Shout out to Rockin Robbins

[Radio]

Sank my first ship today with a vector analysis/hydropohone method like the one you described in your video. Awesome!

I realized that the hydrophone contacts are covering a (fixed?) +10 and -10 degree field. That means when the target bearing is e.g. 24° you can hear it anywhere between 14° and 34 ° (indicated by the green light on the hydrophone). As my aiming bearing was 14° I listened for the ship at 4° and waited for the green light on the hydrophone to go on.

Once the lamp lit up and I heard the merchant I switched to the torpedo controls and launched one torpedo "blindly" meaning without any visual contact. And it hit and sank the merchant!

However,this is harder than using an optical indicator, simply because you will lose precious seconds switching through the different menues

Still, I will use it in cases where i do not dare to raise the periscope.

Thanks again!

Btw, I discovered that one can use the middle mouse button to turn the hydrophone. Not sure if that is generally known.

[donut]

Rockin Robbins

[XLjedi]

Hmmm, what can I say about Mr. Robbins.


He may not always be right...
He may cut a few corners here and there...
He may be a little rough around the edges at times...


But he most certainly is willing to contribute his time and knowledge (however occasionally warped that it may be ) to the betterment of the community.

Bottom line; RR helps newbs become succesful captains. His gift is his remarkable willingness to assist others in taking that first step into the realm of manual targetting. To that end, his contributions and work have been tremendous! I know I don't have the time or patience for what he's been willing to do for the community.

Well Done Sir!


This doesn't mean you get to start slackin-off now!

I'm still keepin my eye on you...

[kylesplanet]

Just to keep balance, we could start a thread trashing RR.

Originally Posted by kylesplanet

Just to keep balance, we could start a thread trashing RR.

You mean the gentleman who torpedoes his own Navy?

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Sevrin

You mean the gentleman who torpedoes his own Navy?

Hey! it was

• My damned sonar operator. He studied the sound of the USS Essex in sonar school when they used it for instructional purposes.
• I was in the middle of the dag-blamed South China Sea! What hangs out there, the US Navy?
• My calendar was broke. I didn't have any way to know it was March of 1945!!
• My dog ate my homework!!!
• If I was a U-Boat I would be a hero.
• Just an accident. Why are they getting so worked up over one little mistake? ANYBODY coulda done it!
• Why the heck is the USS Essex sinking from only three torpedoes? I want an inquiry into why defects in construction caused it to sink. It wasn't me!!!!!!

I suspect that at his CM for sinking Essex they took his selfless efforts to expand the knowledge base of SH4 into account. And let us not forget his unstinting support of the American shipbuilding industry as they crank out replacements for his victims.

Seriously though, Thanks for all the help RR.

[G2B]

Originally Posted by Sevrin

You mean the gentleman who torpedoes his own Navy?

Give the man a little credit.......He did what the Japanese never did, sink a Essex Class BTW are you done bustin rocks yet?

Thanks RR for making SH4 more fun for us Newbs

[Rockin Robbins]

I'd give anything for a nice hydraulic jack hammer! Or some of the scuttling charges from my old boat...

[Radio]

In a total geek mood I made the next step in vector targeting: MATHEMATICS! Seeing all the ingame methods of getting an aiming bearing I wondered if there is a more precise (but still partly manual) method of calculating the required angle and yes there is.

---

Imagine you are in a good position (+ - 90° angle to target course and in range of your weapon)

Simply take the enemy ship speed (SHIP) and the torpedo speed (TORP) in knots.

1. Add (TORP x TORP ) and (SHIP x SHIP ) together in your run-of-mill calculator. Calculate the square root of this value. Let's call the result PIRATEFACTOR.

2. Divide SHIP through the PIRATEFACTOR . Let's call the new result MAGIC

3. Multiply MAGIC by 180 and divide the result through the number Pi

4 Done! The result is the aiming bearing

---

Example:

Speed of a Mk14 in fast setting = 46 knots
Speed of a random merchant = 9 knots


1. Add those together.

x = 2116
x = 81

Result 2197.

2. Calculate the square root of that number to get the PIRATEFACTOR:

= 46,87217

3. Calculate MAGIC:

: = = 0,19201159238

4. Change into degrees:

180 * and divide the result by Pi = 11,000145 etc.

The aiming bearing is 11°.

---

In the next step I will teach you to draw square roots by hand without a calculator. Naaaaah, just kidding!!!

---

Btw, If you are close enough (e.g. 750 yards) this way of shooting is VERY forgiving, even if your aiming bearing is one or degrees off you will still EASILY hit the target.

---

[Rockin Robbins]

How in the world do you reply to a post like that?

[Radio]

In Pirate speak of course: Yarrr!

Oh well, I just wanted to give back something useful to the community. At least I tried to do that...

[Rockin Robbins]

Arrrrrr matey! Have a pint 'o grog!

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Arrrrrr matey! Have a pint 'o grog!

I think everyone's had enough already!!.

[G2B]

Originally Posted by Radio

In a total geek mood I made the next step in vector targeting: MATHEMATICS! Seeing all the ingame methods of getting an aiming bearing I wondered if there is a more precise (but still partly manual) method of calculating the required angle and yes there is.

---

Imagine you are in a good position (+ - 90° angle to target course and in range of your weapon)

Simply take the enemy ship speed (SHIP) and the torpedo speed (TORP) in knots.

1. Add (TORP x TORP ) and (SHIP x SHIP ) together in your run-of-mill calculator. Calculate the square root of this value. Let's call the result PIRATEFACTOR.

2. Divide SHIP through the PIRATEFACTOR . Let's call the new result MAGIC

3. Multiply MAGIC by 180 and divide the result through the number Pi

4 Done! The result is the aiming bearing

---

Example:

Speed of a Mk14 in fast setting = 46 knots
Speed of a random merchant = 9 knots


1. Add those together.

x = 2116
x = 81

Result 2197.

2. Calculate the square root of that number to get the PIRATEFACTOR:

= 46,87217

3. Calculate MAGIC:

: = = 0,19201159238

4. Change into degrees:

180 * and divide the result by Pi = 11,000145 etc.

The aiming bearing is 11°.

---

In the next step I will teach you to draw square roots by hand without a calculator. Naaaaah, just kidding!!!

---

Btw, If you are close enough (e.g. 750 yards) this way of shooting is VERY forgiving, even if your aiming bearing is one or degrees off you will still EASILY hit the target.

---

Think I'd rather board the ship, plunder the cargo, set some scuttling charges, set the crew adrift. Sail away drinking Grog and eating Ice cream than do all that figuring