Trying to Learn Manual Targeting - Failing in the Process

[Rockin Robbins]

Here's a complete breakdown of the procedure I did for another person with a similar situation. I find that the problem is that remembering all the steps is not enough. You always have to know their relationship with each other and what step order works and what order results in a stale solution. The only thing that fixes it is repetition and adherance to a fixed collection of actions. Once you get that working automatically without having to rack your brain, then you can work on varying the procedure to fit different circumstances.

In other words, while you are learning, be very rigid. Once you see the forest, not merely a collection of trees that don't seem to fit together, branch out to expand your bag of tricks. The link.

Then you might want to check Aaronblood, gutted and my Dick O'Kane targeting technique. You can set up the whole attack in the TDC 15 or 30 minutes ahead of your actual approach and firing! Then you can tell your exec, "I'm going to take a nap. Wake me when the target bears 340º." Real captains did that (probably couldn't really sleep) to show the crew that he respected them as professionals who didn't need to be micromanaged. It really built up crew confidence if the captain didn't have a heart attack while he pretended to sleep!

You can do it, and it doesn't have to be too technical to understand.

[SeaQueen]

Here's a couple other suggestions I've found help:

Set your torpedoes to high speed. It makes the results less sensitive to the inherent uncertainty in your measurements.

Shoot at WELL under 1kyd. Ideally less than 0.5kyd even.

[Bubbles68]

Just to second ridyard's last post: when you update the bearing and range in the tdc, the tdc just rotates the given AoB and speed to the new bearing and moves it in or out to the new range. So, you always need to adjust the AoB after updating the bearing, unless the actual bearing and predicted bearing from the tdc are the same.

Another thing I did to figure this stuff out was to just play around with the tdc and see how it works. For example, on the surface, dead in the water, just point the periscope dead ahead, and send the bearing and range to the tdc (no target, just point at empty sea). then enter in a random speed, like 5 knots, and an AoB like S90. Then start the PK and watch the target's predicted position move on the tdc and the attack map. Then change something and see what it does. For example, turn the periscope 90 degrees and send the bearing/range to tdc again, and you'll see that the target's course on the attack map will be changed 90 degrees from what it was before. WernerSobe's videos are good to watch too.

As far as calculating speed, I think SeaQueen's method, which is like the old speed button in SH3, is cool. I usually use the nav map - every 2 minutes or something, plot lines of bearing and put a mark at the range. then extend the line of bearing a bit and leave them there. that way if your ranges are off, you'll be able to see the fan of bearing lines and estimate a good course that goes between all the range marks and cuts the bearing lines in equal intervals. This is just like using speed strips in TMA, such as in DW. Works well if you've got time and in bad weather if you can't get good ranges.

[walrusbomb]

I stopped using the position keeper all together.

I like to use sonar to find bearing and estimated range. I plot the target's est. course and make the minute marks for est. speed.

All I have is my initial solution scribbled on the map in pencil; actual bearing, est. range, est. AOB, est. speed.

I've entered nothing in TDC at this point.

I get closer, improve my angle of attack (slice the pie). raise scope to ID target. is it even an enemy? (long story.) Scope goes immediately back down.

Ready my torpedos. I like a high-low spread: 15", 8", 16", 10". Deeper for battleships and carriers.

Repeat sonar targeting: actual bearing, est. range, est. AOB, est. speed. Compare to my original pencil marks. If it looks good, start entering the data into the TDC. If it looks off, repeat sonar. Be careful not to ping DD's and Subchasers too much as they will hear you. Ping em' twice and estimate range.

actual bearing, est. range, est. AOB, est. speed.

looks good. enter the data into TDC... FIRE 75% spread.

[ridyard12]

Originally Posted by walrusbomb

I like to use sonar to find bearing and estimated range. I plot the target's est. course and make the minute marks for est. speed.

if its a warship that your pinging, its going have a lock on you and drop lots of presents in the water, wether its your birthday or not.

but for merchants, its a great way to plot target course whilst remaining unseen.

[walrusbomb]

Originally Posted by ridyard12

if its a warship that your pinging, its going have a lock on you and drop lots of presents in the water, wether its your birthday or not.

but for merchants, its a great way to plot target course whilst remaining unseen.

IDK, I ping warships without detection. It's all about moderation. I go on to warn about this but you didn't quote that part.

"You dont go berserk in front of a dragon." --Sven the Berserk's Dad