New aboard and some problems

Wilhelm Bauer · 03-04-10, 01:31 PM

Thank you all of you for the answers.

I wonder if any of you could describe briefly the steps to follow when a contact appears on the map display.

frau kaleun · 03-04-10, 02:35 PM

Wilhelm,

IIRC when you are playing stock, contacts will sometimes show up on the navigation map before you are actually within visual range of them. Which means that trying to locate them with the periscope or with binocs on the surface will not help. (Even if they are within the max visual range, and visibility is limited due to time of day/weather/etc. you might still have the same problem.)

So what you have to do is "follow" the contact on the map to get an idea of its general course, and then plot a course for your sub that will bring you close enough to it to see it and/or attack it if you decide to do so.

If you can figure out the general course of the contact you can get closer to it faster by running on the surface, however until it's within your visual range you can keep track of it with the the hydrophone (which will pick up contacts via sound that you may not be close enough to see).

You can do this by either staying submerged and paying attention to the bearing of the contact continually, IF you are pretty sure it's moving slow enough that you can intercept it or catch up to it running at your max submerged speed. Or you can run on the surface and then submerge every so often to 30 m or so and do a hydrophone check to see where it is and then surface again, adjust your course if need be, and take off towards the contact again.

I hope that helps, I'm sure other more experienced players will have more and better suggestions!

Sailor Steve · 03-04-10, 03:08 PM

Nothing from me except WELCOME ABOARD!

Jimbuna · 03-04-10, 03:40 PM

Welcome aboard Wilhelm

Looks like your getting plenty of 'sound' advice but don't forget there is a blind spot on early hydrophones of almost 10% either side of the centre axis of your boat so you can expect to wait a few minutes for the contact to move beyond these parameters.

frau kaleun · 03-04-10, 03:44 PM

Good point, I sometimes forget about that and sit there scratching my head wondering "now where did they go?" until it pops up again on the sonar.

Sometimes if I'm really not sure I'm on the right track at all, and I'm still pretty far out from the expected intercept point, I'll adjust course a bit just to try and get the ship out of the blind spot momentarily and then readjust when I get the updated bearing.

Wilhelm Bauer · 03-04-10, 03:59 PM

Thank you; it seems that after the first contact was made, I must go to periscope depht and wait to the second contact while follow the hypothetic curse of the ship.

frau kaleun · 03-04-10, 04:27 PM

Yes, if you have a contact that is still too far away to follow visually, you will need to submerge and follow it with the hydrophone.

I would suggest going deeper than periscope depth. Probably 25-30 m at least for your hydrophone checks. And especially if you're going to be running submerged for any length of time with no contacts at all in visual range. I don't know how closely it holds true in the stock game but in general, deeper = safer. Provided you don't go below crush depth, lol.

There's just no reason to stay at periscope depth if there's nothing close enough for you to see with the 'scope anyway. And if you're submerged, you will probably pick up any contacts with the hydrophone long before they get close enough to be seen. You'll have plenty of time to get back to periscope depth (or the surface) when you start getting near enough to make visual contact with the 'scope or from the bridge.

But always do a periscope check before surfacing completely! Even if your soundman reports no contacts. Just a good habit to get into IMO.

03-04-10, 03:08 PM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Nothing from me except WELCOME ABOARD! __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

03-04-10, 03:40 PM	#4
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,124 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Welcome aboard Wilhelm Looks like your getting plenty of 'sound' advice but don't forget there is a blind spot on early hydrophones of almost 10% either side of the centre axis of your boat so you can expect to wait a few minutes for the contact to move beyond these parameters. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

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03-04-10, 01:31 PM	#1
Wilhelm Bauer Swabbie Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Argentina Posts: 11 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thank you all of you for the answers. I wonder if any of you could describe briefly the steps to follow when a contact appears on the map display.

03-04-10, 02:35 PM	#2
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Wilhelm, IIRC when you are playing stock, contacts will sometimes show up on the navigation map before you are actually within visual range of them. Which means that trying to locate them with the periscope or with binocs on the surface will not help. (Even if they are within the max visual range, and visibility is limited due to time of day/weather/etc. you might still have the same problem.) So what you have to do is "follow" the contact on the map to get an idea of its general course, and then plot a course for your sub that will bring you close enough to it to see it and/or attack it if you decide to do so. If you can figure out the general course of the contact you can get closer to it faster by running on the surface, however until it's within your visual range you can keep track of it with the the hydrophone (which will pick up contacts via sound that you may not be close enough to see). You can do this by either staying submerged and paying attention to the bearing of the contact continually, IF you are pretty sure it's moving slow enough that you can intercept it or catch up to it running at your max submerged speed. Or you can run on the surface and then submerge every so often to 30 m or so and do a hydrophone check to see where it is and then surface again, adjust your course if need be, and take off towards the contact again. I hope that helps, I'm sure other more experienced players will have more and better suggestions!

03-04-10, 03:44 PM	#5
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Good point, I sometimes forget about that and sit there scratching my head wondering "now where did they go?" until it pops up again on the sonar. Sometimes if I'm really not sure I'm on the right track at all, and I'm still pretty far out from the expected intercept point, I'll adjust course a bit just to try and get the ship out of the blind spot momentarily and then readjust when I get the updated bearing.

03-04-10, 03:59 PM	#6
Wilhelm Bauer Swabbie Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Argentina Posts: 11 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thank you; it seems that after the first contact was made, I must go to periscope depht and wait to the second contact while follow the hypothetic curse of the ship.

03-04-10, 04:27 PM	#7
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Yes, if you have a contact that is still too far away to follow visually, you will need to submerge and follow it with the hydrophone. I would suggest going deeper than periscope depth. Probably 25-30 m at least for your hydrophone checks. And especially if you're going to be running submerged for any length of time with no contacts at all in visual range. I don't know how closely it holds true in the stock game but in general, deeper = safer. Provided you don't go below crush depth, lol. There's just no reason to stay at periscope depth if there's nothing close enough for you to see with the 'scope anyway. And if you're submerged, you will probably pick up any contacts with the hydrophone long before they get close enough to be seen. You'll have plenty of time to get back to periscope depth (or the surface) when you start getting near enough to make visual contact with the 'scope or from the bridge. But always do a periscope check before surfacing completely! Even if your soundman reports no contacts. Just a good habit to get into IMO.