Call it luck or karma, or random computer coding, but don't call it skill

[Platapus]

There I was, no Shi...uh this really happened to me.

Left Pearl with a mission to drop off some supercargo on some island. Got there, waited until night and then crept to the shore to offload the supercargo. Boy does that boat have to make so much noise!!!

Afterward, I got orders to East China Sea. Nothing not even a fishing boat. After being released from that area, I decided to patrol a little bit south. Nothing. I am the only movable object in the game.

Decide to head to Guam, might find something in the harbours.

Crept into one harbour, night time, low visibility, foggy, perfect sub sneaky time!

Find some medium floaty things but for some reason I can't lock on to the target. And, evidently, in SH4 if you can't lock on, you can't target.

I had a few medium cargos, at zero speed and I could not launch my torpedoes.

Was I doing something wrong? In SH3 you can actually manually enter stuff in to the TDC but if for some reason the computer won't let you lock onto a target in SH4, am I really SOL?

I even waited until it was about 1000 and the sun was shining but I still could not lock on. Nice juicy targets about 2000 yards on front of me with zero speed and all I could do is look at them .

I unassed that harbour and headed to one on the other side of the island. Same thing happened!!!

Now I was faced with two possible explanations.

1. Something was wrong with the game
2. I was doing something wrong

Well the smart money always bets on number 2. I could not think of anything that would be wrong with the game.

So I leave that lovely harbour and continue a patrol. Run across a convoy, I was able to lock on to those ships just fine, but they were too fast for me.

Question: In SH4/RFB is locking onto ships in the harbours blocked?

Well, now I am really feeling down. Fuel running low. Time to head back to Pearl.

Cruising along when I hear "Merchant Sighted". Perhaps I will get a crumb to add to my blank log.

Start the plot. 7 knots, course 125. Gee I happen to be in a pretty good position for a Fast 90.

Wait a bit, fix the plot, I am actually on the course line, so I can actually just move a bit and set up for a Fast 90 using the aft torpedoes.

I set everything up and keep my damn finger off the TC controls (I have lost many a set up because I use TC incorrectly)

I finally can get a good look at my target. Looks like a tanker. Maybe a nice medium tanker 4,000 tons.

Hmm, seems to have a lot of big cranes.

Large Modern Tanker 10,000 tons.

Traveling without escort, not zig zagging.

And I just happen to be in a perfect position for a Fast 90 with the butt torpedoes.

If only I don't mess this up!

I actually sweating and my hands are shaking over this stupid video game.

Spread four torpedoes evenly along the tanker. Mk 14's but it is 1943.

Four nice explosions! Takes a while to sink but she is a goner.

I went from 0 to 10,500 tons in one go.

Why was I and this tanker in the same location in the middle of the Pacific?

If I had not dicked around so much in the harbours, I would have missed it.

One thing is for sure, it was not due to any skill.

Things that make you go "Hmmm"

Any explanation as to why I could not lock on to stationary ships in foggy conditions while they were in the harbour?

And is there a way to truly manually target a ship? Would it be possible to just point my sub at the ship and somehow program the torpedoes to "just go that way"?