Let's Play: Das Thanasboot!

[Simon_Jester]

Could someone define "angle off the bow?" If I've got it right, then from the point of view of the ship we're tracking, our current location would be "holy shit, there's a submarine at 4 o'clock!" is that right?

Yes, it's an angle between the course of the target and your course, as drawn from the target's bow (hence, angle on the bow)

Between courses? Because that's not the same thing.

For example, my ship is sailing due east. Theirs is sailing due west. I am located due north of them. The angle between their bow and my position is 90 degrees. The angle between their course and my course is 180 degrees.

So, um, which?

[PeZook]

So, um, which?

Right. Sorry for the confusion.

When you draw a line from the target ship towards you, then the angle between the ship's course and that line, measured from the target ship's bow, is the angle on the bow.

It is roughly equivalent to the other ship's bearing on you.

It was early and I used a way too simplistic mental shortcut which assumed the boot is pointed at the enemy, sorry.

[Simon_Jester]

All right. So my research on the matter was correct.

Well, from that information base I could do the math- but then, it's Skywalker's job... I wonder what he'll do.

[Thanas]

use the auto-aim, most likely.

[Simon_Jester]

Hmph.

Well, I did hand him the prototype assault slide rule for a reason. I don't know how it will be used as a plot hook, mind you, but it can.

Also, for visualization, that means the Liberty ship we're using as a guide to the convoy's speed has already steamed 'past' us, being as how it would now perceive our location to be at 4 o'clock.

[PeZook]

It's disabled

Either you calculate the convoy's speed correctly or you fail soooo hard after Der Kommandant brilliantly put you into a perfect position, shielded from the escorts by the merchants themselves

EDIT: I mean the auto-aim is disabled.

[Thanas]

In that case, der kommandant orders to get in between the shipping so that we may target the enemy vessels at point blank range. Preferrably, 90 degree angles and 800m distance.

If he misses from there using his eyes, I know who will be demoted and assigned kitchen duties.

BTW: convoy speed is 8 knots.

[PeZook]

You ARE in between the ships. It's a huge convoy in formation more than 2.5 kilometres wide

[Simon_Jester]

(Yes, I'd figured- I just wanted to mention it. That ship has passed us, others need not have)

And, hmph Thanas, that was what the assault slide rule was for!

[PeZook]

Also, for visualization, that means the Liberty ship we're using as a guide to the convoy's speed has already steamed 'past' us, being as how it would now perceive our location to be at 4 o'clock.

No, actually, check out the chart - his positions are market relative to the boot

In fact trig is not STRICTLY necessary to figure out the speed, if you are creative with the chart

BTW: convoy speed is 8 knots.

No, actually it's not

EDIT: Ah, who am I kidding, nobody's going to buy that anyways

[Thanas]

The assault slide rule is pretty good but I find it too much of a hassle.

And we need to get huge ships...which one are there?

[PeZook]

If I remember correctly (cannot be sure, I'm at work now) there's a troop ship, a C2, a C3, the Liberty ship in good position. Possibly more. Small merchants on the edges of the convoy (as bait, obviously )

[Simon_Jester]

No, actually, check out the chart - his positions are market relative to the boot

That's what 's bugging me. The ship is getting closer to us, but at a 120 degree angle off the bow... wait. Suppose that ship were headed straight for us. Would it report us as being 0 degrees off the bow? Because if so, then the only way for the off-the-bow angle we see to be consistent with those range-bearing data is if the ship is, in fact, steaming backwards for some bizarre reason.

Unless I'm really confused.

In fact trig is not STRICTLY necessary to figure out the speed, if you are creative with the chart

Well, I have never played this game in my life, so I'm better at trig than I am at reading U-boat attack charts.

The assault slide rule is pretty good but I find it too much of a hassle.

Hmph. Does this mean the Kommandant is contemptuously shoving the WO aside and doing it himself by eye?

[PeZook]

No, actually, check out the chart - his positions are market relative to the boot

That's what 's bugging me. The ship is getting closer to us, but at a 120 degree angle off the bow... wait. Suppose that ship were headed straight for us. Would it report us as being 0 degrees off the bow? Because if so, then the only way for the off-the-bow angle we see to be consistent with those range-bearing data is if the ship is, in fact, steaming backwards for some bizarre reason.

It's about 60 degrees, not 120. 120 was there originally but I corrected it as soon as I realized it was the angle on the STERN

(which was today morning).

[Simon_Jester]

Ahhh.

Well then. No wonder I was so confused.

Obviously, our second spread of torpedoes needs to include some bungling position-reporter-minion!

[Thanas]

Hmph. Does this mean the Kommandant is contemptuously shoving the WO aside and doing it himself by eye?

Der Kommandant is always calling out the numbers, I just hope the WR can do math.

[Skywalker_T-65]

*everyone is staring at me* Umm...would this be a bad time to say I can't do Trig? In RL my high school has Trig as an advanced math course...thus I haven't taken it. Thankfully what I am good at is history and remembering random facts...like a Liberty Ship only being able to go 11 knots...and if they are cruising it would have to be less. Oddly enough I was going to guess 9 knots, but if it's eight...I won't complain about the help. That being said...man...why me? But since I don't want to see my character tortured by the Thanasian equivalent to the Gestapo for getting on a U-Boat with no idea what he's doing...lets just say that in the LP my guy does know Trig.

Let me see here...we've set the angle as sixty degrees right? Or are we moving the boat to pee-shooter distance and 90 degrees...man I'm confused now. That being said...the target bearing is automatically fed into the torpedo device, so no need to do that right? (PS, I'm using that primer since I have no idea what to do...). Torpedo speed is set since we are using electric ones...so nothing to change there. But there is also the depth...hmm...if I use a Liberty as a base...I believe its draft is 8 meters...so lets set the torpedo for 9 meters depth. And we are 1400 meters away...so use that...

Okay then, if I am doing this right (doubtful) we are using 30 knot T III torpedoes, set at 9 meter depth, and 1400 meter distance (maybe slightly more). Am I even close here? (also, lets not use this in the actual LP since I'm just trying to figure this out right now...and since I can't do Trig, I'm going to rely on my random historical knowledge and guess a cruising speed from their main speed)

[PeZook]

It's your station, champ

In order to fire a torpedo you need to input target speed, angle on the bow, range, running speed, fuse type (magnetic/impact or impact only). Speed is the crucial parameter here.

[Skywalker_T-65]

You think I don't know that! Doesn't make it any easier you know...

That being said...torpedo speed...that's set at 30 knots no matter what I do (since it is an electric T III). And I looked up the Liberty draft (since my memory might have been faulty) and it turns out that it is 8.5 meters, not 8. Taking that into account, I'll set the depth to 9.5 meters (not too deep...I don't think...) and use magnetic/impact fuse's. Target speed is 8 knots (thank you Kommandant...). I got lost in that conversation earlier...so are we still at a 60 degree angle or is it different (I would like an answer here)? The range should be 1400 meters though. I think

[PeZook]

Your decision on the angle. Study the chart, it has answers!

It's not that crucial to get it down with precision, though. 1400 metres is quite close.

[Skywalker_T-65]

But I don't know how the markings on the chart work! Where are we and where is the convoy? This could go on for a while unless I get at least some sort of hint...

EDIT: And look at it this way...at least I'm trying, some people would just give up and let someone else do it for them...

[FaxModem1]

Der Arishcoch entered the bridge, detecting the slight whiff of sweat and other bodily fluids making a mist in the control room. One of the turkeys had escaped the galley and he had to look for it. But he knew how to make the thing come back to him. The sound of sharpening his meat cleaver was always rather soothing to his birds. Every koch knew that. He saw the crew all looking over one of the stations as a man worked and sweated doing some sort of work on paper. Swedish Chef said what he had to say:



"Dun't vurry keed, iff yuoo hefe-a prublems veet thet, yuoo cun help me-a cetch zee cheeckee. Bork Bork Bork!"

[Skywalker_T-65]

*Shudders* You know...that isn't going to help matters...

[PeZook]

But I don't know how the markings on the chart work! Where are we and where is the convoy? This could go on for a while unless I get at least some sort of hint...

EDIT: And look at it this way...at least I'm trying, some people would just give up and let someone else do it for them...

You're in the lower right.

I actually like that you have no idea what you're doing, it helps the RP where Ian Skywalker...has no idea what he's doing!

[Skywalker_T-65]

Gee thanks...that being said...if we're in the lower right, and the red marks (I assume) are the marks my guy made in the RP...then does that mean the most distant black dot is the convoy?