Approach tips!

[Radtgaeb]

I've been having a horrible time getting a good approach. Anyone have any tips?

[Iceberg]

Take a look at this: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=88961

It explain how to plot an intercept if that's what you're looking for.
It's from SH3 but it's exactly the same for SH4!!

[Radtgaeb]

Nah, I'm very good with intercepting. But actual close range approaching is a bit of a task for me....thanks though!

[buteobuteo]

I don't approach ships I let them approach me. I position my sub directly in their path at 90 degrees at periscope depth ten manoeuvre until its heading straight at me at 270 or 90 degrees bearing. Then move forward 1000 yds for a stern shot or back for a forward shot,then stop. I then use the ships bearing to get an accurate AOB. While I'm waitng I use the time to continually update range and speed.

[CaptainHaplo]

A very good tactic mentioned above - its almost exactly what I use. The main difference is that I get a good bead on their base course, submerge in front between the lead center escort and one on his flank - either port or starboard depending on which is easier. I tned to head at a 45 degree angle to the base course and as they approach I am at silent runningan dead stop - so they dont hear me sitting there. as soon as the lead DD gets where his active cone is just brushing me - I will go to 2 knots - about 30 seconds or so (at his extreme detection range w/ a bad angle to boot) gets me past him - and the forward movement gets me out of the flanking DD's asdic cone before he can detect me. At that point - just pick your targets.

Its a bit harder to properly place yourself if you want to use aft tubes due to the slower response of your sub. When I want to use aft shots I will accept a longer 1500+ yd run and fire outside the screen - with the fore tubes you can get your shots at dead to rights 500-800yds! If you use aft shots - best idea is to sit in front of one of the corner escorts and take your shot as your target advances - that way the torp hits before the dd can detect you and by then you should be ready to manuever or already be deep - based upon your tactical choices.

Good Hunting!
Captain Haplo

[Monica Lewinsky]

Originally Posted by Radtgaeb

I've been having a horrible time getting a good approach. Anyone have any tips?

Spend TEN minutes and watch this. Best "how to" I have seen. Not good, just DAMN good job by the author.

http://dontcamp.com/~deputy/nobackup...noob_guide.wmv

ALL credit goes to Legion. All hail and bow in his direction.

[cowboys98]

great video for those newbie players out there,is it possible to do the same video,but in 100% realism?

[Radtgaeb]

Quite helpful (though I wouldn't consider myself a 'noob').


So another question. How about those pesky zigs?

[Chock]

With Zigs, The easiest thing to do is: 'Launch every Zig, for great justice!' oh, wait a minute, that's a different game isn't it?

Seriously, Zig Zag legs would historically be every ten minutes (this might not be the case for your target, so observe it carefully), the regular timing of course changes was so that formation could be maintained under radio silence. And while zig zags make a firing solution more tricky, in some ways they are your friend, as the actual progress of a convoy is considerably slowed by adopting this tactic, meaning you can easily shadow the convoy and get its true general course. Which means you can set up and lie in wait for it, having already been given plenty of opportunity to calculate the true straight-line speed (which to make life easy, is almost always half the maximum speed of the slowest ship in the convoy). This means you'll get a ten minute window (or whatever the legs time out to) in which to loose off your fish.

For a more sophisticated attack, work out how long it will take your torpedoes to travel the distance to target at your preferred torpedo speed, and you can time a few hits to strike at broadly similar times, making the inevitable evasive turns, following your first hit, less likely to mess up your attack. What you can do to save time is write out how long the travel time will be at various ranges on both torpedo speeds (i.e so many seconds at 1000 yards, so many at 2000 yards etc, this is generally close enough to most ranges to be good enough for government work) and make a little chart to save you having to work it out while you are busy setting up the attack.

Have fun - Chock

[Monica Lewinsky]

Originally Posted by Radtgaeb

though I wouldn't consider myself a 'noob'

Sorry, was not intending that at all. Did NOT want to change the title because I found the flick so informative - besides that, the author decide on that name and wanted to not steal any credit for his EXCELLENT efforts. Just was "hosting" the download.

Regarding the Zig-Zag. It caught me off guard with 2 passenger ships last night. Could not figure out how they spotted me, but the zig-zag avoidance went into effect. Decided to not panic or say ... darn. Got ahead him/her and moved instead of deleting the "doodles" that he suggests in the flick. Junked the prior 90 degree position (erased it), re-drew the new 90 degree angle with the new "zig", and 30,000 tons BOTH paid a visit to Davy Jones locker. It felt good - but it did take an hour.

Have fun! I am. Hope your original post helps others. Thank you for asking. Very nice subject line.