Does torpedo room crew have an effect on torpedo accuracy?
 

Hi,

I'm using GWX 3.0 and play with full manual targeting in the game. For all torpedo attacks, I make it a routine of filling up my torpedo room with qualified crewmen (often includes an officer to supervise operations), as I think firing torpedoes without anyone in the room would be unrealistic (at least, someone needs to be there to turn the dials and press the button, right?)

The other day, I planned a careful attack on a lone merchant, opened bow tube #1, fired, hit her right where I had targeted and only then realized that I had forgotten to move everyone to their battle stations - ie. no one in the torpedo compartment.

So this got me wondering: does having crew in the torpedo room affect the torpedo accuracy in any way, or is it just used for calculating torpedo reload times?

I would have expected that anything under a full green bar would negatively impact torpedo accuracy - ie. lousy gyro angle calculation or sth like that, but my successful hit the other day made me wonder...

Any experience with this?

Nope, only effects loading time. Nothing on accuracy. Higher the efficency, the faster another torpedo gets ready.

But it makes me think, did the targeting computer sent the stats directly to the torpedo (and how did that work, how was the torpedo programed while in tube) or was there a different dial next to the torpedo tube where a crewmember would input the data from the targeting computer ??

http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-570BritishReport.htm

And here is more information than you ever wanted concerning how the things actually worked.
http://www.maritime.org/fleetsub/tubes/chap7.htm#7A

I take it this means that a middle man was not required, but was available.

And holy **** Steve, there's enough in this links to build a U-boot :DL

Fantastic links! Once again, I find myself not starting the game, because I have so much to read here.

Thanks, Steve!

Bow torpedo room and bow quarters are same thing. One thing among many that got wrong by ubisoft rubber heads.

Quite a link that one was.

Thanks a lot everyone for the quick responses... and great link!

I agree. In reality number of crew had nothing to do with torps accuracy.
Well, except those ones who programmed them in the TDC

Seems to be a common ailment in these parts... :03:

US PT boats were the same. The torpedo was fired by the skipper pressing an electrical switch, but he also shouted "FIRE", at which point the torpedoman's mate smacked a firing doodad on the back of the tube with a rubber mallet, just to be sure. :D
http://www.hnsa.org/doc/pt/doctrine/part4.htm (page 68)

I've been playing SH3 since its release six years ago - haven't got past mid-1940 yet, mainly due to starting over every time some cool new mod comes out.

I am right now in June 1943, playing DID. Farthest I've ever made it.

Steve

I hear you there...

Some people call it obsession, but to me it's a big part of the joy of the game. Personally, I'd much rather enhance the experience (and restart) than soldier on with the same old same old.

Call me crazy, but 'customizing' the game makes it so much more akin to personal taste that you can't help but enjoy it more.

It's good to have the torpedo compartments manned for attacks.

At minimum, the outer doors were cranked open and closed manualy.
That requires some manpower.

Unsure how, or when, the G7Es were preheated, but I imagine a Torpedoman would be required in the compartment. As a precautionary matter and backup, if nothing else.

Yeah, I think I'll go on manning the torpedo compartment for realism, even if I now know this doesn't make any difference in accuracy. Won't be able to blame the crew (or lack thereof) anymore for my bad torpedo solutions!