New Player with "simple questions"

LordDakson · 09-20-15, 08:00 PM

Hi there everyone

Just found and bought SH3 and installed GWX (due to the numerous recommendations made here and on steam where i purchased the game) and have been having a blast learning all about the controls, and torturing myself using manual targetting and trying to follow Wazzoos guide with the "fast 90 method". Lot of fun, this game cannot be beaten for atmosphere! I feel like a uboat captain.

After struggling along for about 4 days, i thought i'd come and ask a couple of questions that might help me out. so without further ado, here they are.

1. Using Wazoos guide, everything seems to go along as planned, i spot the target, mark the bearing and range, work out its speed in knots, plot a 90 degree intercept point, intercept at 90. Firing solution, to my untrained eye looks good. I set the TDC stuff, (000 bearing and 90 port/starboard AoB) take a final range and open tubes and shoot. However, my torpedo seems to arrive late to the party (not by much, maybe 30-50ms?) every time. Are they spotting the torpedo and moving out of the way? or am i doing something wrong.

2. Generally speaking, when moving to your patrol area, how do you move? what speeds a good fuel saving speed thats not so slow your men would die of old age before you got there? When should i cruise on the surface and when should i be under? Also, if sent over to the irish sea region, should i go through the channel and straights of dover or would you recommend a newb head over the top of England?

3. This is a tough one to answer i'm guessing, but what sort of range should i be diving if i spot a merchant? On a patrol last night, the weather was clear, with zero wind, and i have the "16km atmosphere" from the gwx mod installed. My watchman reported a merchant moving slow at long range, i used the uzo to spot it, it was a little fishing boat. I ranged it, it was around 15km away. Suddenly it started zig-zagging and using the 3.15m method, while watching it and trying to sneak up to it. its speed went from around 5 knots to 7 knots, and thats zig-zagging.

4. My deckgun only seems to have HE shells? is this correct? am i doing something wrong?

I think thats enough of my pestering you old hands

Hope they're not stupid questions, For the record i'm playing with 80% realism, with just external camera, weapons officers calculations (as mine just flat out don't work) and map markers to "confirm" my charting.

Thank you in advance for any and all help, much appreciated. Hope i can get the hang of all this soon.

Sailor Steve · 09-20-15, 08:16 PM

Welcome aboard!

1. I'm afraid I can't help you with that one, as I've never mastered manual targeting.

2. I always use 1/3 (the second setting). In a type II that's about seven knots, and in a type VII about nine knots. One thing you can do is set a speed, travel for about an hour and then ask the Navigator for Range At Speed. Do this with different speeds and you'll soon get a feel for what works best for you.

Cruising on the surface is safe most of the time up until late 1941, as long as you stay far from shore. Most of the time you can spot aircraft and dive before they get near you.

In the game the English Channel is sort of safe, except for the mines of course. In real life they were under strict orders right from the start to go the long way around.

3. That's rather odd. I've seldom been spotted outside of 10 km in broad daylight. Of course with a little fishing boat it's best to just run up and sink him with the deck gun. Still they shouldn't normally spot you at that range.

4. Experienced kaleuns were allowed some discretion, so you may read stories of them using other shells, but in general a submarine had no need for armor-piercing shells. Illuminated shells ("star shells") would also illuminate the boat using them, so might be more trouble than they're worth. Since the game is unable to make changes like that, GWX limits the loadout to strictly HE. If you disagree or just want something different, it is possible to change your loadout.

UKönig · 09-20-15, 09:08 PM

1. I also do not use manual targeting, that is, to enter my own range, speed, and angle information into the TDC. I will have to use it from time to time in heavy fog, as my weapons officer will often give an incorrect value, and make me miss.
For example, I find a ship in bad weather. My auto targeting officer gives me an estimated speed of 8 knots. All my following TDC information will be based on an 8 knot value. I fire a torpedo and hit but do not sink it. Now the ship is damaged and the speed value is no longer true. But because of the fog, my officer gives me the original value of 8, because that's all he knows. Let's say I pop out on the ext. camera to take a look, and I see the merchant from his point of view. I see damage and maybe he is no longer moving forward. My officer still tells me target speed is 8 knots when I can see it is 0. I activate the TDC in manual mode and set the target speed to 0. I fire again, and then I hit. Usually sunk. I hate having to do that. If your torpedoes are just missing the target, then I would guess that your ship speed estimation is off, that is, a little too slow. The reality is he is going slightly faster, and by the time your torpedo gets on scene, it's just sailing past the aft end. I hope that helps somewhat.

2. you should only use "full" or "flank" to overtake a convoy/ship and get into a better position for firing. That or if you need to take evasive action against aircraft incoming bombs. It's why I play with unlimited gas, these boats are slow enough as it is. The English channel is so named for a reason. Better to take the long way around.

3. If you are attacking a lone merchant that does not seem to be armed, well, you can close to whatever distance you want, just watch out for collisions. They can normally detect you inside of 4km, so if you're not sure, dive around the 4km mark. It also depends on the boat. If you have a type 9, you will have to dive farther back. If you have a type 7, you can get within 3km before diving. Just remember the closer you are, the less time you will have to get under before he sees you and starts zig-zagging. In order to hit him then, you may have to close to 500m to be successful.

4. I don't know about this area so much. I play the patched stock game that provides a variety of ammunition types. In that case, it's a good tactic to alternate between AP (to crack the shell) and HE (to scatter the damaged parts). SS can be used as back up ammo, but they are underpowered and require more to do the same job, but it may be the only thing left you can throw, besides the galley sink.

LordDakson · 09-20-15, 10:27 PM

Okay, thank you guys. I'm just gonna turb manual TDC off for a bit i think. being my first Subsim game and such, i think i need to master the finer points of controlling the sub before i get caught up in all the targetting, though i have been close several times

Great feeling.

I'll also take the long way around too. Watching lets plays of it on youtube, it seems most people tend to go the long way around to the patrol grid. Sounds good to me

its an enjoyable game anyway, so if it takes a little longer, its all good.

Thanks for the prompt replies, still happy to recieve any more advice. its such a deep and complex game that the more tips/hints and tricks the better!

And thank you for such a warm welcome, you guys are awesome!

Aktungbby · 09-20-15, 10:41 PM

LordDakson!

depthtok33l · 09-21-15, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordDakson

1. Using Wazoos guide, everything seems to go along as planned, i spot the target, mark the bearing and range, work out its speed in knots, plot a 90 degree intercept point, intercept at 90. Firing solution, to my untrained eye looks good. I set the TDC stuff, (000 bearing and 90 port/starboard AoB) take a final range and open tubes and shoot. However, my torpedo seems to arrive late to the party (not by much, maybe 30-50ms?) every time. Are they spotting the torpedo and moving out of the way? or am i doing something wrong.

Try locking your periscope on to the target until your torpedo leaves the tube completely.

Magic1111 · 09-21-15, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordDakson

Hi there everyone

...

Welcome aboard!!!

u crank · 09-21-15, 04:31 AM

Welcome to SubSim LordDakson.

THEBERBSTER · 09-21-15, 04:54 AM

A Warm Welcome To The Subsim Community > LordDakson
You Will Always Find Someone Here To Help You
New To Silent Hunter <> Need Help <> Click On My Thread Link.
Subsim <> How To Donate <> See The Benefits <> Support The Community

Silent Hunter III from 2005 bring your game play to 2015 with the
LIVING SILENT HUNTER III EDITION 2015 Mega Mod

With this mega mod you can use manual targeting and then use the WO who has icons that will identify the target and give you a firing solution that you can use.
When the digital gyro angle shows 000 you fire.

Kip336 · 09-21-15, 06:22 AM

You could always add 1 knot to the target's speed when shooting

Andrakis · 09-21-15, 07:56 AM

Are you pre-emptively opening your torpedo tubes? If you do not open them, there is a small delay as they open then the torpedoes fire. If you find your torpedoes slightly behind what you expect, this may be the culprit. I believe selecting the tube and pressing "q" will open the tube early.

UKönig · 09-21-15, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrakis

Are you pre-emptively opening your torpedo tubes? If you do not open them, there is a small delay as they open then the torpedoes fire. If you find your torpedoes slightly behind what you expect, this may be the culprit. I believe selecting the tube and pressing "q" will open the tube early.

Yep, that's good advice. I've been stung myself by not opening the bow caps on the tubes I intended to fire ahead of time...

Zosimus · 09-21-15, 02:28 PM

If your torpedo arrives late it's because you have the speed wrong. The "Fast 90" method is (pardon my language) crap. The only advantage it has is that it is "more historically accurate."

Try http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961 to start. Once you have that method down, you can retry the fast 90 method.

Get closer to the target.
Fire salvos.

GT182 · 09-21-15, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordDakson

Okay, thank you guys. I'm just gonna turb manual TDC off for a bit i think. being my first Subsim game and such, i think i need to master the finer points of controlling the sub before i get caught up in all the targetting, though i have been close several times

Great feeling.

I'll also take the long way around too. Watching lets plays of it on youtube, it seems most people tend to go the long way around to the patrol grid. Sounds good to me

its an enjoyable game anyway, so if it takes a little longer, its all good.

LD, welcome aboard.

Even not using manual targeting you'll be on a learning curve that's still not as easy as you might think. Good luck and go get 'em.

Treacle1604 · 09-21-15, 07:25 PM

Manual targeting is the most rewarding part, two methods that can be found on youtube is the 4 bearing rule using only your hydrophones to pinpoint ships course, speed and range, great for fog and bad weather. The other method been the 3:15 bearing rule. look em up and enjoy!

Other then that are you setting the torpedo depths to match the targets draft?
setting torp speed to fast under ranges of 3km and switching to impact also helps if you have the 90 Angle On Bow...

09-20-15, 08:00 PM	#1
LordDakson Nub Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 2 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	New Player with "simple questions" Hi there everyone Just found and bought SH3 and installed GWX (due to the numerous recommendations made here and on steam where i purchased the game) and have been having a blast learning all about the controls, and torturing myself using manual targetting and trying to follow Wazzoos guide with the "fast 90 method". Lot of fun, this game cannot be beaten for atmosphere! I feel like a uboat captain. After struggling along for about 4 days, i thought i'd come and ask a couple of questions that might help me out. so without further ado, here they are. 1. Using Wazoos guide, everything seems to go along as planned, i spot the target, mark the bearing and range, work out its speed in knots, plot a 90 degree intercept point, intercept at 90. Firing solution, to my untrained eye looks good. I set the TDC stuff, (000 bearing and 90 port/starboard AoB) take a final range and open tubes and shoot. However, my torpedo seems to arrive late to the party (not by much, maybe 30-50ms?) every time. Are they spotting the torpedo and moving out of the way? or am i doing something wrong. 2. Generally speaking, when moving to your patrol area, how do you move? what speeds a good fuel saving speed thats not so slow your men would die of old age before you got there? When should i cruise on the surface and when should i be under? Also, if sent over to the irish sea region, should i go through the channel and straights of dover or would you recommend a newb head over the top of England? 3. This is a tough one to answer i'm guessing, but what sort of range should i be diving if i spot a merchant? On a patrol last night, the weather was clear, with zero wind, and i have the "16km atmosphere" from the gwx mod installed. My watchman reported a merchant moving slow at long range, i used the uzo to spot it, it was a little fishing boat. I ranged it, it was around 15km away. Suddenly it started zig-zagging and using the 3.15m method, while watching it and trying to sneak up to it. its speed went from around 5 knots to 7 knots, and thats zig-zagging. 4. My deckgun only seems to have HE shells? is this correct? am i doing something wrong? I think thats enough of my pestering you old hands Hope they're not stupid questions, For the record i'm playing with 80% realism, with just external camera, weapons officers calculations (as mine just flat out don't work) and map markers to "confirm" my charting. Thank you in advance for any and all help, much appreciated. Hope i can get the hang of all this soon.

09-20-15, 08:16 PM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Welcome aboard! 1. I'm afraid I can't help you with that one, as I've never mastered manual targeting. 2. I always use 1/3 (the second setting). In a type II that's about seven knots, and in a type VII about nine knots. One thing you can do is set a speed, travel for about an hour and then ask the Navigator for Range At Speed. Do this with different speeds and you'll soon get a feel for what works best for you. Cruising on the surface is safe most of the time up until late 1941, as long as you stay far from shore. Most of the time you can spot aircraft and dive before they get near you. In the game the English Channel is sort of safe, except for the mines of course. In real life they were under strict orders right from the start to go the long way around. 3. That's rather odd. I've seldom been spotted outside of 10 km in broad daylight. Of course with a little fishing boat it's best to just run up and sink him with the deck gun. Still they shouldn't normally spot you at that range. 4. Experienced kaleuns were allowed some discretion, so you may read stories of them using other shells, but in general a submarine had no need for armor-piercing shells. Illuminated shells ("star shells") would also illuminate the boat using them, so might be more trouble than they're worth. Since the game is unable to make changes like that, GWX limits the loadout to strictly HE. If you disagree or just want something different, it is possible to change your loadout. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

09-20-15, 09:08 PM	#3
UKönig Captain Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Posts: 495 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	1. I also do not use manual targeting, that is, to enter my own range, speed, and angle information into the TDC. I will have to use it from time to time in heavy fog, as my weapons officer will often give an incorrect value, and make me miss. For example, I find a ship in bad weather. My auto targeting officer gives me an estimated speed of 8 knots. All my following TDC information will be based on an 8 knot value. I fire a torpedo and hit but do not sink it. Now the ship is damaged and the speed value is no longer true. But because of the fog, my officer gives me the original value of 8, because that's all he knows. Let's say I pop out on the ext. camera to take a look, and I see the merchant from his point of view. I see damage and maybe he is no longer moving forward. My officer still tells me target speed is 8 knots when I can see it is 0. I activate the TDC in manual mode and set the target speed to 0. I fire again, and then I hit. Usually sunk. I hate having to do that. If your torpedoes are just missing the target, then I would guess that your ship speed estimation is off, that is, a little too slow. The reality is he is going slightly faster, and by the time your torpedo gets on scene, it's just sailing past the aft end. I hope that helps somewhat. 2. you should only use "full" or "flank" to overtake a convoy/ship and get into a better position for firing. That or if you need to take evasive action against aircraft incoming bombs. It's why I play with unlimited gas, these boats are slow enough as it is. The English channel is so named for a reason. Better to take the long way around. 3. If you are attacking a lone merchant that does not seem to be armed, well, you can close to whatever distance you want, just watch out for collisions. They can normally detect you inside of 4km, so if you're not sure, dive around the 4km mark. It also depends on the boat. If you have a type 9, you will have to dive farther back. If you have a type 7, you can get within 3km before diving. Just remember the closer you are, the less time you will have to get under before he sees you and starts zig-zagging. In order to hit him then, you may have to close to 500m to be successful. 4. I don't know about this area so much. I play the patched stock game that provides a variety of ammunition types. In that case, it's a good tactic to alternate between AP (to crack the shell) and HE (to scatter the damaged parts). SS can be used as back up ammo, but they are underpowered and require more to do the same job, but it may be the only thing left you can throw, besides the galley sink. __________________ Because I'm the captain, that's why!

09-20-15, 10:41 PM	#5
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,030 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	welcome aboard! LordDakson! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

09-21-15, 04:31 AM	#8
u crank Old enough to know better Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Prince Edward Island Posts: 11,747 Downloads: 136 Uploads: 0	Welcome to SubSim LordDakson. __________________ “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” ― Arthur C. Clarke

09-20-15, 10:27 PM	#4
LordDakson Nub Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 2 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	Okay, thank you guys. I'm just gonna turb manual TDC off for a bit i think. being my first Subsim game and such, i think i need to master the finer points of controlling the sub before i get caught up in all the targetting, though i have been close several times Great feeling. I'll also take the long way around too. Watching lets plays of it on youtube, it seems most people tend to go the long way around to the patrol grid. Sounds good to me its an enjoyable game anyway, so if it takes a little longer, its all good. Thanks for the prompt replies, still happy to recieve any more advice. its such a deep and complex game that the more tips/hints and tricks the better! And thank you for such a warm welcome, you guys are awesome!

09-21-15, 04:54 AM	#9
THEBERBSTER Growing Old Disgracefully Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Hythe - Southampton Posts: 9,609 Downloads: 1133 Uploads: 0	A Warm Welcome To The Subsim Community > LordDakson You Will Always Find Someone Here To Help You New To Silent Hunter <> Need Help <> Click On My Thread Link. Subsim <> How To Donate <> See The Benefits <> Support The Community Silent Hunter III from 2005 bring your game play to 2015 with the LIVING SILENT HUNTER III EDITION 2015 Mega Mod With this mega mod you can use manual targeting and then use the WO who has icons that will identify the target and give you a firing solution that you can use. When the digital gyro angle shows 000 you fire. __________________ LSH3-2015 <> TUTORIALS <> ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW <> ALL IN ONE PLACE SH4 <> TUTORIALS <> HOW TO DO IT <> INFORMATION <> DOWNLOAD LINKS SH5 <> TUTORIALS <> HOW TO DO IT <> INFORMATION <> DOWNLOAD LINKS Always Here To Help A Fellow 'Subber' \| Need An Answer to A Question Just Send Me A PM

09-21-15, 06:22 AM	#10
Kip336 Torpedoman Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 119 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	You could always add 1 knot to the target's speed when shooting __________________ Kplt. Kipischovic Malifozik U-336, 2nd Flotilla, Lorient

09-21-15, 07:56 AM	#11
Andrakis Watch Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 26 Downloads: 107 Uploads: 0	Are you pre-emptively opening your torpedo tubes? If you do not open them, there is a small delay as they open then the torpedoes fire. If you find your torpedoes slightly behind what you expect, this may be the culprit. I believe selecting the tube and pressing "q" will open the tube early.

09-21-15, 02:28 PM	#13
Zosimus XO Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Chorrillos, Lima, Peru Posts: 401 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	If your torpedo arrives late it's because you have the speed wrong. The "Fast 90" method is (pardon my language) crap. The only advantage it has is that it is "more historically accurate." Try http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961 to start. Once you have that method down, you can retry the fast 90 method. Get closer to the target. Fire salvos.

09-21-15, 07:25 PM	#15
Treacle1604 Watch Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Hull East Yorkshire Posts: 22 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Manual targeting is the most rewarding part, two methods that can be found on youtube is the 4 bearing rule using only your hydrophones to pinpoint ships course, speed and range, great for fog and bad weather. The other method been the 3:15 bearing rule. look em up and enjoy! Other then that are you setting the torpedo depths to match the targets draft? setting torp speed to fast under ranges of 3km and switching to impact also helps if you have the 90 Angle On Bow...

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