Question about firing a "Spread" or "Fan Shot"
 

Hi,
how do you set up a spread or "fan shot?" I have begun searching these forums but ask if you wouldn't mind pointing me in the right direction. So far I understand that the idea is to make torpedos hit multiple parts of the target in order to increase compartmental flooding and speed up sinking. However, I'm not clear about the setting up part. Is there something that makes all torpedos fire at once or is it a matter of hitting the fire buttons for all selected torpedos in quick succession?

By the way, I use GWX 1.02 if it makes a difference. I normally use automatic firing but am looking at the added benefits of selecting some options manually.

Thanks!

The "T/S" switch on the torpedo fre control screen (F6) determines whether it's a tube or salvo shot; when you set it to S you will see multiple tubes selected, and the paths of the torps will appear on the display. Drop the degree spread to narrow the fan; the switch that selected the tube now selects which tubes you have selected. Hitting fire will fire all tubes you have selected.

The idea of the "spread" or "fan" shot is not to hit multiple parts of the ship (even though that is very likely to happen) but rather to fire several torps at once at slightly different directions in the hope that at least one of them hits. Tactical situations where this could come in handy are when you're firing solution data isn't trust worthy (like when you don't know the enemy's exact speed, for example).

If your intent is to target several "key" parts of the target at once, I suggest you go with the "firing one by one in rapid succesion" method, taking care to point each torp into the desired compartment (always remembering to open the tube doors).

What do you set the spread to, in terms of degrees? The default 5 (or was it 10) deg is too wide, some of the torps will miss. Even 1 deg spread may miss if you're trying a long range shot.

Any rules of thumb?

Yea - i've never trusted the salvo fire functionality. Rather, I fire my own spread firing the tubes one at a time, while moving the periscope crosshair along the target ship. If you want, aim a bit infront and behind the ship if you really have no idea how fast its going (like maybe a TF). This implicitly deals with the angle problem. I think this method is about as fast as a proper salvo because they fire in sequence anyway. Might not be as historical as you'd like though.

Kb

Wow, thanks for these replies! :)

you're missing the point... it doesn't matter if not all of them hit, the whole purpouse of the fan shot is to sacrifice all the other torpedoes in your fan shot as "misses" in exchange for insuring that the remaining one will hit.

How wide should you spread them? well, it depends on range to target and the length of your target. As you fire your fan shot, the torpedoes start very close to each other, but as they travel along, they start to "fan appart" (separate from each other, as they each follow their own course, as dictated by the angle that you chose). At the moment when they reach the target's range, they should be separated from each other by about ONE TARGET LENGTH. More than that you'll risk the target sliping by between two adjancent torpedoes, less than that and you won't be covering as wide an area as you could and you risk not hitting the target with any torps at all (assuming your firing solution was incorrect).

Turn on the "God's eye view" and play around with the setting while in the "f6" screen and you'll get the hang of it.

I seldom use fan shots unless a target is zig zagging. If you want to fire multiple shots quickly at a target... decide how many fish to use, then switch to a salvo using that many fish, take note of the tubes selected in the salvo, open your doors then change to single fire, the doors opened for the salvo stay open just make sure you fire the correct tubes. This way you can fire in rapid succesion without having to wait for each torpedo door to open and you can aim each shot where you want it to go.

I see. So the concept of firing a spread is like a shot gun.
Thanks for clearing it up.
Too used to being a "sniper" if you know what I mean.

Well one thing's for sure, the default spread degree is a waste.

I have used tubes 2&4 or 1&3 on targets before, depending on what they are of course and adjusting the depth and pistol first. I've use both spreads on sucessfull convoy attacks as well, but in most all cases never more then .5 on the spread.
To narrow? Perhaps, but it works and so I like it.
http://huntny.us/sh3/2_22_07/21_19.jpg

My preferred method too :arrgh!:

I almost always using salvo of 2 (tube 1 & 3 with type I and tube 2 & 4 with type II). But I m not using salvo to have one 1 hit on 2, I always expect to score 2 hits (even if dud torpedo happened...) or exeptionaly with salvo of 3 for Large Merchant and salvo of 4 for fast warship which deserve me to shot at (battleship, carrier, you know the fancy stuff ;)).
In the basic 2 fishs shot, my solution is complete in the computer maybe 30 secondes before I have to free the fishes so I'm ajusting angle less than 5 secondes before firing in a way that the distance between both torpedoes at the impact point should be half the target length. I m not use to notice the actual angle actualy... must be between almost null to 5 ° I guess.
I did my longer range shot yesterday evening, 1500 meters. Wasn t able to close more, that ship was moving 12 knots in an area were surfacing would habe been succide. The angle should have been really close to 0 I guess and both score a hit.

I also never use the salvo switch, since in real life they didn't have one. The torpedoes were fired one at a time, even when they called it a salvo, usually about five seconds apart.

Sometimes I salvo with the switch. More often than not I do it individually when at the side of the convoy. Of the 4 sent someone is gonna get hit:up:

If you want all of your spread shots to hit the target ship, you need to find out how wide your target ship is in your periscope. Set your scope crosshair on the edge of the stern of the ship and remember the degree bearing shown (lets use 345 degrees as an example) then quickly move your scope crosshair to the very tip of the bow of the ship and notate that bearing (let's say it's 353 degrees)

There, now since 353 - 345 = 8, you should set your torpedo spread less than 8 degrees to ensure they all hit.