Can you successfully target ships from underwater without using your periscope?

[perky416]

Hi Guys

I find that very often when im using my periscope to target ships i always get spotted by warships, so I was just wondering if there is a way to successfully auto target and sink enemy ships from under water without using your periscope?

Iv been playing around with the TBC screen but i cant figure it out?

Thanks

[Tom]

Yes, it is possible, but not very accurate or easy. It was never done in real life.

You can figure out the target course and speed beforehand, maneuver to a perfect 90 degree attack position and set the TDC parameters manually. Then you turn your scope to the heading where gyro angle reads 000. Make note of that heading. After this, ask your hydrophone operator to follow the target, and he will give you a new bearing every time it has changed. If you fire when the ship reaches the bearing your periscope is pointing at, the torpedo has a chance of hitting it.

There are also methods of figuring out an accurate target course and speed without ever seeing the target. But like I said, this is highly unrealistic and was never done in real life.

If you're spotted by warships when you try to attack, you are probably doing something wrong in the first place:

1. You shouldn't be very close (< 2000 m) to any warship when attacking.
2. You shouldn't move very fast (> 2 kn) underwater if there are warships in the vicinity and they haven't spotted you yet.
3. You shouldn't move faster than 2 kn if your periscope is above water.
4. You shouldn't keep the periscope up continuously. Raise it, make quick observations, and lower it again. Repeat when needed.

[Jimbuna]

Welcome to SubSim perky416....an interesting first post.

[Damo]

You could also time your attacks to take place at night, not only does this drastically reduce the chances of getting spotted, you'll also be able to fire off your initial salvo's on the surface. I've often managed to set up a long 90 degree shot from 3000m+ and as soon as the torpedoes leave the tubes turn away and run on the surface. The escorts often concentrate around where the first ship is hit and never see you, giving you time to run ahead and get in front of the convoy for another shot.

Welcome to Subsim.

Originally Posted by Damo

You could also time your attacks to take place at night, not only does this drastically reduce the chances of getting spotted, you'll also be able to fire off your initial salvo's on the surface. I've often managed to set up a long 90 degree shot from 3000m+ and as soon as the torpedoes leave the tubes turn away and run on the surface. The escorts often concentrate around where the first ship is hit and never see you, giving you time to run ahead and get in front of the convoy for another shot.

Welcome to Subsim.

I see there u have a VIIB skin, whered you get that from? I want a skin like that one. Currently Im a black splotched pattern on mine.

[Schwieger]

There have been times where visibility was zero and the sea was too rough to use the scope...being able to shoot without using the scope would have been a plus for me... wasn't the XXI able to do so?

Originally Posted by Schwieger

There have been times where visibility was zero and the sea was too rough to use the scope...being able to shoot without using the scope would have been a plus for me... wasn't the XXI able to do so?

In reality all of them could as long as you knew the ships course and (Without manual targeting) locked onto him before hand to know hwat your gyro should have been (not realistic but Im a dunce with manuals for now mwuahahah) I find it easy to set up for a 90* shot and find what my gyro should be the fire when he crosses the gyro, I think the only problem would be that you cant aim the shot per-se (Sailor Steve correct me on this one if im wrong in the spelling ) but it should still hit

[Missing Name]

I am now tempted to try this out.

[Mittelwaechter]

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom//arc.../t-110619.html

http://files.filefront.com/U42HydroH.../fileinfo.html
(EDIT: this is an upscaled version of the original file - it didn't work on my W7 system right now.
I've uploaded the original small screen file - valid link is three postings down)

There are some better tutorials and techniques around now, but mine was the first one.
And it shows the result of the calculations to be good enough to successfully attack an invisible contact.

It's a Bink file - compressed with the radgame tools (freeware) three times as small as a WMV would have been. The Bink player is included, therefore it's an EXE.

Esc to end the clip, Spacebar to pause.

[Canovaro]

It may be interesting to know that the sound you hear underwater is the sound of the engines and comes form the engine room of the ship you are attacking. Contrary to popular belief it is not coming from the screws at the aft of the ship.

[Canovaro]

Originally Posted by Mittelwaechter

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom//arc.../t-110619.html

http://files.filefront.com/U42HydroH.../fileinfo.html

There are some better tutorials and techniques around now, but mine was the first one.
And it shows the result of the calculations to be good enough to successfully attack an invisible contact.

It's a Bink file - compressed with the radgame tools (freeware) three times as small as a WMV would have been. The Bink player is included, therefore it's an EXE.

Esc to end the clip, Spacebar to pause.

And brilliant it is! Wow didn't know you were still active on these boards so it's quite an honor to 'meet' you.

[Mittelwaechter]

Salute Canovaro! Still hanging around reading only most of the time...


I tried to run the above posted clip in Win7 and got a black screen with no further reaction of my system.

Here is the original file - MD5: 51fd9e1859d2b18410bc919f106bfa3b

http://www.mediafire.com/?udcptf6ik61epap


Small screen, but should work fine.

[perky416]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the welcomes and suggestions, i have already tried keeping my speed low and attacking at night and iv seen some improvement.

[Gerald]

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by perky416

Hi Guys, Thanks for the welcomes and suggestions, i have already tried keeping my speed low and attacking at night and iv seen some improvement.

Yes, you have to think of U-boats as the snipers of the naval world. They needed to approach, fire, and escape all while being undetected. Stealth is your biggest weapon, not your torpedos.