Rant: Gah!! Early war torpedo depth

Drakken · 09-12-08, 10:21 AM

I know that early war torpedo pistols aren't that reliable, and I am glad that this problem is reproduced in supermods. However, I have to rant a little bit.

I have this beautiful Grandville-type freighter spotted at more than 7 km in front of me. It goes rather fast (I estimage at 11 knots) and my U45 (Type VIIB) suffers a malfunction in the Engine room. The top speed I can go at Ahead Full is 12 knots on surface (

). Nonetheless I plot an approach to decrease the distance between the target and I at a reasonable angle.

But at 4 km, the target has spotted me. Result, it starts to zigzag. Undeterred, I go to periscope depth to begin the attack. Using the nomograph and the distance between two marks taken at 1 minute intervals I can deduct that his relative speed due to zigzagging is 8 knots, and that its relative course remain the same. That way I can reasonably deduct an angle of bow. Off to the torpedo settings of the TDC!

Although a storm is approaching, the sea seems relatively calm with my boat rolling only slightly. I only have TI torpedoes, but as the target has already seen me the visibility point is moot. So, I set all four bow torpedoes to 7 meters depth (IIRC, the target's keel is 6,2 meters deep), medium speed, magnetic pistol.

I plot the fire solution in the TDC, open the four tubes, and Los!

I go to the Attack Map to see the trajectory of my four torpedoes... and I see it follows a perfect course. The four torpedoes will certainly hit the ship right where I aimed them...

I go to the Periscope, ready to see my eels impact under the ship's keel, ripping it apart... but nothing happens.

I return to the Attack Map, and my jaw drops as I conclude that all four torpedoes passed under the ship's keel and continued their course.

Revenge!, I yell. Immediately I turn starboard and prepare my stern torpedo. If I can hit her perhaps I could slow her down enough to allow my crew to reload for another pass. And off to the TDC again! This time I set the torpedo to Impact at 4 meters deep. This time there is no chance it will pass underneath.

I replot for the second attack, and when the gyroangle allows the torpedo to fire at a sufficient angle. The relative AoB is around 80 degrees, quite good for an impact pistol.

Nummer fünf, Los!

I recheck the course of my stern torpedo, and again the trajectory is perfect. It will hit plain in the middle of the ship, right were the Engine boiler room should be...

It hits!... and rebounds on the target's keel.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Five torpedoes were launched in that attack... four passed underneath without exploding, and the last bumped and dudded. I was flabbergasted, I wanted to jump over my conning tower into the sea and kill myself in shame. Thank God I am not a Japanese commander.

Whew... feel better already. :rotfl:

Letum · 09-12-08, 10:45 AM

Not really an ideal target for magnetic shots.
Usually better to play safe and aim at 4m depth unless it is a big, slow target in
clam weather.

Next time find the patience to wait till she stops zig-zaging too.

Drakken · 09-12-08, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Letum

Not really an ideal target for magnetic shots.
Usually better to play safe and aim at 4m depth unless it is a big, slow target in
clam weather.

Next time find the patience to wait till she stops zig-zaging too.

I could do that, OR blame it all on Bernhard. :rotfl:

Brag · 09-12-08, 12:10 PM

Blame it all on Bernard, he's used to it :rotfl:

nirwana · 09-12-08, 12:41 PM

:rotfl: i used those depth settings with waves >7m in the first few weeks of playing as well. Now im using them only with wide fat ass capital warships which will guarantied bounce back in time to trigger the magnetic pistol. It would have happen late in the war as well with ships bouncing +- 10 m through waves. Once with 15m waves my eals set to zero depth hit the bridge of a small freighter in a wave valley like cruise missiles.

09-12-08, 10:21 AM	#1
Drakken Planesman Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 194 Downloads: 65 Uploads: 0	Rant: Gah!! Early war torpedo depth I know that early war torpedo pistols aren't that reliable, and I am glad that this problem is reproduced in supermods. However, I have to rant a little bit. I have this beautiful Grandville-type freighter spotted at more than 7 km in front of me. It goes rather fast (I estimage at 11 knots) and my U45 (Type VIIB) suffers a malfunction in the Engine room. The top speed I can go at Ahead Full is 12 knots on surface (). Nonetheless I plot an approach to decrease the distance between the target and I at a reasonable angle. But at 4 km, the target has spotted me. Result, it starts to zigzag. Undeterred, I go to periscope depth to begin the attack. Using the nomograph and the distance between two marks taken at 1 minute intervals I can deduct that his relative speed due to zigzagging is 8 knots, and that its relative course remain the same. That way I can reasonably deduct an angle of bow. Off to the torpedo settings of the TDC! Although a storm is approaching, the sea seems relatively calm with my boat rolling only slightly. I only have TI torpedoes, but as the target has already seen me the visibility point is moot. So, I set all four bow torpedoes to 7 meters depth (IIRC, the target's keel is 6,2 meters deep), medium speed, magnetic pistol. I plot the fire solution in the TDC, open the four tubes, and Los! I go to the Attack Map to see the trajectory of my four torpedoes... and I see it follows a perfect course. The four torpedoes will certainly hit the ship right where I aimed them... I go to the Periscope, ready to see my eels impact under the ship's keel, ripping it apart... but nothing happens. I return to the Attack Map, and my jaw drops as I conclude that all four torpedoes passed under the ship's keel and continued their course. Revenge!, I yell. Immediately I turn starboard and prepare my stern torpedo. If I can hit her perhaps I could slow her down enough to allow my crew to reload for another pass. And off to the TDC again! This time I set the torpedo to Impact at 4 meters deep. This time there is no chance it will pass underneath. I replot for the second attack, and when the gyroangle allows the torpedo to fire at a sufficient angle. The relative AoB is around 80 degrees, quite good for an impact pistol. Nummer fünf, Los! I recheck the course of my stern torpedo, and again the trajectory is perfect. It will hit plain in the middle of the ship, right were the Engine boiler room should be... It hits!... and rebounds on the target's keel. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Five torpedoes were launched in that attack... four passed underneath without exploding, and the last bumped and dudded. I was flabbergasted, I wanted to jump over my conning tower into the sea and kill myself in shame. Thank God I am not a Japanese commander. Whew... feel better already. :rotfl:

09-12-08, 10:45 AM	#2
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Not really an ideal target for magnetic shots. Usually better to play safe and aim at 4m depth unless it is a big, slow target in clam weather. Next time find the patience to wait till she stops zig-zaging too. __________________

09-12-08, 12:10 PM	#4
Brag Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Docked on a Russian pond Posts: 7,072 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Blame it all on Bernard, he's used to it :rotfl: __________________ Espionage, adventure, suspense, are just a click away Click here to look inside Brag's book: Amazon.com: Kingmaker: Alexey Braguine: Books Order Kingmaker here: http://www.subsim.com/store.html For Tactics visit:http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/

09-12-08, 12:41 PM	#5
nirwana Sonar Guy Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 380 Downloads: 17 Uploads: 0	:rotfl: i used those depth settings with waves >7m in the first few weeks of playing as well. Now im using them only with wide fat ass capital warships which will guarantied bounce back in time to trigger the magnetic pistol. It would have happen late in the war as well with ships bouncing +- 10 m through waves. Once with 15m waves my eals set to zero depth hit the bridge of a small freighter in a wave valley like cruise missiles.