Tracking by sound only questions

[raymond6751]

I am getting too many single ship contacts at night and cannot see them. Is there a tutorial anywhere for attacking using the hydrophones only?

For instance, how do I know how close I am?

How would I figure out their base course?

If nights are so black, how would one ever attack a convoy on the surface?

I am using the latest RUB 1.45 and have yet to encounter any convoys - only single ships and most get away! :damn:

[Dantenoc]

Well, it depends... is it dark just because it's night, or is it dark because it's night and theres a fricking storm that won't let you see past 300 meters?

If your in the first category just use the usual run on the surface then dive for a listen routine, eventually you'll get close enough to see the target.

If however your on the second case... well, I've managed to sink ships while totaly blind, but it's very dificult to do... let me see if I can work on a tutorial for that.

[raymond6751]

The weather is clear but very dark.

My question was more about getting into a firing position based on sound alone.

I have no idea how far away the targets are. I almost collided with one before it was seen, and again, in clear weather.

Last night I fired starshell, but that is a dangerous move. :hmm:

[Sailor Steve]

Prior to World War Two the U.S. Submarine Service tried training captains to shoot by sound alone, mainly so they could shoot from depths of 50-100 feet. It never worked, and they stopped trying. I've heard of gamers saying they figured out how to do it. If so, it's unrealistic; as far as I know, no one ever made a kill without being able to see the target.

[Razekiel]

"If so, it's unrealistic; as far as I know, no one ever made a kill without being able to see the target."

I think there was a kill By an XXI near the end of the war at 50 meters or so if I recall from the book Iron Coffins correctly
(another captain of an sub was telling the author Cmdr Herbert Werner about the new capabilities of the sub).

[raymond6751]

OK, thanks. Realistically, and we want to be that! To shoot at a target without identifying it is wrong. It could be a fishing boat or a hospital ship.

In future, I think it best to try and determine direction he is going by sound and shadow until daylight. Mustn't get the Fuhrer angry now!

Still, you read about those night surface attacks and wonder how they kept from getting run over! :arrgh!:

[mheil]

Just finished reading Iron Coffins and I remember that part of the book as well.

[Dantenoc]

Ok, if the weather is clear then theres no problem. It lacks elegance, but what you do is basically this:

1) Submerge and listen to the contact. Find it yourself by manning the hydrophones personaly.

2) Once the contact has been found, ask the sonarman to identify it. He will either:
.....a) Won't be able to pick the sound up himself
.....b) Tell you an estimated range (short, medium, long)

3) If range was detected as short, jump to step 6, otherwise, follow step 4.

4) Quicly surface the boat, race full spead ahead (no need for flank) in the exact direction of the sound contact (crude, I know, but anything with more elegance requires more info). The amount of distance to be traveled in this manner is determined as follows:
.....a) If your sonarman wasn't able to pick up on the sound, travel about 10km by default, around 14km if you know that the contact is heading away from you or about 8 if you know that the target is coming towards you.
.....b) If contact reported as long range travel 3km by default, 4km if the target is heading away from you and about 2km if the target is coming towards you.
.....c) If the contact was reported as middle range, travel about 1km

5) If no visual contact has been established yet, go back to step 1.

6) Short range means that the contact is less that a 1000 meters away, so you should now be able to see him through your scope. Proceed by best judgement.

That's about it for now... I'll work on a proper tutorial later.

If you can't see him through the scope on step 6 and the waeather is fine, then either your monitor's gamma setting, or brightness or contrast or any combination of those aren't apropiate for you. Fiddle with your monitor (either through software or the physical buttons on it) so that you get a brighter image.

[raymond6751]

Thanks for the excellent tactical advice. It makes sense.

It may be the monitor, but I haven't had any problems otherwise.

It may also be the low experience values of the crew. Perhaps the game will not allow watch crew to see even a close contact if they are not experienced.

It is November 1939 and I should be doing ID on the targets anyway. We shouldn't be firing blind into the dark, eh?

I'm missing the one thing necessary for this, patience!

[raymond6751]

Resetting my monitor brightness made a big difference. I can now see the men on deck and the wake of my boat. I can even see the horizon - a must to spot enemy.

We haven't had a contact yet to try, so the other idea about crew experience will have to wait.

Thanks to all who replied. :oops:

[Dantenoc]

Resetting my monitor brightness made a big difference. I can now see the men on deck and the wake of my boat. I can even see the horizon - a must to spot enemy.

I'v said it before and I'll say it again: "Silent Hunter III is notoriously dark"... almost everybody has to fiddle around with their monitors :-?

[Wulfmann]

I shut off all the lights and draw the blind for night operations, impossible otherwise.
U-Boats did use sound for tracking and positioning for general area to attack but still used visual for attacking. If the contact is far enough away listen. with your boat stopped (U-Boats did this) you can follow the movement. If you can get in direct bow position and track it so it keeps coming at you with no change, simply back up at 90 degree angle either side and let him cross your bow. I do this at night and in blinding rain and fog. Very satifying.
I recently heard a convoy (No report) in the rain. I guessed its position and course, kept surfacing, diving listening etc until 4 hours later I was in its path. Made one calculation mistake and missed it. I was annoyed enough to be foolish and surfaced running up through the convoy (6to8 3 and 4 rated escorts) firing at ships on a 90% angle ala Iron Coffins. I was attacked by a corvette dove and ended up sinking 3 big ships. I did not have a single contact report this entire patrol, nada, zip, Null!!!
I sank 2 more ships by luck when I almost collided in the fog but I digress!! LOL
You will get the hang of it by continuing to try and learn. If you die you get to use the lesson; a distinct advantage to a real Kaleun!

Wulfmann