Enemy subs outrun my torpedos

[Agathorn (SH)]

I got quite frustrated playing my first campaign last night. Every time I would fire at this enemy sub (I think it was an Alpha but I don't recall for sure) it would just turn away and go to flank speed and apparently was faster than my torpedo!

This was the 1984 campaign. After playing for like 2 hours (no joke) I just gave up.

How do I deal with this?

[toinkertoy]

Well the torpedo should be faster than the alpha but if the Alpha is far enough away it can put enough distance that the torp runs out of fuel just before it can catch up. The key would be get closer ( and activate the torp as soon as the alfa speeds up because it can outrun the torp at its cruise speed)

[Agathorn (SH)]

Is the torpedo faster once it goes active? Maybe that is my problem. Because the sub is easily outrunning it before it goes active (while it is searching).

[toinkertoy]

Originally posted by Agathorn (SH):

Is the torpedo faster once it goes active? Maybe that is my problem. Because the sub is easily outrunning it before it goes active (while it is searching).

that too! Alfa is 42 knots and the Mk. 48 goes 40, but when activated the Mk. 48 will speed up to 55 knots

[Agathorn (SH)]

Thanks!

[stubbies2003]

Originally posted by Agathorn (SH):

Because the sub is easily outrunning it before it goes active (while it is searching).

Ok your terminology is a bit confusing. toinkertoy covered it well in that if the torpedo is searching/activated it is running at full speed and even the Alpha cannot outrun that. I think was you meant to say was that the torpedo wasn't in search but was just driving towards the waypoint you put down in the direction of the alpha. At that point like toinkertoy said the torp is "only" doing 40 knots so it can be outrun by an alpha at flank speed but even then only a difference of 2 knots so not the "easily" outrunning your torp.

Also it had to be the alpha as that is the only sub in the vanilla game that can reach those speeds. If you have the sub mod you can drive a Improved Virginia class that can do the same but for enemy subs the alpha is the only one. The kicker is to pay attention to your TMA and see how fast the alpha is moving. If it is at flank then you'll need to hit 4 on the keyboard to activate your torp so it'll speed up and catch the alpha.

Best way to kill the alpha without having to chase it forever is to get your launch off without being detected (best from the baffles of course) and then drive the torp in right from the baffles. He will detect it but it'll be too late for the alpha to save itself.

[Agathorn (SH)]

Originally posted by stubbies2003:

Originally posted by Agathorn (SH):

Because the sub is easily outrunning it before it goes active (while it is searching).

Ok your terminology is a bit confusing. toinkertoy covered it well in that if the torpedo is searching/activated it is running at full speed and even the Alpha cannot outrun that. I think was you meant to say was that the torpedo wasn't in search but was just driving towards the waypoint you put down in the direction of the alpha.

It was in search mode but had not acquired a target. Thus it was doing the snake search rather than going straight towards the Alpha, while the alpha was at flank speed directly away.

[toinkertoy]

torpedoes don’t search before going active! If it was “snaking” it was active and should be doing 55 knots but it’s possible if the Alfa is far enough away, when you fire, that the Alfa can reach the maximum distance the torp can go before the torp reaches the Alfa.

[toinkertoy]

Yeah there’s many factors at play! The snaking could slow it down enough that it won’t reach the target. Or, an obvious case, if the Alfa was 30,000 yards away it’ll prolly get to 35,000 yards doing 42 knots (and out of range) before the Mk. 48 can close in doing 55 knots.

Next real question is if the OP can tell us what distance they engaged the Alfa from!

Addition: I’m pretty sure even on snake pattern the Mk. 48 is still able to catch an Alfa, but snaking like that surly has some effect on closing speed, exactly how much I’m not sure!

[Agathorn (SH)]

The snaking has a huge effect on straight line speed. Simple math really :)