Torpedoes missing aft

[GoDeep]

Hey fellow subsimmers,

I have a question I hope you can help me with.
When I conduct an attack, I prefer to come in close and fire my torpedoes from 800 meters or less from the target. Obviously, at such a short distance, the target has little chance to evade and minor errors on my part, don't have much influence. I am pretty much guaranteed a hit (unless the torpedo is a dud... )

Of course, it isn't always possible or practical to get that close to your target. The limited speed of a submerged u-boot for one or the presence of a sizeable escort screen.
However, often when I try my luck at shooting at a target at a greater range, say something like 2 km away, with a good AOB and a good solution and estimate of the target's speed (I do not use manual targeting), my torpedoes will miss just aft of the target and sail on harmlessly into the great beyond. Very frustrating after you've spend hours getting into a good position. This happens more often when the target is relatively fast, 8 knots or above.

I find this strange, because I have a good range estimate and I have a good speed indication. Why then aren't my torpedoes on the mark? I would expect the TDC to set up the torpedo properly. Am I missing something (other than the ship I am shooting at)?

[maillemaker]

I'm assuming you are using electric torpedoes so that your target did not accelerate to avoid the torpedoes.

I have seen this before also. I set up a perfect 4-shot spread at a fleet carrier and all 4 shots missed aft.

I remember reading about a bug in SH3 whereby the speed settings may not take correctly in the TDC menu, and you should always click your desired speed as the last thing when you leave the TDC. I don't know if this is true or not, and it may only apply for steamers since electrics only have one speed.

Steve

[Pisces]

Another possibility is that you forgot to open the torpedo doors well before you fire. The doors open automatically when you fire but this also forces a firing delay. If the target is quick enough this may cause it to escape it's doom.

[GoDeep]

Thanks, guys!
Sorry, I forgot to mention that tube doors were open before firing, so that can't be the problem.

@maillemaker
Yes, this has happened with electrics and also steam. For the steamers, I can imagine the target spotting the wake and accelerating, but for electrics that's obviously not the case. Though in the dark and in rough seas, even for steamers this option becomes less realistic.

[Hook]

If you're firing electrics, and you don't click on Fast speed, the speed of the torpedo is sometimes not set. Look at the display in the TDC where the line on the map shows the time the torpedo will take to travel to the target. Click on F. If the time changes, the speed wasn't actually set before.

Hook

[Dissaray]

What is your gyro angle when you fire? If you don't know the gyro angle is displayed just above your tube selector and just below your note pad with the stock GUI. idealy your gyro angle on fireing should be 0 +/- 5-10. They gyro angle being how much your torpido has to turn to get onto its running course. The more the torpido has to turn the more likely it is to miss the target, a 000 gyro angle being a strait run from the uboat to the target. It is unlikly that this is the only cause of your missing, especialy if your are consistantly missing aft but it could be the cause if you are doing the same thing every time.

[GoDeep]

Originally Posted by Hook

If you're firing electrics, and you don't click on Fast speed, the speed of the torpedo is sometimes not set. Look at the display in the TDC where the line on the map shows the time the torpedo will take to travel to the target. Click on F. If the time changes, the speed wasn't actually set before.

Hook

Thanks, Hook. That sounds like a good and easy enough thing to check. Obviously, if the torpedo speed wasn't set, the time to target would be wrong.

[GoDeep]

Originally Posted by Dissaray

What is your gyro angle when you fire? If you don't know the gyro angle is displayed just above your tube selector and just below your note pad with the stock GUI. idealy your gyro angle on fireing should be 0 +/- 5-10. They gyro angle being how much your torpido has to turn to get onto its running course. The more the torpido has to turn the more likely it is to miss the target, a 000 gyro angle being a strait run from the uboat to the target. It is unlikly that this is the only cause of your missing, especialy if your are consistantly missing aft but it could be the cause if you are doing the same thing every time.

I tend to go for the 90 degree AOB and gyro close to zero approach most of the time, if the situation permits. It's the easiest position to score a hit, I think. I tend to wait until the target indicator turns green, indicating an gyro angle between -10 and +10 if I'm not mistaken. It's also easiest to ID the target.

[ralphnader23]

I used to have this problem, so I started letting my first torpedo when the gyro was about about 5 degrees early on the gyrometer, instead of right at 000. That improved my hit rate quite a bit. Now at big targets, I usually let one go at -/+ 5 degrees early and one right on 000, so that if my timing is off one way or the other, hopefully one of the two will hit.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by ralphnader23

I used to have this problem, so I started letting my first torpedo when the gyro was about about 5 degrees early on the gyrometer, instead of right at 000. That improved my hit rate quite a bit. Now at big targets, I usually let one go at -/+ 5 degrees early and one right on 000, so that if my timing is off one way or the other, hopefully one of the two will hit.

The quickest way to start learning how to 'lead' a target

[scratch81]

I've noticed in GWX my gyro is about 3-5 degrees off, even close to 90 degrees aob, on stationary targets. my solution, aiming for the bow, plants my eels right amidships.