Can someone explain in LAYMAN's terms manual targeting?!

[Kpt. Franz-Josef Lemmle]

I have tried and tried to read threads explaining how to manually target ships (Wazoo's etc) and I end up being more confused than before! I understand the ship ID, finding range...but don't have a grasp on AOB or how to check speed. Can someone give it a shot?

THANKS!!

:rock:

[GT182]

Yes, that's when you get and put in all info necessary to hit and destroy successfully your intended target. ;)

That's why I use the Weapons Officer and let him do it..... but "he" still misses on occasion.

read here..... http://www.communitymanuals.com/shiii/index.php?title=Manual_Targeting..... that should help.

[Kpt. Franz-Josef Lemmle]

There isn't anything on that page.

[lafeeverted]

It is a bit overwhelming at first. take a deep breath and go back to Wazoo's Tutorial. This explains it all very well. I will attempt to break it down.

Once you locate your potential target you need to determine the targets heading, speed and AOB.

Depending on realism settings, you may or may not be able to get this from your Nav map by zooming in on the icon and drawing a line through it to give you the heading( get the NAVMAP mod, it has a moveable protractor to make this part easy if you are not doing a full manual plot) If you a doing a full manual plot try to close within 3-4000 meters if on the surface( early war merchants should not likely spot you at this distance)

next, turn your boat so that you are running on a parallel course, you don't have to be exact but try to err on the side of closing the distance rather than travelling away from the target. Make a note of what your heading is and once you are happy with it, don't alter course. try to get ahead of the target so you can slow down to make the plotting of positions easier. Don't alter speed once you start the plotting either.

You have to plot the positionof both your boat and the targets over a specific time to get accurate speed information and exact heading of the target ship.

This is where it wil get a little complicated the first few times you do this until you get a system down. Don't be afraid to hit the pause button to take things slowly.

You will need to lock the target in either your scope or uzo view. Once you do that you should be able to identify the type of ship using the recognition manual. When you know what ship it is, check the empty box in the lower right corner, this will send the important information of Mast Height to the Notepad. You can now determine distance byusing the stadimeter. Click on this icon in the lower left of the notepad and then drag the mouse pointer into the scope/uzo view and alignt the stadimeter with the top of the heightest mast. Click once and you will see the distance to the target in the notepad.

At this point, hit pause. There is a lot you have to do so think clearly.

1) you need to start the stopwatch
2) you need to mark your u-boot position on the map
3) you need to convert the target position to north
4) you need to mark the targets position on the map

i keep a simple chart that has columns for uboot position, target position, target position converted to north and distance to target. as i take my readings they get entered and it makes it easy to keep the numbers in order.

follow wazoo's instruction for conversion to north, it is very easy.
uboot heading+target BEARING(from uzo/scope) = bearing from north
if greater than 360, subtract 360
this gives you the correct position form your boot to place the target position mark

When you have all the above information, you are going to do these steps.

1) unpasue game
2) start stopwatch
3) switch to nav map( already zoomed in on your position )
4) mark your boots position witht he marker tool
5) switch to ruler tool With the map tool help on ( "? "at right side of screen) and drag a line from your uboot mark to the distance of the target position. make sure the line goes through the converted bearing to north of the compass.


Now hit pause again.

Your first plot is done. You have a total of 3minutes anf 15 seconds to fiddel around with things like setting your torpedo depths, selcting tube shot or salvo etc....

You now have to repeat these steps to get the second round of readings.

Unpase and go back to uzo/scope view. the clock is running so be aware of how much time is passing. One you get to 2min 30 sec, start setting up the scope/uzo so that the waterline is even and get ready to take the stadimeter reading again. if you are submerged it is very difficult to be accurate as ther sub moves up and down so again use pause to stop the clock when 3'15 sec go by to make things easier at first.

Your u-boot heaing is the same, target position will have changed unless you have matched speed and are on the same course, distance will change as well unless speed and course are the same. Adjusat target position to north andget ready to plot info on the navmap.

1)mark your position
2)mark the converted position to north at the determined distance.You now have enough info to get the target heading and speed. That is, if your plots are accuraste.

Use the ruler and draw a line through the two target position marks. This is the target heading, lay the compass tool over this line and follow where it enters the compass. This is the target course. make a note of it.

Use the ruler and measure the distance between the two target marks. Because you made the marks at a time of 3min15sec the distance gives you the speed in knots. very simple.

You ideally should be within 2000 meters for a good shot, closer is always better. Determine how close you can fgo on the surface or if you need to approach submerged. get into an attack position ,just remember to return to the course of the target when you are ready to attack.

now this is where I simplify things a bit and rather than alter my course for fast 90 targeting , i just make sure my boot is on the same course as the target.

Folow the same principle as FAst 90 and set the UZO/Scope to zero degrees in view and switch to the TDC screen. Confirm the setting is at zero and then set the AOB dial to 180'. if the target was travelling in the opposite direction set the AOB to zero.

Set the target speed and confirm all else is how you want it.

trun manual input off and switrch back to scope/uzo. When you line up the target your are ready to shoot. open the tube door and good luck.


if this has helped at all, print it out and run through it in game. it all will start to make sense.

[Phyakrut]

So you run a course parallel to the target right, not the fast 90 basic approach?

I just tried the fast 90 basic for the first time and it put me on a course running perpendicular to the target i.e. the target was to to my starboard side moving away. Is this the idea of fast 90 basic?

[lafeeverted]

Yes, fast 90 puts you on a perpendicular attack. It also can give you a better angle of attack for the torpedo impact with less of a gyro angle setting. Running parallel simplifies the process a bit for learning manual targeting as there a few steps eliminated from the fast 90 method.