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Frederf · 09-23-09, 05:19 PM

I'm pretty sure Japanese merchants of the time were taught "turn into a bow torpedo, turn away from a real torpedo" just like US sub captains were. There are examples of "turn this way training" like the ASW thing you mentioned and I believe some fighter pilots. I guess it would come down to a deck hand maybe having the presence of mind to scream "Torpedo attack, aft!" instead of "Torpedo attack!" in Japanese or just freezing up in disbelief.

Also I think the game makes the lookouts a little too vigilant with regards to spotting torpedo tracks and too quick to react both the crew and the ship itself physically. I was just simply trying to list plenty of "what-ifs" of factors that were present in real life that may not be modeled factors in the game or our gamer behavior.

Now for a 135 TTa shot yes turning one way or the other improves or worsens the target angular size but honestly both spoil the actual solution. If the target turns parallel to the torpedo track his angular motion goes from 0.707 to 0 or if he turns broadside his angular motion goes from 0.707 to 1. Either way he's not going to be where the torpedo expects him to be, the only difference is if it misses astern or passes alongside. Simply turning broadside is hardly the kiss of death.

I suppose that 0.707 and 0 are farther apart than 0.707 and 1 so turning broadside doesn't change the angular motion by as much as turning parallel. Also you figure that a spread of torpedoes are gunna cover a wide range so getting out of the way is not practical, you have to "turn slim." For a 150 degree shot the difference between turning 180 or 90 does the same thing.

I don't know of any real life torpedo shots that were purposefully aimed with the idea that "if the target turns left this'll get him." They simply fired spreads. Stuff like "angular target width 3 degrees, coverage 150%, maximum gap 67% = 3 torpedo spread 0,+2.25,-2.25."

09-23-09, 05:19 PM	#3
Frederf Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 665 Downloads: 79 Uploads: 1	I'm pretty sure Japanese merchants of the time were taught "turn into a bow torpedo, turn away from a real torpedo" just like US sub captains were. There are examples of "turn this way training" like the ASW thing you mentioned and I believe some fighter pilots. I guess it would come down to a deck hand maybe having the presence of mind to scream "Torpedo attack, aft!" instead of "Torpedo attack!" in Japanese or just freezing up in disbelief. Also I think the game makes the lookouts a little too vigilant with regards to spotting torpedo tracks and too quick to react both the crew and the ship itself physically. I was just simply trying to list plenty of "what-ifs" of factors that were present in real life that may not be modeled factors in the game or our gamer behavior. Now for a 135 TTa shot yes turning one way or the other improves or worsens the target angular size but honestly both spoil the actual solution. If the target turns parallel to the torpedo track his angular motion goes from 0.707 to 0 or if he turns broadside his angular motion goes from 0.707 to 1. Either way he's not going to be where the torpedo expects him to be, the only difference is if it misses astern or passes alongside. Simply turning broadside is hardly the kiss of death. I suppose that 0.707 and 0 are farther apart than 0.707 and 1 so turning broadside doesn't change the angular motion by as much as turning parallel. Also you figure that a spread of torpedoes are gunna cover a wide range so getting out of the way is not practical, you have to "turn slim." For a 150 degree shot the difference between turning 180 or 90 does the same thing. I don't know of any real life torpedo shots that were purposefully aimed with the idea that "if the target turns left this'll get him." They simply fired spreads. Stuff like "angular target width 3 degrees, coverage 150%, maximum gap 67% = 3 torpedo spread 0,+2.25,-2.25."