Let's Play: Das Thanasboot!

[Skywalker_T-65]

Oh great...another group of merchants already? But this one should be alerted to our presence...I would not recommend attacking them. But then again I have self-preservation in mind considering how badly I failed at the last run...

[Thanas]

No, it passed well in front of the target ship and exploded after running some 500-1000 metres more.

That means the convoy was alerted to our presence and started zig-zagging.

Goddamnit, I wish I could drive this thing.


Anyway:

new contacts - if you can, try to intercept. However, manually listen to them first to make sure they are indeed merchants and not warships.

[Simon_Jester]

No, it passed well in front of the target ship and exploded after running some 500-1000 metres more.

Yes- basically, by aiming as if the ship were traveling at seven knots when it was traveling at 5.5, we guarantee a miss distance of (two minutes twenty seconds)*(1.5 knots): roughly 150-200 meters, which is easily enough to miss a large ship.

We'd have been even further off if the torpedo computer had been told to aim as if the ship were making eight knots, which was the speed the captain gave us...

[Thanas]

well yeah, I didn't really think our Annäherung was so bad that the enemy escorts and merchant ships had already been alerted. Slowing speed down to 5 or 6 knots really only happens when they suspect there is a U-boot somewhere.

[PeZook]

Uh...they were depth charging the sea

Although I didn't notice them zig-zagging, to be honest. And of course you DID have pretty precise chart measurements

[Thanas]

Uh...they were depth charging the sea

They are not doing that unless they have been alerted somehow.

[Simon_Jester]

Yes, but the evidence of that was already in before we stopped- they picked us up on radar and were headed for us before we ever got in among them. We avoided them by diving under and tricking them into thinking we were somewhere else, but presumably the convoy already knew we were there.

[Thanas]

Yes, but the evidence of that was already in before we stopped- they picked us up on radar and were headed for us before we ever got in among them. We avoided them by diving under and tricking them into thinking we were somewhere else, but presumably the convoy already knew we were there.

No. Radar contact does not cause convoys to slow down ingame nor to drop depth charges. That are actions reserved for detecting.

[Simon_Jester]

Okay, but somehow they had destroyers head straight for us and start dropping depth charges where they sincerely thought we were before we got in among the convoy.

Whatever convinced them to do that might well have convinced them to zig-zag, before we even had any idea they were ready for us.

[fnord]

Could a torpedo spread have been tried, aiming one at each candidate speed (5.5 kt, 7 kt, 8 kt), or would that have been too wasteful?

[The Yosemite Bear]

Uh...they were depth charging the sea

They are not doing that unless they have been alerted somehow.

well their rations could be utter shite and they were trying to get some good bass for their galley's.

[Simon_Jester]

Could a torpedo spread have been tried, aiming one at each candidate speed (5.5 kt, 7 kt, 8 kt), or would that have been too wasteful?

It would have been too wasteful, and if they were zig-zagging like Thanas thinks, then all three torpedoes could still have missed.

[LaCroix]

While everybody was busy doing sneaky escape things, Funkenschuster was rummaging - silently - in his toolbox.

"Where zum Teufel have I left my magnetic telescope screw picker-upper? Let's think about it for I moment... I took it on board - I positively remember I still had it when I was checking the eels after we took them aboard..." he whispered to himself.

[Skywalker_T-65]

Could a torpedo spread have been tried, aiming one at each candidate speed (5.5 kt, 7 kt, 8 kt), or would that have been too wasteful?

It would have been too wasteful, and if they were zig-zagging like Thanas thinks, then all three torpedoes could still have missed.

Plus there's always the chance that speed wasn't all I botched here. I could have gotten the depth wrong...or the fuse might not have worked...there is really too many variables to know if the correct speed would have worked. Back on the last update though...are we going to intercept or not? Because if we do I need to figure out less vague numbers on the depth and such (though I will still have no idea on speed...that I definitely need help on...)

[PeZook]

Son of a...

The game stopped loading my saves. Neither the latest nor second to latest file works.

I will try to figure something out, but God knows if I'll manage to salvage this...

[Skywalker_T-65]

Oh man...that is not good news at all. I hope you are able to salvage this...it would suck so bad to have to restart. Good luck at fixing this problem (wish I could help but...*shrugs*)

[Simon_Jester]

Actually, getting time-warped back to way before this attack run might not actually be so bad...

[Skywalker_T-65]

^ Didn't think of it that way...would mean we wouldn't have wasted a torpedo. But it also means that the Kommandant has no reason to get the Koch shot for treason...which would help us out... (no offense to FaxModem1 of course...)

[PeZook]

Well, backups don't work either. I'll try reinstalling the game, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

[FaxModem1]

^ Didn't think of it that way...would mean we wouldn't have wasted a torpedo. But it also means that the Kommandant has no reason to get the Koch shot for treason...which would help us out... (no offense to FaxModem1 of course...)

None taken. I'm mostly playing the cook for comedy value.

[Skywalker_T-65]

^ Yes, comedy value...and scaring our sonarman senseless. Now, here's hoping that PeZook can get the game working again...

[fnord]

Just as it was getting interesting - is PeZook's computer sapient and waiting to savage him in a tight spot?

[The Yosemite Bear]

Pah-th-th-th-thetic insect, now buy me ma-ma-ma-moreupgrades and worship me

(my impression of P's computer

don't ask I keep failing turing tests

[Skywalker_T-65]

So...any luck on the game? I hope it started to work again...this is too fun to lose.

[PeZook]

It was my niece's birthday today and i just got home. It will have to wait, 'coz I'm totally beat