A few basic submarine warfare questions

[$trummer]

Could anyone please clarify, with thanks in anticipation:

- What is tactical significance (if any) of the horizontal layer rings around the sub (convergence layers)?

- If I position the submarine "just over the layer" (thermocline) will the towed array automatically submerge far enough to detect contects below the layer, and if I position the sub "just under the layer", will the opposite occur, i.e. the towed array will detect contacts above the layer?

- Under what circumstances would you use active sensors in a submarine, either in attack or defense?

Again, many thanks.

[ExMachina]

In general, the manual is pretty good at explaining the layers and sonars as they're modeled in the game. And while the convergence zone modeling in this game is not entirely clear to me, in theory they represent simply areas of passive detection around your unit.

In this kind of a game, I think you would rarely/never us active sonar (on subs). Useful times maybe in obstacle detection (mines?) or when you "know" an enemy is present and need a fix and are desperate for a firing solution.

[Primarchx]

1) To tell you the truth I think the CZ markers just tell you how many CZs a given sub's sonar has and is not scaled to any actual CZ. I find CZ contacts outside of them frequently.

2) The towed array is always under the layer. If there isn't a layer (ie, you're too shallow), the TA doesn't work.

3) I typically only go active when absolutely necessary.

[acbennett3]

I only use active sonar when answering an opposing sub's question while at Periscope Depth (PD).
In memory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr0JaXfKj68

Your speed also directly affects your passive detection - faster/more flow noise/degraded passive detection