Hydrophone Tracking & Interception

Twelvefield · 10-18-05, 02:38 PM

I don't recall exactly what the close, medium, and long ranges are, but these are my rules of thumb:

SHORT RANGE: anything between ramming the sub to 2,000 meters, I am guessing. If you use your periscope (or your eyeball) at zero magnification, and you can clearly see details of the target ship, you are at short range. It is possible to be at short range and too close for the torpedo to arm itself, so it's not always an ideal place to be. The sounds of the target in hydrophone, and even in the command room can be loud.

MEDIUM RANGE: 2,000 to 8,000 meters? If you use magnification, you should be able to see some details on the target ship, and the ship should be "hull up". If a target is hull up, you can see the sides (or bow or stern) of the ship). If the target is hull down, all you can see over the horizon is the smoke from its stack. If you are at close medium range, your torpedo should hit. If you are at far medium range, your torpedo will fail to reach the target because of lack of fuel. The sounds of the target will be clear in the hydrophone, but you won't hear them in the command room.

LONG RANGE: 8,000 +. At close long range, the target appears as hull down. This will allow you to track the target without it ever seeing you. At far long range, the only way to track the target is with your hydrophone, as it will be beyond visual range. This is the how the majority of your merchant contacts will be with respect to your sub, as you want to find and close in on them much, much more than they want to do the same to you.

Again, my range numbers are pure guesses. I vaguely remember a thread where someone had these numbers figured out. By now, though, I just use the rules of thumb that I have here posted.

10-18-05, 02:38 PM	#5
Twelvefield Planesman Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 186 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I don't recall exactly what the close, medium, and long ranges are, but these are my rules of thumb: SHORT RANGE: anything between ramming the sub to 2,000 meters, I am guessing. If you use your periscope (or your eyeball) at zero magnification, and you can clearly see details of the target ship, you are at short range. It is possible to be at short range and too close for the torpedo to arm itself, so it's not always an ideal place to be. The sounds of the target in hydrophone, and even in the command room can be loud. MEDIUM RANGE: 2,000 to 8,000 meters? If you use magnification, you should be able to see some details on the target ship, and the ship should be "hull up". If a target is hull up, you can see the sides (or bow or stern) of the ship). If the target is hull down, all you can see over the horizon is the smoke from its stack. If you are at close medium range, your torpedo should hit. If you are at far medium range, your torpedo will fail to reach the target because of lack of fuel. The sounds of the target will be clear in the hydrophone, but you won't hear them in the command room. LONG RANGE: 8,000 +. At close long range, the target appears as hull down. This will allow you to track the target without it ever seeing you. At far long range, the only way to track the target is with your hydrophone, as it will be beyond visual range. This is the how the majority of your merchant contacts will be with respect to your sub, as you want to find and close in on them much, much more than they want to do the same to you. Again, my range numbers are pure guesses. I vaguely remember a thread where someone had these numbers figured out. By now, though, I just use the rules of thumb that I have here posted.