Deep Water Torps versus subs discussion

[Tpaktop2_1 NA]

I had this discussion open on the old NA WoWS forum. I thought I would expand this discussion out further since we can now reach out to the other WoWS forum regions. I don't want the subject to fade when the old WoWS forum goes away next month.

The question is should deep water torpedoes be used as a weapon versus subs, if the subs are at the Deep Water (DW) depth? It makes sense to me if the subs are at the same level as the DW torps that there could be a possible attack versus the submarine just like a regular torpedo. The subs would not be affected by the DW torps otherwise. I would like to read you opinions pro or cons for the discussion. This should be interesting.

Source: https://forum.worldofwarships.com/topic/265434-deep-water-torps-versus-subs-discussion/

In a way this would be counter play against the subs IMO.
 

[Wulf_Ace]

only for periscope depth?

[HamptonRoads]

I can see an argument for this, but this also leads to the question of the Asashio DWTs which seemingly should hit submarines at even deeper depths.

[Lord_Slayer]

I think if the sub was at periscope depth, I would have no issue with being it being susceptible to both regular and deep water torps.

When on the surface, the sub should be treated like a DD, thus the DWTs would go under it.

Deeper then periscope depth, the DWT torps shouldn't affect a sub as they are deeper then the CV, BB, and most cruiser hulls in game that would be affected by the DWTs.

[Wolfswetpaws]

  SkullCowboy_60 and I did a training-room session and published our results on the old WOWs forum.

Long story short, the deep-water-torpedoes have programming that allows them to only hit targets on a list of ships.
Submarines are not on that list.

We began our testing with the premise that it would be "in real life" possible to hit a submarine with a deep-water torpedo, if the submarine were at the same depth.
Our testing revealed that the game programming does not model "reality" and instead does some wonky things.
In short, despite our cooperative efforts, we couldn't get a DWT to hit a submarine.
DWT's appeared to "pass over" a submarine from the submarine's perspective, when the submarine was at periscope depth.
Yet when surfaced, they appeared to pass beneath.

Essentially, the DWT's were nothing more than an in-game "visual effect" from a submarine's perspective.

Will WG/WOWs change this in the future?  I don't know.
But, for now, they've chosen to utilize lazy programming and eliminate the chance of a DWT hitting a submarine because of how DWT's are modeled in-game.

I'm not sure if the glitch is temporary or not, but WG/WOWs webpages seem to be off-line at the moment.  Perhaps I'll be able to visit the old forum link, later?

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Wolfswetpaws

[Wolfswetpaws]

https://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Torpedoes

https://wiki.wargaming.net/en/Ship:Torpedoes#Deep-Water_Torpedoes

  
 

[Utt_Bugglier]

WoWs “deep water torps” have never behaved like deep water torps. They would have been better named “deep draft torps.”

[WES_HoundDog]

At what depth to top water torps hit subs?  Do they have to be at 0m?

[Wolfswetpaws]

10 hours ago, WES_HoundDog said:

At what depth to top water torps hit subs?  Do they have to be at 0m?

"Normal" torpedoes can hit a surfaced submarine and can hit the conning-tower of a submarine at periscope-depth.  (It's happened to me, more than once.)
If a normal torpedo catches a surfaced submarine early enough during the process of submerging, it might hit.
The reverse is true, too.  If a Submarine is rising to the surface at just the right place & time, it could ascend into the path of a normal torpedo.

I don't know the exact depth that "normal" torpedoes swim at, off the top of my head.

I'm including aerial torpedoes and ship-launched torpedoes in my "normal torpedo" category. 
I suppose dumb-fire submarine torpedoes might also fall into the category, if launched from the surface or while at periscope depth?