[Penelope_Grey]

No auto targeting does not always produce a critical hit. If you can get your boat within 1000m of the target and have it so you are at a 90 degree angle like a big L shape.

The vertical part of the L being the ships course and the horzontal part being your course.

If you hit "Ship" on the little notepad which identifies what you are looking at. The recog manual will show the vulnerable point on the ship. The torpedo running depth also plays a factor in the sinking.

As I rule of thumb for impact torpedoes I set them to run half way between the waterline and the keel. In rough weather I make them run nearer to the surface.

Generally speaking the bow is a good place to hit the ships because as the bow floods the ship is still moving so it effectively drives itself under.

Bigger ships need about 2 torpedoes and if you put a double shot in the bow area you can take out a number of compartments in the front of the ship. So one torpedo goes into the bow, the other goes forward of midships. It will sink like a brick.

On warships that is a different story but not totally, the fore ammo bunker is usually in the bow underneath the gun turret(s) hit that and its going to go up like a beast! But bear in mind warships, particularly cruisers and battle ships, are tougher targets than merchant ships.

a) they go faster
b) armour.

So really against a battle ship, you'd empty all your bow tubes at him with one going to the ammo bunker the other 3 in a spread forward of midships to do as much damage as possible.

Taking out the propellors is a perfectly good strategy for warships, if he can't move he can't dodge your shots. And you are underwater so he can't shoot you either. You can take your time.

Generally speaking though for no nonsense sinkings, blast the bow with a double shot on the larger ships, and for smaller like tramp steamers, small merchants etc... one torpedo half way between the bow and midships will put them under.

So yeah, that's where I do all my shooting now.