Historical Attack Methods with a zig-zagging (unhelpful) target still possible?
 

I'm looking to get back into WP and have been brushing up on my historical training materials and I was wondering how they deal with WP now that it has randomly zig-zagging convoys?

After all, the Ausdampfverfahren does require quite a lengthy period of time where the track and speed of the targets are constant (especially if you end run around to the other side).

So what can you do when you've done the vector analysis, got everything ready, swung around the front and then notice they have had the damned audacity to screw up your careful plans?!

Obviously, starting over is possible, but are there any tricks / tips about how to readjust on the fly?

We're trying to approach the convoy behavior from the convoy point of view, what makes the most sense for the convoy in order to survive?

Of course, they have to get from point A to B, so a base course is involved.

When undisturbed, the convoy will proceed along this base course with random (to the Wolfpack player) zig and zags. The more frequent the zig-zags, the more challenging for the U-boats, but this also hinders efficient travel, so somewhere there is a balance between trip efficiency and maximum evasiveness.

Also, of course, we have to factor in gametime; we don't want to task the player with spending 8 hours observing zig-zags like they may have done in real life.

The player will never be told the pattern, that's a puzzle he/she has to solve. A reasonable estimate can be determined by observation. First, determine the base course, then the approximate time between observed zig-zags. Then set up a solution and intercept position and do your best.

We've heard a lot from folks that say the AI is too easy, people can sink 100,000 tons easily, ect and that is valid criticism. Once we get the water asset completed and the game updated in the new format, we will be refining the AI in one of the upcoming phases.

Neal, long ago I wrote the manual target process for SH1..every principle and method is applicable in Wolfpack. Do you have that anywhere in an archive, if you do can you send it to me?

I did some Manual Tracking in Wolfpack to gain the targets bearing, range, AOB, course and speed on the nav map at Full speed in Wolfpack and it works just fine. Depending on conditions Ideal -terrible it would only take 3-12 min to gather/refine target data enough to get solid data for a good shot. A zig Zaging convoy...depending on the time the zig zag occurs over would be the only difference. The CO must have his eyes glued to mark exactly what time the course changes occur.

Now if the convoy was "Constant Helming" forget it! :haha:

But every tool is in the Sim to get the right info. The "Pain" is running from the attack scope to the nav Map to plot Target data....in real life Id stay on the scope and send my observations to the plot. Now you can use the Observation scope on the surface, but even stepping away and missing target zig to port or starboard causes grief. Having a "Tracking Bot" dedicated to just that would be awesome. Its still "Manual and real" as the data the bot would record would only be as good as the CO. But over time..3-9 min...I can (depending on my skills) get a gnats ass solution.