Attacking during a storm - why I like poor visibility!
 

I have recently enjoyed significant success with attacks in very poor visibility. My routine is as follows:

If visibility is poor it is best to hunt submerged on the hydrophones. As soon as the hydrophone operator reports a closing contact, I plot the target's course and bring myself onto a parallel course until I am abreast of the target at a distance of about 250 metres. I then widen the distance up to the limit of visibility but not more than 450 Metres. This is easy with a slow target where it is possible to stay submerged and use the periscope but at anything above 6 Knots it is usually necessary to surface to keep on station - here the poor visibility helps prevent the target from spotting my boat but if I am spotted and the target starts to zig-zag, maintaining a parallel course to keep the target in sight becomes very much more of a challenge. Also if the target is armed, it is essential to act quickly and submerge before the gunners have a chance of scoring hits. While on the parallel course, slightly ahead of the target and sure of the target's speed and AOB, I fire a torpedo from the stern tube aimed to hit below the funnel - I then slow right down (submerge if I had been surfaced) and if the target starts to overtake me I fire another torpedo from the bow aimed to hit the target about half way between the previous hit and its stern (or if the funnel is at the stern, further forward). By firing from a parallel course, the torpedoes travel through an arc and have sufficient time to arm themselves even though the direct distance may be less than 300 Metres. So far, I haven't needed more than two to stop the target (but I am always ready to fire a third from the bow tubes if necessary) and once stopped the target is a sitting duck. In recent patrols, this method has worked every time . . .

Wait a minute. Are you saying the gyros can bring a torpedo around at near 90' to the boat (or more), now that is news! Here I am being all fiddly about getting as close to 0' gyro angle as possible worried at the possible error, when you can get them to bend that much, that's very useful.

If you go into the tactical map (F6) and play with the bearing you can see the limits of the torpedo track as you spin the bearing dial. The track will disappear when you have exceeded the limits of the torpedo.

As I recall you can shoot at something just past 90 degrees. I never attempt this kind of shot, though, at full realism. I'm not good enough at estimating range and AoB.

Steve

The only thing to mind is the "reach" which is the distance the fish goes straight before turning to the prescribed bearing.

The bearing is based on the scope's location, so the farther the target is away, and/or the more extreme the turn the fish has to make the farther off the fish will be from your intended target.

If the target is far enough away/off axis, the fish will be on a perfectly PARALLEL course from the one you set, but will be offset enough to miss.

Key to this method is that the target is so close.

The U-Boat Commander's Handbook actually has a section on how to carry out 45 and even 90 gyro angle shots. It always kinda blew my mind.

T

Luckily for us the TDC takes care of this adjustment. That's why the range dial is there. Only to correct for this turn induced offset. (and valid only for the time it is set)