Finally Got some Cuties...
 

Thats the small homing torps..not things you catch from girls...;)


I load 2 into the aft tubes...intercepted a convoy....sank 3 with the forward tubes...instead of diving I waited on an approaching escort to narrow the range...I showed him my 'scope aft...

Meanwhile, I had set the cuties for 5 feet depth...changed the manual setting to fire the rear tubes at a direct straightaway 180 degree course..waited ...waited..then the shells started landing around the scope. Figured he was close enough.

I fired 2 and headed for 300 feet..went silent and evaded the escorts.

Never heard a thing..thought I had missed.

After about 10 minutes (just guessing) I was informed of two torpedo impacts. On external camera I saw a large tanker with 2 small holes blown high up on the hull near the engine compartment. Of course not enough damage to sink her.

So then..what is needed to score on escorts with these homing fish? I can't imagine how they missed that escort and ran about for ten minutes looking for something else to home in on. :shifty:

Guess I should be glad it wasn't me.

I figure that you let them go when the destroyer was too close to you (for them to arm, and instead they went nuts and tried to reacquire another contact ) and too fast. They can only reach 12 knots.

They are clearly inferior to the German homing torpedo, but nevertheless they do the job if properly used.

Firing cuties at a 'closing' escort is going to fail at least half the time probably more like 80% of the time.

They (cuties) 'look' for acoustic signatures, these signaturs come out of the ass end of the boat not the bow. Probably went right by the escorts and looked for some noise... any noise and picked up the merchant.

You did the right thing by going deep and silent so that the other 'noises' out there were greater than you avoiding killing yourself.

Cuties have a fatal flaw, their top speed of 10 knots. In practice this means that you have to fire when the destroyer is going slower that that. When he's charging your position to drop depth charges, he's going faster than the cuties can go. Cuties are for when the escorts are lollygagging around looking for you but not in active pursuit.

Instead of trying to take out DDs with cuties, use normal torps. The electric Mk 18 is the best choice. Set them to run at the shallowest depth and make sure the exploder is set to magnetic. As long as the destroyer is following you in a straight line you should get a kill.

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So then..the Destroyer actually ,in effect, outran the things then they went looking for targets? :huh: Amazing!

Still ...it is going to be interesting to play around and see just what they can or can't accopmplish. Time to push the envelope. If I can come up with another perfect pitch sonar man I think its going to be time to have a little fun with clueless escorts.;)

Thanks all for the guidelines and parameters of cutie ops..

I have no luck with cuties. Had 2 patrols with 'em, don't want any more. Watched a Destroyer have a leisurely cruise around with two of them on it's tail, maybe 50 yards out. It might have attracted their attention, taking it away from me, but probably not.

I have much better luck with regular torpedoes, firing straight on or directly behind me.

Cuties are fun to fire a couple into the middle of a convoy that has 'broken up' into those crazy evasive manuvers. :up:

I had great lick with a technique I call "Cutie on a Leash." This is fine when you have three DDs or so ganging up on you. It stopped working with the laterst version of TMO, but should work with stock or RFB.

Fire a cutie out behind you with there is a DD looking for you in the general line. If the DD evades, when the cutie gets about 1800 yards away, give 30 seconds or so of full throttle, enough for the cutie to turn around and come toward you. Hopefully it will pass right over you.

Now, what's the most coveted piece of real estate for a DD hunting for a sub? That's right, he has to look for that overhead spot to drop his CARE Packages. Where's that nice slow Cutie returning to? What a coincidence!:arrgh!:

Stand by for booms. Repeat as necessary. I've kept an active Cutie hunting for 20 minutes before. Hit probability, nearly 100%. Heh, heh, heh!:sunny:

I'm not convinced cuties work properly.

EDIT: I can spell properly, really I can.

My Cuties are OEM versions: no manual, no warranty. Shoot 'em and hope they work. Pray they don't work on you.:o

Cunning!:arrgh!:
:up: :up:

Mine come with a 30 day money back guarantee... pity its a bit hard to retrieve one after its been fired. :lol:

Does anyone think they DO work properly?

Heck! Define properly. Do we even have any design data and test data on the real thing? I have no standard of comparison myself to make any opinion. All I know is that I've enjoyed using them. They could be completely wrong and I'd be fat, dumb and happy! I would love to know whether they are realistic to tell you the truth. I do know I was upset when Ducimus nerfed them and I couldn't do Cutie on a Leash with TMO any more.
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