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Sub Command Sonar, TMA and Fire Control FAQ
For the PC
By Nicholas Hrusch
nhrusch10@students.ignatius,edu.
v1.0 1/9/10
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Overview of Goals
2. Acquiring Your Target
2.1. Sonar
2.2. Radar, ESM, and Visual
3. Identifying Your Target
3.1. Sonar Narrowband
3.2. ESM
4. Determining Target Speed
4.1. TPK
4.2. DEMON Display
5. Using TMA
5.1. Basic Controls
5.2. Developing a Firing Solution
3.3. The Ideal Situation
6. Fire Control
6.1. Basic Controls
6.2. RTE Range
6.3. Firing
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Introduction
This guide was written to aid the budding sub-mariner in what is one of the
trickiest aspects of the game: Acquiring and destroying an enemy contact. I
will cover everything there is to know about sonar, TMA, and the fire control
process and how to maximize your chances of success. NOTE: this guide was
designed with the Seawolf in mind. The theories and actions discussed here
still apply to the other subs, and all those other subs have the same
capabilities as the Seawolf. Things simply look different and are placed in
different spots for those other subs. I suggest learning these ideas on the
Seawolf first anyway, as it is the easiest to use.
1.2. Overview of Goals
Before going into the specifics of how to sink an enemy vessel, we should
first look at what exactly we are trying to accomplish when we try to track
a target. Essentially, the success of your attack comes down to how accurate
your firing solution is. The more trackers you can assign to a single contact
the greater the accuracy of your firing solution. So, your overall goal is to
establish at least two tracks per target, the ideal way being through your
sphere and towed arrays.
**********************************************************************
2. ACQUIRING YOUR TARGET
The first step you must take is obviously to determine that there is, in
fact, a target out there. Along the way you should try to gain as much
information about that target as possible, such as bearing and range. The
target's speed and classification will be handled later.
2.1. Sonar
You should become very familiar with sonar, since it is your primary method
of detection and tracking. As opposed to radar, ESM, and active sonar, your
passive sonar methods are completely safe to use, as they cannot be counter
detected. The three tools of passive sonar at your disposal are the sphere
array, the towed array, and the active sonar intercept.
A quick review of bearing if you're not sure on what it means:
An object's bearing is its relative location to you. A bearing of 000 means
the object is exactly north of you, while a bearing of 180 means the object
is directly south of you. If you are headed at bearing 000 and the contact's
bearing is 000, you are heading north directly at the contact. The maximum
bearing is 359, which is essentially exactly north of you.
N
000
315 | 45
\ | /
\ | /
W 270-----O-----90 E
/ | \
/ | \
225 | 135
180
S
Sphere Array
The sphere array isn't nearly as sensitive as your towed array, but carries
one distinct advantage. First, the sphere array always returns the contact's
true bearing; you'll never need to resolve an ambiguous bearing. The sphere
array's other advantage is more subtle. The "unknown" area where the array's
detection is blocked by the sub is always exactly opposite to the direction
you're headed (the sphere array, located in the front, isn't blocked by
anything in the forward direction like the towed array is). Therefore, you
can detect targets while heading right towards them, unlike with the towed
array. Since you will normally detect a target first with the towed array
and second with the sphere, the sphere array's function will usually be two
fold:
First, you can use the sphere array to verify the ambiguity of towed array
contacts. This will be described in more detail under the Towed Array
section.
Secondly, the sphere will give you the all important second line of bearing
to your target. As mentioned, our ultimate goal is to establish as many lines
of bearing on your contacts as possible to make your TMA work as easy as we
can. The sphere/towed array combo will give you a very interesting and very
accurate result in TMA which will be discussed in the TMA section.
Contacts made using the Tracker Assign button using the sphere array will be
given letters A-D on the broadband panel. These represent the autotrackers
that the sub will use to keep track of targets for you. The sub will only
autotrack 4 sphere array contacts at a time. All contacts will receive the
callsign S01 (Sierra 1), S02 (Sierra 2) etc.
Towed Array
The towed array can detect targets at a much larger range than the sphere
can, and gives far more sensitive results. As a result, you'll usually first
establish a contact using the towed array, and you'll normally be able to
identify the target sooner with the towed array. Unfortunately, the towed
array has a big disadvantage. As mentioned before, the towed array displays
both the true line of bearing to the contact as well as what's known as an
"ambiguous" line of bearing. This ambiguous line always lies exactly opposite
the true line in reference to the heading of your ship; in other words it is
the "reflection" of the true contact across your heading.
If a contact existed at the bearing of 45 and your ship was traveling at the
heading 000, the ambiguous contact would also appear on the display at the
bearing of 315 (Which is 360-45; 315 is the "reflection" of the bearing 45
across the axis of 000. 360 is the same heading as 000).
|
Ambiguous contact-> X | X <-True contact's
at 315 \ | / postition at 045
\ | /
\ | /
\^/
Your sub-> O
traveling |
at 000 |<-The line representing your heading.
| Note that the contact at 045 is
symmetrically away from 315 with
respect to this line.
If you were headed at 090 and a contact existed at 160, the ambiguous contact
would appear at 020 (90-70, since 160 is 70 degrees away from your heading of
090).
X <- Ambiguous contact
/ at 020
/
/
/
Again, the ambiguous-> -------O>---------
contact is "reflected" \
across this line. \
\
\
X <- true contact's
position at 160
The ambiguous bearing can be identified in two ways. First, you can change
the course of your sub. Once the towed array completes the turn along with
the rest of your sub, the ambiguous contact will shift while the true contact
will stay the same (which makes sense because the ambiguous contact must lie
symmetrically away from the true contact in reference to your heading). In
the following picture, the contact's true position lies at 160 again, and you
are originally headed at 090 again just like in the last picture. However, if
you changed course to 000 the ambiguous contact would shift as such:
|
|
|
^
Your sub, having -> O
changed course /|\
from 090 to 000 / | \
/ | \
/ | \
The ambiguous contact-> X | X <- The true contact stayed
shifted from 020 to 200 at 160
and is now reflected
across the your bearing
again.
Secondly, you can use the sphere array to check whether or not a contact
actually exists at the bearing in question. Simply see what bearing the
contact in question is at, switch to the sphere array display, and scan the
noise field with your mouse to see whether or not a contact exists there
(remember that the sphere array always gives true contacts). If the sphere
also finds a contact there, then that bearing contains the true contact on
the towed array. If the sphere array doesn't find a contact there, then
either that bearing is the ambiguous one and should be disregarded on the
towed array, or the contact is still too far out of range to be detected on
the sphere array.
As opposed to the sphere array, the towed array's "unknown" area lies at the
same bearing as your ship's heading (the towed array is literally towed
behind your ship, so you can't detect anything that lies exactly forward of
your sub). As a result, you won't be able to see any targets lying 30 degrees
to either side of your ship's ordered heading. This can often become an
annoyance if targets lie directly between you and your objective, as you
won't be able to see them on the towed array until they move farther to the
sides of your ship.
Also, don't forget that the towed array isn't always streamed at the start of
a mission. If so, you can manually stream it through the ship control
interface.
Contacts made using the Tracker Assign button using the towed array will be
given letters I-L on the broadband panel. These represent the autotrackers
that the sub will use to keep track of targets for you. The sub will only
autotrack 4 towed array contacts at a time. All contacts will receive the
callsign S01 (Sierra 1), S02 (Sierra 2) etc.
Active Intercept
The active intercept can be used to enhance the accuracy of your TMA, but on
its own is not very useful. If an enemy is using active sonar to try and
detect you, it's bearing to you will appear on the active intercept display.
Most of the time, an enemy using active sonar will be a surface ship, but on
rare occasions a sub will use it as well. The active intercept gives you
bearing, but leaves no clues as to range or classification.
Active Sonar
Active sonar is dangerous to use, as enemy contacts using their own active
intercepts can detect you. However, if you want to quickly get a target's
range or aren't dangerously close to them, you may want to consider using
the active sonar. The one major advantage it gives over the passive sonar
methods is that you can see a contact's bearing AND range, so your TMA firing
solution can be greatly enhanced by its use.
2.2. Radar, ESM, Visual
Radar
Radar is your most accurate method of detection, but has a few drawbacks.
First, and most obvious, the radar won't detect anything below the surface,
and secondly, using it leaves you at risk for being detected easily by
enemies. If you want to use it, make your depth no greater than 70 feet
before raising the radar mast. The radar screen shows contacts as x's.
Clicking the mouse on one of the x's centers the tracer circle on that
contact. You can then mark the contact for use in TMA, or just look at the
target's range and bearing to verify an existing firing solution you've
developed for that contact. Because radar gives you an exact range and is
always perfectly accurate, you can use it to perfect your TMA as long as
you are willing to risk being counter-detected. Enemy helicopters are
particularily nasty when it comes to detecting your masts and antennas, so be
wary of using rader often. Targets acquired using radar will be given the
callsigns R01, R02, etc.
ESM
Your ESM mast works the same way, and has the same drawbacks mentioned for
radar. ESM detections give you both bearing and classification (if strong
enough), but don't tell you range. If your sonar determines that the
classification of a surface ship could be one of several, the ESM can give
you which one is correct, but again, using it risks being detected. Contacts
acquired using ESM will be given callsigns E01, E02, etc.
Visual
Though not particularily useful, you can always use the periscope to get the
exact location of a target. Doing so leaves you at risk for being spotted.
Targets acquired are given the callsigns V01, V02, etc.
**********************************************************************
3. IDENTIFYING YOUR TARGET
Once you know of your target's existence, the next step is to determine its
classification.
3.1. Sonar Narrowband
Your sonar narrowband is simply the "slice" of what the broadband display is
detecting at the present moment. Contacts that appear on the broadband
display will appear at the same points of bearing on the narrowband display.
The narrowband won't be able to help you until you are relatively close to a
target, so that a definite "peak" is visible for that target on the display.
By clicking on the peak, you can view the sound signature that the target is
putting out. This signature is displayed in the middle display on the screen.
The signature won't mean anything to you simply by looking at it, but the sub
can narrow down or pinpoint the classification of the contact by using the
signature. Click the peak at its strongest point and click the "Display
Signature" button. The ship will display all the possible classifications for
that contact based on the signature in the middle panel. The stronger the
signal (the taller the peak), the more your sub can narrow down the contacts.
Sometimes your ship can immediately eliminate all possibilities except one,
and you have only one option as to the contact's identification. However,
other times your sub can only narrow the contact down to being one of a few
possibilities. If this is the case, you can usually eliminate some of the
options yourself based on the nationality of the contact in question. If the
sub shows that a contact could be an Indian surface vessel, an Australian
submarine, or a Russian Akula, and your mission is in the Arctic Ocean, you
can assume that the correct designation is the Akula. However, you can't
always make assumptions like these. If a contact could be three different
Russian surface ships, you can either wait until the signal gets stronger and
more accurate, or you could simply guess and hope you're correct. In cases
like these, you simply have to make the best guess you can and go from there.
3.2. ESM
As mentioned previously, the ESM can also be used to determine a contact's
classification. If the surface target's signal is strong enough, clicking
and dragging the mouse over the ESM detection will reveal the target's
classification. This can be used to resolve an ambiguous result from the
sonar narrowband display, but runs the risk of you being counter detected.
**********************************************************************
4. DETERMINING TARGET SPEED
Crucial to an accurate target firing solution is its speed. The next few
steps only apply to sonar-detected targets, as no DEMON display will appear
for radar, visual, or ESM contacts.
4.1. TPK
TPK, or Turns Per Knot, is a statistic that will allow you to calculate the
contact's speed from its narrowband signature. Once you know the contact's
exact classification from using the narrowband display, back out to the
navigation display and right-click on the target in question. Select
"Classify Contact". This will bring you to the USNI's vessel database, which
gives you an immense amount of statistics about every possible ship and sub
in the game. If the correct classification isn't already selected, select it
yourself from the menu. On the right, look through the statistics for the TPK
value. You can then leave the database and return to the sonar display.
4.2. DEMON Display
Click the DEMON icon from the sonar display. Now make sure the correct sonar
array is selected under "Select Array". Find the contact that you just
identified the TPK for by clicking the Tracker Review button until the
callsign for the contact (SO1, SO2 etc.) is displayed. The line or lines that
now appear in the main display represent the frequencies that were
demodulated from the contact's noise pattern. Now set the turns per knot to
the TPK value that you looked up in the database. Finally, click and drag the
mouse over the first line that is showing (from the left). In the upper-right
panel, the target's speed will be showing, which the sub determined from
analyzing the frequencies and the TPK you entered. Now you can finally begin
developing your firing solution in the TMA menu.
**********************************************************************
5. Using TMA
Possibly the hardest part of this whole operation to learn and master is the
use of TMA, or Target Motion Analysis. TMA is, however, the single most
important part to the success or failure of your attack.
5.1. Basic Controls
*REMEMBER* The exact locations of buttons applies to the Seawolf. The first
thing we will cover is simply what all the panels in this complex station
mean.
First, the large main display panel on the left of the TMA screen is where
you will eventually move and manipulate the enemy contacts around your ship
until the contact lines up perfectly with the lines of bearing established
for that contact.
Second, below that large display panel are several adjustable dials, one for
Range, Course, Bearing, and Speed, as well as a "Center on Ruler" button and
a "Enter Solution" button. The dials are used to manipulate different
properties about the selected contact, and they will also tell you everything
you need to know about the target once you are done manipulating the contact.
This will come in handy later as you try to move the contact in the main
panel to fit the lines of bearing. The buttons Range, Course, Bearing, and
Speed can all be pressed, which will lock those values so that you can't
accidentally change them while using the main panel. You'll most often be
locking the speed value, since you will usually be certain of it from your
work with the DEMON display. The Center on Ruler button centers the main
panel display on the contact so that you can move it more easily. The Enter
Solution button is used once you are completely done with manipulating the
contact in the main panel. It saves the values displayed on the dials and
sends that information to the fire control screen as a firing solution.
Third, in the upper right is a simple readout of information about the
selected contact. It gives you the contact's callsign (SO1, RO1, EO1, MO1
etc.), as well as the source of data for that target (i.e. if you have a
sphere autotracker on the target, this will display "Sphere").
Finally, below the readout is a button matrix. The arrows, the zoom buttons,
and the Center on Own Ship button are used to change the main panel display.
The "Time" button changes the amount of time, and thus the number of lines of
bearing, that will appear in the main panel for the selected contact. The
greater the time selected, the more of the contact's history through the
water will appear, but this can make the main panel a nearly unreadable mess
of lines. The default setting will almost always be fine for your purposes,
as it gives you the most recent view of the contact possible. The "Select
Tracks" button is where you can select, split, merge, or drop contacts. By
selecting a contact, you make that contact's information appear all over the
TMA screen in the various displays, and in the main panel that contact's ship
symbol and lines of bearing become visible. Merging is the second function
here, and is very important. Essentially, merging takes two sets of contact
information (represented by the various callsigns) and puts them together so
that your contact's range, speed, course, and bearing can be more easily
determined and is more accurate. If you know that two contacts represent the
same target, you should merge them together. For example, if you have a
contact S01 on the sphere array at 020, and a contact S02 on the towed array
at 019, you can easily tell that those two contacts represent the same
target. By merging S01 and S02 together you are doubling the amount of data
for that target on the TMA display panel (merging a sphere and towed array
contact together is the ideal situation, the effect of which will be
explained later). Note that all merged contacts are renamed M01, M02, etc.
for "Master 1" and "Master 2", etc. "Split" does the opposite of "Merge": It
breaks the "Master" contact back up into its constituant parts. "Drop"
removes the contact from all screens and from all sonar autotrackers. Drop is
mostly used when you've determined that a contact is ambiguous, and no longer
need to keep track of it.
5.2. Developing a Firing Solution
Now comes the actual meat of the matter. Your goal is to manipulate the enemy
target's ship symbol in the main panel until the hash marks on the symbol
line up perfectly with the many lines of bearing drawn from your sub to the
target. Hopefully, you have already derermined the contact's speed, because
it'll help you greatly.
First, select the target track you want to manipulate from the Select Tracks
button matrix. That contact's ship symbol will be placed somewhere on the
main panel along with several lines of bearing from your ship to where the
target is detected at. Purple lines of bearing originate from the towed
array. White lines of bearing are from the sphere array. ESM and Visual give
red bearing lines. Yellow lines come from radar and active intercept. Green
lines come from the active sonar.
If your contact came from sonar, and you have determined the speed of the
contact from the DEMON display, change the speed dial until it reads the
correct speed for your contact. Then, click the speed button to lock that
speed in place for the contact. Assuming the target didn't change speed, the
hash marks on the target's symbol will now be perfectly spaced so that they
only fit exactly at one range along the lines of bearing.
Your ship is a blue circle that looks like this:
O-
The target's symbol looks like this:
|---|-O-|---|>
The vertical lines are the "hash marks" that you are trying to get to line up
with the lines of bearing. The circle in the middle is a spot that you can
click and drag to move the symbol around the main display. The arrowhead at
the one end shows what direction the contact is heading.
Manipulating the contact's symbol does a number of different things:
Rotating the symbol (Drag one of the ends around): Changes the target's
course. Locking the course prevents you from being able to rotate it.
Moving the symbol (drag the middle of the symbol): Changes bearing and range.
Locking the bearing prevents you from moving the symbol around your sub while
locking the range forces the symbol to stay at that distance away from the
sub.
Shortening/Elongating the symbol (drag one of the ends in and out): Changes
speed. Locking the speed prevents you from shortening or elongating the
symbol.
As an example, the following target has been rotated and elongated so that it
is moving in the opposite course and is moving faster than the above example.
<|-----|--O--|-----|
The "Dot Stack"
In the upper left corner of the main display is a small T-Chart. This is used
to see how well your manipulations correlate to the lines of bearing. For
every line of bearing that exists between your sub and the target, there will
be a corresponding dot that appears on the chart. The closer a dot is to its
line of bearing, the more accurate your placement of the target's symbol is.
The topmost dot on the T chart represents the most recent line of bearing to
the contact.
Drag, rotate, and adjust the symbol so that the hash marks land as close to
perfectly as possible on the lines of bearing. You want the most recent hash
mark to fall on the most recent line of bearing and so on.
If your placement of the target is perfect, the dot stack will look like
this:
+5 -5
_________
|
O
|
O
|
O
|
O
If you have the target rotated the wrong way, so that the course is exactly
the opposite that it should be, or if the target is too far away or too near
to your sub, it may look like this:
+5 -5
_________
|
O |
|
O |
|
| O
|
| O
If you need to move the target to its right or left or if you need to rotate
it somehow, it may look like this:
+5 -5
_________
|
O|
|
O
|
|O
|
| O
This is where the importance of knowing the target's speed comes in. In the
following picture, the target's symbol has been adjusted perfectly to fit the
lines of bearing from your ship's history to the hash marks. The dot stack
would appear to be perfect.
+5 -5 \ | | /
___________ \ | | /
| \ | | /
O |-------!---O---!-------|>
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O O- <-Your sub
However, since the speed hasn't been determined, you could easily adjust the
target symbol by shortening it so that it fits like this:
+5 -5 \ | | /
___________ \ | | /
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| |----!---O---!----|>
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O O- <-Your Sub
In the above picture, the dot stack would also appear perfect, even though
the range and speed are completely different from the first. Likewise, you
could increase the speed by elongating the target symbol and it would also
have a perfect dot stack:
+5 -5 \ | | /
___________ |---------!---O---!---------|>
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O \ | | /
| \ | | /
O O- <-Your sub
Now you should see how important having the speed is. By locking in the
speed, the hash marks will be spaced so that they'll only fit nicely onto the
lines of bearing at one range. If you didn't know the speed, theoretically
you could adjust the target's speed so that it fit anywhere on the lines of
bearing. Your range could end up way too long or way too short.
Note that all methods of detection that give the exact range of the contact
when you mark it (such as radar) will have lines of bearing that are "capped"
with their own hash mark at the correct distance. This is very handy, as
there is no ambiguity as to how far down the lines of bearing the contact
lies. All other lines of bearing continue on forever, getting wider apart
from one another as they go. The following picture represents this; as you
can see, the lines of bearing are capped, so you know exactly how far away
to place the target symbol.
_ _ _ _
\ | | /
\ | | /
\ | | /
\ | | /
\ | | /
\ | | /
\ | | /
O- <-Your sub
Once you have what you believe is a perfect dot stack (you've adjusted the
contact's symbol as best as you can), click the Enter Solution button below
the main panel. Now all that information about the target's speed, course,
range, and bearing is ready for use in the fire control station. Every time
you return to the TMA board to update the target symbol and correct any
errors that occurred in your dot stack over time, click this button to
refresh the data.
5.3. The Ideal Situation
Before, I mentioned that the ideal way of detecting a target is through a
combo of the towed and sphere array. The reason for this lies in the fact
that the towed array is dragged through the water on a cable at least a mile
behind the ship, and thus, it detects enemy contacts from a point far away
from your own sub.
Imagine that your left shoulder is the current location of your sub and
sphere array. Pick some object in your room (the enemy contact) within arms
reach to you and hold your left arm straight out to it and touch it. Your
arm is like the line of bearing from the sphere array to the contact. Now
imagine that your right shoulder is the towed array. Extend your right arm
to the object and touch it. Your right arm is now the line of bearing from
the towed array to the contact. As you can see, your arms "intersect" at the
EXACT LOCATION of the object. This same principle applies to the submarine.
By themselves, the towed and sphere array give you lines of bearing but no
clue as to the range. Your contact could be anywhere along those lines. But
when merged, the towed array and sphere array give you the EXACT LOCATION of
the contact because their lines of bearing intersect at the contact's correct
range. This holds true because the towed and sphere array are at different
locations from each other but generate lines of bearing at the same time as
one another.
Graphically, this concept looks like this:
In the below picture, the sphere array is detecting a contact along that line
of bearing, but we don't know the range.
\
\
\
\
\
\
\ <- Sphere array line of bearing
\
\
CC) <- Your sub/sphere array
Same thing in this next picture, but now using the towed array; the towed
array is detecting a contact along that line of bearing, but the range is
unknown here also.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Towed array line of bearing -> |
|
|
Towed array -> =----CC) <- Your sub
But if we merge the two together in the button matrix of the TMA screen, we
see that the two lines intersect each other. This intersection point is the
exact location of the enemy contact at that time.
\ |
\ |
\|
\ <- Intersection point/enemy location
|\
| \
towed array line of bearing -> | \ <- sphere array line of bearing
| \
| \
towed array -> =----CC) <- your sub/sphere array
But of course in the TMA screen you won't just have one pair of lines. You'll
have at the very least three or four pairs of towed and sphere array lines
extending to the enemy contact. This means that you can easily see the
enemy's course, since the intersection points will all line up nicely to fit
the contact's course over time.
\ | \ | \ | \ |
\ | \ | \ | \ |
\| \| \| \|
\ \ \ \ <- The enemy traveled
|\ |\ |\ |\ through all these
| \ | \ | \ | \ intersection points,
| \ | \ | \ | \ so you can easily see
| \ | \ | \ | \its course
| \ | \ | \ | \
=----CC) <- your sub,
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ traveling at
| | 2 mins ago | | Lines now 090 degrees
| | 1 min ago
Lines at 3 mins ago
Now when adjusting the target symbol, you are trying to fit the hash marks to
the intersection points (a much more precise task than when fitting it to
just one line).
The dot stack will look different when you have the sphere and towed array
merged on the same contact at once. Because the two arrays put out lines of
bearing at the same time (about .8 times per minute, I believe), there will
be two dots to line up at once rather than just one. A perfect dot stack will
still look like this:
+5 -5
_________
|
O
|
O
|
O
|
O
But an imperfect one will have two dots off instead of just one per pair of
bearing lines:
+5 -5
_________
|
O |O
|
O|O
|
O| O
|
O|O
If you can establish a towed and sphere tracker for the same contact, not
only will the range and course become apparent, but the speed will also
become obvious. Since the hash marks on the target symbol must line up with
the intersection points, the speed can be adjusted by eye to fit the
intersection points perfectly. Thus you don't even need to use the DEMON
waterfall (though I still highly reccommend using it).
Once you have a perfect dot stack, click the Enter Solution button.
**********************************************************************
6. Fire Control
So after all that work you're probably itching to blow the hell out of the
contact. You've determined everything there is to know about it from its
speed to its classification, and you have a good TMA dot stack and Firing
Solution. Now all that's left is to ensure your torpedo is set correctly and
to actually launch it.
6.1. Basic Controls
Again, this guide is written with the Seawolf in mind, but all the other subs
are handled similarily. In the main panel of the Fire Control screen is
three major sections. First, the large map panel is essentially your Nav
screen, allowing you to select targets and view the overall tactical picture
of the waters. Next, there is a section dedicated to the various weapons that
are stored and ready to fire. Each tube or vertical tube is displayed here
along with what is currently loaded in it. Finally, there is an information
panel that allows you to adjust the selected torpedo's presets.
Start the firing process by selecting the target you want destroyed in the
main map panel of the Fire Control screen. Next, select which tube you want
to use against the contact and click "Designate Target". This assigns that
contact's firing solution to that tube. In the Seawolf, the contact's current
firing solution is displayed in the upper right of the map once it is
selected.
6.2. RTE Range
This is the most crucial part to the firing process. Once you've assigned the
target to one of your torpedo tubes, you must adjust the torpedo's RTE or Run
to Enable range. This changes the range at which the torpedo becomes "active"
and starts actively homing in on the target.
If the RTE is too short, the torpedo will activate so early that the target
ship may be able to evade the torpedo. If the RTE is too long, the torpedo
may pass by the ship without homing in on it. Look at the target's current
range to you. A good rule of thumb is to take 50-65% of that range and set it
as the RTE range. The more confident you are of your firing solution, the
higher you can set your RTE, but I'd never make it more than 75% of the
target's range.
Besides the RTE range, you can adjust other settings for the torpedo, such as
depth and speed, but there really is no reason to do this. The only time you
want to change the depth is if your torpedo risks running aground in shallow
waters on the way to the target.
6.3. Firing
Once the proper RTE is set, head to the Weapon Launch Display. Select the
tube you'e assigned to the target. Now, click the "Flood" button. This
equalizes the pressure of the tube with the waters outside. Next, click the
"Muzzle Door". This actually opens the tube so that you can fire the torpedo.
Finally, make one final check of all settings including your TMA board, the
firing solution, and the RTE range before clicking the "Launch" button.
Once your torpedo is on its way, you can see its progress on the map part of
the main Fire Control screen. While the torpedo is en route to the target,
you can adjust its settings via the wire that streams from the ship to the
torpedo. This wire is able to be used so long is it is not cut either by the
torpedo being too far out or from you closing the muzzle door. The two most
useful things you can adjust is the torpedo's course and whether or not the
torpedo is enabled (or in "homing" mode). If you see that the torpedo's
course is wrong and that it'll probably miss the target, you can change this
using the dials on the right (make sure the correct tube is selected). If you
realize that your RTE was too big and the torpedo will not enable in time,
you can click the "Enable" button to prematurely activate the torpedo.
Once the torpedo has become active, either because it has reached its RTE
range or because you told it to activate early, it'll start sending out rapid
pings of active sonar that will guide it to the target. If you've done
everything correctly up to this point, the torpedo should acquire, home in
on, and sink (or at least damage) your target.
Don't forget that it may take more than one torpedo to sink your target. It's
possible that your first one may miss or that the enemy may evade it. If your
first torpedo doesn't hit (you can check this by hitting "Esc" and looking at
Mission Status. Your killed and damaged targets appear near the bottom), you
should head back to the TMA board and readjust your firing solution (if the
enemy evaded, it's very likely that the contact is in a completely different
place than before, so you'll need to redo your dot stack). Readjust your RTE
and try again.
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Hopefully this guide has helped you become a veritable sub master! I suggest
practicing these concepts using the Seawolf before moving on to your platform
of choice. If you spotted anything wrong with this guide or have any
suggestions, contact me at:
nhrusch10@students.ignatius,edu.
Happy Hunting!
