Optical Range Determination by Fox
This guide will teach you how you, with your periscope, can determine range with different levels of accurate results for different situations. It will show you how to use the distance table and overlay, it will show you how to calculate it with a formula and the logic behind it.
Why do I need to know the distance to something?
There are three main reasons why knowing the range to something can help you.
- Avoid Detections
Determine range to stay outside of the enemy’s detection range. - Torpedo Solutions
Determine range to know if you can reach the target and hit it accurately. It also is a requirement for accurate torpedo travel times. - Plotting Position
If you know where you are, which bearing the target is and range to it, you can share their position over radio, you can maneuver around it to make time-efficient interceptions and through the range determine other usable data in a solution like their speed and course.
