Need some advice for manual plotting

[Hitman]

Most people will tell you to do a plot with absolute bearings -i.e. plot starting from your sub icon on the map and keep the plot always from the sub's current position- but I found out long ago it is way easier to do it with relative bearings. Here's how to:

1.- Forget about starting from your sub, and go pick a place in the map where you can work and plot without distractions (An area of only water is ideal)

2.- Start by using vertical ruler to draw a line from bottom to top. This represents your sub's motion forward. Note your sub's speed.

3.- Now, scope up, get range and bearing to target. Start the chrono.

4.- From the initial point of the line you drawed in step 2) and using your ruler, draw a line in the bearing of the target. Use the compass in the tool helper to make it properly (Since the line you drawed is on course zero the compass in the tool helper matches exactly the scope bearing from your sub). Either use the compass in the tools or the ruler markings to make the line reach the proper measured target distance.

5.- 3 minutes later, up scope again and take bearing and range.

6.- First, calculate how much your sub has advanced in those 3 minutes with the easy mental rule. Now go that distance along the vertical line upwards and put a mark there. That's where your sub was when you took the second bearing Now pick again the ruler and draw from there the bearing and range to target of your second reading.

7.- Repeat as necessary to get a good speed reading. Serves also to get angle on the bow easily, which you can measure with your angle tool. If you want target's true course, you must add substract that AOB from your true submarine course. That's all.

Advantages:

1.- Simple to use with the game tools

2.- No hurry to plot from where your submarine icon is each moment. You have three full minutes to plot your sub's and the target's new situation each time.

Hope that helps.

[Slick Wilhelm]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Most people will tell you to do a plot with absolute bearings -i.e. plot starting from your sub icon on the map and keep the plot always from the sub's current position- but I found out long ago it is way easier to do it with relative bearings. Here's how to:

1.- Forget about starting from your sub, and go pick a place in the map where you can work and plot without distractions (An area of only water is ideal)

2.- Start by using vertical ruler to draw a line from bottom to top. This represents your sub's motion forward. Note your sub's speed.

3.- Now, scope up, get range and bearing to target. Start the chrono.

4.- From the initial point of the line you drawed in step 2) and using your ruler, draw a line in the bearing of the target. Use the compass in the tool helper to make it properly (Since the line you drawed is on course zero the compass in the tool helper matches exactly the scope bearing from your sub). Either use the compass in the tools or the ruler markings to make the line reach the proper measured target distance.

5.- 3 minutes later, up scope again and take bearing and range.

6.- First, calculate how much your sub has advanced in those 3 minutes with the easy mental rule. Now go that distance along the vertical line upwards and put a mark there. That's where your sub was when you took the second bearing Now pick again the ruler and draw from there the bearing and range to target of your second reading.

7.- Repeat as necessary to get a good speed reading. Serves also to get angle on the bow easily, which you can measure with your angle tool. If you want target's true course, you must add substract that AOB from your true submarine course. That's all.

Advantages:

1.- Simple to use with the game tools

2.- No hurry to plot from where your submarine icon is each moment. You have three full minutes to plot your sub's and the target's new situation each time.

Hope that helps.

Wow, that sounds so elegant, Hitman! I'm going to try that right now. Many thanks!

[UnderseaLcpl]

This is all too complicated. Use your Dick'O'kane course/speed plot. Eyeball the intercept. Make a 500yd circle with compass. Get near circle and get to 90 (plus or minus 20degrees) AOB. Make a 0 or 180 straight torp solution. When target gets close enough ID it and set depth if you wish. Down scope. When target gets to edge of your 500yd circle up scope. Fire at 0 + or - your targets speed in degrees. I.e. If hes moving 12kts from right to left on a 0 degree torp course fire at 348 degrees. Even if you're off you are so close you can't miss.

[Slick Wilhelm]

Hey Hitman, I used your method last night, and once I got my head wrapped around it, it worked like a champ!

[Hitman]

Cheers slick, glad you found it useful

[Joe S]

I know this doesnt appeal to a lot of players, but rather than pausing I like to let my fire control team help out a bit. I simulate this by allowing contacts to be shown on the map . It simulates the fire control team estimating the range and plotting it on the map, and eliminates the need to pause. You still have plenty to do if you dont want to pause the game, and with fast moving convoy with escorts the time factor does put pressure on you to be efficient with your method.
Ideally, I would like to simulate the fire control team by having the computer show only the contacts you have identified in the scope, and a higher level of difficulty would plot it based on your range estimate and bearing. In a way, this is done on the attack map. but we cant mark the attack map so you cant do a time/distance calculation without keeping the scope up.

[Joe S]

I accidently hit the wrong key and posted my reply before I was done, so here is the rest of it.
In real life, without the use of radar or sonar, range estimation is critical in order to estimate speed. If you know the speed, range estimation is almost irrelevant for fire control purposes. Using my method, when I get in close, I estimate range with the stadimeter to simulate what a captain would have to do, but the key thing is to get the angle on the bow and speed correctly. to each his own, your mileage may vary, whatever method you settle on , Sink 'em ALL! Joe S

[Viduka]

Originally Posted by Joe S

I know this doesnt appeal to a lot of players, but rather than pausing I like to let my fire control team help out a bit. I simulate this by allowing contacts to be shown on the map . It simulates the fire control team estimating the range and plotting it on the map, and eliminates the need to pause.

Ideally, I would like to simulate the fire control team by having the computer show only the contacts you have identified in the scope, and a higher level of difficulty would plot it based on your range estimate and bearing.

I would love to see a mod that implements this. I used to use your method in SH3, but found it was giving the range away a little too easily having map contacts showing on the map, even when they are little box shapes that don't give away the contacts direction.

For SH4 i've gone with using the sonar when underwater to plot everything (quite innacurate) or using the stadimeter with it's auto speed calculating function (also quite innacurate).

Does anyone know of any mods that simulate the above idea, of only showing map contacts for ships that the periscope is locked onto?

I know in the SH3 days there was something similar along those lines, where a little circle appeared around a contact when you hovered a mouse over it. This proved difficult to use but at least seemed a little bit more realistic.