After reading Operation Drumbeat, which follows U-123 under Hardegan in early 1942, I believe the manuals were largely useless. He was one of the best skippers out there, but constantly mis-identified merchant ships by as much as 10K tons, even in perfect conditions. IIRC, he even misidentified a merchant for a tanker.
How he then calculated range, I don't know. Most of his shots were taken from so close that even his mother would have hit the target.
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"Well, now, that's true... the IXC is a bit of a chick magnet..but you really can't beat the VIIB for off-road fun."
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