Manual targeting in 1.3
 

Since the last patch, I can't seem to hit anything anymore on manual targeting.

I ID the ship
I set range with stadimeter
I set AOB
I do estimate of speed
I do everything above again, so that I have (at least) 2 estimates.

When I go to attack map and look at what the TDC has computed, It's totally off, usually a little on range and a lot on speed. I have just loosed 7 fish on a convoy of 8 and haven't hit ONE ship within 800 meters.

I'm sure it's something I'm doing wrong, but for the life of me I can't figure it out.
I sure didn't have this before patch 1.3, though I had to guestimate speed myself. Guestimates I do now are comparable with the estimate the TDC gives me, but shots keep going short or long.

Any pointers? (I wish I had a WO like in SH3, to reference my solution with his).

I had to relearn a few things with the new patch. Magnification with the scope is not as good as the other patches but I believe the current magnfication is darn close to the real deal. This make ID of the target a bit more difficult. Also, for the speed estimate to work properly your range and bearing readings need to be pretty darn accurate. Last night in heavy seas my plotting team said the target was making 7 knots. My poor range and bearing inputs created this issue. The target was making about 4 knots. Four fish gone:oops: . This occurred in RL as well. IMHO it is more realistic and requires better calculations on our part. BTW, you can still change the speed if you feel your guys are wrong on the speed. One more thing, when I engage a convoy I concentrate on one target and plan on sinking 1-3 targets before I disengage. Attempting to get them all in one engagement is darn near impossible with the new improved DD. So put your efforts into the fattest target!

Here's how I do it:

1. ID
2. Stadimeter check
3. wait 20 seconds or more
4. Stadimeter check
5. Estimate speed & AOB
6. Turn PK on
7. Fire when torpedo gyro angle is minimal

The reason for multiple standimeter checks is to give the PK an accurate position to track from. Also if no escort is nearby I always get an active sonar range reading sent in before I turn PK on.

This is my first try at manual TDC (before 1.3 the AoB and speed estimates got me too annoyed to play on manual). It's been working quite nicely so far. First few solutions were pretty way off but they got better after a while. I'm pretty confident in my ability to hit ~60% of the time on any non-manuvering target within 3000 meters.

Be carefull that the value estimated by the crew is the course of the target relatively to the north which is different from the AOB. Anyway since you got the target course and the bearing to target you can calculate the AOB.

target course, bearing to target...
AND sub heading. The bearing to target is relative to the sub

thats the problem with the game it swaps and changes from reletive bearing and true bearing . when you look through a scope you see ships heading always as 0 and when the team compute the speed and course from the ranging they use true bearings everything should be done in true to cancel the problem in the royal navy our scopes have a true bearing ring and underneith it a reletive bearing ring i can do it ok because all that stuff is my JOB in real life i can understand how its confusing for other people


is there any one out there skilled enough to mod the game so ships heading in scopes and other devices is displayed as true heading? that would be a great mod

A scale with true bearing and one with relative bearing on each measurement device would be perfect indeed (like the sonar dial)

I have found the best way for getting speed is using the 3 minute rule. if you are unfamiliar ill explain

mark your targets position on the map with the pencil. Use maximun zoom and mark just in front of the bow. wait for exactly 3 minutes then mark the target again. using the ruler measure the distanse then multiply by 20. eg if the distance is 1nm your speed is 20kts .5nm = 10kts .3=6 ect. ive found you end up with a very reliable measurement. but obviously this method is much harder if you dont have map update on.

I have noticed that when using the sonar it allways seems to give a range slightly further and bearing slightly behind the target. Maybe im just not quick enough on the send data buttons.

Anyway Ive found the game heaps more exciting when using manual targeting. When and if I master this I want to move onto no map update.

happy hunting and stick with manual when you do hit its realy rewarding.

stew

Its Good But Even In Ww2 The Sonar Operator Could Give You The Speed Using Tpk And The Revolutions Of The Shaft Why Are They Making It Difficult To Get Course And Speed In The Game When Its Really Quite Simple I Can Do It In my Head But Im A Tactical Systems Leading Hand In The Royal Navy Submnarine Service Thats My Job In Life Not Everyone Is

Use auto TDC
 

I like using auto, it easier for me. too much work in manual.

Do speed and course estimations work if your boat is moving?

yes of course they do your working out what the other ship is doing not what your doing

I-N-T-E-R-P-U-N-C-T-I-O-N Please!!!:nope:

Thanks, I'll try this, and I have never used active sonar to get bearing and range, could try that too.

The problem is that in most cases you don't have 3 min to make the measurments and most of all you don't have a single target to find the speed.