Need some advice for manual plotting

[Wilcke]

I agree there are certain limitations to the map and tools. When you see the pro's do it they do make it look easy. Getting the speed correct is paramount and the most difficult part for me. With experience you can get approximations which you can confirm with a good plot.

I do not have an answer except to suggest, pausing the game and working a plot on paper or electronically on MoBo, I have used both with success.

I also went to a "real" chronometer, got one on ebay used. Very nice and much better to implement than the ingame chrono.

You will have to experiment and come up with your own methods, over time it does get more intuitive.

My favorite is a hydrophone only attack, send parameters to the TDC, plotting course and speed, setting up the boat and then confirming with a 7 second periscope peek and back down. That is very rewarding especially when you get hits. But then again there is that pesky torpedo problem to contend with.....

Happy Hunting!

[Nisgeis]

Nice idea Wilcke about the real chronometer, I might go and get one as the annoying thing for me is the chronometer disappearing when I switch views.

Slick, you can pause time and still plot things on the nav map. That should give you all the time you need. Or, you can do what some skippers did at sea - stop and make it easy.

If you want to sail about and don't want to do a plot relative to your own sub, and keep moving about on the map, you can just pick a spot on the map and do a relative plot there. You'll need to mark the start of your own sub's position when you take your first reading and an end mark when you are ready to get the target's actual track. This way you will end up with two vectors, one is your own sub's movement and the other is the targets relative movement to your sub. You can then add the two vectors together to get the targets plot, but I really wouldn't recommend doing it this way! It's much easier to pause time and plot directly against your own position.

[Quillan]

I don't know if it's this way by default, but at least in Trigger Maru the nav map tools can be used while the game is paused. Pause the game, make your plots, resume the game. That will help.

Since I went to manual targeting, I haven't run a boat that didn't have SJ radar on it, so estimating the speed has been very easy for me. Without the radar, I think I'd have to be submerged and use the active sonar to accurately place the ship position.

[Nisgeis]

Originally Posted by Quillan

I don't know if it's this way by default, but at least in Trigger Maru the nav map tools can be used while the game is paused.

Yep, that's stock behaviour.

[Slick Wilhelm]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I appreciate the replies.

I forgot to add one more problem that rears it's ugly head each time. By using the active sonar to get target range, I typically use three pings each time, sending that data to the TDC. Now then, according to the 3 minute rule, I should be able to stop the chronometer right at 3 mins, then plot the 2nd mark. BUT, it's at this point that I need to record the bearing via the sonar station, and then ping the target three times. By the time I'm done doing all this, it's at least 3.5 mins. So, even when I switch to the NAV map and pause the game, I've already gone over the 3-minute rule by a good 25-30 seconds.

Surely I can't be the only one using this method and experiencing the same frustration?

[Nisgeis]

The pinging three times thing is only to give you the human an average reading, as the sonar gives you fairly but not very accurate readings, so taking three readings allows you to get an average reading. I don't think the TDC gets a more accurate range if you ping and send three times, or even ping three times and send once. In fact, it may make the auto speed thing record ranges that are jumping about and that may make your speed estimate worse.

I think as well that the stop watch auto speed calculater icon knows at what times you sent the readings, so you don't need to do it at exactly 3 minutes. The 3 minutes thing for the speed is for you to work out the speed in knots when plotting in yards - I think it's 3 minutes and 15 seconds or something for meters, haven't really looked at it in great detail. But anyway, the auto speed button only needs a few readings over a period, I dont think it needs precisely timed readings, so you should be able to plot and send to TDC independently. Try it and see what happens.

Edit: OK, I'm getting confused here. Are you trying to plot only by manual plotting, if so why are you sending stuff to the TDC? :hmm:

[Wilcke]

Originally Posted by Slick Wilhelm

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I appreciate the replies.

I forgot to add one more problem that rears it's ugly head each time. By using the active sonar to get target range, I typically use three pings each time, sending that data to the TDC. Now then, according to the 3 minute rule, I should be able to stop the chronometer right at 3 mins, then plot the 2nd mark. BUT, it's at this point that I need to record the bearing via the sonar station, and then ping the target three times. By the time I'm done doing all this, it's at least 3.5 mins. So, even when I switch to the NAV map and pause the game, I've already gone over the 3-minute rule by a good 25-30 seconds.

Surely I can't be the only one using this method and experiencing the same frustration?

Ok;

1. At the mark, record the bearing.
2. Switch to Nav Map.
3. Pause
4. Plot
5. Un-pause
6. Go do your pinging.
7. Switch to Nav Map.
8. Pause
9. Plot the distance.

That could be a SOP.

I usualy plot the speed with the stadimeter. I do it severel times durring the Normal Approach Course or Optimum Approach Course from ranges of 7000 yards and in.

This gives you plenty of time to do lots of 3 min checks. I use the circle tool to plot the contacs, having the arrow part showing direction of travel of the target. Say i then have like 5 x 3 min plots over 15 min's i have the option of comparing them, and/or making an average (take the first plot's circle and enlarge it untill the edge of the circle intersects with the center of the last plot - divide the circles diameter with the total time from start plot to end plot and multiply that with 3 and divide with 100.

I have Cource Calculator slide rule next to me. Before starting my plotting i turn the wheel to my own course. From then its easy to very fast get a true to north bearing on the target from the wheel. What i doo is this:

1) NavMap Centered on sub
2) change to Stadimeter - make sure the left side TDC is open on the selection that shows ranges is present.
3) make sure you take the stadimeter range for the correct item (i use funnels) using the correct stadimeter setting (i use the manual input option on the masthead height)
4a) Scope up (All the way so it clears fast)
4b) take a bearing/range and note it on paper fast - estimate AOB
4c) Scope down (only untill its just under water - then stop it)
5) start stopwatch (only the first plot naturaly)
6) NavMap - linetool click on sub fast
7) ease off as from now you have 3 min's to make this plot before the next is up.
8) plot by extracting the line from the sub too the correct range read off the TDC and then i make a 300 ft. circle there. I let the radius arrow in the circle point in the way of travel.

I know the stadimeter is not the most presice tool, but for getting the speed correct in 3 min plots its mighty fine and more precise for us than it was in reality.

[Slick Wilhelm]

That's an interesting method, Mav, I think I'll give that a try. I didn't even realize that there's an arrow on the compass! I'll have to pay closer attention from now on!

Btw, is there a keystroke in TMO to center the sub in the nav map?