RANGEFINDER GUIDE
This post will show how to use the rangefinder in DEAD AHEAD.
First off, in order to use rangefinders efficiently, you must first know what a rangefinder is.
A short description from Wikipedia,
A rangefinder is a device that measures distance from the observer to a target, in a process called ranging.
TUTORIAL
In DEAD AHEAD, rangefinders act as both a range measurer and an angle computer.
It is recommended that the person who uses the rangefinder stays as the rangefinder for as long as the ship is afloat.
STEP ONE: ACQUIRING RANGE
Once you enter the rangefinder, you will be greeted with a computer on the right, a distance reading on the left, and the marking reticle in the center.
Use the reticle to place the crosshair on your target (maximum range of 10,000 studs).
Afterwards, press F on your keyboard to receive a distance reading.
STEP TWO: COMPUTING DATA
This is where the math comes in. The formula for calculating the required barrel elevation angle to hit your target is:
where a is the computed angle result,
d is the drop of the shell,
l is the distance of the target,
and v is the velocity of the shell.
But don’t be frightened by the look of this math formula! The computer on the right side of your screen has this formula integrated within its system. All you need to do is input the velocity, drop, and distance.
REFER TO THIS GUIDE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EACH TURRET’S VELOCITY AND DROP STATISTICS.
After you input the required data, your computer should look something like this:
Result calculated for cruiser main battery.
So now you have your computed angle, which in my case is 5.6°.
Wait! You’re not done yet.
STEP THREE: RELAY INFORMATION
All these calculations would be useless if you didn’t tell your ship’s gunners!
Communication is key. After you receive the computed angle, tell the correct gunners the angle which they should aim at.
If you calculated an angle for a secondary battery gunner, don’t tell the main battery gunner the same angle! Different gun classes have different shell ballistics.
Specify in the chat which angle is for who, such as:
“5.6 DEG MAIN GUN”
Some extra notes for effective rangefinding:
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Make sure to keep updating your calculations for moving targets! Don’t stick with the same angle as before, since the moving target will either be closer or further away from the angle you specified for.
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Compensate for the target’s movement; if your distance reading tells you 3600 studs and the target is moving towards your ship, input a value of 3200.
This post may be edited by the author at any time.