1. How to configure your Enigma machine ?
Let’s say that the date is
March 11, 2016. Look at the code table (see the link above "Current code-sheet") to find the
enigma key.
*
Tag = Day of the month (in real life)
*
Walzenlage = Enigma rotors
*
Ringstellung = Ring settings for each rotor
*
Steckerverbindungen = Plugboard settings
a. Open your machine (
1). Don’t forget to choose the right type (
2) (cf. DEF rules).
b. First take out the 3 smaller "wheels" in the Enigma. Click on each one at the top, and it moves to the middle, then click on the bottom of the Enigma, and it moves down.
c. Click on the rotor IV (
Walzenlage), then click on
3 to choose K-11 (
Ringstellung, see the code table), then place it at the proper place. Do the same for rotor I (18) and II (08).
d. Then close the machine (
5), click on
6 to set the plugs (
Steckerverbindungen). Click on
7 to get letters. Then click on A and then on U to connect both letters. To the same with the other groups.
e. Close the plugboard by clicking on
8.
2. Determine the start position with your trigram a. Choose 3 letters completely at random. For ex, we choose ABC. Set the rotors’ position on A B C (
9).
b. Choose 3 other letters at random (example: ZZZ). Type them on the keyboard. You got 3 letters. Click on
10 to see them. You got R Y N.
c. Now, set the rotors’ position on R Y N (
9). You got the start position to encrypt your message. This start position is encrypted by the trigram ABC ZZZ.
3. Encode your message a. Click on
11 and choose “Auto Typing”.
b. Copy and paste your message. For example :
Returning to base c. Choose “Very fast” and click on “Start”.
d. Click on
11 again, and choose “Clipboard”.
e. Check “Copy as groups”, and choose 4 letters for each group. Then, click on “Apply New Format”. You got the encrypted message :
TMLG UGOW MYQV VFG 4. Send your message Now, before sending your message, you have to give several informations.
a. Date and hour in the game.
b. Your U-Boot number and the recipient (from ... to ...)
c. The trigram
ABC ZZZ, so the receiver is able to find the start position (RYN which needs to stay secret).
d. A group of five letters before your message. This special group is formed with one among the four groups of 3 letters called
Kenngruppen (right column of the table) and with 2 random letters that you place before or after the Kenngruppe you have chosen. For example, i choose
BLS, and i add RG, i get RG
BLS or
BLSRG. This group allows your recipient to check that you have used the settings of the proper day (BLS is indeed associated with March 11, 2016).This precaution is needed because we are players from different countries with different hours. So if i receive a message on March 11, maybe the sender has used the settings for March 10, or March 12.
Warning ! To avoid confusion, the Kenngruppen of the previous or next day MUST NOT include
RGB (if you choose RGBLS) or
SRG (if you choose BLSRG) ! If so, choose another random letter(s) instead of RG, such as R
ABLS or
TGBLS (and again, make sure that RAB or TGB are not one of the Kenngruppen of the previous or next day).
February 12, 1941
From U-54 to BdU
ABC ZZZ
RGBLS TMLG UGOW MYQV VFG
Signed : K. z. S. ...
5. How to decode an encrypted message ? a. Check the real life date of the message. Find the Kenngruppe (here BLS) and check if it’s corresponding to this date (BLS is for March 11, 2016 [FONT="]→[/FONT] OK). Then, configure your machine with the proper settings (follow step
1.)
b. Set the rotors at ABC (
9).
c. Type ZZZ, and you get the start position RYN.
d. Set the rotors at RYN (
9).
e. Click on
11 and choose “Auto Typing”.
f. Copy and paste the encrypted message,
without the first group of 5 letters :
TMLG UGOW MYQV VFG g. Choose “Very fast” and click on “Start”.
h. Click on
11 again, and choose “Clipboard”.
i. Uncheck “Copy as groups” and click on “Apply New Format”. You got the decrypted message ! :
Returningtobase Notes :
- Before closing the Enigma Simulator, you can save the current Enigma key. Click on
11 and choose “Save key”.
Use S3Q!
