Question...Does crew quality affect the accuracy of a TDC solution? Or of a sonar range? (Would a less experienced sonar operator misjudge the range somewhat?).

Also just noticed: I use imperial measurements, but the zoom on the deckgun measures in meters!:shifty:

What about depth indications? Meters or Phatoms????? Makes a biiig diff here?!:lol:

It can go all Bernard if not careful then....:-?

Cheers

Per

In metric system all depths are in meters (including torpedo depth).
In imperial system all depths are in feet (including torpedo depth). In fact, all vertical distances are in feet since is more precise (depth under keel, the mast height ...)

To answer a couple of questions that have appeared late in this thread. Yes crew quality DOES effect information gleaned from them. I had two sensor operators (one with an efficiency rating of 72/70(+2), and the other 79/79(+0) I have no idea which one was operating the sonar, does it make a difference?) and the requested range to target was anywhere between 5970 to 7130 yards. I asked for range repeatedly from them and recieved many different readings in between. After my seventh time, I took an average of the reports (6550 yards) and found it was within 60 yards of my accurate distance. A margin of error of 60 yards in 3.3 nm is good enough for me.

I should point out that like Krupp, I have seen the inaccurate range data and have narrowed it down to the mast height figures through the Stadimeter to be the problem. As far as I can tell, the map Ruler tool in Imperial units is dead on accurate to yards in tenths of nautical miles. I wish it would read in yards or feet but the tenths are OK. Like some of you I have also seen an ACCURATE measurement when in the low realism settings with the computer finding the range, AoB etc. for you. Since I like the idea of Imperial unit of play, this is where I have done all my testing.

I will station my sub on a Longitude, Latitude intersection and compare distances on targets from low realism game play to high realism (with manual targeting and no contact update enabled). This way I know in advance what a given distance will be to a target and apply the range through manual targeting means. In all cases the figures are off when placing the Stadimeter's second image on the top of the mast. To find accurate range, the image must be moved lower sometimes half way between the top mast and the flag, sometimes on the flag, some times well below. Depending on the ship you are targeting , they are all different!

So it brings us to the solution of either changing the data within the game to have the correct mast height as a part of the Stadimeter calculations. Or, change the point of reference on each individual target, when using the Stadimeter to find accurate range.

I know the guys in this community are good but, I don't know if the correct data can be changed within the basic framework of the game engine? Maybe, the work is to check each target ship with a known accurate range. Find the particular reference point on the mast, that releates to the correct range, mark it, then publish those results.

Is this something that would help you?
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=109953

Or do you have some other solution in mind?

Well, obviously there are some conversion problems within the game. That said, I have no problem using the metric system since I'm use to it from using SH3.

It's been noted on other threads that the metric measurements are not suitable for operations in shallow seas in SH4. It seems you need finer adjustments in order not to run aground so the imperical measurements work better. Kind of a catch-22 with the targeting problems to boot.

Obviously, our Devs are on the job, and we'll probably have to wait for the next patch to fix this glitch once and for all.

Krupp, I've got your mod earler today but, I haven't had time to try it. Summer time yard duties etc.

A couple of questions though, is this to by used with the Metric unit of measurement or will it work in the Imperial game play as well? Just call me stubborn but, I prefer playing this American campaign in U.S. measurements.

Also, I noticed (as an example) you changed the Kasagisan's (small old split freighter) mast height to 27.5 meters from 22.56 meters in the .cfg file. Did you have to change anything else to get the Stadimeter to work within reasonable accuracy?

Good work on your accomplishment ! :up:

About using Imperial units, I did several patrols using imperial (manual targeting) and bagged a lot of ships, thinking, this is working pretty well. Then I found in tests that the game doesen't convert to imperial ( with the manual targeting, like maerean_m pointed out ) so I switched back to metric units. I think that it's a lesser detail than use incorrect ranges. But, like I said, it was possible to bag big tonnage using imperial. Shooting from shorter ranges the error is not that big (meters vs yards) in target/impact point.

I made changes to dimensions, speeds and masses and checked the sim-files. But answering your question, fiddling those cfg-values (height) was the cure to fix ranges for TDC stadimeter. (Kasagisan value is not 27.5 meters, but 26.9 from the original 22.56).