Manual TDC - Range is a problem

[Reece]

Hi, I have come a long way & now have no problems calculating AOB manually & using the wheel confirms the result. The big problem is the stadimeter, to calculate the course I need the range & preferably from a distace to get 2 or more plots, I was having so much trouble that I changed realism to update map just to check out if calculations are correct, they are way out!! Using zoom & trying to set the height is the problem I think, I'm sure I'm doing everything correctly, I wonder, since I'm using over 80 mods, if the zoom has been changed & not correct, I know there are mods to change this, could this be a problem & if so what files do I look for to remove/fix?
Is there another way to calculate the range just to set the course, I assume I will still have to use the stadimeter to be able to "automate" the TDC, I noted that pressing the manual swith, the TDC is no longer functioning, can I change the range here the press switch back again?
So far after several hours I have only made 1 hit & that is probably a fluke!
I can make the calculations in plenty of time now but the range is always way out!
Many thanks.
Reece.

[Corsair]

Welcome to the club...
I would think for all people using manual TDC the range is the most problematic to estimate. This is why I try never to shoot from more than 1000 m (and preferably less) so that the range error translates in a non precise hit. From longer distances the probabilities of total miss are too much.

[Jazer]

I'm a recently new Manual Shooter myself. When possible I rely on my Watch Officer to give me the ranges. As previously stated I try to as well stay within the 500 meter mark when lining up shots. The closer you are to the target the less chance of a miss. I don't believe there is any way around finding the range without the stadimeter. Hey, that's life. The real skippers had the same problems, that's what makes this so fun!

[Corsair]

If you use the range from watch officer it helps. Problem is that it doesn't work in NYGM or GWX, the guy just give you the bearing and short, medium or long distance......

[Trygvasson]

I use the watch officer to give me 'closest visual contact' range and bearing at 3 min 15 sec intervals, and mark them out on the map. This gives me speed, range and bearing, everything I need to get 500 m and at 90 deg from the projected path of my target. I then manually insert range and AOB, and wait for the target to approach. At a full stop, I can risk raising my scope and take a close-up stadimeter range finding if I feel that my position is not ideal. At +/- 1000m the stadimeter is accurate enough to give you a good range estimate. Remember, you can use the observation scope's 4.5 magnification if you feel that the 10x mag of the attack scope is not the best for the situation.

- but the best target is a non-moving target. I am currently betting the lives of 50 German sailors that Southend is nod properly defended. Fette Beute!

[Reece]

I've never actually tried the Obsevation scope Trygvasson, I'll certainly give it a go, I thought the Stadimeter is not useable here, but will find out!
I have been using the quick 90 method, seems like you do as well, but wanted to try with other angles, I have always had the watch officer reports turned off, I would prefer to use without, to keep realism up, but if all else fails may have to!
Does anyone know the files, or the name of mod that may change the zoom factor to a different magnification that will effect the range making it useless? this may be the problem I have, & if so, nothing will help!
Summing it up:
To try & plot a course, requires atleast 2 range/bearing calculations & placed on the map then draw a line, this would be near impossable if the ship is too close (around 1km) to then get AOB/Speed to set up the TDC, I just get a brain strain!:rotfl:
Any other hints welcome.

[Corsair]

You need lot more than 2 plots, just because of the range possible error (some plots will be canceled as not coherent with the rest). I do my plotting from a safe distance until I get a reasonably confident course and speed. Then I figure out an intercept course to a position ahead of target, preferably at 90° AOB if possible (not always) and max 1000m from where it will be for shooting.
I enter all data directly in the slide out TDC dials I have in scope / UZO view as I find it easier than using the notepad and I can visualize the data.

PS : another way of estimating the course of target is for me to use the bearing and AOB to calculate it...

[_Seth_]

Is it possible that the "grid-marks" (dont know the name, but it is the black lines going vertical and horisontal with those small marks on them)
inside the periscope can be used for range finding?
Or is it just "eye-candy"?

[Reece]

I've wondered that too Seth, we do all these calculations but none use the scopes calibration marks, when entering TDC manually & satisfied that it is correct can you then set it to update automatically as it does by filling out the notepad in stadimeter? seems to me that if you are using this method in a convoy, since they are all doing the same speed & course, would just be a matter of changing/locking targets, firing, would this work? probably not, forgot range would be different, although it could work on ships following the same path!
More tests & practise in order!! My wife won a scholarship mainly for her math skills, maybe I can call on some help here! though I doubt it!:rotfl:

[Abd_von_Mumit]

Originally Posted by Reece

I've wondered that too Seth, we do all these calculations but none use the scopes calibration marks, when entering TDC manually & satisfied that it is correct can you then set it to update automatically as it does by filling out the notepad in stadimeter?

In vanilla SHIII TDC does update the data regardless of the way it got it from — you can enter the data manually or by periscope. I suppose in GWX it works the same way, this is the reason of constructing TDC.

As to the range and scope calibration marks we must remember, that if we use them (calculating data manually after observation) our mistakes can cumulate. If you estimate the AOB wrong, you'll get wrong range also. From my experience I find the AOB harder to estimate than range itself and I prefer to get range with multiple stadimeter observations and then 'calculate' speed and course.

Originally Posted by Reece

seems to me that if you are using this method in a convoy, since they are all doing the same speed & course, would just be a matter of changing/locking targets, firing, would this work? probably not, forgot range would be different, although it could work on ships following the same path!

It will work well as long as you:
— don't change your course,
— don't forget to change range (manually or by stadimeter&notepad) if it varies significantly (more than +-30%, I assume).

Originally Posted by Reece

More tests & practise in order!! My wife won a scholarship mainly for her math skills, maybe I can call on some help here! though I doubt it!:rotfl:

Calculating range using scope's calibrating marks is very time consuming if you'd like do it manually (without scientific calculator or any kind of magic wheels). Your wife would get bored soon.

[don1reed]

The manual says that the small marks = 1° @ 1x or 1.5x in the scopes & the large marks = 5°
small marks = 0.25° @ 4x or 6x & the large marks = 1.25°

UZO (7x) small marks = 0.2° & large marks = 1°.

This is extremely hard to measure during foul wx. What I've learned since my first day in the "Academy" 2 yrs ago is when the C2 Cargo fills the scope viewfinder above in 6x magnification, it is close enough for a kill.

However, if you'll note in the above thumbnail the MHH = 23.2 m in the recognition manual and measures ~2.3° in the 1.5x marks...doing the math: Range = 23.2m / tan 2.3° = 578 m (rounded up)

that tramp steamer on the right...

MHH = 22.7m measure ~1.2°: math: Range = 22.7 / tan 1.2° = 1084 m (rounded up)

[Reece]

Thanks for the help, I am sharing my time at the moment with my old BMW K100RT, giving the old girl a make-over! Have ordered a new Cobin seat & rear trunk with backrest for the wife, some parts have to be re-sprayed & crash bars re-chromed as well as other bits like new front tyre, rego & service. Probably a couple of months before it's back on the road. An interstate trip may be in order!
Cheers.