Quote:
Originally Posted by VonApist
U53 positioned in the Irish Sea, weather is apalling. Hydrophone pinpoint towars a merchant coming my way. Visibility less that 500m. Using hydro readings i map the targets course, surface to position myself quickly and at a 90 degree angle. Submerge at 10m periscope up.
All i can see is rain and waves. According to my hydrophones, target is at bearing 350. I finally see her, Large Merchant no escorts. But i barely can get a good look at it and its only 400m away! As the distance is very short, i choose Tube 1 , low speed magnetic (they usually arm quicker than impact). Fire! and Dud!! Tube 2 fires and explodes before it reaches the target (probably due to extreme weather?).
The Merchant is now at bearing 030 and i dont want to risk a shot at this angle at this weather. I change course and follow it. I move away, surface and reposition myself ahead again at 90 degrees . Waiting for her to come and here she is. F**k magnetic. 2 more Tubes, set to impact fire both. And i do. Distance 420m. First one impact, second one a Dud (again!). And it has nothing to do with angle of fire it was perfect. Probably distance. Merchant hit. But wont go down. I follow her for 45 min game time and even though the weather is terrible she is still afloat.
No option for deck guns as i cannot man due to weather. Tube 1 reloaded. Coup de Grace and thank god, no dud this time. But it took me 5 torps to bring her down and im still on a VIIB - so not much room to spare.
Next time i will try for a longer, hydropone shot....
Suggestions?  |
1) Torpedoes arm at 300, whether you have set them to impact or magnetic/impact. As Jimbuna points out, some arm at further distances later.
2) If you are shooting at 90AOB or thereabouts, you want to aim into the hull at about 2 meters (depending on the ship). Don't try for an under-the-hull magnetic detonation, since it will go off, if it goes off, a few meters on the other side of the ship, with little damage.
3) Though when she was at 30, and you could maneuver into a gyroangle of 350-010, that is exactly when you should have tried a magnetic under the hull shot. Probably would have sunk her.
4) Don't shoot in rotten weather like that. You have no tactical oversight, and you risk losing the crippled merchant in the murk. And you cannot finish it off with the deck gun even if you do find it.
Remember that you have 36K kilometers of fuel when you leave port. You can afford to be choosy.