How Long Until Convoy Stops Evasive Maneuvers?

[tick tock]

I'm currently stalking a convoy at long range. The convoy is making the usual evasive maneuvers (weaving back and forth) because I attacked them earlier. I've been following them (undetected) for about 10 hours since my initial attack and they're still constantly weaving. Won't they eventually go back to a straight course? How long should I expect them to continue their weaving (assuming I remain undetected)?

[-Pv-]

My experience would indicate you may not be as undetected as you think if still weaving after 10 hours. Most small convoys will straighten out within a couple ours or less if I do everything I can to stay clean. You can expect task forces to remain in paranoid mode a lot longer than lower value targets. I can only speak for the un-modded game. Of course, there is no fixed time you can expect every target to return to base course.
-Pv-

[peabody]

I would agree with PV on this one. Did you double check to make sure you don't have your scope up? Not being a wiseguy, but we had one member, I won't mention any name, that forgot to submerge. Of course no one picked on him at all;). You would be surprised some of the thing that happen when you are plotting courses and intercepts and other stuff.
Another possiblity is rough weather, your scope may be in and out of the water.

Peabody

[tick tock]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Well, I guess it's possible that I'm currently detected, although I think it's unlikely since I'm so far away and neither of the 2 escorts (two DDs) has given any indication of noticing my position. Neither DD is any closer to me than about 10000 yards, and I'm only slightly closer than that to the merchants currently. While I've been following them my range has fluctuated to within about 6000 yards of one of the merchies, but even if just one of the merchants noticed me wouldn't a DD come to investigate?

I'm using RFB and RSRD mods, so maybe one of them (I would guess RSRD would be more likely) extends the length of time for a convoy's paranoid mode.

I'll keep on them until dawn in any case (several more hours), hopefully they will resume a nice steady course soon!:sunny:

[SteamWake]

This reminded me of the age old question.

"how many licks to the center of a tootsie pop?"

I have no idea because nearly always they 'get away' because either Im being prosecuted by the escorts or trying to keep up while on batteries is futile not to mention not a good idea.

Oh and welcome to Subsim !

[Seminole]

I'm currently stalking a convoy at long range. The convoy is making the usual evasive maneuvers (weaving back and forth) because I attacked them earlier. I've been following them (undetected) for about 10 hours since my initial attack and they're still constantly weaving. Won't they eventually go back to a straight course? How long should I expect them to continue their weaving (assuming I remain undetected)?


I'm glad you asked that question, I was going to ask it myself but could never remember to do so . I have watched them on radar at long range and apparently they keep it up for at least days after I have attacked them. BTW--makes you wonder why they sailed a straight course in the first place...were they unaware of submarines in the Pacific until they were actually attacked??? :o Should of at least heard the rumors I would think..:shifty:

It will be interesting to see if you get a definitive answer to the question. I,myself don't have it and have found it expedient to just go find another unmolested convoy than it is to tail one that is on alert.

[Sledgehammer427]

kek, seminole, i had the same thoughts,
its always a pleasure cruise until one of your buddys in the convoy gets blown up...

@tick tock
i would just plot the zigs and zags (historically accurate, mind you) then, i would approach, then, get so damn close you can help but hit (keep in mind, over 500 yards range,or else it wont blow)

[tick tock]

I have watched them on radar at long range and apparently they keep it up for at least days after I have attacked them.
That's what I was afraid of. I ended up waiting a total of about 15 hours for this particular convoy to resume a straight course, but they never did, so while it was still dark I closed in on them and fired my last 3 torpedoes at the nice, big, juicy tanker. Missed with all three. :damn:


It will be interesting to see if you get a definitive answer to the question. I,myself don't have it and have found it expedient to just go find another unmolested convoy than it is to tail one that is on alert.
Yep, your experience of them weaving for days on end is good enough evidence for me not to try to wait it out next time.

[Diopos]

Obviously you're all "on mods" (as per "on drugs" :lol:).
I'm playing stock 1.4 and the convoys remain on their cources. If you engage and after the initial "response" to the attack they return to their course. Predictable as english tea at 05:00! :lol: :lol: :lol:

PS: Actually I'm not sure any more that my instalment of 1.4 is correct and would really want to know if other players with stock 1.4 have the same linear and predictable convoy behavior. :hmm:

[Seminole]

Obviously you're all "on mods" (as per "on drugs" :lol:).


Hush yo' mouth child..I'm as pure and unmodded as the driven snow...:lol:


...and I'll take what you claim for 1.4 as true simply because I can't really recall.(and I ain't 'bout to go back and see :nope: ) And too,I must say, that I only really noticed the long term convoy zig zaggging with version 1.5 Gold...I think...but then on the other hand..manual targeting in versions 1.4 and lower, were such difficult prospects I can't really say either that I actually ever bothered tailing a convoy after the initial assault...so perhaps the zig zagging went unnoticed. So????...:hmm:

[Webster]

sometimes the games AI "hangs" or gets stuck and this may be what happened.

the bad news is the cure for "hangs" is to get clear from all contacts and do a save and then reload, this would unfortunately most likely cause your convoy to be gone after you did this so i suggest to try to do it by getting out of range and run ahead on the surface to get ahead of them. getting out of range might reset the AI for the convoys actions.