torpedo tips: maximum damage

[daft]

Originally Posted by the_belgian

1)for merchants i use 2,max.3 torpedo's*
2)i try to hit in 2 places;the rudder/screw and just under the funel.
3)waiting is part of comanding a sub,so wait untill the DD's are gone(could take some hours,i know)and finish your work with the deckgun.
*see underlined above


USS Perch "The Booperboat"
Two patrols(rep. by the 2 skulls)
One insertion(rep. by raft under 2nd skull)
12 merchants downed
1 warship downed

In regard to item number two on your list; Is there any way of sending just the bearing to TDC in order to hit different parts of the ship? I'm to slow to use the stadimeter in order to aim my torps at different locations on my targets.

[the_belgian]

Originally Posted by daft

In regard to item number two on your list; Is there any way of sending just the bearing to TDC in order to hit different parts of the ship? I'm to slow to use the stadimeter in order to aim my torps at different locations on my targets.

Set bearing midships the difference want make the day(if distance isn't to large)and reset your periscope to the point you want to hit(spreading factor 0).

[quote=daft]

Originally Posted by the_belgian

In regard to item number two on your list; Is there any way of sending just the bearing to TDC in order to hit different parts of the ship? I'm to slow to use the stadimeter in order to aim my torps at different locations on my targets.

use spread option (from -2 to +2 is ok)

[the_belgian]

[quote=Julius Caesar]

Originally Posted by daft

use spread option (from -2 to +2 is ok)

That,of course,is also a way...

[popeye]

wait untill the DD's are gone


so, they WILL abandon 2 or 3 crippled merchants, if i'm patient?

[GTHammer]

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

[daft]

Originally Posted by GTHammer

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

I usually get in real close and fire a spread of two or three. If they miss, I can whip around for a stern tube shot, or fire the remaining bow tubes before the angle opens up too much. This has given me a very high rate of hits using manual TDC. The errors are usually cancelled out by the very short range. If I can't get close enough, I head surface and do another end around. I think Mortons words to O'Kane says it all:

"Tenacity Dick. Stay with the bastard until he's on the bottom".

[UnSalted]

Originally Posted by GTHammer

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

I use different depths for my settings, trying for keel breakers.

Large freighter/tanker, depth set at 14-15. Usually 2 torps for each. I'd say 1/3-1/2 of the targets sink on their own afterwards.

Medium freighter/tanker, depth set at 10-11 feet. Again, 2 torps but some will sink before the second torp hits (danged aggravating but effective. Probably 2/3 go down without more than a final couple of shells.

Small freighters/tankers, depth at 6. One torp. Usually they go down quicker than a hooker's panties.

Destroyers, depth of 5.

I've seen very rough seas cause my torps to run right under the middle of some fat targets so I may cut the depth back by a foot. Sounds weird but I like the best odds I can get. That's why I try to set up shots at 1000 yards max and 500-700 preferably.

[popeye]

i cracked a large merchant in half with one torpedo last night. under the keel, about 14 feet like unsalted just said.

i would rather not waste torpedos on smaller targets, especially DD's

i hate large waves breaking my lock.

[jdkbph]

Originally Posted by GTHammer

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

I think the torpedo depth setting is actually in meters. When you say you're setting 10 to 12 feet, do you mean 10 to 12 units on the dial or do you mean 3 to 4 units on the dial? If I'm correct, the difference is significant.

What you describe was happening to me a lot until (I think) I figured it out. Thinking the numbers on the dial were feet, I was setting the torps to hit low on the hull, or even go under if I wanted to use the magnetic detonator. The result - some of the torps were going right under the ship without exploding and others were exploding without much effect.

When I realized my mistake, I started setting all torps to the minimum depth (which if I'm right is 3 meters (or ~10 feet) and my kill rate against medium size merchants with one or two torp hits went up significantly.

JD

[DirtyHarry3033]

Originally Posted by jdkbph

I think the torpedo depth setting is actually in meters. When you say you're setting 10 to 12 feet, do you mean 10 to 12 units on the dial or do you mean 3 to 4 units on the dial? If I'm correct, the difference is significant.

What you describe was happening to me a lot until (I think) I figured it out. Thinking the numbers on the dial were feet, I was setting the torps to hit low on the hull, or even go under if I wanted to use the magnetic detonator. The result - some of the torps were going right under the ship without exploding and others were exploding without much effect.

When I realized my mistake, I started setting all torps to the minimum depth (which if I'm right is 3 meters (or ~10 feet) and my kill rate against medium size merchants with one or two torp hits went up significantly.

JD

I've wondered about that, what with the bizarre mix of imperial and metric.

But if it's in metric then why does the depth scale go to 50???!!!? Somehow I can't picture a ship with a draft anywhere close to 50 meters (164 feet)

And besides I'm regularly popping merchants with a draft of 21' - 24' by setting the depth scale on "11" which if it's meters would be 36'. And usually seeing the torp impact the hull well above the keel in the event cam.

But still something ain't right, I popped a medium old tanker in the bow last night with those settings, a single torp, and within a few minutes her foredeck was totally awash and her ass sticking way up. Within an hour she was back up to 5kts with her bow still under water and her props half out of the water! Was a sight to see

Gonna try setting shallower depths, and see if that makes a difference...

DH

[orangenee]

Originally Posted by popeye

wait untill the DD's are gone


so, they WILL abandon 2 or 3 crippled merchants, if i'm patient?

Yeah they probably just decide that you got what you came for and left the area if you stay quiet enough.

[WernerSobe]

Originally Posted by orangenee

Yeah they probably just decide that you got what you came for and left the area if you stay quiet enough.

which is pretty much unrealistic and should be adressed. Ive been reading about destroyers hunting a sub for days after attack on a convoi until it surfaced and surrendered due to low oxigen. In real they would never abbandon a damaged ship and leave it to its fortune. More likely they would call another merchant to tow it (i dont expect a patch on this) or if its damaged to much they would evacuate and sink it.

[Lagger123987]

Originally Posted by popeye

wait untill the DD's are gone


so, they WILL abandon 2 or 3 crippled merchants, if i'm patient?

I like that advice!

[popeye]

i have been setting my torpedo depth somewhere between 10-15. only 15 if it was a big ship like a passenger liner or some such. (i'm hoping to find a AC, but no luck yet). so far i have never seen a fish go under without going off, so i would guess that a setting of 3-4 might not be deep enough in most cases.

nor have i had any trouble with the magnetic detonators, although i seldom use it.

i have to admit though, that i just hit 'L' to lock it, and then fire. so far all my fighting has been in very large swells, that make it hard to maintain contact.

anyone have a link to some diagrams with sweet spots, or any such?