Quote:
Originally Posted by Pisces
Did you take a speed average over multiple plots? 3 minute plots are too coarse to rely on if you shoot at anything over point blank range.
It is also important how far away those plots were when you took them. At 10 nm distance 1 degree of bearing is 350 yards wide. The target could have been anywhere in that 350 yards. There goes your 100 yard=1 knot rule flying out of the window.
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???
100 yards per minute (I assume that is meant) times 60 minutes is 6,000 yards in an hour which is very close to 3 nautical miles an hour, i. e.,
3 knots. Unless you meant three minutes...
Three minute plots? Why? More data? The futz factor in the range alone introduces enough error. Personally, I don't like to keep the scope up for very long, it does not pay to advertise.
I have the chart symbols on, but only for approaches. I don't correct off the chart, I go by eyeball.
I don't play as much as I used to, and use GFO when I do. Please let me wax eloquent:
* Numbah One: use common sense and Keep It Simple, Simon. I'm trying to enjoy a realistic experience. So, using my knowledge of the USN sub war in the Pacific (not inconsiderable, if I may), I try to have a 'realistic' approach and shoot. Oh, 82% Real, FWIW.
* Get ahead of them and ambush the enemy. Wait for them to walk into your parlor. Make everything as favorable as you can.
* Pick 'em up on radar, get ahead, cruise slowly to the meet. At the right time, drop the boat to radar depth. Track 'em, get a feel for speed. Confirm the 'Slow', 'Medium', messages on the radar icon (yes, I do use the 'on-chart' radar icons - that's my team plotting). Speed. AoB should be a snap, really, and don't sweat the angles, Pythogaros, as you'll see in a sec, within even 15 degrees can be good enough.
* OK, you're at 43 feet. Get the heck down at the right time. You didn't keep the scope up from last Wednesday, did you? Good. Go to 58 feet. Listen to Mr. Sonar, he is your friend, and yes, I use the sonar lines, that's my team again.
* You now are in a very good position to know where they are, how they're pointing, and how fast they're approaching. You
are on Silent, right? Good skipper.
* Put your scope up and check out reality against Mr. Sonar. Pick out the best, usually closest, target. All else equal, this is the rule, take the closest, surest target. Do this quickly, very quickly. Get that target in your visual memory, while you lock and punch the Keeper. Put the scope down if it takes more than two Hail Marys.
* ID the target, put the scope back up, if applicable, lock, enter ID, pull Stad down, range her. Put in your best guess to AoB, check out the bow wake, keep in mind what the heck it is, what the intelligence said way back when about the convoy speed - most speeds are between 4 to 9 kts, maybe 12 once in a great while, but the big secret is...
* you did the approach right and you are Deadly Close, under a 1,000 yards, preferably 800, maybe 650. Being George Grider IV, you already have the torps set to Fast and you don't worry about depth settings too much, you already set them to Flavor of the Month two days ago.
* Put the spread from 1.5 to 2.5 degrees, a typical real life spread, and give two totally unexpected gifts to Mr. Merchant. You
did open the door, right?
Wait for 'Torpedo in the water',
do it, it saves on prematures. Swing the scope and go for the second target if you're on a roll and already did the prep and homework for Target Two. Repeat.
*Get the scope down, belay Silent, dive like a banshee, get that temp layer, and reload. If you're good, you can come back for another round. If the IJN is good that day, get outta Dodge.
Don't forget to mark the Nav Map for stragglers and gun candidates.
Go home, be glad you're breathing, let Nimitz tell you what a good boy you are. Marry the girl of your dreams and tell your grandkids you'd rather not talk about it ('cuz you don't).