Help! Transitioning from US Boats
 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I've been in the Pacific mostly, the past year or so, fighting against the japanese in US boats. I mostly use the sonar-only method for attacking. With the imminent release of SHV, I thought I would get back into a U-boot, and freshin up my skills (or lack thereof).

Since you can't ping the target to get range--how the heck do you get their course?? If I get a bearing on a tiny dot out there, and then wait say 10 minutes, and get another bearing--that still doesn't help me, as I don't know the range to the target! Do I basically just point my sub at the target and get really close until I can identify target?? Wazoo's manual targeting guide starts off with "ID Target"--so I'm assuming that's it. But when far away, how do I get an intercept course, if I don't know the targets course or range or speed?

welcome to the Atlantic!

1) there is nefelodamon's tutorial about hunting only by hydrophone. you can get range, bearing and speed by some drawings.
http://nefelodamon.blip.tv/

2) when surfaced I follow my target and take some readings (4-5 at least), then I draw the line onto the nav-map and guess the speed by the time elapsed. drawing will be needed to get the AOB90 as well.

I've been in the Pacific mostly, THIS THE ATLANTIC:nope::nope: your nav officer is way out.

Thanks for the info!

One thing to keep in mind is that if you are used to using the "fast 90" technique in the Pacific, using it in a U-boat involves a slight change.

Where as in a Fleet Boat you set the AOB at 90 Degrees plus or minus 10 degrees (for slow targets), in a U-boat you will set the AOB at 90.

Check out this thread for some smart people telling what I did wrong when I went from U-boats to Fleet boats.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147428

You can ping ships to get range on them, you just have to have the right equipment. I was just in a single ship attack and used my sonar to ping the enemy and got back a range just fine, it was enven an accurate range based on my estamates from the map and attack scope. I don't remember exactly when I got my sonar but I think it was some time in late '42

Keep your target(s) at around 270 or 090, and use the Watch Officer to feed you Ranges on a regular basis. You will eventualy gather enough information to formulate an attack.

There are other methods, but this one is fairly fast and simple.

Thanks Snestorm--

Is there a command to watch officer for ranget to target?

My pleasure, Brandt.

The only one that's realy useful is "Report closest visual contact".
As more contacts start to become visible, and their Range is becoming super-predictable (by you), you are on a very nearly (or exactly) paralel course with your future victims.
(Good time to try matching there speed).
It's also a healthy time to start keeping a sharp eye forward, for the lead escort!