[Fishie]

Not much time here, so I'll try to hit on the key points.

For one, the tool to check the distance on a ship after identifying it. There appears to be a slight graphical issue with the tips of the mast when lining the images up and I'm not sure if I should be waiting for that last portion of the mast to flicker into view and place the image at the absolute top of that or should I ignore the portion that's flickering out of view and focus solely on lining it up with the top of the mast that is constantly visible?

Yeah, what you really want to focus on is the part you can actually see all the time. That flickering stay line usually doesn't botch the equation. Top of the mast, and you're golden.

Second is the AoB I believe it's called? I believe it means angle of bearing? From what I believe I understand that's the angle the torp will impact the ship at from the current setup. My problem is I simply don't understand how to calculate it short of guesswork. My guessing has been getting better and I managed to get several sinkings last night but I'm sure there's got to be a more sound method to get a precise measurement without guesswork right?

Nope. The AoB means "Angle Off the Bow". Basically, looking from the target's perspective you are that many degrees off the bow (or stern).

Best way I can put it to you is like this. You're driving in your car, and you come up on somebody you need to pass- they're in your lane. They are 0 degrees off your bow.

As you pass them and they are directly beside you, they are 90 degrees off your bow.

That number increases until you pass them completely, and they are 180 degrees off your bow.

The purpose of the angle off the bow calculation is to tell your TDC (Torpedo Data Computer) which way your target is going *relative to you*.

Other guys can explain it better, I'm sure, but that's the start of it.

Another is in regards to tracking a ships position with the map. I have no clue what the conversion is between feet and NM's or how to properly use the tools (considering I'm not entirely sure I'm getting the distance right in the first place) so I'm really confused on how to properly note with any measure of certainty where on the map the targeted ship is in relation to me in order to track it's progress which I assume if I can figure that out then determining the AoB will be easy after that.

You took a ranging with your stadimeter, and you have a bearing. That's all you need

If you zoom in on your map, you should have a bearing disc around your boat. Draw a straight line along the bearing you see him at, out to the distance you plugged in, and there ya go.

If you take multiple "snapshots" of his position, you can perform a rudimentary TMA (Target Motion Analysis) and that will give you his course, thereby allowing you to use your protractor and figuring out the AoB with 100% certainty (provided your measurements were correct with the stadimeter)

When it comes to tracking speed, I've been using the method to time how long it takes the ship to pass the crosshairs and that's been pretty accurate for me but depends entirely on being close enough to identify them to know the length of the ship I'm measuring. Again I believe understanding the above point will likely help with this also.

Try this- Take 2 measurements (or 3 or 4) about 30 seconds to a minute apart with the stadimeter (don't forget to use the recognition manual to select the right mast height!!!), then click your speed function and hit the stopwatch in there- that will get you a good estimate (or exact if your measurements are good enough!)

If you wind up with something like 275 knots, you messed up a little

Cool thing about doing this is while you bide your time waiting for the next time to raise your scope, you can look at your attack plot and plot his position (he was at bearing 300 at 1200m, so X goes here). Then pop your scope up a minute later, and you have another x. Connect the dots and you'll have your course, your AoB, and at the same time get your speed down. Torpedo solution ready, captain.

I've also been curious about escorts. I've read a few things on this board about them and I recall one set of pictures that showed early war destroyers ranges at about 120 feet yet there are numerous instances where I'm still being pinged at below 200. In regards to that I'm not entirely sure exactly how deep I can go. I believe the red water mark on the depth meter is somewhere around 300. I haven't tried to go beneath that point as I assume it'd be bad for me but I wonder if it's possible to go that low for any measure of time without getting stuck under. lol

The short answer is- that depends on your boat. Look at the tech specs for each boat, and use that.

If you're *damaged* however, you are in trouble. Never ever go down to test depth if you're damaged.

I'm also curious what effect speed has at those depths as there where numerous occasions where I was traveling at great depths and forgot to change from flank speed and used time compression. When doing that my ships would suddenly start taking a ton of damage and I couldn't identify a source as it doesn't appear to be a plane or destroyer and I was in very deep water so it wasn't the floor. I assume it was the constant speed at the pressure those depths bring that did me in? I'm nervous about using high speed when evading escorts while that's a possibility. lol

You went deep and it gradually squeezed your boat like an empty beer can. Better luck next time

Seriously, though, time compression while submerged is generally a bad idea.

So yea, I ramble a bit if you can't tell. lol. I'm using the stock game 1.5 U boat missions and any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm really trying to learn and you guys have provided some great vids and articles that have helped me a bunch already, but it's just those few points I can't grasp in the first place.

No worries, dude. It's how we learn.