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Old 08-18-10, 10:27 PM   #3
Ducimus
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the_tyrant View Post
is it possible to sink other subs while submerged?
just like what we see in the movies
No. The movies are just that, the movies, particuarlly when it comes to WW2 technology.

The only time a submarine is able to sink another submarine, in game, or in real life as far as WW2 goes, is when sub A is able to get detect, and approach undetected, Sub B. At which point Sub A will attack Sub B, like any other surfaced ship. If Sub B detects Sub A before it can attack and submerges, the fight is basically over.

Now, "just like what we see in the movies", ... U-571 comes to mind. Here's the problem with the submerged duel scene.

Our entreped hero's only know the attacking sub's relative bearing. It was a sonar contact only. As most here know, historically, attacking by sonar bearings alone didn't really work. What was missing was:
The other uboats:
- speed
- EXACT bearing,
- Angle on the bow, and relative course he was travelling.

On top of that, they'd also need one addtional piece of info.
-Depth.

In U571, they had not one piece of that information, other then a relative sound bearing. In the real world, there is no way those fish would have hit like they did in the movie.

edit:

The best anology for a WW2 "sub duel" is to blind fold two men, give them each a baseball bat, put them in a dark room 20feet by 20 feet in dimensions, and have them try and hit each other.
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