Solutions from the Weapons Officer

[Heffalump]

I've generally played full Manual TDC but with Map Contacts ON. Now I'm trying the opposite ... all Map Contacts OFF but relying on the Weapon's officer for solutions. (I don't like doing both manual mapping and targetting. I get bogged down making calculations and lose track of what's going on around me....)

Anyway, I used the WO for the first time last night and he missed with every shot. Then I noticed the solutions he'd given me left the speed at 0.

What is the proper way to use the WO? I input the speed and he inputs the AOB and Range? Does anyone else use him? I haven't seen much info on the topic.

[CCIP]

He never gave me any problems. The only thing to keep in mind is that for complete accuracy, you should open the tubes before asking him for solution and firing.

Otherwise, he gives speed without any real problem for me.

[Heffalump]

Thanks for the reponse.

I'll try again with my WO tonight. I did open the torpedo doors. For some reason all his solutions came up with a speed of zero. The only shot I managed to hit with was when I overrode his setting and moved the speed up to 7 knots.

Hmm, I'll have another go and pay closer attention to the TDC as he gives me a solution.

[Heffalump]

My WO is still AWOL :damn:

I generally fire my first salvo of fish on full manual targetting. So I've set the speed myself in the TDC. Later, when I turn to the WO for a solution, he never overrides it.

Anyone had this problem? I know that he SHOULD in fact be updating the speed because I've sometimes asked for solutions for wounded ships nearly dead in the water. No way were they going the original speed.

Does it matter whether or not the toggle button for manual TDC is on or off when I ask the WO?

To sum up, I SHOULD just need to lock on to the target with my scope, ask for the solution, and fire, right?? (and yes, open the tube doors!)

[Der wolf]

yes, the followingg procedure is all that is needed to score a hit on a ship:

1. Find a ship. ;)
2. Lock it in your periscope.
3. ID ship. (either yourself or WO)
3. Open your torpedoedoors.
5. Unlock periscope and change hit area (optional)
6. Ask WO for solution.
7. The moment the clipboard updates, fire.

[Der wolf]

yes, the followingg procedure is all that is needed to score a hit on a ship:

1. Find a ship. ;)
2. Lock it in your periscope.
3. ID ship. (either yourself or WO)
3. Open your torpedoedoors.
5. Unlock periscope and change hit area (optional)
6. Ask WO for solution.
7. The moment the clipboard updates, fire.

[wetwarev7]

Does it matter whether or not the toggle button for manual TDC is on or off when I ask the WO?



Yes it does matter.

[Heffalump]

Does it matter whether or not the toggle button for manual TDC is on or off when I ask the WO?



Yes it does matter.

Thanks. I guess it should be in the OFF mode (i.e., where you can't edit the settings manually.

[Walsung]

If the TDC isn't in OFF position, the bearing of your periscope is not reported in the TDC.
In other words, periscope in ON position (green) are just underwater binoculars with no aiming capacity. In fact, your TDC solution will be frozen at the last bearing where you pointed the periscope. Just switch on OFF position and the correct bearing will be updated.

Wetwarev is right it does matter, don't forget to switch the off position. And If you enter a new data (on your TDC or on your notepad), that new data will override the data of your WO.

To really understand how the TDC works, your fire solution is based on two very important data : AOB and speed of the target. That's why if you're approaching a convoy which moves at the same speed and bearing the solution that you or your WO found for one ship is correct for all the other targets. So just don't forget to open your torpedo doors and have the TDC on OFF position before firing :)

[Nedlam]

I'm a NooB and recently have made the jump from the Uber total CPU control of targeting (so I could practice setting up the shot) to using the weapons officer to do it for me. I'm slowly and painfully moving forward to doing it all myself. I'm sure that instills the utmost confidence in my crew and WO when I turn to him and say: "So the AoB is 150 degrees... right?"

Anyway, does it make a difference if you have a "Torpedo man" as your weapons officer? If I asked the ships doctor for a firing solution would he come up with a totally different set of numbers?

I never realized you had to manually open the tubes. Come to think of it when I fire the torpedo there always was a pause before it left the boat. Oh great. Now my WO is looking at me like: DUH?!?!?!

[Walsung]

Not opening the tubes just introduces a delay between your fire order and launching the torpedo. This delay will cause your hit to be innacurate or even to miss.
If you want to use the fewer torps possible, then you must learn by experience how to target the "soft points" of your target (fuel, ammunition bunker, oil storage for tankers... You must then target the ship without the lock on in your periscope.

For the WO, torpedo skill doesn't matter. In fact Weapon Officer is a uber cybernetic monster who never misses his calculations, always gives the correct targeting solution, even on a stormy sea at night at the limit of your visibility. He is never wrong :o This is the major drawback of the weapon officer for a realistic campaign. On another hand, it is realistic that if you're doing important things like assigning crew for repair, plotting a new course, you'll ask your WO to plot a firing solution. after all it's his job. The only problem is that he does it in one second where a good Kaleun will do it in 1 or 3 minutes manually on standart conditions.
The other important thing to know is that once you or your WO calculated the firing solution, if your target doesn't change bearing and speed, this solution will always be correct even if you change your course, speed wathever, even if the values written in your notepad are no more correct. So you don't need to ask him again. The TDC will keep updating the data. And like i said before, this solution is also fine for all the others ships of a convoy if they are keeping the same bearing and speed of your target, which is generally what they do if you were not detected.

[wetwarev7]

The other important thing to know is that once you or your WO calculated the firing solution, if your target doesn't change bearing and speed, this solution will always be correct even if you change your course, speed wathever, even if the values written in your notepad are no more correct. So you don't need to ask him again. The TDC will keep updating the data. And like i said before, this solution is also fine for all the others ships of a convoy if they are keeping the same bearing and speed of your target, which is generally what they do if you were not detected.

Doesn't the target's range make a difference? I had allways assumed that because it allways changes(unless you are both at 0 knots) it would have an impact on the accuracy, so I allways have the WO make a final calculation before I take a shot.

[Walsung]

On a manual solution if you are close, taking a last range will generally increase slightly your accuracy and give you a very precise chrono of the impact. But the WO solution is a perfect one, so if the targets didn't change their speed and bearing it's no use to do it for precision purpose.

The advantage of this fact is when you're multitargeting. You can't spend too much time on a single target because impacts must happen with a very short delay between them to avoid evasive manoeuvers. This is even more crucial if you're not relying on the WO for targeting.

Try to test anyway :)

[wetwarev7]

On a manual solution if you are close, taking a last range will generally increase slightly your accuracy and give you a very precise chrono of the impact. But the WO solution is a perfect one, so if the targets didn't change their speed and bearing it's no use to do it for precision purpose.

The advantage of this fact is when you're multitargeting. You can't spend too much time on a single target because impacts must happen with a very short delay between them to avoid evasive manoeuvers. This is even more crucial if you're not relying on the WO for targeting.

Try to test anyway :)

I will, but let me see if I understand....

Let's say there is a group of ships all travelling in single file. Since they are all travelling the same course and speed, Once the WO has the speed, AOB, and distance of one of the ships, I should be able to hit every single one without updating any data, except to point the scope at each ship as I fire. Correct?

[CaptainEO]

That's the case, even without WO assistance.

If you are shooting at a group of ships in single file, and they are all traveling at the same course and speed, and are at roughly the same distance, then all you have to do is get a good solution on one ship, turn the Manual button OFF, and then you can fire at all of them just by rotating the scope to aim each shot. (oh, your boat also has to be on a constant course and not going very fast).

The key step is turning the Manual button OFF. This links the Bearing and AOB dials on the TDC to your scope view. You can watch the effect by locking a ship in the scope, then going over to the TDC screen. You will see the Bearing and AOB dials rotate slowly as the scope tracks the target. As long as the target distance and speed aren't too far off, then your solutions will be good.

Usually when attacking a convoy I put myself on a perpendicular intercept course with the juiciest row of ships. I enter my best guesses for target speed and average distance. Then I swing the scope to bearing 000 and set the AOB to 90 degrees port or starboard as appropriate, and turn manual OFF. From that point on, all I have to do is point the scope where I want the shots to go and fire. I watch the gyroangle readout in the scope view to get an idea of the best time to fire.

If you are shooting from close in (<1km) then you can tolerate quite a bit of error in range and speed.

[Walsung]

I will, but let me see if I understand....

Let's say there is a group of ships all travelling in single file. Since they are all travelling the same course and speed, Once the WO has the speed, AOB, and distance of one of the ships, I should be able to hit every single one without updating any data, except to point the scope at each ship as I fire. Correct?

right :)

Try to point at different bearings your periscope then check the AOB dial on the TDC, you will see that the TDC updates the firing data.

[Nedlam]

Good stuff!

I'm swimming in a sea of protractors, compasses and pencils over here. trying to figure out all of this stuff and getting my fish to hit the target.