Torpedo Targeting Question(s):

[hunter301]

I have a few questions regarding torpedo targeting and firing:

• Is using the "L" key the same as constant bearing tracking as on a real sub?
• If I don't use the "L" or constant bearing key but I follow the target with my targeting scope is my torpedo bearing going to shoot where ever my cross hairs are looking?
• I was reading that 1 degree at 2000 yds. is equal to 100 feet separation. So at 1000 yards I'm looking at only 50 feet spread. If I've got a destroyer coming directly at me and I set up for a bow shot am I better off doing a larger spread such as 5 degrees which would equal 250 feet separation either left or right depending on where I am.

[hunter301]

While playing the training convoy mission again I noticed that the first two torpedoes I fired right off the bow without using any of the Attack Data Tool input went straight where I was looking. But then as soon as I brought up the Position Keeper and followed up the other shots they started going off in erratic locations no where near where I was aiming. What or when does the Periscope/torpedo combination actually get "slaved" to the TDC?
What is the purpose of the red button at the bottom of the Position Keeper for, Does it actually send the information from the Attack Data Tool to the TDC when you push the button and it turns red?

Is there some kind of training tutorials that can tell me what I'm doing wrong if anything? I don't want to go back to using the easy mode for shooting. Defeats the purpose of the game.

[Sniper297]

The red button "PK" is Position Keeper. Purpose of that is to keep the TDC plotting the current position of the target when the periscope is down. In real life they raised the periscope for 10 seconds or less to take range, bearing, and estimate of angle on the bow, then lowered the periscope to make it less likely some alert lookout would spot it. If you leave it up for 10 minutes, sooner or later someone will notice it. 10 seconds every 2 to 5 minutes reduces the chances of anyone seeing it.

So the Position Keeper tracks the target - but assumes that the target is not turning, speeding up, or slowing down, but maintaining a steady course. That's why it's necessary to note the position, bearing, range and speed on the TDC, then click the red button to turn it off, raise the periscope to take all the readings again to confirm the accuracy of the plot. And turn it OFF before firing, the "FINAL BEARING AND SHOOT" observation has to be real time rather than the prediction made by the PK, although they should match pretty close.

Again this bears repeating because it's important, hit the Q key before shooting to open the outer doors - if you let the game automatically open the outer doors, the torpedo will be aimed at where the target WAS, not where it IS, when the torpedo leaves the tube. Single biggest cause of misses behind in this game is failing to check outer doors open before firing.

For manual targeting, main reasons I don't use it is because (1) I find it very difficult to estimate angle on the bow within 20 degrees, and (2) the AOB changes very rapidly at closer ranges. With manual targeting the range, bearing, AOB, and target speed have to all be correct when you fire, if you have the AOB for the previous target still set or the AOB is correct but the target sped up, slowed down, started turning, or danced the Macarena since the last inputs, the gyro angle on the torpedo will be aimed the wrong direction.

Essentially that means you have to turn off the PK (the only thing it's good for is keeping track of a single target when you're not looking at that target, helpful when plotting but not when firing) and check all the numbers for each target. And hit Q then W to cycle through each tube and check the message "OPENING TUBE (number)" for each tube before starting the actual attack.

Keep in mind if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by Sniper297

The red button "PK" is Position Keeper. Purpose of that is to keep the TDC plotting the current position of the target when the periscope is down. In real life they raised the periscope for 10 seconds or less to take range, bearing, and estimate of angle on the bow, then lowered the periscope to make it less likely some alert lookout would spot it. If you leave it up for 10 minutes, sooner or later someone will notice it. 10 seconds every 2 to 5 minutes reduces the chances of anyone seeing it.

So the Position Keeper tracks the target - but assumes that the target is not turning, speeding up, or slowing down, but maintaining a steady course. That's why it's necessary to note the position, bearing, range and speed on the TDC, then click the red button to turn it off, raise the periscope to take all the readings again to confirm the accuracy of the plot. And turn it OFF before firing, the "FINAL BEARING AND SHOOT" observation has to be real time rather than the prediction made by the PK, although they should match pretty close.

Again this bears repeating because it's important, hit the Q key before shooting to open the outer doors - if you let the game automatically open the outer doors, the torpedo will be aimed at where the target WAS, not where it IS, when the torpedo leaves the tube. Single biggest cause of misses behind in this game is failing to check outer doors open before firing.

For manual targeting, main reasons I don't use it is because (1) I find it very difficult to estimate angle on the bow within 20 degrees, and (2) the AOB changes very rapidly at closer ranges. With manual targeting the range, bearing, AOB, and target speed have to all be correct when you fire, if you have the AOB for the previous target still set or the AOB is correct but the target sped up, slowed down, started turning, or danced the Macarena since the last inputs, the gyro angle on the torpedo will be aimed the wrong direction.

Essentially that means you have to turn off the PK (the only thing it's good for is keeping track of a single target when you're not looking at that target, helpful when plotting but not when firing) and check all the numbers for each target. And hit Q then W to cycle through each tube and check the message "OPENING TUBE (number)" for each tube before starting the actual attack.

Keep in mind if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Wow this answers a lot. Thanks.
I was thinking the PK had a lot more to do with the TDC targeting than it actually does. I guess "Attack Data Tool" is your main go to tool for setting up the shots.

If you wanted to just shoot from the hip as I find myself having to do when "duking it out" with a couple of destroyers at close range how would you shoot just using the periscope without any information being sent to the TDC and causing the fish to go off on some erratic course. A lot of time when your within 1,500 yds. of destroyers you don't have time for all of the....Range.....Angle on the Bow....and Speed determination.

[Sniper297]

I know, that's why I use automatic targeting.

The few times I've played with manual targeting I generally go to the AOB dial and set it at zero, then set speed to zero on the TDC panel. Do that and the torpedo will go in whatever direction you have the scope crosshairs pointed, takes the TDC out of the equation altogether. Also I never fool with the gyro spread panel, that's always set to zero.

Then you have to do a kind of "Kentucky windage" shooting, if you're on the beam of the target you mentally note the bearing, then move the crosshairs 10-15 degrees (right or left, depending on which way the target is heading) and shoot. Two ways to do a spread, shoot, move scope a few degrees and shoot again, repeat. That's the best way to deal with a destroyer coming straight at you, for a target crossing beam shot I use "constant angle" where the scope is pointed to lead him by however many degrees his estimated speed is, then hit X to bring up the stopwatch. Fire a shot, wait 10-15 seconds, fire two, 10-15 seconds more, fire three, etc. If he's moving across your bow or stern at a 90 degree angle (beam shot) that spreads the hits from bow to stern as the torpedoes follow each other, since he's moving across their track.

Real life before WWII skippers were trained to aim two shots to miss, one ahead and one astern, with one shot aimed at middle of the target. If your firing solution was perfect and the target didn't speed up, slow down, or turn you'd be intentionally wasting two torpedoes but guaranteeing at least one hit. When the war actually started the chronic shortage of torpedoes and all the other problems ended that strategy in a hurry.

Basically if you're making a snap shot you have to set target speed to zero on the TDC, then aim wherever you think he'll be when the fish arrives. Target speed zero on the TDC should end the wild turns from the gyro compensating for target speed, you should have time for that even with a hurried snap shot.

[Sniper297]

Disregard some of the above. Been so long since I fiddled with manual targeting I was wrong in the main aspect - the TDC can NOT be eliminated from the equation. With auto targeting if you don't have a target near the crosshairs, the fish will go wherever the scope is pointed. To spread down the length of the target you can unlock with the L key then move the crosshairs slightly left and right, as long as the little pointer is still visible the torpedo will go to hit where the crosshairs are, if the pointer is not on it will go straight without adjusting to target speed and direction.

Manual targeting doesn't work like that, if the speed is set at zero you still have to have the stadimeter in the right side dial, and each time you move the scope you have to click the "send range and bearing to TDC" button each time you move the crosshairs. So to fire a down the throat spread at an oncoming destroyer with manual targeting (which I call "masochistic targeting") you have to;
1. Select the speed dial on the right hand multi function dial, set target speed to zero,
2. Select the stadimeter dial, aim the scope, click the "send range and bearing to TDC" button, fire one.
3. Move the scope left or right, go back to the stadimeter and click the "send range and bearing to TDC" button, fire two.
4. Move the scope right or left, go back to the stadimeter and click the "send range and bearing to TDC" button, fire three.

Repeat until insane.