Firing Arcs Overview

Anchored Gunnery Arcs- Centered Gunnery Arcs - Center-Line Torpedo Arcs- Side/End Torpedo Arcs

Anchored Gunnery Arcs Anchored arcs-of-fire have one side aligned with the fore-aft line of the firing vessel, with the opposite side dictated by the termination of the arc. In the figure at left, the 135 degree arc is shown anchored off of the bow of the example vessel. If anchored off of the stern, the arc would be swung 45 degrees clockwise in order to align it's "rear" edge with the vessel's stern.

Centered Gunnery Arcs Centered arcs-of-fire have their center-lines aligned with the major axes of the vessel. In the figure at left is shown a 135 degree arc centered on the starboard beam of the example vessel. If centered on the bow, the arc would be swung 90 degrees counter-clockwise in order to align its center-line with the vessel's bow/stern axis.

Center-line Mounted Torpedo Arcs Torpedo positions mounted on the center-line of a vessel have a 95 degree arc-of-fire. In the figure at left is shown the 95° arc centered on the starboard beam of the example vessel. The notch on the end of the 95° arc is to ease handling and has no angle function.

Side/End Mounted Torpedo Arcs Torpedo positions mounted in the beam, stem or stern of a vessel have a 60 degree arc-of-fire. In the figure at left is shown a 150 degree arc anchored on the port beam of the example vessel in a way that leaves an angled portion projecting off of the starboard side. The resulting 30 degree "gap" left by the angle defines exactly half of the starboard side's available arc-of-fire. Note that this same method can be used to establish whether a vessel has enemy ships within its front or rear arc.