Quote:
Originally Posted by Tempest
I have been tracking a large convoy. It is early evening, the seas are getting rough, and the fog is beggining to come in. I had good visibility in the early afternoon to 4000 meters. Now I can't use my TDC because of the lack of visibility. I have total reveal on but would like to take a somewhat acurate shot. Any ideas?  |
If you don't have a good firing position, shadow the convoy as Jaguar and jwilliams suggest.
If you feel like making the attack in the fog do what stoianm said. Remember, Bdu wants you to be "aggressive." So set up for a shot or do an end around on the surface if you are behind the convoy.
This is known as the Constant Bearing method. For Uboats it is the Fast-90 Attack for US Fleetboats it is known as the Dick O'Kane Method. Same principle
1. Use the hydro to get the course and speed if you don't already have it. Plot out a few points on one of the contacts with 5 minutes between them. (get your speed estimation from these plots). This will give you a good approximate sense of their course. Is the course going to be dead on accurate? Hell no, but you are going to compensate for that by getting REAL close to their course.
2. Second, get ahead of convoy and put yourself about 400 - 800 meters off the estimated course. To further increase your chances of a hit, position your sub at a 90 degree angle to that course.
3.
Set your bearing on the TDC to 350 (if target going from left to right) or 10 degrees (if target going right to left). You can also do this by pointing your periscope to the bearing and sending range to TDC. DO NOT TOUCH THE PERISCOPE OR BEARING AFTER THIS
4.
Set the range dial as high as it will go and send to TDC. If you are at a 90 degree angle then range doesn't matter. The TDC lead angle will compesnate.
5.
Input your calculated speed to the TDC.
6.
Input AOB lead angle of 80 or -80 (again depends on which side the target is coming from. This AOB directly corresponds to the firing bearing you previously chose. If you decided you want to fire at 355 or 05 degrees then the AOB would be 85/-85. If you wanted to fire earlier at say 345 or 15 then set the AOB to 75/-75
7. Track the hydrophone contact. This is easier if it is only one ship but ask your sound man to follow closest merchant/warship. When the hydrophone contact you want to hit passes your 350 or 10 degree bearing
FIRE! You may want to fire a spread to increase the odds of a hit.