Hydrophone weirdity and musings

I don't normally target escorts, as I've better uses for torpedoes than those dime-a-dozen tin-can piddlesquat toys. However, now and again, I find myself (usually because of greed or cockiness, alas ) between Scylla and Charybdis and so allocate a fish to one of them . . . especially now that BdU so nicely stocks me with several T IV (G7es) Faulkes.

In this instance, whilst heading down to the deeps after a failed convoy intercept, I was gratified to hear the impact of the torp I'd sent after the escort. After spending about 45 minutes being 'worked over' (and that's another story in itself; for whatever reason, I don't seem to be having any trouble at all when ash-canned: it's just an annoyance and time-burner) I listened to the escorts go chugging back to the convoy.

All but one.

Which my SO reported as stationary.

Which was odd, because when I listened in, I could clearly hear the screws churning like mad, at high speed.

Rising to periscope depth and taking a peek, yes, it was dead in the water. Which puzzled me because I could still hear its screws. It puzzled me enough to take an 'outside peek':



Is it just me, or does anyone else find it strange that a prop-less ship still produces audible screw sounds?

(In case anyone is curious I did finish her off; that was such a pretty image I wanted to show the results):






Now, as to the musings part . . .

It's incredibly annoying when, for instance, you're asking your SO for frequent range, vector and distance reports for the closest ship --be that merchant or warship-- and constantly getting bombarded by every sound contact. I could wish there were options for 'report only when asked' and 'report only warships' (and might as well have one for 'report only merchants', too, I suppose). I also wish there was an option like 'report all warship contacts', where when you 'asked' your SO that he'd report back all warship contacts, closest to furthest.

I do know there are options for 'follow nearest sound contact' and 'follow nearest sound warship contact', but that information can get lost amidst a bunch of unwanted sound contact reports. Plus I'd like having the control of dictating when/how often to chime in with a report.

Owell, just musings as I'd said.

[High Voltage]

Heh, nice one.

I agree with you 100% as I'm either stuck with beethoven as my soundman, or els I get a report on every clam that farts on the ocean floor...

[AVGWarhawk]

Yes, we get the nearest sound contact either merch or DD. When I get these, the closest is the ship I concentrate on being this is the closest vessel. The closest is my chance to sink it or to dodge it if it is a nasty DD. I believe the sonarman is giving you the paint to paint the picture in your mind on what the convoy looks like. Once painted in your mind then you make you best command order to take care of business. It is not the best sonar response but it is all we have