How to attack a convoy at a 45 degree angle
 

I came across a convoy with 2 T1 (G7A) torpedoes left in bow tubes and 1 left in stern. What I want to do is attack a ship 3rd column in and 2 rows in.
I'm thinking of attack at a 45 degree angle, so the torpedo will attack the ammunition ship without hitting any other ships.

http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/v...1-2010_812.jpg
This shows the problems I am facing. The T1 has a
range: 5-7.5-12.5
speed: 44-40-30

I sure there is way of attacking at a 45 degree angle and using the speed of the torpedo at a certain distance with a lead angle and known speed of ship.

Is there anyone here that would know the steps on how to do this procedure. I want to learn to do better manual targeting with map contacts on before I take the plunge and turn map contacts off.

I'm sorry if this has been posted before. I searched and didn't find what i was looking for.

I appreciate any help or suggestions.

Tweety

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...3&postcount=32

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=146795

Thank you Hitman, for these links.:up:

I have another question.

When the torpedo speed says it is 44 knots. Does this mean it will travel 44 Km/hour. What I am thinking is the torpedo travels from the sub to interception point to meet ship. this distance the torpedo will travel is x amount of time. What is the time based on torpedo speed in kilometers.

Sorry if I come across confused, probably because I am confused. If a ship's speed is 6 knots then the ship would travel 6 kilometers in 3 min 15 sec.

I have been doing pretty good using the Dick Okaine rules with 90 AOB.
Now I just need to figure out the torpedo speed with John P Cromwell attack rules.:hmmm:

Tweety

ahh, no!
1knot is equal to 1nautical mile (=1.852m) per hour.
so 44knots are 81.5km/h

I made a small drawing to look at the geometry of the torpedo's path and I guess it's possible. (sorry just a paper scratch) But no 100% garuantees that some other convoy member does a in-the-line-of-fire move and steals that torpedo from the ammo-ship. Torpedos going at 45 degrees to the track of the target have a longer distance to travel. (40%) And that requires better accuracy in your speed estimate. Try to get it within 0.25 knots. What speed is it anyway. As you haven't mentioned it. I can only see that it is slow and therefore not faster than 7.5 knots.

Either way, the steps:

(First of all! Forget the notepad! :arrgh!: )

1. Set your course to (make your torpedos) cross the target's course by a 45 degree angle. Add 135 to their course if they come from right to left through the view, subtract 135 if they come from left to right though the view. (In your screenshot the convoy seems to be on 25 degrees, crossing you from your right, then you set your course to 160)

2. (Full) stop and make sure rudder is amidship so you are not turning.

3. Set periscope/uzo to 0 degrees bearing

4. Go to TDC page, set TDC switch to manual

5. Set AOB needle to 45 degrees, in the direction they will move through your view (needle to the left/port if from-right-to-left in the periscope/uzo view, needle to right/starboard if it's moving from left-to-righ in view; in your case they move from right-to-left, so red area of the AOB dial)

6. Set target speed in the speed dial there.

7. Set range to your grandmothers age. ;) Range is cancelled with this method ASLONG you do not move the periscope/uzo unless required in the following steps.

8. Set the TDC-switch back to auto

9. Goto the attack periscope/uzo page. Right under the notepad (ok, you need to know what it looks like! ;) ) you see 3 numbers with the marking "gyro angle" next to it. Turn the periscope/uzo until it crosses over from 359 to 000. This makes the torpedo move straight out of the tube.

10. Open torpedo tube-doors.

11. Wait for the desired part of the (desired) target to pass over the periscope/uzo line. FIRE! But, since the target is far away, and due to the 45 degree attack situation the angular size in the view is halve the size of a 90 degree attack, and your speed estimate is likely not-so accurate, aim for the middle of the target.

Don't fool yourself by shooting with a salvo-spread. Test your targeting skills with one torpedo at a time. Look how it approaches the target (free camera, bubbles in the water with a T1), and if the target speeds up to avoid it. You are learning to aim your torpedo accurately. Shooting with a salvo spread is like shooting with a hailgun. You will likely hit something, if it is not set too wide. But due to the gyro-adjustment you won't get the propper feedback that makes you learn. You are deliberately pointing the wrong way. Besides, every torpedo can only be fired once! 2 torpedos per salvo means halve the attempts.

12. Get the hell out of there! (but do watch the show with the free camera! )

Whoops!, forgot to mention you need to set target speed in the TDC page. Edit on the way.

Thank you Pisces and KL-alfman,

I went back into the game.
Distance to target ship is 6.7 Kilometers. This is not a distance I am going to attack at. I still have to get into position for a 45 degree angle shot. So I should be closer and at periscope depth and not on surface with a full moon out. Yes it is too calm and the visibility distance is 16 Km. great for the convoy, but real bad for me.
Convoy course is 25 degrees. Speed is 6 knots.

I don't remember which video I was watching (the John P Cromwell or Wernersobe videos). There was something about the torpedo speed and distance to target. If I am too far away or too close. Would the torpedo miss the target. Or maybe range doesn't matter as long as the AOB is correct.

The AOB would be 45 degrees minus the lead angle or 35 degrees AOB.

I was just reading this

Pisces you are too good. :D
You can tell by looking at a screen shot about some basic information. And I have to go back into game to get the same information. That says a lot about the Captains here and a lot about me still being a noob and trying to learn the finer art of attacking.

Thanks for all the advice. Now I just have to practice a lot more.

Tweety

sorry, Tweety, my answer before was very brief.
now I got some more time to ask, why do you like to shoot at this aob?
what I can see from above posted image, you are in a perfect position to infiltrate the convoy (surfaced or submerged depending on wheather or sight, or radar-equipment on DDs).
just let the lead escort sail by and run silent at a perpendicular course, you should then find yourself between first and second column and range would be no problem any more. your shots on targets within a range of 1000m will always hit (almost :03:). you could fire even your stern-torpedo and take out a second ship in one run.

just my ideas .......

Yes, that 45 degree torpedo track requirement does make it more difficult, and less sure of hitting it. Better use 90 degree attack. My, :oops:... THE method stays the same. Just replace 45 and 135 degrees with 90.

Hi KL-alfman,

I was watching the John P Cromwell tutorial with Rockin Robbins speaking in the video.

I got to thinking about the speed of the torpedo. If the speed would make a different in shooting at a 45 degree shot compared to a 90 degree shot minus the leading angle to have the gyros at 000. I was thinking of the different speed settings on the torpedo if that would make a different in lead angle to shoot at.

I have been doing pretty good at the Dick Okaine attack rules. A video made by Rockin Robbins. I though I would challenge myself into shooting at different angles (make a better Captain at shooting) before I attempt to go with map contacts turned off. I enjoy playing this game and went to became better at manual targeting. I figure the better I am at shooting with a 45 or a 90 degree AOB. The more choices I have at my service to sink ships. The better I will become.

I do like your idea. The more choices the better.

Tweety

and it's an excellent one!
I even printed your step-by-step routine so I can check every time before firing an torpedo. thx for that! :salute:

Hi Pisces,

Thank you for your detailed plan of attack. I going to give this a try and see what happens. The good thing is I saved the game and can practice over and over again until I get it right. Providing the saved game will still work the amount of times I need to practice.

Tweety

I see your point now! :03:
hope you get that ammunition freighter down soon! :salute:

A faster torpedo reaches the target quicker. Which gives the target less time to move forward. So the lead-angle is proportionally smaller. The 44 knot setting is about 50% faster than the 30 knot torpedo. The lead angle is (with same target speed and AOB) then about 2/3rds (1/1.5) of the leadangle of the 30 knot torpedosetting.

Rockin Robbins does the 90 degree (or 45) minus leadangle by himself because SH4 doesn't do that automatically. SH3 however does when the TDC is set to Auto! In step 3 to 8 you setup the TDC for a simple situation with the bearing a 0 and AOB at 45 (or 90). To simulate the target being right in front of you. But this makes the torpedo turn a bit to the side. To correct this, at step 9 you must turn the periscope and make the gyro-angle 0. Now the AOB is adjusted automatically (because the TDC is in Auto mode). So the AOB indicator wil show 45-leadangle (or 90-leadangle) when the periscope readout shows only the leadangle. And the torpedo moves straight ahead.

YES!!! That's the spirit! :up:

Also, since magnetic torpedos like to stay longer under the target (to better detect the keel to detonate closer to it, and do more damage), the 45 angle attack has it's plus-side over the 90 degree attack.