Countermeasures
 

We need a new sticky on countermeasures and the difference between active and passive. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but Passive actually is a noisemaker that will draw hostile platforms )hopefully) to it, vs. you, and Active is to actually spoof an incoming torp?

Let me know if I have that correctly. Been purposely getting shot at today to see how each works proper.

-S

My understanding of them is that they are both anti-torpedo countermeasures, however what differs is which torpedo mode they spoof.

You are correct that Passive is a noisemaker, however it is designed to be more noisy than your sub, therefore attracting a passively homing torpedo to it in preference over the submarine.

Active is designed to emit a thick cloud of bubbles that to active sonar appear to be a solid object, therefore confusing any torpedo using active homing.

You know... this is a pet peave of mine. In real life, emitting a bunch of bubbles would make a lot of noise AND present an active target, hence the distinction between the two types is arbitrary to me.

Also if you play against AI, they never use passive homing, so you can use active CM only.
Some dedicated fake passive target which would generate typical sounds and tonals would be interesting, but is it any realistic ?

Yeah, orginially, the passive decoy's were for passive-homing torps, but no AI really uses these and they aren't really *proven* useful otherwise.

However, I do remember one game where I dropped a passive CM as a "decoy" while I was clearing datum to see what happened and remeber than some of the ASW aircraft did linger on it a bit (it was in a sonobuoy field). I'm not sure if it was just conincidence or that it actually distracted the ASW prosecution. Anyone else have any experience with this?

A little off topic, but I've always been dissappointed with the duration of the CM. Its only about 1-3 minutes. Anyone got any plausible data on the actual durations of CM? I know its probably top-top-top secreat, but scientific guess may be out there.

When I used to play MP I would always adjust my CM loadout so that I carried 2x more active decoys than passive decoys, because it was rare for human players to use them as well. If I was feeling ballsy in the 688[I] I would even load up both dispensers with active decoys.

I still see a use for Passive noisemakers against the AI - Against the enemy it gives a false reading on your sub location.

-S

Why not just do something like cavitate on purpose?

You're kidding right ? :-?
Passive countermeasures (and active also but that's beyond the point) are stationary objects in DW. You deploy one, and the enemy can triangulate your position in exactly 4 minutes (if he is using passive sonar) using TMA. If you evade at 30 knots, that means that the maximum distance between you and your countermeasure after 4 minutes is only 2 nm (at best). Against an experienced player, deploying cm is like saying I'm here !!!! :rotfl: It doesn't really improve your tactical situation at all. Deploying cm is a desperate and last act.

Actually he says he uses it against AI.
Anyway even against AI I doubt it works.