torpedo tips: maximum damage

[popeye]

Ahoy captains:

I just spent 3 or 4 hours firing my entire load of torps at a convoy. i missed with 2, through my own fault. but most hit targets. the problem is, i seemed to have to put far to many fish into them, and some did not even sink...they just sat low in the water, burning, but did not sink. another one, i didnt get credit for, even though i watched him break up, and slip under. no icon showed on the map, no tonnage added.

i would like some tips about where to hit ships, to use my torpedos most effeciently.

after i used all the fish i had on board, i only sank 4, and two or three wouldnt go down. i couldnt use my deck gun because of the 4 DD's that were looking for me.

[the_belgian]

Originally Posted by popeye

Ahoy captains:

1)I just spent 3 or 4 hours firing my entire load of torps at a convoy. i missed with 2, through my own fault. but most hit targets. the problem is, i seemed to have to put far to many fish into them, and some did not even sink...they just sat low in the water, burning, but did not sink. another one, i didnt get credit for, even though i watched him break up, and slip under. no icon showed on the map, no tonnage added.

2)i would like some tips about where to hit ships, to use my torpedos most effeciently.

3)after i used all the fish i had on board, i only sank 4, and two or three wouldnt go down. i couldnt use my deck gun because of the 4 DD's that were looking for me.

1)for merchants i use 2,max.3 torpedo's*
2)i try to hit in 2 places;the rudder/screw and just under the funel.
3)waiting is part of comanding a sub,so wait untill the DD's are gone(could take some hours,i know)and finish your work with the deckgun.
*see underlined above



USS Perch "The Booperboat"
Two patrols(rep. by the 2 skulls)
One insertion(rep. by raft under 2nd skull)
12 merchants downed
1 warship downed

[daft]

Originally Posted by the_belgian

1)for merchants i use 2,max.3 torpedo's*
2)i try to hit in 2 places;the rudder/screw and just under the funel.
3)waiting is part of comanding a sub,so wait untill the DD's are gone(could take some hours,i know)and finish your work with the deckgun.
*see underlined above


USS Perch "The Booperboat"
Two patrols(rep. by the 2 skulls)
One insertion(rep. by raft under 2nd skull)
12 merchants downed
1 warship downed

In regard to item number two on your list; Is there any way of sending just the bearing to TDC in order to hit different parts of the ship? I'm to slow to use the stadimeter in order to aim my torps at different locations on my targets.

[the_belgian]

Originally Posted by daft

In regard to item number two on your list; Is there any way of sending just the bearing to TDC in order to hit different parts of the ship? I'm to slow to use the stadimeter in order to aim my torps at different locations on my targets.

Set bearing midships the difference want make the day(if distance isn't to large)and reset your periscope to the point you want to hit(spreading factor 0).

[quote=daft]

Originally Posted by the_belgian

In regard to item number two on your list; Is there any way of sending just the bearing to TDC in order to hit different parts of the ship? I'm to slow to use the stadimeter in order to aim my torps at different locations on my targets.

use spread option (from -2 to +2 is ok)

[the_belgian]

[quote=Julius Caesar]

Originally Posted by daft

use spread option (from -2 to +2 is ok)

That,of course,is also a way...

[popeye]

wait untill the DD's are gone


so, they WILL abandon 2 or 3 crippled merchants, if i'm patient?

[GTHammer]

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

[orangenee]

Originally Posted by popeye

wait untill the DD's are gone


so, they WILL abandon 2 or 3 crippled merchants, if i'm patient?

Yeah they probably just decide that you got what you came for and left the area if you stay quiet enough.

[daft]

[quote=Julius Caesar]

Originally Posted by daft

use spread option (from -2 to +2 is ok)

Yes, but I would like to use a similar method to what Morton/O'Kane used on the Wahoo, and O'Kane/Frazee used on the Tang. They set a constant bearing and fired their torps as the part they wished to hit passed the stationary center line of the scope. I haven't figured out a way to do that yet. A work around would be to send individual bearings on different parts of the target, but that seems impossible since the stadimeter is very hard to operate on a moving target without locking the scope.

[daft]

Originally Posted by GTHammer

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

I usually get in real close and fire a spread of two or three. If they miss, I can whip around for a stern tube shot, or fire the remaining bow tubes before the angle opens up too much. This has given me a very high rate of hits using manual TDC. The errors are usually cancelled out by the very short range. If I can't get close enough, I head surface and do another end around. I think Mortons words to O'Kane says it all:

"Tenacity Dick. Stay with the bastard until he's on the bottom".

[UnSalted]

Originally Posted by GTHammer

Ok, I thought I'd try piggybacking my question onto this thread before I started my own. Like popeye I have encountered merchants ect and chalked up a number of hits with my torpedos and things just seemed wrong in general. For example I used 5, count 'em 1,2,3,4,5 torpedos on a single Large Modern Composite. The first torpedo was a dud, but even if you throw it out the ship still didn't sink after four hits. Each torpedo was fired at high speed from within 2000 yards and set to run at a depth of 10-12 feet. I was forced to surface and put between 8-10 HE rounds from my deck gun right into the sweet spots before she finally gave up the ghost. Anyway my question is essentially, 1. What are the best depths to run your fish at for max damage? 2. Anything else I'm missing?(Other than torpedo placement, under stack aka engine room and screws.)

I use different depths for my settings, trying for keel breakers.

Large freighter/tanker, depth set at 14-15. Usually 2 torps for each. I'd say 1/3-1/2 of the targets sink on their own afterwards.

Medium freighter/tanker, depth set at 10-11 feet. Again, 2 torps but some will sink before the second torp hits (danged aggravating but effective. Probably 2/3 go down without more than a final couple of shells.

Small freighters/tankers, depth at 6. One torp. Usually they go down quicker than a hooker's panties.

Destroyers, depth of 5.

I've seen very rough seas cause my torps to run right under the middle of some fat targets so I may cut the depth back by a foot. Sounds weird but I like the best odds I can get. That's why I try to set up shots at 1000 yards max and 500-700 preferably.

[popeye]

i cracked a large merchant in half with one torpedo last night. under the keel, about 14 feet like unsalted just said.

i would rather not waste torpedos on smaller targets, especially DD's

i hate large waves breaking my lock.

[zylark]

Maximum damage from a torpedo will always be achieved by the one that has a faulty gyro, and circles back to your firing position...

[CaptainHaplo]

Good one Zylark

One point on the thread though - are you using magnetics or contact torps? This has a huge bearing - alot of magnetics explode very close to - but not on/under their targets - they LOOK like hits - but are actual prematures. This often accounts for the lack of damage some people see.

Personally - I always use contact torps...