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Svonne · 08-25-13, 12:49 AM

Navigation

The usual method for navigating your U-Boat is to plot a course on the navigation map. Alternately, you can set your heading manually, using the compass or rudder controls.

Your course is always relative to North (Bearing 0 degrees). There are 360 degrees in a full circle, increasing as you go east. To summarise the main directions (in both English and German):
Enlarge
Bearing Course Abbr. Peilung Abk.
000 North N Nord N
022.5 North-North-East NNE Nord-Nord-Ost NNO
045 North-East NE Nord-Ost NO
067.5 East-North-East ENE Ost-Nord-Ost ONO
090 East E Ost O
112.5 East-South-East ESE Ost-Süd-Ost OSO
135 South-East SE Süd-Ost SO
157.5 South-South-East SSE Süd-Süd-Ost SSO
180 South S Süd S
202.5 South-South-West SSW Süd-Süd-West SSW
225 South-West SW Süd-West SW
247.5 West-South-West WSW West-Süd-West WSW
270 West W West W
292.5 West-North-West WNW West-Nord-West WNW
315 North-West NW Nord-West NW
337.5 North-North-West NNW Nord-Nord-West NNW

If you click on the outside rim of the compass dial, then your U-Boat will turn towards this course (taking the shortest turn of the two possible directions).

Navigating is generally done from the navigation map, found by pressing F5. Use the plotting tool to select way-points, thus indicating your desired course. Generally, this is the most precise way of navigating. However using the compass dial to set a course can also be useful under certain circumstances. As can controlling the rudder manually. As an example of the latter, if you wish to avoid aircraft, then simply setting the rudder hard to port or starboard (usually via the shortcut keys) is a very effective way of reacting to the incoming threat.

Sonar / Radar / Radio
Table of contents [hide]
1 Sonar
1.1 Anti-sonar coating
1.2 Bold sonar decoy
1.3 Sonarman (SO)
2 Radio and radar
2.1 Radio
2.2 Radar
2.3 Radar detector
2.4 Anti-radar coating
2.5 Radioman (RA)
2.6 Contact reports
2.7 Radar switch workaround

Sonar

The sonar is your ears and the only way of detecting ships when you are submerged beyond periscope depth, and the safest way to detect ships under poor weather conditions. Sound travels faster and further in water, making the sonar a very important instrument.

The passive sonar device is standard equipment on U-boats and is very simple in operation; an array of transducers (microphones) are located around the fore dive planes. Any sound these pick up (such as the cavitation noise of a ship's screw) are amplified and can be heard when manning the hydrophone station. While using the hydrophone, click on the wheel or on the dial to pick up sound waves from another direction.

There are several sources of sound you will encounter on your patrols. Most of them are naturally ships' screws (a constant thumping), but also sinking ships, underwater explosions, the screws of your torpedoes, and dud torpedoes (a loud metallic bang as the torpedo impacts, but does not detonate) can be heard. This obviously also means the screws of your own U-boat can be heard by yourself, adding to the ambient noise and creating a blind - literally deaf - spot around your aft. Ordering "All stop" or turning 20-30 degrees allows you to scan this area as well. Also keep in mind that the hydrophone works best when you are submerged. Using it while surfaced limits the range. When submerged, expect the range to be around 20kms, and 30 kms if you have the KDB installed.

Anti-sonar coating

Some time in to the war, you can acquire an anti sonar coating to your U-boat when in dock. This helps conceal your U-boat somewhat when being pinged by enemy sonar by absorbing some of the sound waves.

Bold sonar decoy

The Bold is ejected on the port side of your torpedo room and disrupts the water in this area for three minutes. This confuses enemy sonar operators, which may mistake the return echo from it to come from your U-boat. Remember the sonar of a surface vessel doesn't work as well with targets in shallow waters, so deploy the decoy at some depth.

Sonarman (SO)

This is the crew member relaying whatever information can be found out from using the hydrophone. When you are submerged, he notifies you whenever he discovers a ship and reports the following:

type of ship (warship/merchant)
its speed
if it's closing in, moving away or keeping a constant distance to you
which direction it's at
the range (long/medium/short)

The experience of the sonar operator affects how good he's at detecting ships. For best results, give him a radioman qualification.

Clicking on the Sonarman icon in the lower left corner will give you access to the following menus

Report
Repeat last report
Report on nearest contact
This will make the SO reply either the absence of contacts, or the bearing of the nearest contact.
Hydrophone
Neither of these commands will result in an acknowledgement from the SO.
Normal sweep
The default method the SO uses to find contacts.
Follow nearest sound contact
Sonar
Both these commands assumes you have selected and a target using the periscope (locking on to it is not required).
Estimate range to contact
Precise range to contact

Radio

Keeping in touch with BdU is what the radio is for. You can only transmit reports when you are surfaced, but you can receive messages even when you are submerged - as long as the equipment (including the antenna in the conning tower) is working. Remember to be careful about when and where you are transmitting. While everything you transmit and receive is encrypted and might not contain enough information to alert anyone who successfully decrypts your correspondence, your location can be calculated very precisely by the Allies using triangulation. It is generally safest to transmit right before you submerge, as the possibility of planes and/or warships being sent to your location is high. (See also Radioman below.)

Radar

The radar is an active detection instrument, much like the sonar. It transmits a radio wave and listens for an echo. Unlike modern mobile radars and stationery radar installations, the U-boat radar only covers a quite small arc in front of the boat.

(In a 1944 IX-D2, this arc is 20 degrees each side of your course bearing or 40 degrees total - unknown if this active arc increases with radar upgrades.) As a result of this, you need to turn your U-boat around to sweep your surroundings. And because it is an active system, other units - such as enemy destroyers - can pick up your radar waves and find out your position. Radar works well in calm weather, but is less relibable in high waves and precipitation.

Radar detector

This utility allows you to know when a radar set is being operated in the vicinity (and pointed your way). The RA will announce the presence of radar waves the instant an enemy destroyer decides to sweep the area you are in. This doesn't necessarily mean you have been detected as high waves, inexperienced enemy radar operators with unfamiliar equipment may lead the enemy to believe he was seeing a wave instead of the conning tower of a U-boat.

Anti-radar coating

Similar to the anti-sonar coating, this is yet another upgrade that helps you remain undetected. It works by absorbing radar waves, or deflecting them in different angles.

Radioman (RA)

The radioman (RA) - or Funker (FU) in German - operates the radio, radar, radar warning equipment and gramaphone. Unless you have radar installed in your U-boat, the crew member working as RA doesn't need to be highly skilled or a qualified radioman. His only task is to receive and transmit messages. Clicking on the RA icon will present you with the following menu items.

Report
Report contacts
Choosing this will make the RA repeat any contact report that has been received from BdU.
Send contact report
The RA will transmit a contact report to BdU if you have made visual contact with a convoy. You will receive confirmation from BdU some time after the contact has been sent (typically 1 to 4 hours). If you are close enough to Germany or territories currently occupied by Germany, fighter or bomber aircraft might be dispatched to your location. Note that once you have sent a report, additional reports will not be acknowledged until at least 12 hours has passed. Thus, if you are stalking a convoy, reporting its position as you follow it, then it only makes sense to send reports twice a day. You can tell if a report will be acknowledged, as only those reports are noted on the message note pad (Press keyboard shortcut "r").
Send patrol report
If you have spent your torpedoes, you can send a patrol report to be ordered back to base. The number of torpedoes you have left, along with tonnage sunk will be sent to BdU.
To view incomming radio messages press the keyboard "M" key. See also Shortcut keys.
Radar
This section only applies if you have a radar set installed in your U-boat.
One sweep
RA will perform one sweep with the radar, and then turn it off.
Continuous sweep
RA will continuously monitor the area in front of your U-boat.
Turn off
Click this to turn off your radar. This command does not seem to work reliably. See the radar switch workaround for more info.
Gramophone
For playing all your favourite wax records. See the Gramophone page for more info.

Contact reports

In addition to sending contact reports, you may also receive them from BdU whenever you are in range of convoys that have been discovered by friendly forces. They will typically contain the information of roughly where the convoy is (in which grid), a rough heading, its speed in knots, and the type of convoy - ranging from enemy task force to neutral convoy. It then becomes your task to track down the convoy and engage it.

Radar switch workaround

Many people have reported the command Turn off under the RA Radar menu to be totally or partially ineffective. This bug can be quite dangerous, as you are lured into a false sense of safety that the radar is off, while it's in fact acting like a homing beacon for any ship or aircraft equipped with a radar set to detect and track you on.
There are two ways of switching off the radar, which will leave the radar switched off.

Relieve the RA.
Make sure there is no one manning the radio/radar set in the crew management screen.
Click the off switch in the radio room
Go to the radio room by right-clicking on the RA icon, then click the off switch located on the radar set. This will switch off the radar, and leave it switched off until you either man the radar again, or demand the RA to operate it.

08-25-13, 12:49 AM	#11
Svonne Sailor man Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 47 Downloads: 27 Uploads: 0	Navigation The usual method for navigating your U-Boat is to plot a course on the navigation map. Alternately, you can set your heading manually, using the compass or rudder controls. Your course is always relative to North (Bearing 0 degrees). There are 360 degrees in a full circle, increasing as you go east. To summarise the main directions (in both English and German): Enlarge Bearing Course Abbr. Peilung Abk. 000 North N Nord N 022.5 North-North-East NNE Nord-Nord-Ost NNO 045 North-East NE Nord-Ost NO 067.5 East-North-East ENE Ost-Nord-Ost ONO 090 East E Ost O 112.5 East-South-East ESE Ost-Süd-Ost OSO 135 South-East SE Süd-Ost SO 157.5 South-South-East SSE Süd-Süd-Ost SSO 180 South S Süd S 202.5 South-South-West SSW Süd-Süd-West SSW 225 South-West SW Süd-West SW 247.5 West-South-West WSW West-Süd-West WSW 270 West W West W 292.5 West-North-West WNW West-Nord-West WNW 315 North-West NW Nord-West NW 337.5 North-North-West NNW Nord-Nord-West NNW If you click on the outside rim of the compass dial, then your U-Boat will turn towards this course (taking the shortest turn of the two possible directions). Navigating is generally done from the navigation map, found by pressing F5. Use the plotting tool to select way-points, thus indicating your desired course. Generally, this is the most precise way of navigating. However using the compass dial to set a course can also be useful under certain circumstances. As can controlling the rudder manually. As an example of the latter, if you wish to avoid aircraft, then simply setting the rudder hard to port or starboard (usually via the shortcut keys) is a very effective way of reacting to the incoming threat. Sonar / Radar / Radio Table of contents [hide] 1 Sonar 1.1 Anti-sonar coating 1.2 Bold sonar decoy 1.3 Sonarman (SO) 2 Radio and radar 2.1 Radio 2.2 Radar 2.3 Radar detector 2.4 Anti-radar coating 2.5 Radioman (RA) 2.6 Contact reports 2.7 Radar switch workaround Sonar The sonar is your ears and the only way of detecting ships when you are submerged beyond periscope depth, and the safest way to detect ships under poor weather conditions. Sound travels faster and further in water, making the sonar a very important instrument. The passive sonar device is standard equipment on U-boats and is very simple in operation; an array of transducers (microphones) are located around the fore dive planes. Any sound these pick up (such as the cavitation noise of a ship's screw) are amplified and can be heard when manning the hydrophone station. While using the hydrophone, click on the wheel or on the dial to pick up sound waves from another direction. There are several sources of sound you will encounter on your patrols. Most of them are naturally ships' screws (a constant thumping), but also sinking ships, underwater explosions, the screws of your torpedoes, and dud torpedoes (a loud metallic bang as the torpedo impacts, but does not detonate) can be heard. This obviously also means the screws of your own U-boat can be heard by yourself, adding to the ambient noise and creating a blind - literally deaf - spot around your aft. Ordering "All stop" or turning 20-30 degrees allows you to scan this area as well. Also keep in mind that the hydrophone works best when you are submerged. Using it while surfaced limits the range. When submerged, expect the range to be around 20kms, and 30 kms if you have the KDB installed. Anti-sonar coating Some time in to the war, you can acquire an anti sonar coating to your U-boat when in dock. This helps conceal your U-boat somewhat when being pinged by enemy sonar by absorbing some of the sound waves. Bold sonar decoy The Bold is ejected on the port side of your torpedo room and disrupts the water in this area for three minutes. This confuses enemy sonar operators, which may mistake the return echo from it to come from your U-boat. Remember the sonar of a surface vessel doesn't work as well with targets in shallow waters, so deploy the decoy at some depth. Sonarman (SO) This is the crew member relaying whatever information can be found out from using the hydrophone. When you are submerged, he notifies you whenever he discovers a ship and reports the following: type of ship (warship/merchant) its speed if it's closing in, moving away or keeping a constant distance to you which direction it's at the range (long/medium/short) The experience of the sonar operator affects how good he's at detecting ships. For best results, give him a radioman qualification. Clicking on the Sonarman icon in the lower left corner will give you access to the following menus Report Repeat last report Report on nearest contact This will make the SO reply either the absence of contacts, or the bearing of the nearest contact. Hydrophone Neither of these commands will result in an acknowledgement from the SO. Normal sweep The default method the SO uses to find contacts. Follow nearest sound contact Sonar Both these commands assumes you have selected and a target using the periscope (locking on to it is not required). Estimate range to contact Precise range to contact Radio Keeping in touch with BdU is what the radio is for. You can only transmit reports when you are surfaced, but you can receive messages even when you are submerged - as long as the equipment (including the antenna in the conning tower) is working. Remember to be careful about when and where you are transmitting. While everything you transmit and receive is encrypted and might not contain enough information to alert anyone who successfully decrypts your correspondence, your location can be calculated very precisely by the Allies using triangulation. It is generally safest to transmit right before you submerge, as the possibility of planes and/or warships being sent to your location is high. (See also Radioman below.) Radar The radar is an active detection instrument, much like the sonar. It transmits a radio wave and listens for an echo. Unlike modern mobile radars and stationery radar installations, the U-boat radar only covers a quite small arc in front of the boat. (In a 1944 IX-D2, this arc is 20 degrees each side of your course bearing or 40 degrees total - unknown if this active arc increases with radar upgrades.) As a result of this, you need to turn your U-boat around to sweep your surroundings. And because it is an active system, other units - such as enemy destroyers - can pick up your radar waves and find out your position. Radar works well in calm weather, but is less relibable in high waves and precipitation. Radar detector This utility allows you to know when a radar set is being operated in the vicinity (and pointed your way). The RA will announce the presence of radar waves the instant an enemy destroyer decides to sweep the area you are in. This doesn't necessarily mean you have been detected as high waves, inexperienced enemy radar operators with unfamiliar equipment may lead the enemy to believe he was seeing a wave instead of the conning tower of a U-boat. Anti-radar coating Similar to the anti-sonar coating, this is yet another upgrade that helps you remain undetected. It works by absorbing radar waves, or deflecting them in different angles. Radioman (RA) The radioman (RA) - or Funker (FU) in German - operates the radio, radar, radar warning equipment and gramaphone. Unless you have radar installed in your U-boat, the crew member working as RA doesn't need to be highly skilled or a qualified radioman. His only task is to receive and transmit messages. Clicking on the RA icon will present you with the following menu items. Report Report contacts Choosing this will make the RA repeat any contact report that has been received from BdU. Send contact report The RA will transmit a contact report to BdU if you have made visual contact with a convoy. You will receive confirmation from BdU some time after the contact has been sent (typically 1 to 4 hours). If you are close enough to Germany or territories currently occupied by Germany, fighter or bomber aircraft might be dispatched to your location. Note that once you have sent a report, additional reports will not be acknowledged until at least 12 hours has passed. Thus, if you are stalking a convoy, reporting its position as you follow it, then it only makes sense to send reports twice a day. You can tell if a report will be acknowledged, as only those reports are noted on the message note pad (Press keyboard shortcut "r"). Send patrol report If you have spent your torpedoes, you can send a patrol report to be ordered back to base. The number of torpedoes you have left, along with tonnage sunk will be sent to BdU. To view incomming radio messages press the keyboard "M" key. See also Shortcut keys. Radar This section only applies if you have a radar set installed in your U-boat. One sweep RA will perform one sweep with the radar, and then turn it off. Continuous sweep RA will continuously monitor the area in front of your U-boat. Turn off Click this to turn off your radar. This command does not seem to work reliably. See the radar switch workaround for more info. Gramophone For playing all your favourite wax records. See the Gramophone page for more info. Contact reports In addition to sending contact reports, you may also receive them from BdU whenever you are in range of convoys that have been discovered by friendly forces. They will typically contain the information of roughly where the convoy is (in which grid), a rough heading, its speed in knots, and the type of convoy - ranging from enemy task force to neutral convoy. It then becomes your task to track down the convoy and engage it. Radar switch workaround Many people have reported the command Turn off under the RA Radar menu to be totally or partially ineffective. This bug can be quite dangerous, as you are lured into a false sense of safety that the radar is off, while it's in fact acting like a homing beacon for any ship or aircraft equipped with a radar set to detect and track you on. There are two ways of switching off the radar, which will leave the radar switched off. Relieve the RA. Make sure there is no one manning the radio/radar set in the crew management screen. Click the off switch in the radio room Go to the radio room by right-clicking on the RA icon, then click the off switch located on the radar set. This will switch off the radar, and leave it switched off until you either man the radar again, or demand the RA to operate it.