What the Falke?

HunterICX · 05-16-07, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rb4door

oooh so they are available as early as '42?

I'm on my first career in GWX and have just reach February 1942 - cant wait to try them

if I,m correct you automaticly get some Proto types.

you cant buy them yet, but you get them

maillemaker · 05-16-07, 06:33 AM

I've used the homing torpedo twice and have had it chase down and hit DDs. It's fun to watch them in the TDC - you can see the torpedo squirming around if it's tracking.

Chock · 05-16-07, 06:47 AM

Only prototypes were available that early, and given to a very few boats to test, but I guess you could regard yourself as one of the lucky test boats, so it is 'sort of' realistic to have them that early.

Incidentally, it was recommended at the time of those tests to place the acoustic homing torpedo only in the rear tube, so that you could run away from it, also as ReM points out, diving was common practice too in order to be below the 'floor' of the seeker (a common practice with torpedoes today in fact).

It was noted at the time that they were unlikely to be 'miracle weapons' as there would be many occasions where a standard convoy engagement firing position would not be conducive to use of the acoustic homing torpedo, so if you are having problems employing them, that's realistic, as the real sub skippers faced that too.

There's a lot of useful info about their use and capabilities in the book 'Type VII U-Boats' by Robert C Stern (ISBN 1-86019-855-4), which I thoroughly recommend if you are even remotely interested in German submarines, as it is a mine of information, and in fact one of the 'modders bibles'.

filefool · 05-16-07, 07:44 AM

The guideline for Falke torpedoes was to dive to at least 50m after a shot from the bow tubes and to go to silent running after a stern shot.

BTW i am in May 1943 and all i get are those lousy FAT I & III torpedoes. Does the BdU hates me or am i just unlucky?

Dietrich · 05-16-07, 08:55 AM

You still need to set the shot up for acoustic torpedoes. This includes setting the depth correctly -- for an "under the keel" shot. Acoustic torpedoes will rarely result in a nice impact shot, but they do work nicely by following a DD, undershooting the props and blowing up under the rear magazine.

They work well for removing escorts, but they can also be used to cripple a merchant (e.g. a fast moving tanker), allowing you the time to evade any escorts and come back for it later.

(PS: There's nothing wrong with FaT I torpedoes. I really like them!)

06-01-07, 06:09 AM

hiya!

got these Falke prototypes in 42 and I am starting to play around with them... so far I have tried them against DDs and it's cool to see/hear them homing on the DD, but once they hit little seems to happen! (in my case at least!)

I once tracked the torp with the "F12 external view" and saw it go for (and hit) the propoller (makes sense). The DD couldn't steer but continued afloat...

Are there any thumb rules (for n0000bs

) as to how to effectively use these??

Thanks and good hunting!

Puster Bill · 06-01-07, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plastik

hiya!

got these Falke prototypes in 42 and I am starting to play around with them... so far I have tried them against DDs and it's cool to see/hear them homing on the DD, but once they hit little seems to happen! (in my case at least!)

I once tracked the torp with the "F12 external view" and saw it go for (and hit) the propoller (makes sense). The DD couldn't steer but continued afloat...

Are there any thumb rules (for n0000bs

) as to how to effectively use these??

Thanks and good hunting!

Actually, even if you don't sink the DD, but it can't manuever, that is almost as good as a kill. The technical military term for when you don't completely destroy a target, but prevent it from being employed (either by damaging it so bad that it can't maneuver, or you destroy the weaponry but not the platform, or you just harass it so much that it is ineffective is called a "Mission Kill". It isn't as good as an actual kill, but better than nothing.

In the case of a Falke taking out the rudder and/or props of an escort, to the point where it can't maneuver, I'd definitely call that a success. You won't get renown points for it unless it actually sinks, but the flip side is that it can't sink you unless you surface within gun range.

Jimbuna · 06-01-07, 09:42 AM

The arming range for the Falke is 400 metres

GoldenRivet · 06-01-07, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puster Bill

Quote:

Originally Posted by plastik

hiya!

got these Falke prototypes in 42 and I am starting to play around with them... so far I have tried them against DDs and it's cool to see/hear them homing on the DD, but once they hit little seems to happen! (in my case at least!)

I once tracked the torp with the "F12 external view" and saw it go for (and hit) the propoller (makes sense). The DD couldn't steer but continued afloat...

Are there any thumb rules (for n0000bs

) as to how to effectively use these??

Thanks and good hunting!

Actually, even if you don't sink the DD, but it can't manuever, that is almost as good as a kill. The technical military term for when you don't completely destroy a target, but prevent it from being employed (either by damaging it so bad that it can't maneuver, or you destroy the weaponry but not the platform, or you just harass it so much that it is ineffective is called a "Mission Kill". It isn't as good as an actual kill, but better than nothing.

In the case of a Falke taking out the rudder and/or props of an escort, to the point where it can't maneuver, I'd definitely call that a success. You won't get renown points for it unless it actually sinks, but the flip side is that it can't sink you unless you surface within gun range.

during a fooling around mission with a VII i hit a DD and took out its rudder and props... it sat there stern low in the water. pulled aside it surfaced and blew all its guns off with my deck gun hahaha it was classic

06-03-07, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plastik

hiya!

got these Falke prototypes in 42 and I am starting to play around with them... so far I have tried them against DDs and it's cool to see/hear them homing on the DD, but once they hit little seems to happen! (in my case at least!)

I once tracked the torp with the "F12 external view" and saw it go for (and hit) the propoller (makes sense). The DD couldn't steer but continued afloat...

Are there any thumb rules (for n0000bs

) as to how to effectively use these??

Thanks and good hunting!

hi, sank a DD with a Falke the other day... maybe it's a question of the torp reaching the DD in a certain angle.

is it more effective to have the torp get to a DD that is salinig perpendicular to your course? or coming for you? in this case i might crank the engines up a bit to lure him towards the Falke... (dangerous though)

Jimbuna · 06-03-07, 07:50 AM

I should imagine the profile is larger if the target is perpendicular :hmm:

05-16-07, 07:44 AM	#4
filefool Loader Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Austria. Far away from any port or shore. Posts: 87 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The guideline for Falke torpedoes was to dive to at least 50m after a shot from the bow tubes and to go to silent running after a stern shot. BTW i am in May 1943 and all i get are those lousy FAT I & III torpedoes. Does the BdU hates me or am i just unlucky? __________________

06-01-07, 09:42 AM	#8
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,788 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The arming range for the Falke is 400 metres __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

06-03-07, 07:50 AM	#11
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,788 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	I should imagine the profile is larger if the target is perpendicular :hmm: __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

05-16-07, 06:33 AM	#2
maillemaker Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,639 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	I've used the homing torpedo twice and have had it chase down and hit DDs. It's fun to watch them in the TDC - you can see the torpedo squirming around if it's tracking.

05-16-07, 06:47 AM	#3
Chock Sea Lord Join Date: May 2005 Location: Under a thermal layer in chilly Olde England Posts: 1,842 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Only prototypes were available that early, and given to a very few boats to test, but I guess you could regard yourself as one of the lucky test boats, so it is 'sort of' realistic to have them that early. Incidentally, it was recommended at the time of those tests to place the acoustic homing torpedo only in the rear tube, so that you could run away from it, also as ReM points out, diving was common practice too in order to be below the 'floor' of the seeker (a common practice with torpedoes today in fact). It was noted at the time that they were unlikely to be 'miracle weapons' as there would be many occasions where a standard convoy engagement firing position would not be conducive to use of the acoustic homing torpedo, so if you are having problems employing them, that's realistic, as the real sub skippers faced that too. There's a lot of useful info about their use and capabilities in the book 'Type VII U-Boats' by Robert C Stern (ISBN 1-86019-855-4), which I thoroughly recommend if you are even remotely interested in German submarines, as it is a mine of information, and in fact one of the 'modders bibles'.

05-16-07, 08:55 AM	#5
Dietrich Sparky Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 152 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You still need to set the shot up for acoustic torpedoes. This includes setting the depth correctly -- for an "under the keel" shot. Acoustic torpedoes will rarely result in a nice impact shot, but they do work nicely by following a DD, undershooting the props and blowing up under the rear magazine. They work well for removing escorts, but they can also be used to cripple a merchant (e.g. a fast moving tanker), allowing you the time to evade any escorts and come back for it later. (PS: There's nothing wrong with FaT I torpedoes. I really like them!)

06-01-07, 06:09 AM	#6
plastik Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	hiya! got these Falke prototypes in 42 and I am starting to play around with them... so far I have tried them against DDs and it's cool to see/hear them homing on the DD, but once they hit little seems to happen! (in my case at least!) I once tracked the torp with the "F12 external view" and saw it go for (and hit) the propoller (makes sense). The DD couldn't steer but continued afloat... Are there any thumb rules (for n0000bs ) as to how to effectively use these?? Thanks and good hunting!