Need to learn manual targetting

[xlbob]

I finished my first patrol of my 3rd career last night. I join 2d flottila and assigned to go to the atlatic. Can't remember the grid, but it's right there at the Rockfall or rockland bank(?).

Heading west from Shetland, the weather went bad and stayed bad all the way. After finishing my patrol, on my way back I got a convoy report on grid AM 51 or somewhere near that grid. Since I was nearby I decided to intercet the convoy. But the weather was really bad, and my sonarman is a new guy ... he couldn't hear anything on the hydrophone

I had a really close encounter with one of the merchants. Since the weather was realy bad and it was night, WO only spotted the ship when it was near my boat. I ordered periscope depth and tried to track the ship with my periscope. I could see the ship, but that little triangle, target marker, on the periscope never appeared

I couldn't fire my torp. So I sneak away from the convoy, surface the boat and tried to intercept it again. I was able to position my boat on the convoy's path again. But just like before, the weather was still bad and visibility level was really low. Same thing happen. WO spotted a merchant, when it's almost collided with my boat, and that #@##@ target marker never appeared.

There's also another ship nearby, but it was barely visible ... I followed it while slowing down to add some distance, hoping the target marker will appear ... but again, no target marker.

Finally I decided to leave the convoy alone. I figured there's no way I could get a good shoot in that weather. At the end of my patrol I only sank 4 ships. 2 small merchants, a coastal tanker and a passenger/caro ship. Total tonnage was about 7000 ton.

Looks like it's time for me to learn Manual targetting.

Now my question to you guys who use manual targetting: in the situation like the one that I was in i.e., bad weather, rain, low visibility, will you be able to fire your torps and sink some ships?

Thanks,

[Boris]

Yes, of course you can fire your torps in bad weather.

The good thing about convoys is that you either already know their speed, or you can easily guess it. Plus in a storm, you have to be so close you practically can't miss.

Speed is key to manual targetting. The principle lies in getting the targets speed first, so that you know where the torpedo must travel for a hit.

Like I said, with convoys getting the speed is easy. After that you can put in the right angle on bow manually. Imagine the enemy ship is the centre of the AOB control, the arrow must point in the direction your boat would be if seen from the ship. Range doesn't matter so much when making the shot, it's more important for the speed calc (more on that in a bit).

If you use map markers, you can get a perfect AOB reading by using the angle tool: Click on your sub marker, then on the target ship, and have the angle point in the target ship's direction of travel. The angle displayed is the one you can put in your TDC. Always remember to click the TDC lock toggle after making any adjustment. The TDC will auto update any inputs if you have a ship locked in the periscope view..
Remember to double check the TDC map to make sure the torpedo will go where you want it to, once you're satisfied, fire the torp. Because the TDC corrects itself, within convoys, you can generally target the next ship in line straight after, without changing any setting, and fire off a few more torps. Just remember if the ships have started zig zagging for any reason you may miss.

As for getting speed info. This, as I said is the key to a succeful manual hit. If you can't get it by guessing or from the radio report, you need to calculate it, as is the case for single contacts. This is what the recognition manual is for. Make sure you get the right ship, and check the box in the manual while having the target ship locked. Then use the range control on the notepad, putting the crosshair on the waterline, and the other line on the top of the ships masts. Having the periscope stabilised in the realism settings will make things alot easier. Otherwise, if it's night time you may be able to make the calculations on the surface.
Getting a reading in GWX while submerged will be difficult, since you'll be moving. To get any accurate reading, you must be stationary. Once you have the distance, get the ship's AOB either by guessing, or using the more sure method described above. Once both values are in, you can start calcualting the speed. Wait at least a minute to get a half decent reading, longer if you can afford it. Once you have the speed, satisfy yourself that it is within what you expected, otherwise, do it agin, double checking your inputs.
Once you have set everything correct, remember to check the tick on the notebook, to transfer the new values to the TDC. To be doubly sure, you might want to put in the distance and AOB again (as long as you don't start calcualting the speed again you won't lose it), and recheck the tick on the notepad.

Once the ship comes into a good position, you can open your tubes and fire.

This will be alot harder for GWX users while submerged. I've stopped bothering with speed calculations while submerged, choosing to guess instead, putting the speed into the TDC manually. Because you're submerged, you can at least get closer to the target making a hit more likely.

It's looks like a lot to remember, but it's easy. Once you realise how the TDC works and how it behaves in updating etc, things get alot easier.

[Kumando]

There´s nothing more satisfying than scoring a hit with 100% realism, auto targeting just sucks you only point the scope, lock and voilla you have speed AoB and distance instantaneously what is the fun of that? Is that and having your sub icon "aka" gps marking your sub position in real time all the time,
manual navigation is more gratifying as well specially in bad weather.

[Reece]

If you want a short simple tutorial just go to my download site, also reccomend my bearing overlay tool & Dertiens, PRR tools found: http://files.filefront.com//;6469251;;/
Hope this helps.
Cheers.

[Gezoes]

Actually XLBob, I've had a more or less similar patrol, same area, same bloody weather. I sailed back to Wilhelmshaven thinking the weather would never change. In the North Sea it did:

I got more wind and behold! Rain. :rotfl:

I can tell you CAN hit ships in that kind of weather. Remember, you can't see very well, but it's the same for the escorts... especially at night... creep up close on the surface. That way you can target from the bridge, periscope targetting is another matter. If you're submerged, get the speed and angle first. That way you have more time getting the range with a wobly periscope.

Don't be disappointed by misses. Learn from them. The rewards will come

[xlbob]

Boris, thanks for the tip on manual targeting. Kumando and Gezoes, thanks for the encouragement and assurance that it's worth it
Reece, thanks for the link I've downloaded your tutorial

I'll try it tonight on my third patrol... after some training on naval academy of course