Tracking an evading target and wire-guiding?

[Molon Labe]

Originally Posted by NFunky

How do you use DEMON strength to determine closing/opening course if he is also accelerating? Don't the lines tend to get thinker no matter what if his speed is increasing? Likewise using other arrays, he tends to appear on all my arrays as soon as he starts to really put the hammer down. I'm pretty good at determining opening/closing while building my firing solution, but once he starts evading I can't tell anymore.

SuBB's got some useful information on that point...

Originally Posted by suBB

IF DEMON waterfall = expanding, threat is accelerating
IF DEMON waterfall = contracting, threat is decelerating
IF DEMON waterfall = contracting and disappears = threat rigged all stop or changed layer
IF DEMON waterfall = brighter in color, lines are widening, number of lines increasing (7 max for subs), threat closing
IF DEMON waterfall = darker in color, lines growing narrow, number of lines decreasing, threat opening

The thing to keep in mind is that the initial increase in SL from speeding up is going to increase signal strength received, which has an impact on the brightness of the DEMON contact, the thickness of a BB contact, the number of lines/brightness in a NB contact, SNR, etc etc. Once that happens, if these cues continue to strengthen, then he's getting closer. These do tend to be subtle cues so you might not pick up on them for several minutes.

In some cases, it might be useful to use another TMA leg. As a general rule you should be starting a new leg shortly after any course change by the target. During evasion, I'd go with 4 minutes so you get two lines on your original course. So again, it's going to take several minutes to tack it down but it's another tool in the box.

If you're using a diesel for ASW, to hell with one-shot-one kill finesse. Russians always fire at least two of anything they use anyways. If you're torn between opening and closing, assume closing with the -71 and enable early, and shoot a -80 or a SUBROC to meet the opening course. And really, I wouldn't be afraid to use 4 or more weapons. The thing with the Kilo is that it's really hard to get into a firing position. You may never get a second shot, and even if you do it's going to be an order of magnitude more dangerous to take. I'd be less concerned about having weapons left over for another attack than I would be with making the first attack count. Like the attack pilots say, "one pass, haul ass."