Op Monsun Convoy... what would you do ?

[Kremmen]

So I'm patrolling quite happily when the watch crew spot a warship just over the horizon,but he's not alone....



23 merchants
and....


A Queen Elizabeth BB all proceeding along at 7 kts

I plot their course and speed when it occurs to me to send in a contact report
which I do and receive this....





So the question is this,would you obey orders and break contact or would you proceed with an attack ?

[Sailor Steve]

That's an unusual message. In real life you probably would have been told to shadow the convoy until the "further assets" arrived. The game doesn't know the difference. I would go ahead and attack.

[Kremmen]

Yea I was thinking of just going in for an attack.The majority of merchants are South American so I presume they're neutral at this point though there are a few British ones scattered about and picking out two for a two torp each attack would be awkward.The QE BB however is quite isolated at the rear left corner so I'd probably go for her.
The other option would be a bit of roleplay and that would mean obeying orders,however ridiculous those orders may appear to be.
I have a save at a nice spot in front of the convoy so it could go either way at this point

[Capt. Morgan]

Ha, I think just ran into that same convoy last night (except on Sept.11/39, just off the coast of Spain).

I was ordered to sink merchants, but I figured the loss of the battleship Q.E. would hurt Churchill more than the two (at best) tankers I'd be likely to hit on my first attack.

Took 3 hrs (game time) to reach a firing position. Fired all 4 forward tubes at the Q.E. with 2 duds, 1 miss, and a single hit to the stern. Turned the boat and gave her both stern tubes for another dud and another miss.

1 hit didn't even slow her down.

P.S. Under the rules of engagement at the time, any merchant under escort of an enemy warship was considered to be an enemy merchant.

[Kremmen]

Ouch... I feel your pain there Capt.
Know what you mean about taking all that time to get in a good firing position,target cruises across your scope,you're certain you've got her and then....pigging duds
Have been playing TMO lately but must load this one up and take a pop at the QE.
We shall have our revenge

[Capt. Morgan]

While I'm tempted to go around to take another crack at the QE, I have to assume that in real life the convoy commander wouldn't let her remain in so vulnerable a position after a near miss.

If she falls behind the convoy I'll try again, otherwise I'll go for the thin-skinned tankers full of inflamables. I wish you better luck with your torpedos than I had.