Position Keeper
 

Does the Position Keeper merely keep track of the target's relative location to the player's sub (provided no change in course or speed, of course), or does it also provide inputs for the TDC to generate a firing solution?

So for example I lock the PK (pressing the red button by the side) onto target A then swing my scope to target B and fire my torps at B. Will the torps be launched at A or B?

So once you input the relevant values into the TDC (speed, AOB, range), hitting the PK takes those values and those of your own boat into account, to generate that firing solution for that one boat.
Unlike the German boats, the scope isn’t always “auf Blau”, essentially locked to the TDC to the point you point your scope at whatever the relative “90 AOB, 0 gyro” bearing and wait. Mind you, you can sort of do that, but the TDC can do a lot more.
In you’re hypothetical, your fish would have a solution for ship A. As long as they’ve maintained the same speed and course, the TDC will calculate the angles, and will generate the range. And thought I personally try not making too many large crs changes when on approach, it does take your movements and crs changes into account.
To hit both boats in that scenario, I’d probably set my TDC for the rear ship (farther away) and fire when in optimal range, turn PK off, switch to near tgt, input their values, PK on, fire.

If I’m off-base here guys, lemme know.

Not understanding how you would swing the periscope while the position keeper is locked on? Mine doesn't move while locked on. The only way i can swing the periscope after locking on, is unlocking it again, and yes the TDC stays on the target last locked, at least in baby mode I play in. To hit target B you would have to lock on to target B.

Speaking from an auto-targeting perspective, PK doesn't require a lock to shoot, only to initiate tracking. So if you Lock, turn the PK On, you can then drop your scope and close on the target more, and the PK/TDC will continue to "track" your target. You can move your boat and change speed, and the PK will update the "solution" in the TDC. But notice that you no longer have a Lock once you lower the scope. You can look at the Attack Map as you close, and watch the changes as they occur. If the "target" changes course, then the PK solution will be "off" by however much the targeting changed, which is why it is always a good idea to re-Lock / PK and update the TDC before shooting if doing this. Even still, you do not have to lock the target to update the solution or to initiate targeting. Just point at the target, and it could be bow, mast, stack, conn, aft, where ever, and click the PK to update the solution, and fire... In theory, your torpedo goes where the PK updated to. Watch the angle meters sometimes, and you'll see them update when you do this. If you Lock the target, you can use the torpedo angle spread meter instead to "aim" at different spots on the target. You do have to be aware of your range and angle spread when doing that though, because 1 degree at 600 yards is much much different than 1 degree at 2500 yards. What Revus suggests to Zero Niner would be the way to attack multiple targets. You can "mark" multiple targets on your NavMap, and decide which to attack first, but once you "Lock" on a targer and PK On, then that is where the torpedoes are going to go, unless you change the view of the scope (unLock) and update the PK. If you ever go to shoot at a couple of ships, and you shoot two torps, change the view and shoot two more, unless the PK is updated, all four will go to the first target - unless you're like me and miss most of what you shoot at, and accidentally hit something else... :roll: - if you don't use the PK, then the torps go where the scope is looking.

I'll chime in...because over the years I have found myself fascinated with the TDC. Only working one left is at the USS Pampanito in San Francisco.


The Position Keeper (PK) was a major advantage over other nations TDC for their submarines. Basically, if your initial data inputted is solid, with the PK activated, you can keep track of the target without visual observations and watch it change on the TDC until the firing point, fire and get hits. Now, it is best of course to make visual attacks as things may change not easily interpreted. If you are using TMO in a Gato/Balao/Tambor/Gar/Tench, you have a 3D TDC where can literally watch the solution unfold in real time and accurately shoot without the map contacts on.

This offers a lot of flexibility and minimizes risk of periscope being spotted. IF you have to dive and fire in an emergency, you can just fire and the TDC PK continually updates the target based on your movement relative to the target...solves angles, range etc. Amazing piece of technology in real life and fairly well implemented in the sim, especially with mods.

Yes, you may move periscope and will not stop tracking target, only time info changes to new target is if you send new range/bearing/ AOB. If desire to switch targets, best to turn off PK and then turn it back on once have entered new data for best results.

If you are using auto targeting, no need to use the PK, can actually mess your firing solution up. Auto target in SH 4 is simply, point and shoot, based on the color of the triangle. Green means best solution, obviously. I wish they had bothered to make it a bit more immersive and realistic than that while keeping it simply, but they did not.

Thanks for all the replies. Now I know how I could miss a sitting duck :doh:
I fired at a tanker, then swung the scope around and fired at a merchant. Scope down, dive deep... only the tanker gets hit...
Forgot to turn off PK which I had on so I could track the tanker when making my approach. <facepalm>