help the General Noob

[Carthaginian]

1.) You can adjust the Mk 14 only based on the range to the target.
The slower setting is for distant targets and the faster setting is for close targets. You should never, never, never, NEVER use the slow speed against a target close enough to use the high speed against, because it will give the target more time to react and avoid the fish.

2.) YES! Torpedoes can not only do that, they can: 1.) hit the target and not do anything, 2.) run too deep and miss under the target, 3.) explode prematurely without making it to the target, and 4.) run in a circle and blow up your sub!
The MK10 on the S-class is less likely to do any of these things. I use them on newer boats as well until late '43 for this reason. You can also do certain things with the Mk14 ('glancing blow' shots, disabling magnetic detonators, setting them for 5 foot run depths, firing them on runs as near as possible to your course) that will mitigate these, but the possibilities are always there.

3.) There is really no 'best' or 'worst' class- they all have unique attributes, some are more challenging than others due to their ranges or smaller torpedo loads, though. For the beginner, choose the submarine at the bottom of the list! This will be the newest and most capable model. The ones above it are older and will present greater challenges as you work oyur way back up the list.

Originally Posted by Carthaginian

1.) You can adjust the Mk 14 only based on the range to the target.
The slower setting is for distant targets and the faster setting is for close targets. You should never, never, never, NEVER use the slow speed against a target close enough to use the high speed against, because it will give the target more time to react and avoid the fish.

2.) YES! Torpedoes can not only do that, they can: 1.) hit the target and not do anything, 2.) run too deep and miss under the target, 3.) explode prematurely without making it to the target, and 4.) run in a circle and blow up your sub!
The MK10 on the S-class is less likely to do any of these things. I use them on newer boats as well until late '43 for this reason. You can also do certain things with the Mk14 ('glancing blow' shots, disabling magnetic detonators, setting them for 5 foot run depths, firing them on runs as near as possible to your course) that will mitigate these, but the possibilities are always there.

3.) There is really no 'best' or 'worst' class- they all have unique attributes, some are more challenging than others due to their ranges or smaller torpedo loads, though. For the beginner, choose the submarine at the bottom of the list! This will be the newest and most capable model. The ones above it are older and will present greater challenges as you work oyur way back up the list.

thanks for replying. I did have one turn around on me luckily it didnt hit me but i was like wtf how did I calculate that

If I ping the bottom to get depth can destroyers hear my ping ?

[Carthaginian]

Originally Posted by jason8888

If I ping the bottom to get depth can destroyers hear my ping ?

Yes, they can hear you any time you make noise. Using active sonar to discover where the bottom is makes a lot of noise.

Active sonar in the presence of an enemy vessel is to be avoided at all costs. It's kind of like using a flashlight to find someone hiding from you in the dark- you might be able to find them if you happen to point the light in the right direction... but it's a lot easier for them to see your light shining around while you look for them!

Originally Posted by Carthaginian

Yes, they can hear you any time you make noise. Using active sonar to discover where the bottom is makes a lot of noise.

Active sonar in the presence of an enemy vessel is to be avoided at all costs. It's kind of like using a flashlight to find someone hiding from you in the dark- you might be able to find them if you happen to point the light in the right direction... but it's a lot easier for them to see your light shining around while you look for them!

well that explains a lot lol I was doing that mission where you have to go do recon of a enemy harbor and I pinged when I seen a destroyer lol. Next thing I knew he was on on me bad, wont make that mistake again

[MKalafatas]

I read in another thread that you should fire torpedoes at intervals of 8 seconds or more. Apparently, if they are closer to each other, they have a greater tendency to explode prematurely. 8 seconds is about the length of time it takes to hear the "torpedo in the water" call. But if you wish to fire 4 or more at a single target, you may have to fire at closer intervals.

Originally Posted by MKalafatas

I read in another thread that you should fire torpedoes at intervals of 8 seconds or more. Apparently, if they are closer to each other, they have a greater tendency to explode prematurely. 8 seconds is about the length of time it takes to hear the "torpedo in the water" call. But if you wish to fire 4 or more at a single target, you may have to fire at closer intervals.

thanks for the info

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by jason8888

thanks for replying. I did have one turn around on me luckily it didnt hit me but i was like wtf how did I calculate that

That's a circle runner malfunctioning torpedo. Everyone I've talked to that that happened to says it didn't hit them. So it must be perfectly safe!

[magic452]

Well mine hit me but it was a dud.
Duds can be a good thing sometimes.

Magic

[Littica Marek]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

That's a circle runner malfunctioning torpedo. Everyone I've talked to that that happened to says it didn't hit them. So it must be perfectly safe!

I had an entire stock of fish malfunction on me once, 1/3 decided to detonate a good 2,700 M from the targets and the rest ... well i tend to try and set my targets dead ahead... i had my fish swimming heavy to port... was quite funny looking back.

Frustrating as hell at the time lol

[Hylander_1314]

The early Mk 14 Torpedoes! The bane of the Silent Service!

Never use magnetic detonators!

Never set them deeper than the shallowest setting allowed, and pray they don't run too deep!

Never fire them with more than 10 degrees off from the "0" mark of the scope(s), and TBT.

And I have had up to 80% of torpedoes fail from the loadout of fish at the start of a patrol.


Also, those twitchy Mk14s? They don't like rough water either.

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by Hylander_1314

And I have had up to 80% of torpedoes fail from the loadout of fish at the start of a patrol.

I have you beat. I have had a 85% fail rate. Learned to hate deep runners. I am glad none of the mods model the "porpoising" Dick O' Kane observed with some of his crap torpedoes...including the one that circle ran and sank his boat.

[Hylander_1314]

Yes, I do the procedures that they did, even after the torpedoes are sorted out, and the depth keeping, and firing pin issues get fixed.

With TMO you still have to worry about the occassional circle runner.