Erratic Torpedo Run

Sammy-rai · 03-13-22, 08:08 AM

I was using the Replay function in SH4 to see how things unfolded when my SS Snapper skipper carried out a torpedo attack against a Japanese merchant.

Talk about surprise !!

How often do MK14 torpedoes perform this erratically ? Or is this normal behaviour ?

Bubblehead1980 · 03-13-22, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sammy-rai

I was using the Replay function in SH4 to see how things unfolded when my SS Snapper skipper carried out a torpedo attack against a Japanese merchant.

Talk about surprise !!

How often do MK14 torpedoes perform this erratically ? Or is this normal behaviour ?

Never witnessed that type of erratic before. Circular runs, gyro failures which cause them to head for wrong bearing but none of the snaking lol. Wonder what they did in FOTRS? I am curious as I've spent a lot of time in TMO working on making early war torpedoes unreliable as they were.

That is sadly somewhat normal behavior for MK 14 from 1941-early 1943. Circular runs remained a problem the entire war.

propbeanie · 03-13-22, 11:07 AM

I'm surprised he didn't have a circle-runner. That's what it looks like it was trying to do... Notice also, that the torpedo did not explode under the ship, but rather, just before the ship, so it did not impart all of it force. Was that the 2nd or 3rd torpedo shot? Shooting them too close together time-wise can seemingly contribute to the erratic behavior. There is nothing 'scientific' in that statement.

- If you think about it, after shooting a salvo, or even just a single, get your scope down and then go to the Attack Map, and make certain the torpedoes are going AWAY from your boat... lol

Bubblehead1980 · 03-13-22, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by propbeanie

I'm surprised he didn't have a circle-runner. That's what it looks like it was trying to do... Notice also, that the torpedo did not explode under the ship, but rather, just before the ship, so it did not impart all of it force. Was that the 2nd or 3rd torpedo shot? Shooting them too close together time-wise can seemingly contribute to the erratic behavior. There is nothing 'scientific' in that statement.

- If you think about it, after shooting a salvo, or even just a single, get your scope down and then go to the Attack Map, and make certain the torpedoes are going AWAY from your boat... lol

Yep, one of those that prematurely detonates so close, it looks like a hit, especially when have cams off, and only see it through periscope and heard it explode. Only reason know its not a "solid hit" is because crew does not report torpedo impact, but as in video, may see vessel catch fire etc as it was close enough to take damage from the blast. Gives some understanding to why skippers thought they were getting hits, when they blew up so close. Same with duds. Unfortunately, we don't have a visual representation of duds but we should...should see water spray when it hits a target, even if it is a dud. (Could this be implemented?)

Some of my favorites is when they blow up right under them but are running so deep it does not get counted as a hit lol or it does, but was running deep and vessel did not get the full impact.

Sammy-rai · 03-13-22, 01:09 PM

The video shows the first torpedo fired. Another fish was punched out about 8 seconds later and ended up with the same results - an explosion in the same area, causing even more fire. Torpedo #2 seemed to make a slight course adjustment and then ran true. Yet this was not enough to sink the small merchant. Had to finish it off with the deck gun.

The funny thing is that in spite of all the course changes, that first torpedo still ended up on target !

Actually it's hard to tell when a torpedo actually hits because there is never a subsequent hole in the hull afterwards to reflect the impact. I see SH4 YouTube videos in which torpedo hits result in gaping holes in the ship hull - how can I get this effect ?

I'm using FOTRS Ultimate v1.7 + Kaigun + Maru + Interiors. Note: The Kaigun/Maru splashscreens are beautiful !

propbeanie · 03-14-22, 12:42 PM

Not all of the ships in the game or mod have "damage" images, but in this case, you actually are shooting at the Medium Split Freighter, aka: Momoyama Maru (in Nippon Maru), which does have a damage image. However, there are only so many "holes" that will show in the ship (generally 2 or 3), and if you do not hit near one of the "hole" locations, you will not see a "hole" generated in the hull. There is also that "impact force" of the torpedo itself, which it looks like your torpedo exploded several yards short of the ship, and may not have done enough "damage" to make the "hole" appear anyway...

03-13-22, 11:07 AM	#3
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 10,098 Downloads: 451 Uploads: 2	I'm surprised he didn't have a circle-runner. That's what it looks like it was trying to do... Notice also, that the torpedo did not explode under the ship, but rather, just before the ship, so it did not impart all of it force. Was that the 2nd or 3rd torpedo shot? Shooting them too close together time-wise can seemingly contribute to the erratic behavior. There is nothing 'scientific' in that statement. - If you think about it, after shooting a salvo, or even just a single, get your scope down and then go to the Attack Map, and make certain the torpedoes are going AWAY from your boat... lol __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayers" - Jimbuna

03-14-22, 12:42 PM	#6
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 10,098 Downloads: 451 Uploads: 2	Not all of the ships in the game or mod have "damage" images, but in this case, you actually are shooting at the Medium Split Freighter, aka: Momoyama Maru (in Nippon Maru), which does have a damage image. However, there are only so many "holes" that will show in the ship (generally 2 or 3), and if you do not hit near one of the "hole" locations, you will not see a "hole" generated in the hull. There is also that "impact force" of the torpedo itself, which it looks like your torpedo exploded several yards short of the ship, and may not have done enough "damage" to make the "hole" appear anyway... __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayers" - Jimbuna

03-13-22, 01:09 PM	#5
Sammy-rai Seaman Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: Norway Posts: 39 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	The video shows the first torpedo fired. Another fish was punched out about 8 seconds later and ended up with the same results - an explosion in the same area, causing even more fire. Torpedo #2 seemed to make a slight course adjustment and then ran true. Yet this was not enough to sink the small merchant. Had to finish it off with the deck gun. The funny thing is that in spite of all the course changes, that first torpedo still ended up on target ! Actually it's hard to tell when a torpedo actually hits because there is never a subsequent hole in the hull afterwards to reflect the impact. I see SH4 YouTube videos in which torpedo hits result in gaping holes in the ship hull - how can I get this effect ? I'm using FOTRS Ultimate v1.7 + Kaigun + Maru + Interiors. Note: The Kaigun/Maru splashscreens are beautiful !