AAAAGGGHHHH!! Bloody Duds

[Red Devil]

On my way to insert agent on Japanese mainland and spotted a large convoy, destroyers out of position chasing where they think I am, sitting duck!! Yeah right!

I selected 5m torp depth, slow run 4900 yards, and let rip on the first two ships in the middle row, further to run, and then two big cargo freighters on the nearest row, every single topr hit and every single torp was a dud.

Did the same again, all duds and eventually an empty sub and no hits.

Running on:

TMO V170_411
RSRD ver 400 patch 2
TM overhaul 17
Ships physics v0.2b

[Inner Sound]

Ooooh. Not even one ?

Respect and commiserations.

[Red Devil]

*sigh*

USS Drum by the way GATO class.

[VonGlaus]

Ouch! Sucks to be you. What year?

[Red Devil]

just ran save to check

June 29 1942 south of Shikoku in grid 133E 32N bottom right hand corner.

[Bubblehead1980]

Duds were not unusual then, nor are premature explosions.Mark 14 torpedos were buggy to say the least then.They often ran 10-12 feet(or more sometimes) deeper then set and would often sail right under the target, too deep to set off the magnetic detonator.Then the impact detonator had a faulty firing pin that did not set off the torpedo on impact, thus it was a dud.

TMO accruately reflects this.I remember some patrols where every torpedo but 1 or 2 prematurely exploded or was a dud.To go with history(since you couldnt just turn magnetic detonator off with a switch, it was a process and forbidden until mid 43 and even later for boats out of Fremantle under Admiral Christie's command) I keep the magnetic detonator on, but it will still dud if you set it shallow hit the side and prematures as well.Just a fact of life real crews face, accurately portrayed in TMO.

I actually had a patrol in TMO in early 1943 where 23 torpedos prematurely exploded, 24th was a dud.It happens but it makes things more even, keeps tonnange scores in early war at realistic levels.My advice, just tough it out, try to fire at smaller angles for a "glancing" blow, less likely to suffer duds.

[Red Devil]

Cheers Bubble, I have had prematures before and duds, but never a sub load of duds. I think what makes it worse is that I never missed with a single torp! When I get back to Pearl, I hope Christie isn't there on holiday, I'll kill him!!!

did I read somewhere there is a new TMO out? If so, what is its title in full, so I can look for it?

[Wilcke]

TMO 1.8, download links are available at the web site below my sig.

Happy Hunting, the dud rate can be very comedic at times. I have had that happen also. In the late war years its all good!

[SteamWake]

My record is 7 duds in a row ... all fore tubes and one stern.

This has been studied at some length and although mods alter it to some degree the following may be helpful.

Mk14's

Fired at 'high' speed the chances of duds are vastly increased.

Impact at right angles Ie 90 degrees to the target vastly increases dud chances.

Magnetic triggers increase the chances of premies.

I read somewhere that 'high speed right angle impact failures are in the 100% range .

So in summary for best luck use slow settings, impact triggers, set shallow to insure the impact, and try to hit at some angle.

------>| doink ------->/ Kaboom

You will still get some duds but hopefully alot less.

[Red Devil]

Originally Posted by Wilcke

TMO 1.8, download links are available at the web site below my sig.

Happy Hunting, the dud rate can be very comedic at times. I have had that happen also. In the late war years its all good!

many thanks, downloading now.

[Ping Panther]

I have read that the effective percentage of successful kills & damages to attacks encountered by the U.S. sub fleet only made it to around 15% within the first year of the U.S. war in the Pacific.

There was considerable fuss to arrive at the proper reason from the crew reports to fleet command. Most every fail was from duds/prematures & low-riders. Once the faulty triggers & depth guidance systems were re-done... it was like a new sub war.

[Red Devil]

Historically the Command blamed the Captains for wrong settings, claiming they were set too deep, and refused for many a month to accept that the torps were crap.

The sub load of torps were fired at distance hence slow spped and at no greater angle that 40 degees. The stern ones were at 10-15 degrees.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Red Devil

Historically the Command blamed the Captains for wrong settings, claiming they were set too deep, and refused for many a month to accept that the torps were crap.

The sub load of torps were fired at distance hence slow spped and at no greater angle that 40 degees. The stern ones were at 10-15 degrees.

I said you will still get some duds