Has this ever happened to you?

Otto Heinzmeir · 03-14-09, 09:21 AM

I am trying to spot a convoy in poor visibility. I had been tracking it on Hydro but just couldn't see anything so I close in surfaced about 90 degrees to thier track. I spot a ship of about 7 tons. Easy as pie I am thinking. RIng up another Tommy AOB 90 Portside. OK will I am doing 8 kts so I hit back 1/3rd because I don't want to ram it I want to use torpedoes instead.

I forgot that I had set my course to the convoy with a waypoint. So what happens is when you hit reverse it literally turns and tries to back the sub to the waypoint instead of going straight back.

I didn't know this was happening because I had set my UZO to 000 and was setting up my shot in the TDC screen. Double checked the solution and all set to go I am thinking. I look through the UZO again and can,t find the ship. I scan around and see it 90 degrees off th my right. Then it hit me about the dam waypoint. My sub was now hopelessly out of positio to fire for the shot I had set up. MY sub had turned 90 degrees while backing.

This has happened before to me but I always caught it as soon as I started to turn. Technically its not a bug, but would have been nice if they programed it to ignore the WP when you hit reverse. I don't do reloads but think this will be my exception to that rule.

Bosje · 03-14-09, 09:27 AM

yup, happened to me too
I also remember once making a slight change in the waypoint while sitting still. the engine kicked into 'ahead standard' to comply to the change. while i was in the middle of a convoy! some tense moments followed, i can tell you

i now have the habit of using the waypoint as my zero bearing line on the plot but then I zoom all the way in. since my bow is usually one degree off from the waypoint anyway I then manually make a tiny turn, hit zero rudder. that way, never need worry about the waypoint again. you also won't reach the end of the waypoint followed by an 'all stop'

Otto Heinzmeir · 03-14-09, 09:37 AM

Yea, what I usually do when I am setting up to attack is I delete the WP as I get near my final firing position. Then manually make course changes from there. I got into this habit because I sometimes have to reverse to get the range I want and then I avoid the problem. Unfortunately in this last case I wasn't in the set up to attack mode as thought the convoy might be 2k away still so I hadn't deleted my WP yet. What am aggravation. I had attacked this convoy previously and sunk 1 ship. From what I had seen its mostly made up of 2 ton targets. So it was pure luck to stumble across the one I did.

I can just here a real captain telling his crew "Delete the waypoint, back 1/3rd"

03-14-09, 09:21 AM	#1
Otto Heinzmeir Weps Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wilhelmshaven Local Pub Posts: 361 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Has this ever happened to you? I am trying to spot a convoy in poor visibility. I had been tracking it on Hydro but just couldn't see anything so I close in surfaced about 90 degrees to thier track. I spot a ship of about 7 tons. Easy as pie I am thinking. RIng up another Tommy AOB 90 Portside. OK will I am doing 8 kts so I hit back 1/3rd because I don't want to ram it I want to use torpedoes instead. I forgot that I had set my course to the convoy with a waypoint. So what happens is when you hit reverse it literally turns and tries to back the sub to the waypoint instead of going straight back. I didn't know this was happening because I had set my UZO to 000 and was setting up my shot in the TDC screen. Double checked the solution and all set to go I am thinking. I look through the UZO again and can,t find the ship. I scan around and see it 90 degrees off th my right. Then it hit me about the dam waypoint. My sub was now hopelessly out of positio to fire for the shot I had set up. MY sub had turned 90 degrees while backing. This has happened before to me but I always caught it as soon as I started to turn. Technically its not a bug, but would have been nice if they programed it to ignore the WP when you hit reverse. I don't do reloads but think this will be my exception to that rule.

03-14-09, 09:27 AM	#2
Bosje Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 732 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	yup, happened to me too I also remember once making a slight change in the waypoint while sitting still. the engine kicked into 'ahead standard' to comply to the change. while i was in the middle of a convoy! some tense moments followed, i can tell you i now have the habit of using the waypoint as my zero bearing line on the plot but then I zoom all the way in. since my bow is usually one degree off from the waypoint anyway I then manually make a tiny turn, hit zero rudder. that way, never need worry about the waypoint again. you also won't reach the end of the waypoint followed by an 'all stop' __________________ And when an 800-ton Uboat has you by the tits... you listen!

03-14-09, 09:37 AM	#3
Otto Heinzmeir Weps Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wilhelmshaven Local Pub Posts: 361 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Yea, what I usually do when I am setting up to attack is I delete the WP as I get near my final firing position. Then manually make course changes from there. I got into this habit because I sometimes have to reverse to get the range I want and then I avoid the problem. Unfortunately in this last case I wasn't in the set up to attack mode as thought the convoy might be 2k away still so I hadn't deleted my WP yet. What am aggravation. I had attacked this convoy previously and sunk 1 ship. From what I had seen its mostly made up of 2 ton targets. So it was pure luck to stumble across the one I did. I can just here a real captain telling his crew "Delete the waypoint, back 1/3rd"