What’s more valuable a target?

[Barkerov]

Originally Posted by skirich

I was tracking the whole armada for about 15-20 miles via radar submerged at 40 feet to let the radar turn and had a dead shot solution programmed into the tdc, tweaked every so often to get near zero on the largest blip. (Using 3d tdc mod)


I submerged by the time they hit 10 miles out since the destroyers could possibly see me. They were swarming the armada. About 7 or 8 ships circling the battleship so I didnt want the chance to ruin the attack. I figured the biggest blip and the largest ship on the nav map was a battleship and I wanted to take it down.


I waited until about 4600 yards out to take a peek, and while I was tuning the solution the carrier swung around on the far side of the battleship. I froze for a moment and all these calculations started flooding my head to re-tune the solution. I even opened up the necessary devices to start the calculations but the whole bunch was steaming at 12knts. With the attack angle I had and the speed of the armada i quickly realized a new solution would not work since the carrier, on the far side would be shielded by the battleship by the time I got the solution programmed. I dont pause the game to do any of that. Its more realistic that way and I enjoy the challenge.

Besides, by the time I would have a solution the destroyers that were leading would have had a good bead on me.


So I figures, OK, I'll shoot the spread of six, dive to 300 at flank, go under the bunch, come back to periscope and take a shot at the carrier from aft.


So I did that. Good thing for the spread. Between the solution in the PK/TDC, I had 3 out of six hit and the battleship listed to port and went under.
Fast forward and when I surface, I have 3 destroyers on me and the carrier speeding out at 15 knts with a zig zig pattern. No shot.


I went out and around with an attempt to do an end around and take another shot, but the destroyers kept pushing me farther and farther north of the armada, and by the time they stopped their patterns the carrier was off my radar and I lost it. I tried following the destroyers and even put up some plots on the map to search but they boogied off at 20+ knts while was pushing 10 under water and coming up on 25% battery.
If I did meet up with the group I would be toast under water with that little battery and 7 destroyers to dance with.



I spent the next week in game time looking for it ignoring all the juicy targets, but never found it.


I was lucky I guess to get that first try. I was parked in the luzon straights about to hit a tanker when I got that armada blip on the radar.

Let me just start by saying that what I've written below isn't meant to sound critical of you, so please don't interpret it that way.



Based on what you said I think you robbed yourself of the chance to shoot at both by not peeking earlier and thereby recognizing the constitution of the force you were attacking. Also, depending on what mods you're using, you could have been at radar depth for much longer. I'd be thinking that you could have closed to within at least half the distance at which you chose to submerge without being seen.


Also, depending on how your firing technique, you could have launched all 10 tubes in one salvo if you'd positioned yourself pointing parallel to the task force. Another option would be to fire the first 6 slow, but in a larger spread and the rear 4 fast after turning around. It's hectic but it can be done.


In any case, congrats on sinking the BB. You don't get to sink that many of them in a career, if any.

[skirich]

I never thought about that move. A parallel shoot of all 10 tubes. That’s an epic maneuver. Very doable when using position keeper. Even a spin around would work.
Thanks for the hint. First career was definitly a learning experience.
My second career, once the war is over will definitely be a better run.

I’m gonna study up on the important dates of battles so at least when I get that message about our forces attacking I can be in the area.

[propbeanie]

... depending upon the mod(s), don't ask the torps to turn too sharp, else you'll increase your chances of having a circle runner by quite a bit - maybe even missing the enemy with the other eight or nine...

[Barkerov]

propbeanie is right, it feels much less epic when you kill yourself and none of the enemy. There is a time and a place for it though.