How to plot,get range,speed,all with map updates off

[Paul Riley]

With my current patrol i'm on I decided it was time to crank up the difficulty to 100% by turning off the map updates.I mastered manual targetting and all the other realism effects too long ago,and don't even bother with the cameras anyhow,but I have a feeling this is going to be VERY difficult,if not impossible,at least initially.I mean,wasnt it the navigator's job in any case to help in plotting courses?.I think the main reason I am concerned is basically it will force me to use the stadimeter,which I never use as it is far too inaccurate for my liking.

The way I have been aqquiring range and speed previously is to first plot your first point,elapse time 3mins 15secs,make 2nd plot,link up with line,aqquire rough mean course,measure distance of line for speed,and proceed.I also,when I draw level with a target,observe if he shifts position on the scope,from say 90deg to 89deg,which tells me he is slowing,or is slower than previous speed setting.I personally think this is a fairly accurate way to measure speed,by getting level,then observing any shift on the scope.

With map updates on I like to think it is the navigator or someone else that has provided the visual data on the map for me,and doesnt exactly feel like cheating.

What do you think,should I continue,or go back to just having map updates on?.

Lastly,can anyone direct me to any posts/links that may show us reliable ways to accurately plot,range,speed etc with map updates off?

Thanks

[sharkbit]

Try these videos. They might help.

[Paul Riley]

For some reason I can't view the video/s.I think I need the latest flash player as I know my browser supports Java.I have tried installing the latest flash player before and ran into problems as it seems to freeze on the download page,i'm sure adobe has issues with its bloody site.Well,i'm getting the flash player right now,which should only take a few minutes.
By the way,on a dial up connection (I know ) do they take very long,are they quite extensive?

Thanks sharkbit

[Paul Riley]

Nope,for some reason adobe's bloody site freezes! it freezes on the part where it says " When you see the installation completion movie above and text below, your installation was successful. The installation should only take a minute or two on a 56k modem ".
I don't like their stinking site,its the same with most bloody sites these days,bloated to hell!
I also know my computer can handle videos/animations etc,by just checking it in explorer options,then I uncheck it when i'm just using the net for information etc

[Hitman]

I think the main reason I am concerned is basically it will force me to use the stadimeter,which I never use as it is far too inaccurate for my liking.

I did this little job for SH4: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...hlight=plotter

The mod itself will not work with SH3, but the idea certainly will. Take a look at the PDF with the tutorial, the most important idea from it you must get is that your must AVERAGE the enemy positions you have marked on the map. That's how it also worked in real life, because the real life stadimeter also wasn't accurate.

In any case, be aware that this isn't the only method to get the target's values for your firing solution. You can use fixed wire method for speed and eyeballing for the AOB (Both also used in real life).

Good hunting

[Paul Riley]

Thanks a lot.I will read that very soon
I just need to try and get those bloody youtube videos working

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by Hitman

You can use fixed wire method for speed
Good hunting

I am surprised,I never knew about fixed wire method,what is this exactly?.

[Paul Riley]

Hitman,I seem to be having a lot of problems viewing some of these links,esp. at Filefront.
Do you have a link to any old posts in this forum,that may describe a lot of what i'm after?.

Cheers.

[Pisces]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

I am surprised,I never knew about fixed wire method,what is this exactly?.

You set your periscope forwards or to the rear, and set your course until the view is right infront of the targets bow. Start your clock when the bow touches. Stop it again as the stern (backside) leaves the line. The ship's overall length, divided by this time is the speed of the target in meters/second (or whatever units used). The value in knots is almost twice this m/s value. Basically you have just made an imaginary stationary wall through the water with your periscope line. The periscope must be along your bow/stern centerline to nullify the distorting effect of your own speed you would get if the scope is looking sideways. But if you know your speed well enough it is 'rather easy' (with Hitman's Attackdisk, ISWASWHAT-EVER , slideruler) to calculate the speed correction based on viewing direction.

Real uboats had a moving line in the scope optics that was slaved to the gyrocompass. So any small course deviations of the uboat would have been cancelled out. We need to make sure we don't turn, by keeping the rudder amidships, or submerge to soften the wave ridding. They called it 'feste Linie im Raum', translated to 'fixed line through space'

[Pisces]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

For some reason I can't view the video/s.I think I need the latest flash player as I know my browser supports Java. ...

I have uploaded these videos ( as .wmv ) to my filefront page at the link below. But since you mention you are on dial up this may remain a problem. (total roughly 70MB) Instead you will have to make do with the pdf version (compressed inside a 7-zip file) of it. Same link, but the smaller 500kb ish "The Hunt.7z"

http://hosted.filefront.com/Pisces347/2382616