Manual Eyeballs

[PortsmouthProwler]

Version 1.5 vanilla. 94% realism (I like the Event Camera).

Here's an excerpt from a post of mine way back when:

* So skippers and officers learned ... the most effective attacks were night surface....

* With experience, a knowledgeable officer can eyeball range and speed. AOB can be within 15 degrees, really; it's the least important element. Remember, they had a good idea of LOA and LWL for most vessels [Most merchies are 300' to 400' long. 100yards in one (1) minute is 3 knots within a very small error. 100 YDS/MIN = 3 KTS. IOW, most LOAs of the merchies are close to this, so if you have a merchant that travels her own length in 30 seconds, she's doing 6 knots, more or less. Most merchies are rarely exceeding 9 knots, max. Your liners are faster. Now take sea state into account -I just got thru a manual attack on a Euro Liner - with rough seas, I called it 15 kts. Eyeballed the AOB and used the staditmeter for the range of 1250 yds, which is a long shot for me and was in WWII. Put two right under the keel and finished her later. This the USS S-45 in July '42 off Rabaul.]

* But the single most important consideration is your approach. ... Find the baseline course for that convoy and 'end-around' it, ambush the bastards every time, if you can. Sneak past those escorts and get to less than 1,000 yards, preferably 750. Errors in your estimates matter little at point-blank range.

* Then get the hell out of there. Destroyers aren't really prizes, what you want is the merchants, and capital ships when you encounter a naval task force.

That's about it. Forget trigonometry. Use your tools. Use common sense and nautical knowledge. If you have a merchant with a bow wake, she's at least 7 kts. Also, if you are playing at high realism, you'll see why DD Tag is fruitless. They're too fast and maneuverable, you don't have time for your slide rule, she'll run you over. Sam Dealey got his tin cans on 'set-ups'. If she's down to 12 kts and pinging at 800 yards and waiting to have two in her gunwhale, sure, get 'er, but only if you can get away with it.

As a technical writer, we have a credo: Keep It Simple. Just thought I'd jump in. I don't take any shots more than 1000 yards if I can help it (for heaven's sake, that's half a nautical mile, anyway!).

Oh, and convoys? If you sink three to four or more you're a freakin' hero. By the time you're set up and sinking two targets, you should be having unwelcome guests at your door.

ADDENDUM

Used to know an ex-tin can sailor (1970s for his service). We used to talk about my SH1 experiences. This gets into modelling in the game, but he said that a surface approach in daylight can be effected as close as 4000, 3000 yards. He said that he knows of subs that weren't spotted as close as 2000 yards (a mile away). So...experiment. IRL, Japanese watchkeeping was pretty good, particularly at night (16 power binos), but with little moon and a slim profile, you might get pretty close.

[Rockin Robbins]

You sound like a fine candidate for the Dick O'Kane method or John P Cromwell method. I'd recommend the Vector Analysis Method but it might be an insult to the Mark 1 eyeballs. All these methods use in-game tools only and take so little time to set up that you can easily do it in a relaxed, stress-free manner in the game.

You're right, in my opinion. A real captain had crew members to run the cute slide rules, plotting digital calculators, external tables and other similar goodies. We are running the game alone and can't multi-task, so we end up playing unrealistically by pausing the game when we use. I think that ruins the immersion factor and overcomplicates the game. They're interesting, to be sure, but to actually use them during an attack just doesn't blow my skirt up.

[PortsmouthProwler]

Thx, RR. I'm just hoping that people who want realism will read this and incorporate what the skippers did back then into their sim experience. BTW, when I said 'use your tools,' I just meant the PK and TDC. I use the chart solely for navigation.

* If I have radar, I use it to pick up targets. Sonar, too, if the sonarman will gimme a clue. Occasionally go to the gear for sonar, but read the radar frequently.

* No radar? Keep a good watch! Use sonar, too.

Then run down your target bearing until you get the lookout's call. He doesn't always give you a bearing, I've noticed. Whn I get to less than 10,000 yards, I'm looking for a visual acquisition.

Then try to figure out course. Sneak up as close as you can. Try to acquire as much info as you can while surfaced.

Pull the plug when needed and make your approach. Start TDCing.

Try to break her back. In my limited gameplay, I haven't had too many deep runners, even in the first two years. Again, if my sneaking is good, I'm firing at 600 to 800 yards. Fire two fish.

Repeat for Target Two if you can get it in.

Down scope and go from there! Now you are the hunted.

[vanjast]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Y...just doesn't blow my skirt up.

Can we have a picture of this...:rotfl:

[Frame57]

Some of the DVD's of actual sub skippers setting up the target is just uncanny. Makes me feel like an invalid of sorts. They raise the scope for what seems like a second or two and "eyeball" the target and shout out the commands for TDC. They do this once more and done... IMO the "Submarine school" part of the game is pretty redundant. It should be more focused on manually targeting.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Frame57

Some of the DVD's of actual sub skippers setting up the target is just uncanny. Makes me feel like an invalid of sorts. They raise the scope for what seems like a second or two and "eyeball" the target and shout out the commands for TDC. They do this once more and done... IMO the "Submarine school" part of the game is pretty redundant. It should be more focused on manually targeting.

We have to remember sub skippers had a crew doing most of the math and the approach and were usually ready with any info the skipper needed. In the game, we basically have to do it all. Still we have plenty of time.

With TMO the dd's are almost godlike in finding you and seem to sense you from thousands of yards away. I get my set up, speed and tracking done before they get close and dive to 160 feet and wait. Many times I just come up deep enough to shoot without raising my periscope or when I do come up the Okane method is by far the best.

[Frame57]

Agreed. They were called the tracking party.