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Trav_R · 11-08-05, 09:54 PM

If you're having trouble with manual targeting, it's normal at first. It seems very hard when you first start doing it, then it gets easy. You're right about the range being so critical if you're doing it with the notepad. In order for speed to be correct using the notepad method, range and AOB have to be pretty accurate. That's why I use a couple simple methods for getting AOB and speed myself.

For speed, I mainly use two methods and compare them to eachother, they are usually very close. The first method is most accurate when the target isn't pointed at you, like when its AOB is 40 or greater. You'll see why. What you do is, once you recognize the ship (which will become very easy as you play more, since most of the ships you encounter are either C2, coastal merchant or small merchant.) Once you ID it, find its length. Then, wait till the ship's bow crosses your periscope crosshair and start the stopwatch. Once its stern crosses the crosshair, hit the stopwatch again. Now you know that it has travelled its length in a certain amount of time. Say its length is 120m, and it took 30 seconds to travel that length. That gives you 4 meters per second. Since 1 knot = .514 m/s,you can either divide 4 by .514 or you can just multiply it by two and it will be close enough. In this case, it would be moving about 8 knots. You can then enter it into your TDC manually and not have to worry about it anymore.

The second method is easy too. You have to listen to your target's screw on the hydrophones, and count how many full revolutions it makes in one minute. That gives you its RPM. Then look that RPM up on this chart:

http://subsim.com/subsim_files/patch...nd_trainer.zip

You then match up the ship type with the RPM you counted to get speed. Like I said, this method and the first method I mention usually give very close results.

Now for the easy way to get AOB. First off, point yourself roughly at a perpendicular course to his, it doesn't have to be perfect, just rough it. This is so that once we have our solution for our TDC, the gyro angle will be low when we decide it's time to launch. Now, to actually get the AOB, check out the recognition chart, and click on the top button that shows you the ship from different angles. Hopefully at this point the ship is still a good ways off and has a low AOB. Look at the 20 degree AOB picture, study it. Look at the position of the masts in relation to the superstructure of the target. Usually, one of the masts will be in an easy to recognize position, like almost to the edge of the superstructure, or maybe just a little bit past it. Then look at the ship, and wait until it has moved to a point that its mast is in the same position as the picture in the recognition chart. Once it is, leave your periscope pointed directly at that spot where it was when it matched the picture (don't lock it, just leave it at the right spot). Then manually make the AOB in the TDC 20 degrees, either port or starboard depending on your situation.) Then put the TDC back in automatic mode. Now, when you swivel your periscope around, the TDC will automatically update the AOB depending on where you are looking, so you don't have to jack with it anymore. You can move forwards and backwards and still not have to mess with the TDC, it will still be accurate. As long as you don't change course you will not have to update the AOB again.

Now you have the AOB entered to within 1-2 degrees of accuracy. If you don't have speed yet, get it once the target gets to a good position to read it accurately (or use the RPM method.) With those two out of the way, you can now twiddle your thumbs until the target gets close to the point that you plan on launching. What I do is get one last range with the stadimeter (it will be more accurate since the target is so close now). Once I put the final range estimate in by clicking on the checkmark, I swivel my periscope to the point that the gyroangle is 000. This way the torpedo doesn't have to change its course, and it eliminates any error that might be introduced that way. Once the ship crosses that point, I launch, usually aiming for the fuel bunker or engine room, and it's almost always a one shot-one kill. Make sure your tube is open by this time of course.

11-08-05, 09:54 PM	#12
Trav_R Ensign Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oklahoma, USA Posts: 227 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If you're having trouble with manual targeting, it's normal at first. It seems very hard when you first start doing it, then it gets easy. You're right about the range being so critical if you're doing it with the notepad. In order for speed to be correct using the notepad method, range and AOB have to be pretty accurate. That's why I use a couple simple methods for getting AOB and speed myself. For speed, I mainly use two methods and compare them to eachother, they are usually very close. The first method is most accurate when the target isn't pointed at you, like when its AOB is 40 or greater. You'll see why. What you do is, once you recognize the ship (which will become very easy as you play more, since most of the ships you encounter are either C2, coastal merchant or small merchant.) Once you ID it, find its length. Then, wait till the ship's bow crosses your periscope crosshair and start the stopwatch. Once its stern crosses the crosshair, hit the stopwatch again. Now you know that it has travelled its length in a certain amount of time. Say its length is 120m, and it took 30 seconds to travel that length. That gives you 4 meters per second. Since 1 knot = .514 m/s,you can either divide 4 by .514 or you can just multiply it by two and it will be close enough. In this case, it would be moving about 8 knots. You can then enter it into your TDC manually and not have to worry about it anymore. The second method is easy too. You have to listen to your target's screw on the hydrophones, and count how many full revolutions it makes in one minute. That gives you its RPM. Then look that RPM up on this chart: http://subsim.com/subsim_files/patch...nd_trainer.zip You then match up the ship type with the RPM you counted to get speed. Like I said, this method and the first method I mention usually give very close results. Now for the easy way to get AOB. First off, point yourself roughly at a perpendicular course to his, it doesn't have to be perfect, just rough it. This is so that once we have our solution for our TDC, the gyro angle will be low when we decide it's time to launch. Now, to actually get the AOB, check out the recognition chart, and click on the top button that shows you the ship from different angles. Hopefully at this point the ship is still a good ways off and has a low AOB. Look at the 20 degree AOB picture, study it. Look at the position of the masts in relation to the superstructure of the target. Usually, one of the masts will be in an easy to recognize position, like almost to the edge of the superstructure, or maybe just a little bit past it. Then look at the ship, and wait until it has moved to a point that its mast is in the same position as the picture in the recognition chart. Once it is, leave your periscope pointed directly at that spot where it was when it matched the picture (don't lock it, just leave it at the right spot). Then manually make the AOB in the TDC 20 degrees, either port or starboard depending on your situation.) Then put the TDC back in automatic mode. Now, when you swivel your periscope around, the TDC will automatically update the AOB depending on where you are looking, so you don't have to jack with it anymore. You can move forwards and backwards and still not have to mess with the TDC, it will still be accurate. As long as you don't change course you will not have to update the AOB again. Now you have the AOB entered to within 1-2 degrees of accuracy. If you don't have speed yet, get it once the target gets to a good position to read it accurately (or use the RPM method.) With those two out of the way, you can now twiddle your thumbs until the target gets close to the point that you plan on launching. What I do is get one last range with the stadimeter (it will be more accurate since the target is so close now). Once I put the final range estimate in by clicking on the checkmark, I swivel my periscope to the point that the gyroangle is 000. This way the torpedo doesn't have to change its course, and it eliminates any error that might be introduced that way. Once the ship crosses that point, I launch, usually aiming for the fuel bunker or engine room, and it's almost always a one shot-one kill. Make sure your tube is open by this time of course.