Ladder-pattern & acoustic - how do you like to use them?

Skubber · 10-04-06, 07:27 PM

This is picking up on something from a previous thead...

Acoustic torpedoes I pretty much use as they were intended - I'll fire one from the stern in the hopes it will track a threatening destroyer. (Got a frigate that way on my last patrol.)

The ladder-pattern torpedoes are a nice addition to my standard convoy attack.
I'll surprise the convoy with my first three or four shots.
Then I'll use a ladder torpedo for a more distant shot. (Maybe I've just spotted a juicy target way over there that I did not notice at first.)

In the late war, some convoys are pretty heavily guarded, so I'm trying some shots from a greater distance. (>1000m)
I try to initate the ladder so that it crosses two columns of the convoy. (Or three in a tightly-spaced convoy.

I've had some success with this, but there's still nothing better than getting right in the midst of all those ships!

bookworm_020 · 10-04-06, 08:03 PM

Acoustic torps are great when you have an escort comming at you, who isn't in the most friendly of moods:p

I hardly use the ladder function on ladder patten torp's as I always get close enough to see the whites of their eye's before launching torpedo's. I also make sure I pick the best targets before fireing, so I get the big ones before the escorts know I'm there.

It when they see A tanker or troopship tear itself apart do they realise that I have arrived!

Hueywolf123 · 10-04-06, 08:14 PM

I've never met a friendly escort (except the ones you hire for a night)

Ducimus · 10-04-06, 08:42 PM

Honestly ive stopped using FaT or LuT torpedo's altogether except in the aft torpedo tubes as a means of escape if i dont have an acustic.

Hybris · 10-04-06, 09:30 PM

I love the acouistic torps for taking out dangerous patroling harbor guards (Armed trawlers though are tricky not usually loud enough) I shoot at 5700m to 2500m depending on wither or not I think the target will start zig zaging.
The Luts and Fats I never bothered with.

Dantenoc · 10-04-06, 11:01 PM

Step ladder pattern torpedoes aren't that easy to use, specialy since the manual is very vage on them... perhaps someone with more experience could post a mini tutorial?

Jimbuna · 10-05-06, 05:58 AM

FaT and LuT are out for me I much prefer the acoustics for the 'sport' they inject into the attack...much more entertaining me reckons

The Munster · 10-05-06, 10:52 AM

A mini-tutorial on the 'ladder pattern' torpedoes would be nice.. I'm sick of asking on this forum what the maximum range is for these but nobody bothers to reply ?!

fredbass · 10-05-06, 11:22 AM

Well though I've gotten lucky with a "FAT" once b4, I prefer not to use them most of the time. First of all, they are steam powered which will emit surface bubbles that can be detected. I've watched from overhead as the torp has missed and as it swung around, the enemy would see it and continue to evade thus I never got a hit. So if I use it in the future, it will definitely be at short range or at night only.

TarJak · 10-06-06, 06:47 AM

I got lucky once with an accoustic. I was attempting to line up a task force north of Norway in mid '41 and was about 3500m out when one of the escorts detected me and came after me. I did a quick 180 degree turn then fired off an acoustic at the DD, but he slowed to try and pick me up again and the ell just cruied staight past him towards the Rodney class BB that was making lots of noise at 21 knots.

BANG!!! The acoustic eel knocked out the Rodney's props and she slowed to around 1 knot. I hung around until the rest of the escorts gave up looking for me then snuck back to PD to finish her off.

Otherwise I've found them great for knocking off annoying DDs from the stern tube.

The ladder eels I keep exclusively for convoy action from the bow tubes. They work well when you have to make a snap shot and don't have time to get all the calculations finalised but only if there is a lot of traffic about.

Hylander_1314 · 10-06-06, 09:49 PM

The pattern running torps are o.k., only the electric ones, as the steamwakes send the escorts your way.

I much prefer the acoustic eels, and I'll set myself up to get a good rear quarter angle shot, and try to load up with as many as I can, and use them to take out the escorts on that side, then I'll fire them at the convoy ships and let them disable or slow down the ships to get them to fall behind, and then pick off the stragglers once they fall back from the convoy. The key is to fire them with at least 1 minute of time so that the following torps don't end up trailing each other. One per ship usually does the initial damage, and then it's just a matter of waiting for the ship to fall out of line. Also 2 to 4 meters depth works real good on the acoustic torps, as they will sometimes blast the screws off the ship if fired towards the rear quarter.

andy_311 · 10-07-06, 06:04 AM

I use Ge7e torps when they become availabe I think from mid 44 I think there nice torps even if they didn't see combat in real life they work great if the target doing 12knts or more but if the targets slows down below 5 knots they suck they will just sail right past and try and find a louder target.

Dowly · 10-07-06, 06:07 AM

I´ve never used a FaT torpedo in the game, I go usually for the reliable 90 degree shots.

10-04-06, 07:27 PM	#1
Skubber Officer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rochester, NY, USA Posts: 239 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	Ladder-pattern & acoustic - how do you like to use them? This is picking up on something from a previous thead... Acoustic torpedoes I pretty much use as they were intended - I'll fire one from the stern in the hopes it will track a threatening destroyer. (Got a frigate that way on my last patrol.) The ladder-pattern torpedoes are a nice addition to my standard convoy attack. I'll surprise the convoy with my first three or four shots. Then I'll use a ladder torpedo for a more distant shot. (Maybe I've just spotted a juicy target way over there that I did not notice at first.) In the late war, some convoys are pretty heavily guarded, so I'm trying some shots from a greater distance. (>1000m) I try to initate the ladder so that it crosses two columns of the convoy. (Or three in a tightly-spaced convoy. I've had some success with this, but there's still nothing better than getting right in the midst of all those ships! __________________ "I wish to have no Connection with any Ship that does not Sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way." - Captain John Paul Jones, 1778

10-04-06, 08:03 PM	#2
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Acoustic torps are great when you have an escort comming at you, who isn't in the most friendly of moods:p I hardly use the ladder function on ladder patten torp's as I always get close enough to see the whites of their eye's before launching torpedo's. I also make sure I pick the best targets before fireing, so I get the big ones before the escorts know I'm there. It when they see A tanker or troopship tear itself apart do they realise that I have arrived! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

10-04-06, 09:30 PM	#5
Hybris Officer Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Periscope Depth... Posts: 237 Downloads: 40 Uploads: 0	I love the acouistic torps for taking out dangerous patroling harbor guards (Armed trawlers though are tricky not usually loud enough) I shoot at 5700m to 2500m depending on wither or not I think the target will start zig zaging. The Luts and Fats I never bothered with. __________________ "His masters voice!" "FASTER! FAAAASSSTTER!" "All submariners have one universal wish regardless of nation, cause, or creed. That wish is that the boat goes up and stay up one more time then it goes down." ~Hybris 8/22/07

10-04-06, 11:01 PM	#6
Dantenoc Captain Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ensenada, B.C., Mexico Posts: 504 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Step ladder pattern torpedoes aren't that easy to use, specialy since the manual is very vage on them... perhaps someone with more experience could post a mini tutorial? __________________ Going to U-boot school : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88922 http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=90234 http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961 http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=97682

10-05-06, 05:58 AM	#7
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,481 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	FaT and LuT are out for me I much prefer the acoustics for the 'sport' they inject into the attack...much more entertaining me reckons __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

10-04-06, 08:14 PM	#3
Hueywolf123 Bosun Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: gosford, Australia Posts: 68 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I've never met a friendly escort (except the ones you hire for a night)

10-04-06, 08:42 PM	#4
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Honestly ive stopped using FaT or LuT torpedo's altogether except in the aft torpedo tubes as a means of escape if i dont have an acustic.

10-05-06, 10:52 AM	#8
The Munster Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Deepest Dumbria Posts: 1,243 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	A mini-tutorial on the 'ladder pattern' torpedoes would be nice.. I'm sick of asking on this forum what the maximum range is for these but nobody bothers to reply ?!

10-05-06, 11:22 AM	#9
fredbass Ace of the Deep Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Port Richey, Fl, USA Posts: 1,066 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Well though I've gotten lucky with a "FAT" once b4, I prefer not to use them most of the time. First of all, they are steam powered which will emit surface bubbles that can be detected. I've watched from overhead as the torp has missed and as it swung around, the enemy would see it and continue to evade thus I never got a hit. So if I use it in the future, it will definitely be at short range or at night only.

10-06-06, 06:47 AM	#10
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	I got lucky once with an accoustic. I was attempting to line up a task force north of Norway in mid '41 and was about 3500m out when one of the escorts detected me and came after me. I did a quick 180 degree turn then fired off an acoustic at the DD, but he slowed to try and pick me up again and the ell just cruied staight past him towards the Rodney class BB that was making lots of noise at 21 knots. BANG!!! The acoustic eel knocked out the Rodney's props and she slowed to around 1 knot. I hung around until the rest of the escorts gave up looking for me then snuck back to PD to finish her off. Otherwise I've found them great for knocking off annoying DDs from the stern tube. The ladder eels I keep exclusively for convoy action from the bow tubes. They work well when you have to make a snap shot and don't have time to get all the calculations finalised but only if there is a lot of traffic about.

10-06-06, 09:49 PM	#11
Hylander_1314 Sea Lord Join Date: May 2006 Location: 5 Miles Inland West Of Lake Huron Posts: 1,936 Downloads: 139 Uploads: 0	The pattern running torps are o.k., only the electric ones, as the steamwakes send the escorts your way. I much prefer the acoustic eels, and I'll set myself up to get a good rear quarter angle shot, and try to load up with as many as I can, and use them to take out the escorts on that side, then I'll fire them at the convoy ships and let them disable or slow down the ships to get them to fall behind, and then pick off the stragglers once they fall back from the convoy. The key is to fire them with at least 1 minute of time so that the following torps don't end up trailing each other. One per ship usually does the initial damage, and then it's just a matter of waiting for the ship to fall out of line. Also 2 to 4 meters depth works real good on the acoustic torps, as they will sometimes blast the screws off the ship if fired towards the rear quarter. __________________ A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law. -John Marshall Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ---------------------

10-07-06, 06:04 AM	#12
andy_311 The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Oldham, Lancs,England Posts: 1,312 Downloads: 82 Uploads: 0	I use Ge7e torps when they become availabe I think from mid 44 I think there nice torps even if they didn't see combat in real life they work great if the target doing 12knts or more but if the targets slows down below 5 knots they suck they will just sail right past and try and find a louder target.

10-07-06, 06:07 AM	#13
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	I´ve never used a FaT torpedo in the game, I go usually for the reliable 90 degree shots.