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Originally Posted by blackcan
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Thank you (btw I got over Sierra 049 )
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When you enable the auto-crew sonar guys then they just scan the bearings and mark every above-noise-level they can. That includes your own noises on the TMA. It comes to the TMA autocrew to drop them or merge them together if they are valid. It's a way, but I like to do the homework myself. It forces me to look what's around me and get a situational awareness.
When I enter a mission I first pause the game and scan every line I can find. That may sound too easy/gamey, but in real life subs don't get dropped in the middle of things. They have time to prepare and get the contacts as time goes by. I note the bearing with any kind of information about it. Mostly sonar (how does it sound, how does the line look, frequency lines in NB, active sonar frequency if any, biologic if so), but also ECM mast if I'm at periscope depth I also calculate the difference of the bearing to my course and from it calculate what the mirror bearing must be on the TA. That clears up a lot of the fog and confusion, knowing where to expect something. I don't mark or assign TA trackers yet.There is not enough for all of them. I first sort record the TA bearings and mark the bow and hull array contacts. Checking the bow and flank array for matching bearing and frequencies. For most that solves the mirror contact puzzle, but there can be silent contacts hidden on those bearings. Faint contacts are preferred on the TA, as you only get the lower frequency lines first and the other arrays can only detect higher frequencies. Then I start to look at how much degrees I should turn to clear my baffles, and solve the mirror contact puzzle. The mirrors will shift bearing twice the amount that you turn, in the same direction as you do. So I try to turn only as much as needed to not get them on bearings of other contacts, or into baffles of other arrays. But if contacts are near, in that time that it takes to turn and straighten the TA the contacts can shift in bearing themselves. So don't turn piecemeal. After the turn I check what moved and what not. That indicates the true from the mirror contacts. And start merging contacts from the different arrays if they must be the same.
Because there are only a few trackers per array I would not assign 2 arrays on the same contact. I'd rather know from all of them how those bearing lines drift in this early stage than know exactly where each one is in range. If you make a few speed changes or course changes the TMA crew will pick up on their courses and positions quickly enough.
And don't be fooled into thinking that Quick Missions are the norm. All those missions have the contacts far too close causing things to go haywire immediately. Normally you have the time to prepare yourself in a mission. Just reduce your speed to stay silent while you get your bearings. (pun intended
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