shooting down the throat

[midnightrider1818]

Every time I try to shoot a destroyer down the the throat my torpedos never detonate. I set them to impact and as shallow as possible. Using t 1 torpedos

[d@rk51d3]

Probably want magnetic. Impact is better for side shots.

[RConch]

Down the throat is mostly Hollywood stuff. You are shooting at the smallest aspect of the target (the bow). It becomes quite easy for them to avoid at speed if the torpedo is spotted. Even if unspotted it is probably way too small a surface area for the contact "whiskers" of your impact torpedo.

[UKönig]

"down the throat" is probably my least favorite attack method.
As Rconch says, you are going after the smallest part of the target, which would be like threading the eye of the needle at 1000 yards.
But if you must, then yes, magnetic is the best way to go. Set your torpedo to at least 1m below the draught line (typical destroyer 4m depth) of your target, and let fly when the time is right. The next thing I do is maintain all my current settings. Don't speed up, don't slow down, don't hit silent running, don't turn left or right, just lower the scope and watch the seconds tick down. All else being equal, I should hit.

[Pisces]

You also have to consider the distance to it when you fire, and the distance to it when the torpedo is supposed to hit. There is a minimum arming distance around 400 meters. As the destroyer or whatever is coming towards you the distance between it and the torpedo decreases quickly. When they meet the torpedo has probably not reached it's arming distance.

[maillemaker]

I have about an 80% success rate at down the throat shots.

You'll need a positive ID of the target, as you will have to accurately set your depth to not much more than .5 meters under keel.

Bad weather is bad because the target is pitching up and down on the waves. If your torpedo hits the hull, it will be a dud almost certainly.

You must use magnetic pistol.

I try to run away from them at top speed, pointing my stern directly at them. Or bow if I have to make a bow shot. This requires constant adjustment if they are zig-zagging on approach.

You want the torpedo to have to turn as little as possible when it leaves the tube, so that the course is as true as possible.

Fire with 0 speed in the computer so you have a point and shoot solution.

If the target is coming in in a straight line, you can fire at any point under 1000 meters if you have electric torpedoes. Longer than 1000 meters and you risk premature detonation. Magnetics generally do not prematurely detonate under 1000 meters. Be careful, though, as they can start zig-zagging at any time.

If they are coming in zig-zagging, or if you have steam torpedoes, then you must wait until they stop zig-zagging or until they are about 500 meters away. At that range they cannot dodge a high-speed steamer.

It is very very dicey waiting for them to start their attack run before shooting. Once they stop zig-zagging you are right on the edge of torpedo arming. I find they usually arm at 200-300 meters. Once they stop zig-zagging and come right for you, line them up and shoot.

If you hit them, usually it sinks them. If not, it will frequently blow off their screws and steering gear. However, if you hit a convoy escort and it does not sink them or incapacitate them, the game makes them immediately ignore you and return to their original escort position around the convoy. If you surface they will use their guns but they won't make depth charge runs on you. I guess they are "out of action" or something.

If you miss, you better go flank and take evasive action. You may very well get rammed (which sometimes sinks the escort and often damages your boat), and you may very well get nailed with depth charges.

If you're very good and daring after a miss, as soon as they pass you you can try for another shot from the other end of your boat as they come around for another pass.

Steve

[flag4]

two torpedo's, magnetic, one meter below bow - its Hollywood though - slight spread angle, no more than 500 metres.
full ahead periscope depth then sharp dive and fast. once launched down periscope.
but really...its not worth your boat and crew for so little tonnage.

...watch a little p**n instead. no one gets killed and less damage to pick up.

[Zosimus]

There's no reason to have the periscope up.

Assume that a destroyer is approaching you and you calculate its speed as 24 knots. You are initially on the surface at 18 knots and heading away from the destroyer, but once you realize that the destroyer is gaining on you, you sensibly dive. Let's say you go to 20 meters.

Now I don't know what depth you can fire torpedoes at, but I believe you can be somewhat deeper than periscope depth and still fire. Now let's say that you know or believe that the destroyer in question is some 4,000 meters from you. Your new differential of speed is around 17 knots because you are making 7 knots underwater whereas the destroyer is still coming at you at a rate of 24 knots. Start the timer.

The destroyer will then cover 1700 meters of relative distance every 3:14.4 seconds. In other words after 6:29 he will be 600 meters from you (slightly less because he may zigzag or you may temporarily be going slightly faster than 7 knots as your boat, which was originally going at 18 knots, slows to its final 7 knot figure).

So set your firing solution, directly aft, 0 speed, 0 angle on bow, magnetic, correct depth, and fire scope down when the clock reads 6:20 and immediately dive. There are really only three possibilities:

A) The destroyer swerves to avoid the torpedo giving you enough time to reach a safe depth.
B) The destroyer is blown out of the water by the torpedo.
C) The torpedo is a dud or goes to deep, in which case you'd better swerve to avoid the depth charges.

[maillemaker]

Nah, I like to leave my scope up. I want them to see me. I want the captain on the bridge to go, "What's that!? I see them! Why aren't they diving?!"

BOOOM



Steve

[Zosimus]

What speed do you travel at with the scope up?

[flag4]

full ahead

[Zosimus]

I believe that many people here have mods that do not permit a sub to travel at that speed with the scope up.

[maillemaker]

What speed do you travel at with the scope up?

Flank.

I could probably do this technique even at slower speeds - it would just mean that you have less time to evade if you miss.

I can do this shot even when closing head-on most of the time. You just buy yourself some more torpedo arming time if you slow down the closing speed.

Steve

[UKönig]

In real life, a U-boat periscope would leave a visible wake at anything over 4 knots. In the game, the scope leaves a visible wake anytime it is extended. It's a minor irritation for me.