I STILL can't hit regardless of setting

[overandout]

I tried using the casual setting to get comfortable hitting. It still doesn't work! Here is what I am doing:
1. Put periscope on target and wait for green triangle;
2. Press "S" button on torp meu telling me when I have a good lock;
3. Fire torps and still it can't hit!

I then try w/ non-auto targeting and here is what I am doing wrong:
1. Wait for target to get to within 1000 yards;
2. ID ship and put into TDC;
3. Get range w/ stadimeter and put into TDC;
4. Calculate AOB--I do it by measuring the angle between the target's heading and mine;
5. Get speed from crew's estimate
6. Fire and miss!

In both cases, I set the torp depth to under five and spread to two. What am I doing wrong in either case? Pls, pls, don't direct me to another on-line tutorial or video. I have read and watched too many to count and just need some help.

[maerean_m]

After you lock on the target, go to the "attack map" station to understand what the "spread angle" actually does. For hitting a single ship, the spread angle must be zero.

[AVGWarhawk]

Do open the outer doors before firing? You will loose a few seconds if not and miss astern all the time.

[Slang]

Make sure Tube doors are open prior to launch. The extra time taken opening the door can cause torpedos to miss.

Try going for an impact, rather than magnetic detonation. There is always a chance the pistol will not fire when using magnetic. Set torp depth to about half the target draft.

Crew speed estimates can be inaccurate. Go to General Quarters to ensure peak crew efficiency. Also if your range measurements are not very accurate, then the speed calculation will be inaccurate aswell. Ping the target to double check the standimeter reading. Don't use the range to target button in the hud, as its useless. Actually ping the target from the hydrophone yourself.

When using the manual targetting, you are activating the Position Keeper?

Periscope must be locked on the target, not just looking at it.

AOB is constantly changing. Make sure you aren't using old data.

Point your boat so the torpedo has to turn as little as possible to get where its going.

Use the external cam to see where your torps are going, and try to figure out why they missed.

[tomoose]

Overandout;
disregard the spread for now, leave it at 0. It has to be set for each individual torpedo just prior to firing so I'd leave that out of the equation for now and try again. If you are on 'easy' settings, I think you're doing it correctly in only having to lock the view. Perhaps you're firing too quickly after the lock? Give it a wee bit more time to calculate (just a guess on my part). Try an attack from 2000 to 1500yds.

Ref your #4 above; calculating the AOB. I'm not sure if what you describe is correct (trying to get my dim mind around your description of what you're doing).
The AOB is the angle described as if you are standing on the target ship looking towards the submarine, i.e. the angle created from the centerline of the target ship (imaginary line running from bow to stern) to the line of sight your are looking along while standing on the target ship and seeing the sub.

[vek73]

Always view your attack map before you fire, and make sure update map contacts is ON. I found it to be the BEST teacher for learning how to fire manually, and I was able to ace it after a few trial and error practice sessions.

After you enter all your data to the TDC (be sure the position keeper is ON), go to the attack map. If your distance is wrong, you will notice the 'X' is not on top of the ship. From that you can judge if you are incorrectly lining up the waterline with the highest mast, and more often then not, you have the wrong identification for the ship which is most important!! If your AoB is off, you will see that the angle of the 'X-----' does not match the course of the ship. If thats the case, make sure you are getting the right angle, (draw an angle with the vertex at his midship, and one ray is his course, the other ray runs through your midship). If your speed is off, you will notice the 'X' is moving faster/slower then he. Either take good distances, to get a good estimate, or make adjustments on your own, based on what you observe here.

[overandout]

My PK is on and the torp door is open before firing. Any suggestions? I have a really hard time attacking escorts esp. when playing the quick missions, which are mainly warships.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by overandout

My PK is on and the torp door is open before firing. Any suggestions? I have a really hard time attacking escorts esp. when playing the quick missions, which are mainly warships.

Well no wonder. This is because convoy escorts pretty much never move in a straight line, so your calculations become completely useless. The TDC can't track anything that's not in a straight line; worse still, the escorts are small targets compared to merchants, so your allowable margin of error is much smaller, and with their shallow draft torpedo depth errors will hurt you more as well.

I've done successful TDC shots on destroyers, from as far as 1800 yards even, but you have to make sure they're going in a straight line all along. If they're not, you may as well give up trying to use the TDC for that.

The only advice to solve that one is - don't do it. Attack the more valuable transports instead!