Why does my torpedoes bounce off target ships???

[Iranon]

Playing GWX. There is no good way to sink speed boats.

They are too small and agile to hit with torpedos.
They are hard to hit with the deck gun, and the damage model baffles me a little (they can continue to harass you after a dozen 105mm hits).
They will die to flak, but probably not before shooting you up a bit.

Smaller means harder. Killing destroyers is easy (nail on the approach, or even by intuition if they circle), armed trawlers have a nicely rounded bottom, making magnetic torps less reliably lethal, speed boats are definitely better evaded than fought.
I'm just happy there are no armed rubber ducks.

[HW3]

Another thing that will cause torpedoes to bounce off is if you are too close to your target. A torpedo has to run about 400M before it will arm. Torpedoes will usually explode if your angle is within 30 degrees of 90 degrees either side but, the closer to 90 degrees the better.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by HW3

Another thing that will cause torpedoes to bounce off is if you are too close to your target. A torpedo has to run about 400M before it will arm. Torpedoes will usually explode if your angle is within 30 degrees of 90 degrees either side but, the closer to 90 degrees the better.

Must run at least 300m for example ,but are 400m to prefer

[Paul Riley]

I like to use around 500m as the minimum safe distance,don't ask me why I just do,300m feels too close,400m is ok I guess,500m seems JUST about right
This of course doesnt apply if ever I get the chance to attack a convoy from within (firing ranges will then be very short),which is not that often,and would only be attempted really early in the war!

[donw]

Welcome aboard Ahmed_Yjj
Since you are new to the game, thought I'd jump in here real quick and just clarify what the other folks have already covered, regarding the angle the fish hits your target..

Just wanted to make sure you understood, it is not so much the 90 deg angle that your boat is to the target at the time you fire that is so important.. as it is making sure the torpedo IMPACTS at said 90 deg.. or as close to that as you can get..

Your boat may be as much as 30-40 deg away from a perfect 90 deg when you fire...but if you fire from a long distance, by the time it arrives at the impact point, it should be as close as you can make it to 90 deg.. which will "improve" your chances of not bouncing off..

However... as stated...it will never be 100% assured.. there are many variables built in, which makes game-play as accurate as possible to actual conditions during that time period

[Paul Riley]

Don't forget turbulent sea affects the flight of the torpedo quite a lot too causing it to pitch up or down (and the latter causes the torpedo to pass right under the keel of the target,VERY annoying!)
Another tip is to never use magnetics in rough sea! mag tips can be used fairly safely in calmer seas,and remember using mag tips increase the chances of premature detonations.I almost exclusively use impact tips,unless the target is over say 10.000 tonnes and a mag tip or two would 'break the back' of the target if all goes well

[irish1958]

Having faulty torpedoes is realistic. Imagine the frustration of the sub commandeers who put themselves and their crew in danger, set up a shot, fire it and become a target of the destroyers when detected. Now the shot misses.
By the way, do you have dud torpedoes enabled in the options?

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by irish1958

Having faulty torpedoes is realistic. Imagine the frustration of the sub commandeers who put themselves and their crew in danger, set up a shot, fire it and become a target of the destroyers when detected. Now the shot misses.
By the way, do you have dud torpedoes enabled in the options?

I have duds activated mate,only option I still leave on is the 'god's eye mode' , not quite ready for plotting contacts manually,maybe one day
95% realism.

[MarinS]

I agree with Torp III and ralphnader23! You can set torpedo depth run even on 4 meters below the water line and make successful hit!

[maillemaker]

If your torpedo does not detonate on impact, here are the reasons:

1) Dud torpedo (assuming you have this turned on)
2) Too steep an impact on the hull of the ship. This can happen in two axis - to steep an angle relative to the surface of the water, or too steep an angle by striking too deep on the hull of the ship.
3) Too close for torpedo to arm (about 300m).

Magnetic torpedoes will not detonate if they pass too deep under the ship, or if they are duds. Chances of magnetic duds increases greatly at ranges over 1000m.

Steve

[dfscott]

Here's a good thread that will help you get set up for those 90 degree angle shots:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961

I found this invaluable when I was getting started and still use a lot of it today.

[donw]

Great reference dfscott.. probably one of the best written for that task

[MarinS]

Originally Posted by irish1958

The German torpedoes had a similar problem with the magnetic exploder, and this is modeled in the game. The BDU issued a directive to not use them until they were fixed and the defective torpedoes were used up.

... So, when I can use the magnetic pistol for final solution?? I mean, from what year???

[donw]

Somebody jump in here and correct me if I'm wrong.. but I believe setting magnetic always automatically includes impact ..

Setting impact, will disable magnetic

[irish1958]

Originally Posted by donw

Somebody jump in here and correct me if I'm wrong.. but I believe setting magnetic always automatically includes impact ..

Setting impact, will disable magnetic

That is correct.

MarinS: "... So, when I can use the magnetic pistol for final solution?? I mean, from what year???"
I think the BDU lifted the band in 1942. Jimbuna probably knows for sure and he will be along soon.