Usually play manual but enjoyed auto target so far on this patrol...hate the triangle
 

Started a new 1943 career since lost last one when did fresh install so began new one.

TMO 2.0 RSRD
USS Grayling Gar Class
Brisbane
Map contacts OFF, free camera OFF but due to limited play time decided to go old school and run auto target.

Left port on 6 January 1943 and proceeded to Wewak, New Guinea.After finding nothing there headed for a patrol off Rabaul.On 20 January around 0945 made contact with a convoy....three freighters with two subchasers escorting. leaving Rabaul, most likely bound for Truk.

Conned the boat into decent position but a zig put me further away, I fired from 2800 yards, 3 Mark 14's against both large freighters(Nagara Maru) Numbers 1-3 fired normally, 4 went into a circle run, forcing me to go to 100 feet.Soon heard explosions, all five remaining torpedos prematurely exploded.I went to 250 feet and endured a brutal depth charging but survived.

After an end around all afternoon, made a night surface attack, fired from long range due to full moon.Six torpedos again, one dud , rest hit true and sank both ships.I slipped away.

Anyway....I like auto target and find it when ran in conjunction with map contacts off and cams off to be pretty realistic since the Captain of the sub did not do all the tracking, he made observations and conned the boat, often based on info from his crew via sound, radar and plot.Realism is taken away in game since auto target is pretty much always correct.


I would love auto target if could take out the annoying "triangle". Anyone figure it out yet?? If not, would someone make it their mission.Hellp if not remove it, find a way to hide it or something, really kills things.

I'll go back to manual targeting next patrol but having fun, just need the triangle gone.

I tried auto targeting awhile back and sucked at it. I felt so limited by it as most of my torps go to where I think ships will be when they get there. I would lock on green ships zigging everywhere and maybe get 1 hit out of four. Obvious merchants that don't know you're around you can do fairly well, but other than that I somehow don't have the skill to use auto target.

Auto target is pretty much point and shoot, you have to con the boat into a good firing position though, which is why auto target with contacts and cams off is fairly realistic.If your target data would have errors now and then itd be more realistic.I will go back to manual, more fun but would like auto target more if that stupid triangle was gone.

I sometimes also play with auto on but it is quite rare. Indeed at long range it is very accurate. However in RSRD i found a lot of convoy with 4 freighter in the center and 4 escorts making a box or a diamond. Well, it happens quite frequently that while i shadow them and wait the night i saw the leading escort stop suddendly forcing the center ships to change course to avoid collision. In that case a long shot will be ruined.

I've been using auto-targeting exclusively and have picked up a few tricks that might help. When you plot a TF (if you can) draw a plot line right through the columns, from first to last ship. This is in anticpation of them zigging after you intial assault. Make sure you extend the line from the first ship out to approximately visual distance (e.g., daytime 7000-9000yds).
Now, once the TF starts zigging, wait until your target ship is (for the most part) angled back at it's original approach course. At low speed, set your torp 1 degree offset angle in the appropriate direction, (high speed setting= .5 degree offset), once that target is approximately back to it's original course (mid-zig), aim your torps starting with the bridge as a center. Let 2 or 3 loose and I think the averages will increase in your favor. Usually works best for me (for some unknown reason) with slow settings, 1 degree offset between 5000-6000yds. BTW, do not target lock on this.

There was a discussion about this a long time ago, and back then it was said the "triangle" was hardcoded, and couldn't be removed. If it could be, it would have been by now. If it weren't for seeing that arcadish thing appearing under or over my targets (I forget which), I would play with auto target as well. Not because it's easier, although it is, but because like you mentioned, the Captn. would not be gathering the tracking info himself. Perhaps the only drawback is the perfection of the gathered info.

Oh, I'm sure if I played with it more than twice in my life I could make it work better, it's just so far from all my favorite tactics and methods of shooting. Probably the biggest reason is the way I plot myself into a TF or escorted convoy and prefer to shoot by the wire where I think a target will be. With cams off I find auto unrealistic, you come up and have all the info in one second. The other issue is you may have to wait for the next zig, even though you know it's coming, you can't set up for and waiting can sometimes be dangerous if a escort is coming at you.

I'll stick to manual.

I'm not sure I understand why you hate the triangle so much, all it does is indicate weather your torp officer has a good solution or not. I DO have mixed feelings about auto-target, but if you're careful you can get a hit almost every time.

Always open your selected tube door before you do your final pre-fire lock, the door not being open increases the firing time of the torpedo and as your torpedo uses the tracking data at the instant the fire button is pressed (OM), or in the original game the solution at the time the 'lock' button is pressed the time lag created by the outer doors opening increases the chance of a miss.

Always have your rudder centered before you do your final per-fire lockon as the torp fires with the solution (above paragraph) at the time the fire button is pressed. If you're creative you can use the door lag and a quick rudder deflection to 'refine' the torp's destination without altering the TDC solution.

Try to refrain from firing until the triangle indicates a good solution (green triangle) the normally appears only with 20 deg arc directly ahead or astern of the sub.

Auto-target can be your friend if you don't fall into the trap of thinking it's idiot-proof. The majority of my early auto-target shots were misses until I got the timing figured out, now it almost never misses. Just before you're ready to fire (20 sec or so) open your selected tubes outer door, and within 5 seconds of firing- pop up the scope, lock-on, FIRE ! I usually drop the scope, go flank and turn 20 deg ahead of the target (to ensure I can send a follow-up shot if needed) and slow again when I'm pointed ahead of the target.

The thing that gets me about auto-targeting is that it's no way a guarantee that you're going to hit anything. If I have the wrong bow angle or a bad approach in general, I'm gonna' probably miss. I've missed many a time just because I needed to be 1000 yrds closer or I've had too steep a bow angle. Sure the little triangle was green or yellow but that turned out to be very temporary. It just adds to the fun of chance. It shows how quickly things change in the heat of attack. So even with auto, you're chances of missing the target are still there but probably reduced if you're attack settup is good.
So now I have a question; Can I still setup a spread with auto on?? I use the TDC for range ect and the controls are there for speed, depth and spread. I would like to fire a spread salvo at times. I haven't tried it yet, does it work with auto on?
Cheers.:salute:
D40 USS Drum

I hate the triangle because it is very gamey, arcadish.I usually play manual with much success but gave auto target a try again just for fun.With cams and contacts off its a challenge conning the boat to a good position but I've played a long time and do quite well at that so Im usually in good position so auto target is a sure hit 95% of the time.Triangle is just gamey so hate it.

Bubblehead is simply trying to gain the most realistic experience that he can. I've read his other issues with the game and they all boil down to his desire for the utmost in realism. At least, that has been the inference I've drawn.
Though I too reconcile the triangle as, just another form of information, I realize that these triangles were not present on the pericopes of the real fleetboats. I think that is what he's trying to articulate here.

OK, I get it now. I used to feel the same way, but I gave up 'being realistic' in favor of blowing sh** up.

:har: Yeah, I love that part too.

lol I love to "blow **** up" also BUT the sim gets boring when it is too easy.I began playing this game with low realism in stock, then progressed to everything but auto target, contacts and cams at realistic levels.I then moved into manual targeting and playing mods with cams and contacts off.I enjoy the realism but I like the challenge bc although some of the fleetboat crews made it look easy, tracking, attacking and sinking enemy ships was not easy.I've "blown ****" up over and over so it gets boring if not a challenge.I play according to time, I stay pretty busy with school so sometimes dont have time to play a patrol without contacts but i play with cams off and manual targeting.I decided on last patrol to play without cams and contacts but with auto target, which was a nice balance.The challenge is conning the boat into good position as it was in RL for the Skippers, while the crew put together the firing data from your observations.Without contacts off still have to plot the path and pull ahead to fire, its time consuming but having auto target takes the load off , dont have to do your crew's job while con the boat so liked it.Remove the triangle, would be almost ideal.

The triangle is just too arcade like for me.I could handle auto target more without the triangle, that was my point.

Got to love the honestly anyway....but for most of us that'll get old fairly quick. Course you may be younger, my son will play and attacks all shipping, sinks more US stuff in harbor than anything....