Torpedo wakes getting spotted

Marinesko · 05-02-09, 04:21 PM

Lately I've had some trouble sinking ships in a convoy where I am about 800-900 meters away. I fired with torpedoes set on high speed, but the ship must have spotted the tracks(odd because it was at night and they clearly had no idea I was there) and began evasive action. Then I had a hunch and I reloaded the game, firing one torpedo on slow setting. This did the trick. I am wondering do the slow torpedos make a less noticeable wake or something? Also, does setting the depth lower help? I set these at about a few feet above their draft.

Torplexed · 05-02-09, 04:30 PM

Are you using any mods?

I seem to remember reading that a lot of Japanese cargo ships were equipped with hydrophones. They may be hearing your torpedoes rather than seeing them. I assume slower torpedoes make less noise.

Marinesko · 05-02-09, 04:31 PM

No mods.

vanjast · 05-02-09, 04:53 PM

No mods.... means ships have incredible brakes or fasinating rocket propellant acceleration boosters.
Try..
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...do=file&id=942
or
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1091

Sould help you

Akula4745 · 05-02-09, 05:11 PM

I wondered if they are seeing your periscope - night/day attack? - instead of the torpedos wake...

Either way I use Webster's Ship Maneuvering Fix for v1.4 and v1.5
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...do=file&id=942

And as vanjast suggested - it will definitely help with the jackrabbit starts and 20 yard stopping power.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Marinesko · 05-02-09, 05:14 PM

It can't be the scope. It was at night, and I kept it low in the water. A destroyer escort passed in front of me, totally clueless. So did the first merchant. They only notice when I fire.

Loud_Silence · 05-02-09, 08:12 PM

It's my imagination or SH4 behaves differently on each computer? In my career freighters never spot the wakes during daylight

05-03-09, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marinesko

It can't be the scope. It was at night, and I kept it low in the water. A destroyer escort passed in front of me, totally clueless. So did the first merchant. They only notice when I fire.

those escorts are your answer, even though they didnt see you or detect you they can "hear" torps especially on high speed and they alert the other ships. thats why the slow torps did the trick, they werent heard.

in this game you alert one you alert all.

as far as visual torpedo wakes go they are eye candy only and they game never "sees" them at all

LukeFF · 05-03-09, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

as far as visual torpedo wakes go they are eye candy only and they game never "sees" them at all

Incorrect

Marinesko · 05-03-09, 04:20 AM

This might be a good time to ask, what is the approximate range of an escort's hydrophones? I purposely let him pass, and he may have spotted the torpedo but he couldn't seem to figure out where I was.

05-03-09, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeFF

Incorrect

i have never seen ANY evidence the game reacts to bubble trails "only"

it will react to the torpedo "sound" only in every test i have ever done

if you are trying to say this isnt the case then please explain it to us

Marinesko · 05-03-09, 01:06 PM

Gentlemen, I think the more pressin concern is the range of hydrophones on escorts. Can they pick something up at the same range I can?

Akula4745 · 05-03-09, 02:22 PM

So maybe they can see the torpedo's wake... ?

LukeFF · 05-03-09, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WEBSTER

i have never seen ANY evidence the game reacts to bubble trails "only"

it will react to the torpedo "sound" only in every test i have ever done

if you are trying to say this isnt the case then please explain it to us

From the patch 1.4 readme:

Quote:

* Improvements for enemy ships detection of steam torpedoes

Platapus · 05-21-09, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeFF

From the patch 1.4 readme:

Quote:

Improvements for enemy ships detection of steam torpedoes

Do we know how this was incorporated into the game?

Does this mean sound detection or visual detection?

I remember reading (looking for the citation) that unless the ocean was very calm it was rather difficult, from the low viewpoint of a ship, to see the bubble trail.

From the air it was pretty easy.

Anyone else remember reading that?

In any case, the patch quote does not answer the question on visual sighting of torpedoes.

05-02-09, 04:21 PM	#1
Marinesko Seaman Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Moscow Posts: 32 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Torpedo wakes getting spotted Lately I've had some trouble sinking ships in a convoy where I am about 800-900 meters away. I fired with torpedoes set on high speed, but the ship must have spotted the tracks(odd because it was at night and they clearly had no idea I was there) and began evasive action. Then I had a hunch and I reloaded the game, firing one torpedo on slow setting. This did the trick. I am wondering do the slow torpedos make a less noticeable wake or something? Also, does setting the depth lower help? I set these at about a few feet above their draft.

05-02-09, 04:30 PM	#2
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Are you using any mods? I seem to remember reading that a lot of Japanese cargo ships were equipped with hydrophones. They may be hearing your torpedoes rather than seeing them. I assume slower torpedoes make less noise. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

05-02-09, 05:11 PM	#5
Akula4745 Convicted Ship Killer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Just out of sight... plotting your course and speed Posts: 846 Downloads: 371 Uploads: 1	I wondered if they are seeing your periscope - night/day attack? - instead of the torpedos wake... Either way I use Webster's Ship Maneuvering Fix for v1.4 and v1.5 http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...do=file&id=942 And as vanjast suggested - it will definitely help with the jackrabbit starts and 20 yard stopping power. Good luck and happy hunting! __________________ Akula4745 "If you sit by the river long enough... the body of your enemy will float by -- SunTzu"

05-03-09, 02:22 PM	#13
Akula4745 Convicted Ship Killer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Just out of sight... plotting your course and speed Posts: 846 Downloads: 371 Uploads: 1	So maybe they can see the torpedo's wake... ? __________________ Akula4745 "If you sit by the river long enough... the body of your enemy will float by -- SunTzu"

05-02-09, 04:31 PM	#3
Marinesko Seaman Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Moscow Posts: 32 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	No mods.

05-02-09, 04:53 PM	#4
vanjast Sea Lord Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somewhere else now Posts: 1,736 Downloads: 825 Uploads: 4	No mods.... means ships have incredible brakes or fasinating rocket propellant acceleration boosters. Try.. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...do=file&id=942 or http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1091 Sould help you

05-02-09, 05:14 PM	#6
Marinesko Seaman Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Moscow Posts: 32 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	It can't be the scope. It was at night, and I kept it low in the water. A destroyer escort passed in front of me, totally clueless. So did the first merchant. They only notice when I fire.

05-02-09, 08:12 PM	#7
Loud_Silence Planesman Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 193 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It's my imagination or SH4 behaves differently on each computer? In my career freighters never spot the wakes during daylight

05-03-09, 04:20 AM	#10
Marinesko Seaman Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Moscow Posts: 32 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	This might be a good time to ask, what is the approximate range of an escort's hydrophones? I purposely let him pass, and he may have spotted the torpedo but he couldn't seem to figure out where I was.

05-03-09, 01:06 PM	#12
Marinesko Seaman Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Moscow Posts: 32 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Gentlemen, I think the more pressin concern is the range of hydrophones on escorts. Can they pick something up at the same range I can?