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aluc24 · 11-22-13, 07:00 PM

Well, I'll just have to wait until they have to recharge the batteries

Speaking of writing down notes and calculations, does anyone play at realism 100% AND without map assistance (when enemy ships are no longer painted and updated on the map). 'Cause I guess that map isn't too realistic... Tutorial provided the whole procedure of how to recognize the ship, measure distance by looking up mast height, calculating speed by 90 degree angle, and so on.
I tried that. Well, in perfect sea conditions I can measure distance with ~10% accuracy, but when it comes to speed... Well, who would wait until ship passed 90 degrees in front. Marking everything on map, timing, calculating, is the only proper way I can see here (by the way, I guess U-boats in WW2 didn't have calculators, they did all the math on paper, right?)

Now this is my usual scenario: I'm riding type IIA in storm at night, surfaced. Sea is rough, winds roar, waves are huge, with all the clouds it is almost pitch black. After quick dive for hydrophone listening, I discover that some ship is nearby. I set course to intercept, and about 10km out, the silhouette of the target ship can be made out in the horizon. Cargo, thankfully, without escort. With mighty auto-drawing map I plot his course, my course, intercept plan for 500m 90° impact torpedo attack, safely coast to the lurking point, submerge, open tubes, set up TDC, go for silent run, wait until it is 1000m out, then raise periscope.
Only now ship is close enough to recognize the flag at full zoom. Of course, 2/3 of the times the ship is neutral, and I have to abort the whole show.

So the idea is that many things (ship type recognition, flag recognition, range calculation using only periscope) can be done only in short range, usually too short to set up proper attack without catching up.

I mean, this is horribly difficult (yet fun) with this auto-drawing map. Now imagine doing all that without map assistance - only what you draw on it yourself. Determining range would be almost impossible with all the waves and poor visibility. Target ship course cannot be measured without exact distance, same goes for speed. But this is probably how it was done back WW2, right? They had no magic tools to help them...

So how it is done without this magic map? Does anyone here do it?

P.S. - question off topic: how to disable the the thingy which tells what kind of ship (cargo, destroyer, coastal) are you looking at when you look through periscope/UZO? I have all the major mods, but they didn't disable this obvious cheat

11-22-13, 07:00 PM	#5
aluc24 Sailor man Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 48 Downloads: 91 Uploads: 0	Well, I'll just have to wait until they have to recharge the batteries Speaking of writing down notes and calculations, does anyone play at realism 100% AND without map assistance (when enemy ships are no longer painted and updated on the map). 'Cause I guess that map isn't too realistic... Tutorial provided the whole procedure of how to recognize the ship, measure distance by looking up mast height, calculating speed by 90 degree angle, and so on. I tried that. Well, in perfect sea conditions I can measure distance with ~10% accuracy, but when it comes to speed... Well, who would wait until ship passed 90 degrees in front. Marking everything on map, timing, calculating, is the only proper way I can see here (by the way, I guess U-boats in WW2 didn't have calculators, they did all the math on paper, right?) Now this is my usual scenario: I'm riding type IIA in storm at night, surfaced. Sea is rough, winds roar, waves are huge, with all the clouds it is almost pitch black. After quick dive for hydrophone listening, I discover that some ship is nearby. I set course to intercept, and about 10km out, the silhouette of the target ship can be made out in the horizon. Cargo, thankfully, without escort. With mighty auto-drawing map I plot his course, my course, intercept plan for 500m 90° impact torpedo attack, safely coast to the lurking point, submerge, open tubes, set up TDC, go for silent run, wait until it is 1000m out, then raise periscope. Only now ship is close enough to recognize the flag at full zoom. Of course, 2/3 of the times the ship is neutral, and I have to abort the whole show. So the idea is that many things (ship type recognition, flag recognition, range calculation using only periscope) can be done only in short range, usually too short to set up proper attack without catching up. I mean, this is horribly difficult (yet fun) with this auto-drawing map. Now imagine doing all that without map assistance - only what you draw on it yourself. Determining range would be almost impossible with all the waves and poor visibility. Target ship course cannot be measured without exact distance, same goes for speed. But this is probably how it was done back WW2, right? They had no magic tools to help them... So how it is done without this magic map? Does anyone here do it? P.S. - question off topic: how to disable the the thingy which tells what kind of ship (cargo, destroyer, coastal) are you looking at when you look through periscope/UZO? I have all the major mods, but they didn't disable this obvious cheat