SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - I Have Some Questions and Probably Some War Crimes.

Sniper297 · 02-05-14, 12:52 AM

I think two of your questions have been answered - there was so little space inside a sub that lower ranked crewmen had to "hot bunk", two men slept in the same bunk at different times. Firing torpedoes helped, as the spares were loaded into the tubes it made more room to fold down extra bunks. But even without the danger of stopping to pick up survivors (many surface warships left their comrades to drown rather than risking a torpedo attack by stopping), there just wasn't room inside for more that a few survivors - and if they were enemy they would have to be guarded, making extra work and more danger.

As for the attack itself;

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=124231

That's an old tutorial so some of the pics are missing, but the basics of a submarine attack is to plot where the enemy is going - the target track. If the target is a long way off you don't head toward him on a constant pursuit curve, you plot his track and head directly for the track, do whatever it takes to get in front of him and let him come to you. Distance to the track is the key element of the approach so that's the very first thing with any new contact, plot his course and start planning how to arrive 1000 yards off the track, facing the track at a 90 degree angle. WWII subs were faster on the surface, so if he's going away from you don't chase him - plot his track then do an end-around, running at high speed on the surface staying 6000 to 8000 yards away where you can see him but he can't see you. The idea is to get to the firing point (1000 yards off the track) 6000 to 8000 yards ahead of him without being seen, then pull the plug and wait. The whole purpose of a submarine is a sneak attack on an unsuspecting target, so being near his track at periscope depth before he arrives eliminates most of the problems of trying to hit him. Anyone should be able to hit the broad side of a ship with a torpedo from 1000 yards, so the whole plan of the approach should be dedicated to getting into that position unseen.

02-05-14, 12:52 AM	#5
Sniper297 The Old Man Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Philadelphia Shipyard Brig Posts: 1,386 Downloads: 160 Uploads: 19	I think two of your questions have been answered - there was so little space inside a sub that lower ranked crewmen had to "hot bunk", two men slept in the same bunk at different times. Firing torpedoes helped, as the spares were loaded into the tubes it made more room to fold down extra bunks. But even without the danger of stopping to pick up survivors (many surface warships left their comrades to drown rather than risking a torpedo attack by stopping), there just wasn't room inside for more that a few survivors - and if they were enemy they would have to be guarded, making extra work and more danger. As for the attack itself; http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=124231 That's an old tutorial so some of the pics are missing, but the basics of a submarine attack is to plot where the enemy is going - the target track. If the target is a long way off you don't head toward him on a constant pursuit curve, you plot his track and head directly for the track, do whatever it takes to get in front of him and let him come to you. Distance to the track is the key element of the approach so that's the very first thing with any new contact, plot his course and start planning how to arrive 1000 yards off the track, facing the track at a 90 degree angle. WWII subs were faster on the surface, so if he's going away from you don't chase him - plot his track then do an end-around, running at high speed on the surface staying 6000 to 8000 yards away where you can see him but he can't see you. The idea is to get to the firing point (1000 yards off the track) 6000 to 8000 yards ahead of him without being seen, then pull the plug and wait. The whole purpose of a submarine is a sneak attack on an unsuspecting target, so being near his track at periscope depth before he arrives eliminates most of the problems of trying to hit him. Anyone should be able to hit the broad side of a ship with a torpedo from 1000 yards, so the whole plan of the approach should be dedicated to getting into that position unseen.