Venturing into using sonar and the TDC

[1Patriotofmany]

Can you shoot at a target just by sonar range and bearing? I haven't figured out how to do that. I went to the sonar station got the bearing sounding the strongest and sent it to the TDC, went to the range and sent it to the TDC. What next? I always play on baby level, but it's impossible in the rain at night to see with the pericope anything until about 300yrds. How do I fire torpedos without seeing the target using the sonar?

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by 1Patriotofmany

Can you shoot at a target just by sonar range and bearing? I haven't figured out how to do that. I went to the sonar station got the bearing sounding the strongest and sent it to the TDC, went to the range and sent it to the TDC. What next? I always play on baby level, but it's impossible in the rain at night to see with the pericope anything until about 300yrds. How do I fire torpedos without seeing the target using the sonar?

Plot out their path... get a good 90 degree lead on them... & wait until the sonar lines like 15 to 20 degrees off from zero degrees... that is the general variance I've noted... unless the targets really booking like... 12-16 knots, then go for a 10 to 15 degree variance off the sonar line to zero... when they get to those mark points... fire the torps...


Example say the targets on a from your left to the right path... booking say 8 knots... your set up on a dead 90 degree cross to their path line, at ohh... say... 850 yards out... when they get (sonar line here..) to say... 340 degrees on the marker... send off the 1st torp... wait about 342 & send off a second fish... 344... send off a 3rd torp...

Unless any of those dud out on you... 1, 2 or maybe even all 3 should be hits...

if you're in range of say... 1K or less... you should get some hits... unless ya in that range, date wise for duds... that is. Then it's a crap shoot if you'll get hits or not.

Hope this info helps...



M. M.

[razark]

Commanders practiced doing sonar-only attacks before the war. Once hostilities started, they quickly learned that it was not really a working option.


It is possible, but I am not an expert since I have never even bothered to try.

If you have a sonar bearing/range, you should be able to plot the contact on the map. Wait a known time, and do it again. Once you have two positions plotted, you've got the target's course and speed. Enter the data into the TDC or work the solution out on paper, get into position, and put some water inlet holes in his hull. I'm guessing a spread of torpedoes is probably a good idea.