I hate rangefinding. [Rant] UZO/Visual/WO.

Ashikaga · 08-01-21, 04:19 PM

So here I am sailing and see a dream of a convoy. I lock my UZO on. Ship, nice and big. Ask the WO for a range, then then ask my Gunny for a speed range aob and bearing.

All nice and well. I line up the scope, torp set at correct speed according to their measurements, lock, have Gunny give me a solution and unlock.

FIRE! TORP away!

I take my eyes from the UZO and stare into the night...

Hang on, that Convoy all of a sudden looks a lot further away! Hell I will never even hit it! I ask WO for nearest contact and he says, 6500m! I then lock the UZO on my target again and ask Gunny for a new speed-range check.
His numbers do not match mine, stadimeter, or the WO's.

The WO is talking about a destroyer, Gunny talks about the target, when looking in UZO and visually and with binos there is a massive difference in range and by the time I realize that my WO was talking about a destroyer the bastard is already on me!

Crash dive and evade it is...

After a few minutes: "Torpedo hat das ziel verfählt"

Grrrrrrrmbl expletives and so on!

I am either too close or too far and as soon as I dive i lose ground, even at full speed!!!!

End of rant

How can I learn to range correctly?
Does anyone have any tips for me?

Best, Ashi.

bstanko6 · 08-01-21, 07:39 PM

It’s all a matter of experience.

-time of day
-weather
-existing threats
-high listing of boats and U-boats
-Misidentified ships

And many more factors can throw off a range!

Over time you will find YOUR way to range. Mine is not accurate, but gives me a ballpark figure I am comfortable with through any situation. Some guys need to pull out calculators and apps to get the right formula.

I personally like to practice while going in and out of harbors. No pressure.

You will get there. Just keep practicing.

derstosstrupp · 08-01-21, 07:45 PM

My recommendation is don’t stress about it too much. If the issue is too close or too far, just wait until the target fills the optics (of the UZO or of the scope at 6x). That’s what the real guys did.

If that sounds too “Kentucky windage”, remember that range has hardly any impact on the solution (in other words the lead angle) as long as the gyro angle is small (within 20 deg or so of your bow). If range is short and the gyro angle is large, parallax error becomes a concern, and an accurate range is needed.

Also remember the real guys almost NEVER had the kind of target data (length, height) we have in game. Range was always an educated guess. They used tables to back into the actual firing range after the attack based on the actual time to impact measured in order to fill out the firing report.

So, follow historical methods and make range take a backseat by:
1.) waiting until the target fills the optics.
2.) minimizing the gyro angle of your shots to the extent possible.

les green01 · 08-01-21, 10:08 PM

the wo always report on the nearest ship and his range is always wrong the early years i keep the gyro angle down low has i can i don't want the eels to turn then all i need is aob and speed if the eels needs to turn then i just guess like range 800 meters or whatever i shoot between 400 to 800 meters even later years i shoot less than 2000 meters only once have i shot over 4000 meters that was a desperate attemp to get a carrier 3 out of 4 eels hit

Vox165 · 08-02-21, 02:43 PM

"Proceed unobserved to a position from which a high speed-speed shot can be fired and a hit certainly obtained" Translated from German WWI targeting manual 1917 .

Estimating range on a pc monitor with its distorted depth of field seems more difficult than it was in RL. I instead focus on finding ways to get within 1000m, and range is less an issue.

Ashikaga · 08-02-21, 03:06 PM

Thanks guys for your renarks!

Basically getting within 1000 meters when attacking a convoy going at 21kts is pretty useless with the speed my sub gets submerged. And when I try to sneak up on a convoy at night the destroyers somehow always spot me, even when decks awash. And since someone turned the functionality of UZO, WO and Gunny to lock a target off when decks awash that also is of little use.

Maybe a FaT will help. We'll see.

Best,

Ashi.

les green01 · 08-02-21, 04:15 PM

in the early years you can have escorts come less than 200 meters at night and not be spotted when wide radar use comes into play then that a differnt story and after april of 43 when the hunter becomes the hunted then just be happy if you survive

Ashikaga · 08-02-21, 06:05 PM

Destroyers in the Mediterranean seem to pick up on me at around 4000 meters.

And 3000 meters submerged at 7 knots won't help since then they hear me. So basically the only thing to do is speed ahead just out of range till they are at my 120-180, turn and head in a line 90° on their course....

And then they zig or zag and I lose them. LOL.

Best, Ashi.

08-01-21, 04:19 PM	#1
Ashikaga Commodore Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Netherlands Posts: 617 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	I hate rangefinding. [Rant plus question] So here I am sailing and see a dream of a convoy. I lock my UZO on. Ship, nice and big. Ask the WO for a range, then then ask my Gunny for a speed range aob and bearing. All nice and well. I line up the scope, torp set at correct speed according to their measurements, lock, have Gunny give me a solution and unlock. FIRE! TORP away! I take my eyes from the UZO and stare into the night... Hang on, that Convoy all of a sudden looks a lot further away! Hell I will never even hit it! I ask WO for nearest contact and he says, 6500m! I then lock the UZO on my target again and ask Gunny for a new speed-range check. His numbers do not match mine, stadimeter, or the WO's. The WO is talking about a destroyer, Gunny talks about the target, when looking in UZO and visually and with binos there is a massive difference in range and by the time I realize that my WO was talking about a destroyer the bastard is already on me! Crash dive and evade it is... After a few minutes: "Torpedo hat das ziel verfählt" Grrrrrrrmbl expletives and so on! I am either too close or too far and as soon as I dive i lose ground, even at full speed!!!! End of rant How can I learn to range correctly? Does anyone have any tips for me? Best, Ashi. __________________ Last edited by Ashikaga; 08-01-21 at 05:09 PM.

08-01-21, 07:39 PM	#2
bstanko6 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Murwik Naval Academy Posts: 2,122 Downloads: 390 Uploads: 13	It’s all a matter of experience. -time of day -weather -existing threats -high listing of boats and U-boats -Misidentified ships And many more factors can throw off a range! Over time you will find YOUR way to range. Mine is not accurate, but gives me a ballpark figure I am comfortable with through any situation. Some guys need to pull out calculators and apps to get the right formula. I personally like to practice while going in and out of harbors. No pressure. You will get there. Just keep practicing. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] BSTANKO6'S SH5 NAVAL ACADEMY http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPbe...W2NArCA/videos DISCORD https://discord.gg/6tFeTSUmVc

08-01-21, 07:45 PM	#3
derstosstrupp Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 883 Downloads: 489 Uploads: 0	My recommendation is don’t stress about it too much. If the issue is too close or too far, just wait until the target fills the optics (of the UZO or of the scope at 6x). That’s what the real guys did. If that sounds too “Kentucky windage”, remember that range has hardly any impact on the solution (in other words the lead angle) as long as the gyro angle is small (within 20 deg or so of your bow). If range is short and the gyro angle is large, parallax error becomes a concern, and an accurate range is needed. Also remember the real guys almost NEVER had the kind of target data (length, height) we have in game. Range was always an educated guess. They used tables to back into the actual firing range after the attack based on the actual time to impact measured in order to fill out the firing report. So, follow historical methods and make range take a backseat by: 1.) waiting until the target fills the optics. 2.) minimizing the gyro angle of your shots to the extent possible. __________________ Ask me anything about the Type VII or IX! One-Stop Targeting Shop: https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...WwBt-1vjW28JbO My YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJ...9FXbD3S2kgwdPQ

08-01-21, 10:08 PM	#4
les green01 Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Freeman Missouri Posts: 1,735 Downloads: 1375 Uploads: 0	the wo always report on the nearest ship and his range is always wrong the early years i keep the gyro angle down low has i can i don't want the eels to turn then all i need is aob and speed if the eels needs to turn then i just guess like range 800 meters or whatever i shoot between 400 to 800 meters even later years i shoot less than 2000 meters only once have i shot over 4000 meters that was a desperate attemp to get a carrier 3 out of 4 eels hit __________________ I'll tell you what bravery really is. Bravery is just determination to do a job that you know has to be done. Audie Murphy

08-02-21, 03:06 PM	#6
Ashikaga Commodore Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Netherlands Posts: 617 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	Thanks guys for your renarks! Basically getting within 1000 meters when attacking a convoy going at 21kts is pretty useless with the speed my sub gets submerged. And when I try to sneak up on a convoy at night the destroyers somehow always spot me, even when decks awash. And since someone turned the functionality of UZO, WO and Gunny to lock a target off when decks awash that also is of little use. Maybe a FaT will help. We'll see. Best, Ashi. __________________

08-02-21, 02:43 PM	#5
Vox165 Soundman Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Penns Woods Posts: 149 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 0	"Proceed unobserved to a position from which a high speed-speed shot can be fired and a hit certainly obtained" Translated from German WWI targeting manual 1917 . Estimating range on a pc monitor with its distorted depth of field seems more difficult than it was in RL. I instead focus on finding ways to get within 1000m, and range is less an issue.

08-02-21, 04:15 PM	#7
les green01 Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Freeman Missouri Posts: 1,735 Downloads: 1375 Uploads: 0	in the early years you can have escorts come less than 200 meters at night and not be spotted when wide radar use comes into play then that a differnt story and after april of 43 when the hunter becomes the hunted then just be happy if you survive __________________ I'll tell you what bravery really is. Bravery is just determination to do a job that you know has to be done. Audie Murphy

08-02-21, 06:05 PM	#8
Ashikaga Commodore Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Netherlands Posts: 617 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	Destroyers in the Mediterranean seem to pick up on me at around 4000 meters. And 3000 meters submerged at 7 knots won't help since then they hear me. So basically the only thing to do is speed ahead just out of range till they are at my 120-180, turn and head in a line 90° on their course.... And then they zig or zag and I lose them. LOL. Best, Ashi. __________________