

[Elphaba]

Do you take feature requests or is it bug support only these days?

A few features that I think would be useful are:
- Ability to rotate the outer ring on the attack disc side much like is possible on the TDS computer side.

- Markings on the TDS log slide rule for common unit conversions (yards, meters, feet, nautical miles, kilometers) much like you would find on an E6B. This would help with mixed unit situations in various naval sims.

- The ability to re-scale the torpedo deflection angle scale according to a pre-programmed torpedo speed.

Thank you!

Hi. Thanks for your feedback.

I’ve already implemented metres/yards toggling and rotatable outer ring on the Attack Disc in my dev build.

I’ll have a think about your other suggestions.

Thanks again for supporting Sub Buddy. It means a lot.

[RedHammer]

Would it be possible to add a speed conversion chart as well? I.e X distance traveled in Y amount of seconds = Z knots.
A varied set of silhouettes for the Visual AoB Helper could be useful too.
I already bought the app a few days ago, but I realize more functions = More moneys, I'm not greedy and I don't mind paypal'ing the offset.

[Aktungbby]

RedHammer!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Pisces]

Would it be possible to add a speed conversion chart as well? I.e X distance traveled in Y amount of seconds = Z knots.
A varied set of silhouettes for the Visual AoB Helper could be useful too.
I already bought the app a few days ago, but I realize more functions = More moneys, I'm not greedy and I don't mind paypal'ing the offset.

Speed conversion is aleeady a thing. Align distance on middle disk inner scale with timedisc in seconds. Pointer at 1 or 100s should show speed on middle disk center scale.