[JuanLiquid]

While that formula may be accurate, I highly doubt a capitan or weapon officer would have an Hewlett Packard in his pocket to do it.

You have an attack disk (using some GUI mods, like Manos or Ahnenerbe) that solves that formula for you.

However I do not find any method that relies on mast height really good, because:
- Mast height is hard to measure with bad weather
- Any ship that has some damage will have different mast height
- Usually when a ship is close enough to take an estimation about its height, then its aob, is too late.

So, I think the best solution is using an eye-calculator which have even less error than the distance calculated with the mast height, is takes about 2-3 seconds and it returns you the AOB!

The only parameter you need to calculate is the Speed, which you can do with the attack disk, or with previous distance estimations, or comparing distances. While the speed is being calculated you can calculate the AOB and the distance. Eye calculator is perfect for counter attacking destroyers if that's your only way to escape. How do you do it? You must look for the clues in the target and some practise.

1. If I have a lot of time, I do distance estimations with stadimeter, map drawing, etc, I do not limit to eye-estimations, but I always do eye estimation to confirm. Also I do 2, and 3. And I do 1, 2, 3, 4 as many times as I can to get good data.

2. If I have limited time, at least 1 min, I calculate the speed of the ship with the attack disk. While the timer is running I start to look for the clues (4) to estimate its AoB.

3. If I have a very limited time (<15 seconds):

Speed: I estimate a speed of 6-9 for unware, undamaged merchants (some times they can go to less than 6 knots, take a look to their prow and how its breaks the water). Or 7-12 for aware, undamaged merchants. For destroyers, since they usually are pretty close to you, I estimate 3/4 of their maximum speed, if I do not have time to identify them, then 20-25 knots. Again, looks its prow. (3 seconds.) Step 2 calculation is the best value, step 1 is a good reference, step 3 is the machete at your ankle.

AoB: Is it going towards your sub? or is it going far from you? Its prow and its stern talks! If you cannot see too much foam in its prow, that means it's going away from you. Now, you estimate any angle, if you where in that boat, which angle would you use to see your sub. Once you have the first estimation look to the front wall (or rear wall) from the bridge, and look, in case of merchants, those duals mast that should be aligned. Now think, with your first AoB, and taking a look to those visual clues, would you think it is correct? or do you need to some correction? Dont overthink, follow your guts here. (10 seconds). Step 1 AoB, Step 2 and Step 3, all of them have the same impact on the AoB. Another clues: smoke, other ships in lanes (convoy), cargo aligment.

Distance: Almost useless unless you are using FaT torpedoes, just place whatever you feel (or you calculated in 1 or 2 if you had the time). Step 1 and Step 2 are the key here, again step 3 is your machete, but since it's almost useless, it doesn't matter.


Conclusion: you only have to calculate two values, the speed and the AoB. You have a very exact tool to calculate the speed (or you can use the formula 2*ship lenght / seconds), and your eye is very reliable to calculate the AoB. Once you do it 20-30 times, it will be almost automatic. Try it! And feel like a WWII captain!