Torpedo's do the darndest things.

Santini · 06-30-10, 01:47 PM

Late September, ’39, and it’s a total pisser. Waveheight at least 2 meters over the tower of my trusty Steed, the Type II, and I’m bobbing like a bloody cork about 50 clicks east of the Scotish English boarder. After about half an hour of going 3 knots at flank, I’ve given up, brought the watch below decks, and am prepaired to wait it out.

Then, from the radio man: ship, 45 points off starboard, heading south slowly.

As I’ve 3 fishies left, and a bit of an itch (pretty dull patrol thus far), I give flank another go- again, 2 to 3 knots.

Accordign to the radio intercept, the target should be passing off my nose only 10 clicks or so, so I’ve got to give it an attempt.

I order a crash dive, and after about 2 minutes of struggle, she goes under, and I level off at about 50 meters, heading west at 4 to 5 knots (twice my surface clip).

I go two clicks, then glide a half click with a bit of a turn, doing a hydro phone scan. Nothing.

Two more clicks, then another glide. Again, no joy.

After two more rounds of that, I’m at half battery, and pretty pissed, so I give the surface order.

At 30 meters, it happens: strong sound contact, 20 points off starboard, ridiculously close. I blame thermal layering.

Anyhow, a quick peep at the surface with the observation scope confirms it: I’m not gonna make periscope depth, in any way shape or form without flying out at least once. So, I take her up to 18 meters, and figure my firing solution from the hydros.

I take 4 measurements at 15 seconds each, and determine the closest linear plot across the points, then line her up. I figure 6 knots, then fire 2 degrees ahead in case she’s going any faster.

I push out the fishie, then harder rudder to port, so I can point my ear at her.

The fish and the boat grow closer, and about 5 seconds before the impact, they’ve overlapped.

Then nothing. I hear the boat go her way, and the fish his.

Great. Pop open the TDC, and find I’m an idiot- I’d changed to impact, as per the weather conditions, but I still had magnetic depth set. He’d passed right under her. No worries, I think. I’m only 400 or so meters from the boat- full ahead, and I put myself in the boats wake, liend up for a stern shot. A couple of waggles and a hydrophone session, and I’ve confirmed that I’m right on her course.

I set the depth to 1 meter, and the fuse to impact, and fire off that fishie. Turning 5 points to starboard, I run to the hydrophone office, and listen to my second torp home in.

5 seconds to impact, and I’m listening:

“Whirwhirwhirwhirwhit… CLANG!”

I sigh, and slump a little.

But then, I hear it again!

“Whirwhirwhirwhir… CLANG!”

And again! I hear it at least 5 times!

As far as I can figure, my torp ran out, struck the boat, bounced off, then flew back forward, hit the boat, and bounced! This goes on at least 5 more times before I decide to do something about it:

I turn back onto course, and fire my last fish.

Back at the hydro, the second torpedo is still making a racket, but I hear the third go in.

“Whirwhirwhirwhirwhirwhir… CLANG!”

And the torpedo takes off to starboard…

“whirwhirwhirwhi…”

And the second torpeo is still clunking away, trying to batter it’s way in.

Now, before you mock my analysis, or my captianship, try to remember the pain of even a single missed shot from a Type II. Now, imagine 3.

I turned about, and headed off. About 5 minutes out, I turned my hydro back 160 degrees, and sure enough, heard my torpedo still banging away.

I headed home, crying all the way

Jimbuna · 06-30-10, 02:44 PM

Report your findings to Bdu, you may have created the first homing version of the torpedo. That is the only time I have experienced what youare describing

Santini · 06-30-10, 02:45 PM

Aye sir!

Lable on the crate said it was a T-I, but you never know!

06-30-10, 10:21 PM

Once you miss, the attack is over.
You can either wait a few hours and try again, or chalk it off as a loss.
Stealth & Surprise are your friends.
(Just personal advice, from my perspective. You're the captain.)

"Points":
Old compasses consisted of 32 points total.
(Nothing can be 45 points to starboard).
1 point = 11.25 degrees.

Santini · 07-01-10, 01:08 AM

Ah, in that case it was 4 points. Anyhow, seeing as that it was 1939, the middle of the night, in the pissingest storm I've ever seen, I figured it was worth it to snap off a couple more shots.

07-01-10, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santini

Ah, in that case it was 4 points. Anyhow, seeing as that it was 1939, the middle of the night, in the pissingest storm I've ever seen, I figured it was worth it to snap off a couple more shots.

They are your torpedoes Hr Kaleun.
(Each one costed more than a medium sized house at the time.)
(And that's a bargain by today's standards!)

pickinthebanjo · 07-01-10, 11:45 AM

I've shot at the screws on some merchants before and had that happen the odd time, but it usually either dies out or explodes on that second hit

Jankowski · 07-02-10, 07:38 AM

i wonder what the crew of the ship where thinking?

maillemaker · 07-02-10, 08:41 AM

I'm not sure what is being described. Did the torpedo get caught in the propellers or something?

Steve

Jimbuna · 07-02-10, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jankowski

i wonder what the crew of the ship where thinking?

Probably someone who fell overboard was knocking on the hull to draw attention to their plight

Santini · 07-02-10, 03:37 PM

Yeah, I'm not sure what happened either- 100% realism, so no external cam or map contact to see what was actually going on.I was perfectly in line with the vessle, so it may have been bouncing off the props

Sailor Steve · 07-02-10, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santini

Great. Pop open the TDC, and find I’m an idiot- I’d changed to impact, as per the weather conditions, but I still had magnetic depth set. He’d passed right under her.

That shouldn't have made a difference either. In the game it's not either/or, it's impact only or magnetic+impact. It should still have gone off.

Quote:

Lable on the crate said it was a T-I, but you never know!

Good one!

Santini · 07-02-10, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

That shouldn't have made a difference either. In the game it's not either/or, it's impact only or magnetic+impact. It should still have gone off.

Good one!

For some reason, when it's really stormy, my magnetic fuzes have been predetonating with regularity. The issue was I still had it set for a meter under their keel

maillemaker · 07-03-10, 07:56 AM

Magnetics tend to predetonate in rough seas.

Most magnetics will go at least 500m before pre-detonating.

Steve

Santini · 07-03-10, 11:09 AM

Ah! I did not know this. I had just noticed that when I was doing alot of "hydro snapshots," my magnetic eels were biting well before they overlapped the target signature, and started going to impact only in rough weather. Next time, if the target is in that 500 to 400 meter sweet spot, I'd keep her on magnetic. Oh, I just put in for my transfer to 7th fleet- got 19k tons under the belt already, and about to take out my Type VII for a shakedown.

06-30-10, 01:47 PM	#1
Santini Medic Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 168 Downloads: 389 Uploads: 1	Torpedo's do the darndest things. Late September, ’39, and it’s a total pisser. Waveheight at least 2 meters over the tower of my trusty Steed, the Type II, and I’m bobbing like a bloody cork about 50 clicks east of the Scotish English boarder. After about half an hour of going 3 knots at flank, I’ve given up, brought the watch below decks, and am prepaired to wait it out. Then, from the radio man: ship, 45 points off starboard, heading south slowly. As I’ve 3 fishies left, and a bit of an itch (pretty dull patrol thus far), I give flank another go- again, 2 to 3 knots. Accordign to the radio intercept, the target should be passing off my nose only 10 clicks or so, so I’ve got to give it an attempt. I order a crash dive, and after about 2 minutes of struggle, she goes under, and I level off at about 50 meters, heading west at 4 to 5 knots (twice my surface clip). I go two clicks, then glide a half click with a bit of a turn, doing a hydro phone scan. Nothing. Two more clicks, then another glide. Again, no joy. After two more rounds of that, I’m at half battery, and pretty pissed, so I give the surface order. At 30 meters, it happens: strong sound contact, 20 points off starboard, ridiculously close. I blame thermal layering. Anyhow, a quick peep at the surface with the observation scope confirms it: I’m not gonna make periscope depth, in any way shape or form without flying out at least once. So, I take her up to 18 meters, and figure my firing solution from the hydros. I take 4 measurements at 15 seconds each, and determine the closest linear plot across the points, then line her up. I figure 6 knots, then fire 2 degrees ahead in case she’s going any faster. I push out the fishie, then harder rudder to port, so I can point my ear at her. The fish and the boat grow closer, and about 5 seconds before the impact, they’ve overlapped. Then nothing. I hear the boat go her way, and the fish his. Great. Pop open the TDC, and find I’m an idiot- I’d changed to impact, as per the weather conditions, but I still had magnetic depth set. He’d passed right under her. No worries, I think. I’m only 400 or so meters from the boat- full ahead, and I put myself in the boats wake, liend up for a stern shot. A couple of waggles and a hydrophone session, and I’ve confirmed that I’m right on her course. I set the depth to 1 meter, and the fuse to impact, and fire off that fishie. Turning 5 points to starboard, I run to the hydrophone office, and listen to my second torp home in. 5 seconds to impact, and I’m listening: “Whirwhirwhirwhirwhit… CLANG!” I sigh, and slump a little. But then, I hear it again! “Whirwhirwhirwhir… CLANG!” And again! I hear it at least 5 times! As far as I can figure, my torp ran out, struck the boat, bounced off, then flew back forward, hit the boat, and bounced! This goes on at least 5 more times before I decide to do something about it: I turn back onto course, and fire my last fish. Back at the hydro, the second torpedo is still making a racket, but I hear the third go in. “Whirwhirwhirwhirwhirwhir… CLANG!” And the torpedo takes off to starboard… “whirwhirwhirwhi…” And the second torpeo is still clunking away, trying to batter it’s way in. Now, before you mock my analysis, or my captianship, try to remember the pain of even a single missed shot from a Type II. Now, imagine 3. I turned about, and headed off. About 5 minutes out, I turned my hydro back 160 degrees, and sure enough, heard my torpedo still banging away. I headed home, crying all the way

06-30-10, 02:44 PM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Report your findings to Bdu, you may have created the first homing version of the torpedo. That is the only time I have experienced what youare describing __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

07-01-10, 11:45 AM	#7
pickinthebanjo Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 651 Downloads: 282 Uploads: 0	I've shot at the screws on some merchants before and had that happen the odd time, but it usually either dies out or explodes on that second hit __________________ Intel Core I7 980x - ASUS Rampage III - EVGA GTX 570 - OCZ Gold 1600Mhz 6Gb - Intel X25-M 80Gb - Coolermaster HAF 932 - Windows 7 Ultimate - CoolerMaster 1200W SH3 Deeper Torpedo Launch / Realistic Crush Depth Mod Here - http://www.filefront.com/user/pickinthebanjo

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

06-30-10, 02:45 PM	#3
Santini Medic Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 168 Downloads: 389 Uploads: 1	Aye sir! Lable on the crate said it was a T-I, but you never know!

06-30-10, 10:21 PM	#4
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Once you miss, the attack is over. You can either wait a few hours and try again, or chalk it off as a loss. Stealth & Surprise are your friends. (Just personal advice, from my perspective. You're the captain.) "Points": Old compasses consisted of 32 points total. (Nothing can be 45 points to starboard). 1 point = 11.25 degrees.

07-01-10, 01:08 AM	#5
Santini Medic Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 168 Downloads: 389 Uploads: 1	Ah, in that case it was 4 points. Anyhow, seeing as that it was 1939, the middle of the night, in the pissingest storm I've ever seen, I figured it was worth it to snap off a couple more shots.

07-02-10, 07:38 AM	#8
Jankowski Frogman Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 306 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	i wonder what the crew of the ship where thinking?

07-02-10, 08:41 AM	#9
maillemaker Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,639 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	I'm not sure what is being described. Did the torpedo get caught in the propellers or something? Steve

07-02-10, 03:37 PM	#11
Santini Medic Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 168 Downloads: 389 Uploads: 1	Yeah, I'm not sure what happened either- 100% realism, so no external cam or map contact to see what was actually going on.I was perfectly in line with the vessle, so it may have been bouncing off the props

07-03-10, 07:56 AM	#14
maillemaker Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,639 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Magnetics tend to predetonate in rough seas. Most magnetics will go at least 500m before pre-detonating. Steve

07-03-10, 11:09 AM	#15
Santini Medic Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 168 Downloads: 389 Uploads: 1	Ah! I did not know this. I had just noticed that when I was doing alot of "hydro snapshots," my magnetic eels were biting well before they overlapped the target signature, and started going to impact only in rough weather. Next time, if the target is in that 500 to 400 meter sweet spot, I'd keep her on magnetic. Oh, I just put in for my transfer to 7th fleet- got 19k tons under the belt already, and about to take out my Type VII for a shakedown.