How do I steer my sub?

[thegrindre]

Noob question:
There is a Merchant Ship traveling away from me at bearing 344.
How do I steer my ship in that direction? The compass will steer me but not very accurately and only by compass points. (ie: N. S, E, W)
How do I 'dial in' bearing 344 to head in that direction?

Thanks,

[Sailor Steve]

Keep in mind that the bearing is not enough. That ship is going somewhere, so you need to determine his heading and his speed in order to set up an attack. Then you can either:

A. Point the periscope in the direction you wish to go and press the = key (this is called course to view).

B. Use the chart tools to lay out new waypoints or move the old ones to where you want to go.

It would have been nice of them to include an exact heading you could type in, but they didn't.

[thegrindre]

Yeah, OK, I guess my real question was, is there any other ways to steer my sub.
I like the equal sign. And the dash sign, too.

Many thanks, Steve.

[fireftr18]

Below the compass, and the other two gauges, there is a box. Click on that and the compass to a rudder angle indicator. You can click on that for a kind of precise rudder angle. You can also click on the [ or the ] key for full rudder left or right. Click on the ' key to center.

[merc4ulfate]

[ is left full rudder ... ] is right full rudder ... ' is rudder amid ship.

All the keyboard commands are in the instructions and you can print out a complete keyboard layout to sit right above your keyboard.

[thegrindre]

My SH4 came with a color key commands fold out but if you don't know what any of it means, it's of no help.
(I'm also reading the manual as well.)

Thanks for the input, guys.

[Silent Victor]

I'm just returning to SH4 from a long hiatus and in the years I have run the software I had never heard of the "=" key serving as a "match course to view" tool. Learn something new every day!

Is there a post anywhere where any other non-documented keys are listed? Are there any more hiding on the keyboard?

[Sailor Steve]

In the game folder are two picture files labeled SH4_Q-Ref_Card_Front and SH4_Q-Ref_Card_Back. On 'Back' one the third column over is labeled 'Other Key Controls'. That includes the '=' and '-' files.

[Sniper297]

To elaborate on what Steve said, 4 elements - detection, tracking, approach, attack. When you detect a target you first track him to find out where he's going, then draw a course line and plot an intercept course for your sub - turning toward the target, unless he's coming straight at you, ends up in a pursuit curve which don't work as well for subs as it does for airplanes. Sometimes the approach requires an "end around" where you have to move away from the target track, turn to the same heading as the target and race to get ahead of him, always staying at least 8000 yards away so he doesn't see you. As you get ahead of him you gradually turn TOWARD THE TRACK, not toward the target, in order to get into a position 1000 yards off the track at least 8000 yards ahead of him.

Then you pull the plug to submerge, point your sub TOWARD THE TRACK not toward the target. Then wait for him to pass in front of you at a 90 degree angle, so you have a perfect shot at his beam from close range. Obviously if you're using the stern tubes you want to be facing 90 degrees away from the track instead of toward it, but the general idea is to get into position and let him come to you rather than trying to go to him.

[Spraug]

Very nicely explained by all the guys, I cannot contribute anything except a warning/addendum on Sniper's post: careful with 90° approaches in the first half of the war. The detonators didn't like it and often produced duds. An approach like 60° will give you a better chance of explosion, but then you can't do a Dick O'Kane attack (see videos and explanations elsewhere), which is (one of) the best way(s) to attack multiple targets in a convoy.

Good hunting!

(Cool, didn't know about the "=", I really need to read the manual).

[Silent Victor]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

In the game folder are two picture files labeled SH4_Q-Ref_Card_Front and SH4_Q-Ref_Card_Back. On 'Back' one the third column over is labeled 'Other Key Controls'. That includes the '=' and '-' files.

Thanks Steve!

[thegrindre]

Hi guys,
Yeah, the 'dash' (-) and 'equal' (=) keys are a nice find.

Thanks a bunch for all this help.

Originally Posted by thegrindre

My SH4 came with a color key commands fold out but if you don't know what any of it means, it's of no help.
(I'm also reading the manual as well.)

Thanks for the input, guys.

just open the menu mod I gave you a link to, there are image files of the keyboard commands and what they do, just print one and stick it next to your computer.

also if you hit the F1 key on your keyboard while the game is in progress it pauses the game and shows a list of the keyboard commands and what they do, then hit F1 again to turn it off.