Is 1-2 big ships per patroll good?

[Shikkapow]

How do you adjust the aiming point if you use the automatic TDC?
I don't use the manual input and don't understand how to adjust the aimpoint if using auto, I always seem to hit dead center...

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Shikkapow

How do you adjust the aiming point if you use the automatic TDC?
I don't use the manual input and don't understand how to adjust the aimpoint if using auto, I always seem to hit dead center...

Don't use the lock feature (hotkey: "L") when putting a ship in your sights. Your torpedo will go wherever the periscope crosshairs are. On tankers, it's good to aim just directly in front of the stack.

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

To be honest, I do not see lone tankers. I have seen plenty of tankers in convoys.

In the middle of the Atlantic, they're hard to find. Approaching the English Channel, the North Channel, over on the U.S. east coast or in the Caribbean you see them occasionally. A good sign that you have one, or something equally as juicy is if you get a contact update where it shows the ship's speed as medium or fast.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Shikkapow

How do you adjust the aiming point if you use the automatic TDC?
I don't use the manual input and don't understand how to adjust the aimpoint if using auto, I always seem to hit dead center...

I use weapon officer assist and play at 79%...outside views on for the eye candy. You can aim were you want with just the assist. If you lock the target it will always go to the center of the merchant. Unlock and you can aim manually. Also, the compressed air torpedos you can set the speed. I always get to within in 1500m for my solution. With that said, the fast torpedo will hit in the bow area, medium speed in the middle and slow speed will hit the screws. Like I said, I always send out two in a close spread so both hit, one in the bow and one in the stern.

[P_Funk]

The targeting computer is a very complex mistress. One thing that you must overcome conceptually is that the computer doesn't really target the merchant. What it does is take into account the information as to the ship's speed and course and such which you input. It then calculates how much a torpedo which you fire would have to lead the target in order to score a hit. So wherever you point the crosshair the computer is always assuming that is where the target is. This means that if your numbers are accurate pointing at specific parts of the ship will score a hit there. The locking feature is merely something of convenience.

It also occurs to me that this target lock button we all use seems to be impossible to have been created back then. These days computers use radar or heat detection or something of the like to track targets. Back then there was no such potential for automated tracking. So am I right in assuming that this "Lock" feature is a gameplay conceit from the developers created to ease the overload of players set with doing all the work of a submarine?

Lastly I like the very tough damage model of GW. Unlike before now you actually have to make decisions as to who to engage. Small merchants are no longer simply 1 hit kills. Every attack is now a considered investment of your U-boat's offensive potential which is limited. GW is succeeding in not only making a U-boat or a merchant behave as it should but is actually making us ourselves THINK more like a real captain.

[_Seth_]

Originally Posted by P_Funk

It also occurs to me that this target lock button we all use seems to be impossible to have been created back then. These days computers use radar or heat detection or something of the like to track targets. Back then there was no such potential for automated tracking. So am I right in assuming that this "Lock" feature is a gameplay conceit from the developers created to ease the overload of players set with doing all the work of a submarine?

i Agree with you: I think the target lock button is intended to help newbie players with targeting, and its not historically correct. I remember using it myself when i bought the game, and even now i sometimes use it . Without it i probably wouldnt be playing SHIII today. But its much cooler to play "real-stuff" anyway!

Originally Posted by P_Funk

The targeting computer is a very complex mistress. One thing that you must overcome conceptually is that the computer doesn't really target the merchant. What it does is take into account the information as to the ship's speed and course and such which you input. It then calculates how much a torpedo which you fire would have to lead the target in order to score a hit. So wherever you point the crosshair the computer is always assuming that is where the target is. This means that if your numbers are accurate pointing at specific parts of the ship will score a hit there. The locking feature is merely something of convenience.

It also occurs to me that this target lock button we all use seems to be impossible to have been created back then. These days computers use radar or heat detection or something of the like to track targets. Back then there was no such potential for automated tracking. So am I right in assuming that this "Lock" feature is a gameplay conceit from the developers created to ease the overload of players set with doing all the work of a submarine?

Lastly I like the very tough damage model of GW. Unlike before now you actually have to make decisions as to who to engage. Small merchants are no longer simply 1 hit kills. Every attack is now a considered investment of your U-boat's offensive potential which is limited. GW is succeeding in not only making a U-boat or a merchant behave as it should but is actually making us ourselves THINK more like a real captain.

I believe the lock feature is simply a convenience. It certainly wasn't something found then. Then again, you had quite a few people involved in targeting.

Not sure exactly how it was in a U-boat, but US sub's had a Torpedo Fire Control Party. One example of a US WWII Torpedo Fire Control Party is: approach officer, attack and sonar coordinator, TDC operator, assistant TDC operator, navigational plotter, periscope assistant, sonar plotter, sonar plot recorder, 3 sonar operators, ST radar operator, firing key operator, gyro angle setters, SS radar operator, SV radar operator and TBT operator.*

All things considered, I don't think it's really 'cheating' to have a lock button to help us Kaluens out.

*www.hnsa.org/doc/attack/

[Shikkapow]

Originally Posted by P_Funk

The targeting computer is a very complex mistress. One thing that you must overcome conceptually is that the computer doesn't really target the merchant. What it does is take into account the information as to the ship's speed and course and such which you input. It then calculates how much a torpedo which you fire would have to lead the target in order to score a hit. So wherever you point the crosshair the computer is always assuming that is where the target is. This means that if your numbers are accurate pointing at specific parts of the ship will score a hit there. The locking feature is merely something of convenience.

No kidding, I thought that the computer did not take in the info from the periscope unless it was locked. ( I understand that that is merely a 2004 rendition of technology, not 1940's)
That opens up a whole new world.

Thanks

[AVGWarhawk]

Convience for sure. Think about it. You at the scope calling out the AOB, speed, course. Your TDC man making the adjustments. In the this game you cannot not call out the figures. So the lock acts as the voice command. This is why I use weapons officer assist so he can dial in the figures. It gets to be to much without assist.

[andy_311]

Personnally I wouldn't use the auto targeting (if you use it ) aim for the engine room or the fuel bunker it does work but it doesn't take 2-4 fish to take out a C3 or a T3 if you do it right she will go down in 1 shot but not all of them be paiteint.

[Dantenoc]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Convience for sure. Think about it. You at the scope calling out the AOB, speed, course. Your TDC man making the adjustments. In the this game you cannot not call out the figures. So the lock acts as the voice command. This is why I use weapons officer assist so he can dial in the figures. It gets to be to much without assist.

Everytime you click on the checkmark on the notepad, it will (unaudibly) call that info to the TDC. The "lock on" feature is independant of this.

The periscope is "wired" into the TDC and will update the "bearing to target" in real time... again, independently of wether your "locked on" to something or are just swiveling your periscope around pointing at thin air. Here's the magical part: as your "bearing to target" is updated in real time by swiveling the scope around, the computer recalculates the AoB setting to compensate for your changing viewpoint. For this said recalculation the computer assumes that whatever your looking at is in your crosshairs. Speed is maintained constant and distance is unfortunately not recalculated in real time, so you might want to "call out" updates on that one... but be sure to clear the notepad of all other information, otherwise it will most probably screw up your AoB (the value leftover on the notepad was valid at some point, but not anymore, and clicking on the notepad with that value still there will force said bogus value in the TDC)

[AVGWarhawk]

Correct! Every value must be erased and fresh one entered on every vessel targeted.In simpler terms as the British called it 'is was' only German engineering turned the mathmatical 'is was' into a real time ever changing reality of the torpedo path. Therefore the British boats had to basically aim the boat using 'is was' were the German TDC was done mechanically and these value fed into the guidance system of the torpedo. So clear the pad or the TDC will be using the old values. Yes,one well placed torp on a liberty ship will break it in two as well as C2 and C3. Normally I get to within 1500m for my solution because you are close enough to account for any small miscalculation using the scope or UZO...unless you do some outlandish miscalculation! I generally find that incorrect AOB can cause a major miss so I attempt to make that bit of information as correct as possible. I always manually dial in the speed of target on the TDC...basically the merchants are doing 7 knots. I find using the stop watch gives outlandish speeds. I never use it.