ASDIC modelling in game

[Pisces]

Maybe the real life effective angle was 40 degrees with that type of ASDIC. But it could have been that the uboat would still hear some of it above that. Just not enough to reflect a solid detectable ping back to the escort. Every microphone or speaker has a certain fall-off directional emission pattern. The edges of the cone are usually defined where the intensity is halved (-3 dB) with reference to the maximum level. So with enough amplification it might still be heard outside of the angle.

Also, with hindsight as they didn't know this yet at the time, if the sun has warmed up the upper layer of water the sound rays keep curving back to the surface and bounce down shallow again. Creating what is known as a surface layer. That would make the escort been heard by the uboat at longer distances than the escort would be able to effectively detect it.

But I doubt this is modelled to real life in the game at the moment. Devs have made it clear that the finer touches on the game will be made later.

[stellaferox]

Thank you. I am aware of this. But even if I lie completely still for a longer time at periscope depth they are able to home in on me using ASDIC. That doesn't seem right.

[Onkel Neal]

If you are at PD and an escort or merchant comes close your scope will be spotted. Also, even with the engines off, active sonar will pick you up if you come within range of a searching escort.

[Pisces]

Originally Posted by stellaferox

Thank you. I am aware of this. But even if I lie completely still for a longer time at periscope depth they are able to home in on me using ASDIC. That doesn't seem right.

Lying still only means you are not producing engine,prop or waterflow noise. You could still emit ambient noise inside the boat that the escort hydrophone may be able to pick up. And being motionless does nothing to limit your ability to reflect active pings. Is your depth allowing you to be in the ASDIC vertical baffle zone? Well, apparently that is not modeled as such. Or it is shallower than you thought/history.

[stellaferox]

Yes, I thought as much. It is clearly homing in on ASDIC and nothing else. Well, have to take that into account. Something for the devs to put on the wishlist. Realism for ASDIC....

[JuanLiquid]

I'm not sure if thermal layer are modelled either.



And about sea floor, in my last mission I was 3-5m over the sea floor at 240m of depth. And the still managed to ping me, I repeated, move the uboat to another location and I stopped again pretty close to the floor. Again pinged. 4-5 attemps later I desisted. They shoud have problems pinging me at the sea floor, right?

[stellaferox]

Actually lying ON the seafloor gives some protection as I noticed. As long as it is the range of 150 - 200m

[Catfish]

First, i have to admit i still have not played, but i will
As far as i read and followed the development, thermal layers have not been modelled yet.

Regarding ASDIC, from witness reports to what i read over decades i have some doubts about the accuracy and general effectiveness of ASDIC, at least until very late in the war. It is right that the systems got better over time, but most of escorts had an early type 141 or earlier on board, if at all. A lot of escorts did not have installed any.

Also it is unlikely to find a boat via ASDIC at periscope depth, for the same reason it could not be detected by it when surfaced. The ASDIC's detection cone for shallow swimming objects only works in very "special" environments, and mostly not even in completely calm seas. In most of the 50ies books about submarine detection this is still described as a big problem.
When waves are reflected from the ocean floor at shallow depths it is more likely, also a thermal layer can reflect upwards to meet a U-boat hull, and then being reflected back by already becoming inaccurate.
So even if the DE is lucky and gets a reflection from a certain direction, the real depth and distance are impossible to measure. If you think of atlantic waves and the general disturbance in the upper water column the chances for detection are small, to say at least. This has been modelled in some of the real old simulations.


If a boat still had been detected by active ASDIC at low depth, the contact would be gone by a distance of appx. 400 meters, from then on the DE would have to race to the last point of detection, guess where the boat turned to and at what speed, and also guess its depth.
Listening devices and ASDIC would also not work at higher speeds of course (which is why hedgehog and squid had been developed).
The DE also had to be quick to not become a victim of its own depth charge explosions.

The tactics and methods can be read quite accurately in C.S. Forester's "The good shepherd", though even this is highly optimistic for the time it is supposed to happen.

To make it short i doubt a boat at perisope depth could be detected by ASDIC in most circumstances . If anyone finds a good report on that, i would like to read it.