torpedo failure rate?

ExMachina · 01-10-09, 09:03 PM

hello,

i have been away from subsims for a while but am really enjoying SH4 ( v1.5 with TMO162 )

i'm on my first mission and have thus far flubbed two convoy attacks.

the first 4-torp spread all prematurely detonated within 20 seconds of leaving the tubes.

the second convoy saw all 4-torps miss a big fat slow oil tanker (500yd 90 degree AoB shot, auto targeting turned on--i'm guessing they ran too deep?)

is this a normal failure rate?

oh well, at least i'm getting better at evading destroyers

ExMachina · 01-10-09, 10:39 PM

update:

4 more torps launched, THIS time all of them were good!

what the heck? so far my spreads have been either 100% or 100% good.

is it known how SH4 determines if a torp will be a dud or not?

NEON DEON · 01-10-09, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExMachina

hello,

i have been away from subsims for a while but am really enjoying SH4 ( v1.5 with TMO162 )

i'm on my first mission and have thus far flubbed two convoy attacks.

the first 4-torp spread all prematurely detonated within 20 seconds of leaving the tubes.

the second convoy saw all 4-torps miss a big fat slow oil tanker (500yd 90 degree AoB shot, auto targeting turned on--i'm guessing they ran too deep?)

is this a normal failure rate?

oh well, at least i'm getting better at evading destroyers

Quite possible with duds enabled to get thoes results especially at long range.

On average for every 12 torpedoes fired, U S subs would sink one ship.

Mark 10s are the most reliable torpedo early war.

Mark 14s are the worst early war.

To get a 14 to work early war you have to shoot from point blank range. This will reduce the chance of the torpedo exploding early along with setting the torpedo to contact only. Then set the torpedo to run shallow. This along with the point blank range will allow the torpedo to rise up but not sink back down because of faulty depth guage on torpedo.

Contact only and hitting the target at a 90 degree angle with the torpedo set to slow speed will avoid problem number 3 with the mark 14. The weak firing pin. At high speed at 90 degrees the pin would bend. At low speed the pin wouldnt. The 14 will also work at high speed at a 45 degree angle. However it is also more than likely to fail if the angle goes too wide resulting in torpedo glancing off the target.

The Magnetic exploder sucks. dont use it.

The 14 was not a bad torpedo. It just was not tested. Had it been tested properly without bias the US might have been able to rock much earlier in the war.

Orion2012 · 01-10-09, 10:45 PM

It's dependent on the angle the torpedo strikes the ship. Contact detonators are also less likely to fail when on a slower speed setting. Magnetic influence have a higher chance of early detonation in rough weather. Depth running error is dependent on date in the war, by late 43 deep running torpedoes should become less frequent.

ExMachina · 01-10-09, 10:48 PM

1943 is a long way off from january 1942

perhaps i should refit w/ 10's?

breadcatcher101 · 01-14-09, 03:53 PM

Late '42, attacked a task force, 10 hits on a Ise, 9 duds. Think of how the real-life skippers must have felt.

Falkirion · 01-14-09, 04:59 PM

Mid August 43' on patrol near Sulawesi (Indonesia, the island looks like an octopus) I had 3 duds on my final target I intercepted. Two were broadsides and just bounced off the hull. Last torp was fired during a surface attack and again, another dud. 100% failure rate, I was pissed off so broke off contact and disappeared into the night.

SteamWake · 01-14-09, 05:16 PM

It is going to be hard to put a number on this.

My best so far is 8 duds in a row. Nearly got me 'killed'.

You can avoid premies to some extent by using contact detonators espically in rough conditions. Just try to hit the target at some angle other than 90 set them shallow.

---->/ good ---->[ doink

Of course we playing a game are blessed by 'knowing' what was wrong with the torpedoes (they run 10' deep, detonators 'crush' at 90 degrees, influence detonators cause premature detonations in rough seas).

Imagine the frustrations for many skippers and their following consternation when the brass insisted nothing was wrong yet obviously something was. Only through trial and error and word of mouth were these things figured out. Pretty cool that some of that is modeled.

As to putting a number on it ... hard to say. Prehaps one of the grognards can come up with real life stats. If someone is bored do some testing and come up with numbers. But Im willing to bet it is randomized as well.

Anyhow hope some of this helps.

JonB · 01-14-09, 05:41 PM

The mark 10 and mark 14 have been mentioned here...

Since I´m still on my first career (due to reinstallation) on SH4, I wonder when is the next modell of torpedos due and what are their features? And of course, do they work as "good" as the 14 or better?

All I know is that the germans (SH3) had torpedos from A - Z, lol...

01-10-09, 09:03 PM	#1
ExMachina Sailor man Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 44 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	torpedo failure rate? hello, i have been away from subsims for a while but am really enjoying SH4 ( v1.5 with TMO162 ) i'm on my first mission and have thus far flubbed two convoy attacks. the first 4-torp spread all prematurely detonated within 20 seconds of leaving the tubes. the second convoy saw all 4-torps miss a big fat slow oil tanker (500yd 90 degree AoB shot, auto targeting turned on--i'm guessing they ran too deep?) is this a normal failure rate? oh well, at least i'm getting better at evading destroyers

01-10-09, 10:45 PM	#4
Orion2012 Commodore Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 611 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It's dependent on the angle the torpedo strikes the ship. Contact detonators are also less likely to fail when on a slower speed setting. Magnetic influence have a higher chance of early detonation in rough weather. Depth running error is dependent on date in the war, by late 43 deep running torpedoes should become less frequent. __________________ RFB Tester - "Deviance" http://hosted.filefront.com/Orion2012/

01-10-09, 10:39 PM	#2
ExMachina Sailor man Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 44 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	update: 4 more torps launched, THIS time all of them were good! what the heck? so far my spreads have been either 100% or 100% good. is it known how SH4 determines if a torp will be a dud or not?

01-10-09, 10:48 PM	#5
ExMachina Sailor man Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 44 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	1943 is a long way off from january 1942 perhaps i should refit w/ 10's?

01-14-09, 03:53 PM	#6
breadcatcher101 Captain Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Southeastern USA Posts: 546 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Late '42, attacked a task force, 10 hits on a Ise, 9 duds. Think of how the real-life skippers must have felt.

01-14-09, 04:59 PM	#7
Falkirion Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Melbourne, AUS Posts: 1,043 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	Mid August 43' on patrol near Sulawesi (Indonesia, the island looks like an octopus) I had 3 duds on my final target I intercepted. Two were broadsides and just bounced off the hull. Last torp was fired during a surface attack and again, another dud. 100% failure rate, I was pissed off so broke off contact and disappeared into the night.

01-14-09, 05:16 PM	#8
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	It is going to be hard to put a number on this. My best so far is 8 duds in a row. Nearly got me 'killed'. You can avoid premies to some extent by using contact detonators espically in rough conditions. Just try to hit the target at some angle other than 90 set them shallow. ---->/ good ---->[ doink Of course we playing a game are blessed by 'knowing' what was wrong with the torpedoes (they run 10' deep, detonators 'crush' at 90 degrees, influence detonators cause premature detonations in rough seas). Imagine the frustrations for many skippers and their following consternation when the brass insisted nothing was wrong yet obviously something was. Only through trial and error and word of mouth were these things figured out. Pretty cool that some of that is modeled. As to putting a number on it ... hard to say. Prehaps one of the grognards can come up with real life stats. If someone is bored do some testing and come up with numbers. But Im willing to bet it is randomized as well. Anyhow hope some of this helps.

01-14-09, 05:41 PM	#9
JonB Bosun Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Halmstad, Sweden Posts: 69 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	The mark 10 and mark 14 have been mentioned here... Since I´m still on my first career (due to reinstallation) on SH4, I wonder when is the next modell of torpedos due and what are their features? And of course, do they work as "good" as the 14 or better? All I know is that the germans (SH3) had torpedos from A - Z, lol...