A Broad Question From a New SHIV Player
 

Hello, I'm very new to sub sims and this forum, and I'm sure you get lots of repetitive questions from new players, but I can't seem to find the answer to mine in any of the stickied posts.

To preface this, I've just started playing Silent Hunter IV vanilla and am playing on high realism settings (including manual targeting). My question: what exactly should be my course of action once I first am alerted to a contact? Say I am patrolling on the surface as usual and my radar alerts me to a nearby convoy. My question is essentially how I should proceed from this moment to attack position. How close can I get before I should dive? How fast can I go before I am heard? When do I switch to silent running? So many questions...

I've read countless guides on conducting the attack and targeting techniques but very little detailing the time between contact and the attack. Any help on how to get into attack position without wasting time or getting spotted would be very much appreciated!

Put yourself in a position so you parallel the convoy and overtake them. In the beginning of the war, 4-6 NM away is fine in my observations. close in at PD at about 2/3 speed till they come to you. Pick two targets 2 fish per. one under one impact, launch, dive and THIS is your decision commander, continue forward or evade

RE
 

I think if you watch rocking robins tutorials you will be able to get things more clearly as what to do also reading history of Us navy SUB action In WW2

Welcome aboard altctrlspud!
:Kaleun_Salute:
New members are always welcome. We always need someone to keep the propeller polished.
:Kaleun_Wink:
Don't be afraid to ask questions. We're always glad to show off our vast wealth of knowledge of sh4.
If you haven't, make generous use of the tutorials. You can mess around, practice, and learn a lot about working the game.
Your question. You want to get in front. Radar range is beyond sonar range. You can stay far enough out to not be detected, yet still be able to track the targets. You want to get ahead of the target, a little off to the side. Go deep, and stay silent. When the target gets close, you want to come up to periscope depth. Raise the scope, get a reading, then lower it. When you're ready, fire away.
:Kaleun_Periskop:

welcome aboard!