How do you sink ships when it is Dark and pouring rain.

Lastman2533 · 07-03-09, 06:18 PM

HI, I have been playing SH 4 for a whil now. I have reached a mission of finding and destroying merchant shipping. I look on the map and plot a course to intercept the boats , but I cant never spot the ships using my periscope in the rain. Any help as to sink ships in awful whether like that.

Munchausen · 07-03-09, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lastman2533

I look on the map and plot a course to intercept the boats , but I cant never spot the ships using my periscope in the rain. Any help as to sink ships in awful whether like that.

Two good pieces of equipment:

Sonar
Radar

If you have operable surface radar, you can determine your target's range, speed, and heading. From that, you can plot your approach. As the target comes into range, you can then use sonar (at periscope depth) to fire your torpedoes.

Mikeb213 · 07-03-09, 06:58 PM

I agree with that! You may have to get in pretty close to if you feel more comfortable by actually seeing what you are doing. You can manually take your berings from your radar and sonar also to fire torps. That is pretty much how the nuke subs do it now is all based on sonar.

Rockin Robbins · 07-03-09, 09:43 PM

Welcome to Subsim, Lastman. Why don't you drop on over to......oh

. You can but it won't do any good right now with the earthquake at Filefront.

Well, in a couple of days you can drop by the Sub Skippers' Bag of Tricks thread and bone up on shooting by sonar.

Armistead · 07-03-09, 11:20 PM

I prefer the deckgun. Just use radar or sonar to get close. Use sonar to get range, get on the gun and ask for constant bearings and fire away. I like to get about 1000 yards. When the ships catches fire it's easy to see. Just don't get too close...they open up close your gonna get damaged and lose some gunners.

Captain Vlad · 07-03-09, 11:32 PM

If you're using manual targeting, a useful trick for a surface attack is to learn to fire by eye. You can see the shadow of a ship a long time before you can identify it, and if you can judge how much 'lead' you need, you can fire a spread without the TDC.

I usually fire a spread of 3-4 torps are 'silhouette only' targets, waiting about one second between each fish.

You've got to get really close to do this effectively, but in the kind of weather I imagine you're talking about you can get right up on them before they can see you. Hell, it's better to stay out a bit so they don't see you.

Though, a thought occurs...are you talking about sinking ships or finding ships to sink?

Morpheus · 07-04-09, 12:33 AM

i am not sure how u.s. navy handled this durning wwII, but i am pretty sure the germans wouldn't attack under such bad weather conditions, but rather shaddow the convoy and wait for a better chance ...

but then again, maby i am wrong - coz i realy dont know ^^

morph

Rockin Robbins · 07-04-09, 07:23 AM

Filefront links are back up. Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks is open for business.

I would use a combination of sonar, radar and visual technique. Sonar only is a neat trick, but all manner of variations are possible.

I don't know how much sense it will make to you right now, but what I've done is first, accurately plot the target's course and speed with radar. Set yourself up for a Dick O'Kane attack at the limit of visibility, hopefully between 500 and 1000 yards. At this point the only piece of information you care about is bearing to the target.

Shoot when the radar or sonar bearing is correct for your lead angle. You can even shoot using passive sonar only! Make it a spread then because passive sonar has a bit of lag sometimes. He might actually be ahead of the sonar line. The line is already corrected for MOT (middle of target).

Of course if you see him, you can shoot visually on the correct lead angle and tag him every time.

Lastman2533 · 07-05-09, 07:59 AM

Thanks for the help guys. This is really going to help me.

SteamWake · 07-05-09, 08:33 AM

Or if your like me search em out on the surface. When you run into one youve found em :rotfl:

I'm goin' down · 07-05-09, 11:24 AM

Does surface radar give you true course?

If you use sonar, then you are into the turtorial on sonar only attacks, which requires plottng to find the true course, and that require considerable time usually. (you will be late for din din!). Am I wrong?

And if you plot course with sonar you better rely on the Dick O'Kane method unless you get get the aspect ratio of the target.

07-05-09, 12:42 PM

RR wrote...

Quote:

You can even shoot using passive sonar only! Make it a spread then because passive sonar has a bit of lag sometimes. He might actually be ahead of the sonar line.

I hate that! Is there anyway that someone could potentially mod that to make it real time? In real life there would be no lag. I'm definitely not a modder so... I'm just asking.

Urge

Munchausen · 07-05-09, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I'm goin' down

Does surface radar give you true course?

Surface radar gives you a target ... with "map contacts on," you can plot those targets on the navigation map and then use the ruler and compass to get the target's course line (track) and heading. Without map contacts, it's a bit harder ... but you can download a couple mods to help you out.

Coopz · 07-05-09, 07:12 PM

I had that the other night, shadowing a medium sized convoy in terrible weather (that had lasted for days) could barely see the deck gun from the tower. Anyway I was surfaced as the periscope was useless due to the swell, coming up on a merchant, moving slow, closing at 015 degrees when out of nowhere a Japanese light cruiser came out of the mist heading straight at me, hard to port, crash dive just as a 2nd convoy escort came out of the mist on the otheside, strangely (and realistic IMO) it took both ships a short while to actually start firing at me.
Wish you could make the sonar operator walk the plank in this sim...

karamazovnew · 07-05-09, 08:15 PM

"Terrible weather"? And you expect your sound man to pick up attaking escorts while you're trashing the boat in high waves?!

Considering how badly a sub rocks in high waves, give the poor crew some rest and stay under. Poor visibility is so poor in SH that it feels a bit too much. But hey, at least there aren't any torpedoes falling on your bed.

07-03-09, 06:18 PM	#1
Lastman2533 Nub Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	How do you sink ships when it is Dark and pouring rain. HI, I have been playing SH 4 for a whil now. I have reached a mission of finding and destroying merchant shipping. I look on the map and plot a course to intercept the boats , but I cant never spot the ships using my periscope in the rain. Any help as to sink ships in awful whether like that.

07-03-09, 09:43 PM	#4
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	Welcome to Subsim, Lastman. Why don't you drop on over to......oh. You can but it won't do any good right now with the earthquake at Filefront. Well, in a couple of days you can drop by the Sub Skippers' Bag of Tricks thread and bone up on shooting by sonar. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

07-03-09, 11:32 PM	#6
Captain Vlad Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pollard, Oklahoma Posts: 679 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	If you're using manual targeting, a useful trick for a surface attack is to learn to fire by eye. You can see the shadow of a ship a long time before you can identify it, and if you can judge how much 'lead' you need, you can fire a spread without the TDC. I usually fire a spread of 3-4 torps are 'silhouette only' targets, waiting about one second between each fish. You've got to get really close to do this effectively, but in the kind of weather I imagine you're talking about you can get right up on them before they can see you. Hell, it's better to stay out a bit so they don't see you. Though, a thought occurs...are you talking about sinking ships or finding ships to sink? __________________ "Stop sounding battlestations just to hear the alarm."

07-04-09, 07:23 AM	#8
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	Filefront links are back up. Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks is open for business. I would use a combination of sonar, radar and visual technique. Sonar only is a neat trick, but all manner of variations are possible. I don't know how much sense it will make to you right now, but what I've done is first, accurately plot the target's course and speed with radar. Set yourself up for a Dick O'Kane attack at the limit of visibility, hopefully between 500 and 1000 yards. At this point the only piece of information you care about is bearing to the target. Shoot when the radar or sonar bearing is correct for your lead angle. You can even shoot using passive sonar only! Make it a spread then because passive sonar has a bit of lag sometimes. He might actually be ahead of the sonar line. The line is already corrected for MOT (middle of target). Of course if you see him, you can shoot visually on the correct lead angle and tag him every time. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

07-05-09, 08:33 AM	#10
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Or if your like me search em out on the surface. When you run into one youve found em :rotfl: __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

07-03-09, 06:58 PM	#3
Mikeb213 Sailor man Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 49 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	I agree with that! You may have to get in pretty close to if you feel more comfortable by actually seeing what you are doing. You can manually take your berings from your radar and sonar also to fire torps. That is pretty much how the nuke subs do it now is all based on sonar.

07-03-09, 11:20 PM	#5
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	I prefer the deckgun. Just use radar or sonar to get close. Use sonar to get range, get on the gun and ask for constant bearings and fire away. I like to get about 1000 yards. When the ships catches fire it's easy to see. Just don't get too close...they open up close your gonna get damaged and lose some gunners.

07-04-09, 12:33 AM	#7
Morpheus Ensign Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 234 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	i am not sure how u.s. navy handled this durning wwII, but i am pretty sure the germans wouldn't attack under such bad weather conditions, but rather shaddow the convoy and wait for a better chance ... but then again, maby i am wrong - coz i realy dont know ^^ morph

07-05-09, 07:59 AM	#9
Lastman2533 Nub Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 2 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the help guys. This is really going to help me.

07-05-09, 11:24 AM	#11
I'm goin' down Ocean Warrior Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Notify command we have entered the Grass Sea Posts: 2,822 Downloads: 813 Uploads: 0	How do you get true course other than by plottinng it? Does surface radar give you true course? If you use sonar, then you are into the turtorial on sonar only attacks, which requires plottng to find the true course, and that require considerable time usually. (you will be late for din din!). Am I wrong? And if you plot course with sonar you better rely on the Dick O'Kane method unless you get get the aspect ratio of the target.

07-05-09, 07:12 PM	#14
Coopz Watch Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 20 Downloads: 16 Uploads: 0	I had that the other night, shadowing a medium sized convoy in terrible weather (that had lasted for days) could barely see the deck gun from the tower. Anyway I was surfaced as the periscope was useless due to the swell, coming up on a merchant, moving slow, closing at 015 degrees when out of nowhere a Japanese light cruiser came out of the mist heading straight at me, hard to port, crash dive just as a 2nd convoy escort came out of the mist on the otheside, strangely (and realistic IMO) it took both ships a short while to actually start firing at me. Wish you could make the sonar operator walk the plank in this sim...

07-05-09, 08:15 PM	#15
karamazovnew The Old Man Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 1,403 Downloads: 151 Uploads: 0	"Terrible weather"? And you expect your sound man to pick up attaking escorts while you're trashing the boat in high waves?! Considering how badly a sub rocks in high waves, give the poor crew some rest and stay under. Poor visibility is so poor in SH that it feels a bit too much. But hey, at least there aren't any torpedoes falling on your bed.