Targeting realism

[RawRecruit]

There's lots of images that help too. When I read the 'fast 90' tutorial and employed the technique in game, my tonnage immediately went up.

[DaChubby]

I play at 100% and though i read the wazoo manual, i found it to be to
complicated for quick action and i now use my own method.
I manvoeuver my sub to go ahead of the boat, then lay perpendicular.
Depending on wether the boat passes from left ot right or vice versa, the aob
is 90° or 270°. Works like a charm.
For the speed, i simply guess and that's when i sometimes miss or get a less than perfect hit (like in real life)

I think more real life uboat captains used this method rather than calculating
everything. Experience made them better at guessing speed, distance and aob.
At least, that's what i think.

[Abd_von_Mumit]

Originally Posted by DaChubby

I play at 100% and though i read the wazoo manual, i found it to be to
complicated for quick action and i now use my own method.
I manvoeuver my sub to go ahead of the boat, then lay perpendicular.
Depending on wether the boat passes from left ot right or vice versa, the aob
is 90° or 270°. Works like a charm.
For the speed, i simply guess and that's when i sometimes miss or get a less than perfect hit (like in real life)

I think more real life uboat captains used this method rather than calculating
everything. Experience made them better at guessing speed, distance and aob.
At least, that's what i think.

Yes, I almost never do all the plotting now, I estimate the course and speed 'with my eyes' and just shoot. But I wouldn't ever be able to do that with quite large percentage of success, if not the Wazoo's manual and all the knowledge I got from:
- reading it very carefully,
- several long patrols when I used his method with every little detail (now I could do the plotting with my eyes closed when sleeping).
Once you get the skill of plotting and intercepting, your only remaining problem is to stay alive.

Target speed is the most important item in manual targeting. That said,

Plot target's initial position and note the time.
Plot subsequent target positions and plot target course.
Assuming you are on an intercept course, determine the AOB at your intercept point. With your periscope/uzo (bearing) at zero, enter this AOB into the target data computer. Also remember that the AOB most accurately reflect "starboard" or "port" which tells the TDC if the target is travelling left or right across your bow. As long as the target remains on this course, you can rotate the periscope/uzo and the TDC will always have the correct AOB.

Now, determine target speed. Note the most recent position of your target and the time. Measure from your first target position to your latest position. Determine the time interval between the two plots and use this formula: kmeters x 32.5 divided by minutes = estimated knots.
Enter this estimated speed directly into the TDC. If you make several measurements from the targets initial position as you move towards the intercept point, you'll have a good estimate of target speed before you're ready to launch.

AOB will not change as long as target course remains the same, just update target speed if it changes. In this method, you do not even need to concider range, it is not a factor. Accurate range will only affect the stop watch for the estimated impact time of torpedo.

I've have hit targets in excess of 6 kmeters with this method. Longer shots like these require a slow torpedo speed to cover the greater distance. Set the slow speed on the torpedo and the TDC will calculate the accurate offset angle for torpedo launch.

I hope this is helpful.

[DrMilton]

Originally Posted by von Zelda

Target speed is the most important item in manual targeting. That said,

Plot target's initial position and note the time.
Plot subsequent target positions and plot target course.
Assuming you are on an intercept course, determine the AOB at your intercept point. With your periscope/uzo (bearing) at zero, enter this AOB into the target data computer. Also remember that the AOB most accurately reflect "starboard" or "port" which tells the TDC if the target is travelling left or right across your bow. As long as the target remains on this course, you can rotate the periscope/uzo and the TDC will always have the correct AOB.

Now, determine target speed. Note the most recent position of your target and the time. Measure from your first target position to your latest position. Determine the time interval between the two plots and use this formula: kmeters x 32.5 divided by minutes = estimated knots.
Enter this estimated speed directly into the TDC. If you make several measurements from the targets initial position as you move towards the intercept point, you'll have a good estimate of target speed before you're ready to launch.

AOB will not change as long as target course remains the same, just update target speed if it changes. In this method, you do not even need to concider range, it is not a factor. Accurate range will only affect the stop watch for the estimated impact time of torpedo.

I've have hit targets in excess of 6 kmeters with this method. Longer shots like these require a slow torpedo speed to cover the greater distance. Set the slow speed on the torpedo and the TDC will calculate the accurate offset angle for torpedo launch.

I hope this is helpful.

Excellent description ! Range is indeed not needed and you can even hit targets that you don't see, due to fog or because it is in your interest to stay submerged.

[AndyW]

Are there any Youtube tutorial vids for manual targeting out there akin to Dantenoc's fantastic manual navigation tutorial?

Cheers,
AndyW

[mheil]

Originally Posted by DrMilton

Excellent description ! Range is indeed not needed and you can even hit targets that you don't see, due to fog or because it is in your interest to stay submerged.

That method works, keep in mind that your course can't change either. So you either don't change course or set up the shot based on a future position. I'll usually set up the shot while I'm taking readings on his speed and course.


Yes I've used this method to hit ships lining up the periscope to read the hydrophones reading. I was close to the ship 400-600m and it was a sormy night no visability, I had gotten good fixes on him earlier and used this to line up a good position shot. I assumed the hydrophone's reading would be aft of the actual ship location and offset my scope a little foward of the hydrophone's reading. 2 torps and one hit. She sunk. The missed torp went in front and the second went amidships. That made me think that the hydrophone reading is actually from amidships, not where the screws are.

Originally Posted by mheil

That method works, keep in mind that your course can't change either. So you either don't change course or set up the shot based on a future position. I'll usually set up the shot while I'm taking readings on his speed and course.

Thanks, DrMilton & mheil for your nice comments.

You can change your course slightly for a better attack position without determining a new AOB. As your boat turns, the new bearing is reflected in the TDC's computation; thus turning the boat (changing course) acts the same way to the TDC as turning the periscope/uzo.

For instance, you've established the AOB to course intercept and have loaded it into the TDC along with target speed. You know that you want to have a torpedo run of approximately 8oo meters, so you've manually put that into the TDC. But as the target approaches some 2000 meters away, you're on too steep an angle for a 90 degree hit. So, slowly turn (5 degree rudder) toward a more perpendicular angle to target's course as it approaches. There is no need to change any information in the TDC. With this attack position, you're so close that any minor change in true AOB would be minimal. Torpedo Los! when the distance and angle are optimum.

[Jimbuna]

I keep Weapons Officer assistance on....mainly as a precautionary measure if things 'hot up'