The Great Torpedo Pistol Debate

[TheDudTorpedo]

Hello again All,

Well, I have been well and truly seduced by SH3 - what a marvelous game! Currently I am experimenting with different depth settings on my torpedo's depending on the drafts of the various ships encountered, and am having a satisfying amount of success. This leads me on to my question:

Which pistol setting in general is considered more reliable, in terms of damage delivered?

I've given this some thought, and am inclined to go with a 'Magnetic' setting as I still stand a chance of damage or a kill when the AOA is not as perpendicular to the target course as with an 'Impact' setting.

Would anyone like to offer comment? Im interested in both the modelled aspect of the game, as well as in reality (or at least the reality of the 1940's).

Thanks,
TDT

[KeptinCranky]

Right, that thread title with that username... that has to get a response

As for the game, it depends heavily on which mods your using (if any). In the stock game, from what I can recall, magnetic is the way to go with anything bigger than really small, and definitely for warships. With the possible exception op the C3 cargo, an impact eel at 5m fired when the front of the bridge reaches the vertical line of your crosshair will kill those with 1 eel almost every time.

With (super)mods added it becomes a different ball game, they have different damage models and malfunction situations. I can only speak for GWX here with any authority.
For GWX it's best to go for Impact before say september 1940, because the problems that plagued the Germans with the early torpedoes are moddeled. and magnetic eels are far more prone to malfunction. Later on it becomes a matter of what is practical, impact for the good angle on bow shots, magnetic for the bad AOBs, oh and for Battleships, those have serious side armour and torpedo bulges and whatnot, but 2 or even 1 well-placed magnetic eel can sink them.

As for the historical perspective, it wasn't in fact a matter of choice, eels came with either an impact detonator or magnetic influence and impact, and it wasn't possible to flick a switch to select like in the game. to make adjustments the eel had to be opened up and adjusted. Bit of a bother if it's in the tube and there's this big ole merchant about to cross your bow.
The early German eels had problems with depth-keeping, which showed up most dramatically during the Norway campaign, after that Captains were ordered to only use the Impact detonator and remove the magnetic until late 1940 when the problem had been fixed.

I'm not too sure about what's best in game, I prefer to use impact except for when the situation calls for it. I try to avoid using magnetics in bad weather or long range because they're more likely to malfunction. So for reliability, choose Impact

[Frank0001]

Well said, CptKranky basically sums it all up

Also, in heavy weather, it's better to use the impact pistol. Since the ships tend to raise and lower perhaps even 2 meters in the water, when at high seas.
The magnetic torpedo will easily miss that way.
The advantage is that 1 hit on the bow or stern with an impact torp, the high seas will usually do the rest and sink even large merchants.

[danurve]

Early war wakeless technology - what a Gem.

Nothing like due time intercepting a jucy target with can't miss aob, and watching your shot pre-detonate.
Yeah baby.

[Sailor Steve]

I can't add to KeptinCranky's summation except for a correction:

Originally Posted by KeptinCranky

The early German eels had problems with depth-keeping, which showed up most dramatically during the Norway campaign, after that Captains were ordered to only use the Impact detonator and remove the magnetic until late 1940 when the problem had been fixed.

The magnetic pistol tended to pre-detonate, and was withdrawn in 1940, and was not re-instituted until 1943.
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WTGER_Notes.htm

[KeptinCranky]

Really! That late... I had no idea

and Danurve.. what about firing 4 eels at HMS Hood, at long distance (4km) and heavy weather and watching them predetonate 1 by 1 with the last only meters away from the ship

or possibly worse...firing two FAT eels at a 4-stacker Liner and watching them curve away about 50 meters short because in my haste I forgot to set the straight leg correctly... DOH!... to add insult to injury, their search pattern managed to just miss the same ship 3 more times

[predavolk]

Even later in the war, I think the pistols are too effective from a historical PoV. I've almost never had a dud impact. Generally, I use impact unless AoB prevents me from doing so. The benefit of using a magnetic for more damage is negligible in GWX, particularly if you target the bow or stern of the ship. If the AoB is more than 30 degrees from 90, I choose a magnetic to avoid the impact just bouncing off the target (which has happened a few times to me). But I've taken heavy cruisers with just two impact torpedos, so even the big warships go down quickly enough with impacts.

As an extra question- what depth do you set your impacts to? I've used 2 and 3M, and have generally settled on 2M. 1M for harbor attacks or if I really want to see the wake for subsequent aiming purposes.

[danurve]

K_C; that would certainly make for some interesting combination cuss words

predavolk; When I use I/P generaly about 1-1&1/2m above target keel. With two shots trying for the same poi. For the most part I gave up on harbor raids but early war often finds my viib in shallow waters, I use the same tactic.

[Frank0001]

I generally try to hit some 4-5 meters above the ship's depth, but I'm somehow weary of setting torpedoes to 2 or even 1 meter. Something tells me the things are more prone to pre-detonate when they are tossed out of the waves at that depth!

I'm not sure if that's modelled, but I'm still cautious about that
But basically, the lower you set your impact-depth, the longer time water will gush inside the ship I believe. Except with high waves of course.