Need help escaping destroyers

[FalcoGooner]

I was happily sailing and searching for merchants to sunk. Sunk one for 4707 tonnage. Then, after a couple of hours my WO spotted a task force of 4 destroyers. Dive to periscope depth, already too late. They saw me. At that moment i was around 300 km north of Hull and the water there is about 60-80m deep.

I dived as deep as I could and was evading depth charges very nicely for about one hour. After that everything stopped. I thought thank god, they were gone. Went to periscope depth, raised my periscope and I saw one of the destroyers directly in front of me, quickly prepared everything before its too late, launched 3 torpedos at him, he went down, what a nice scene. Then suddenly new contacts, turned around and saw other 3 destroyers coming back.

I sunk back down, and the waiting game started. The 3 of them were furious. Dropping depth charges like crazy, destroyed my periscope, deck gun and done some other damage but managed to repair it. After couple of hours of chasing they ran out of depth charges. They called in aircrafts but all of them missed me.

All that was happening around 14 or 15 o'clock. Now the time is 21 o'clock and the 3 destroyers are still pinging me. They don't have anymore depth charges, but they wont let me go.

My batteries are down to 10-15%, i cant dive deeper, my CO2 levels are getting dangerously high and I'm pretty far from the safety of Germany. I tried once to surface and make a run for it but no luck, had to dive back down. At this point if I had a functioning periscope it would be perfect because they have no more depth charges...

Is there any way to get away from them? I just cant wait anymore longer at the bottom. Looks like this is it for U-46

Thanks!

I'm using Gwx and no other mods.

[Pisces]

If you are slow, less than 2 knots or around 1, then they usually cannot hear you and loose interest after a while. You will have to set the speed indicator manually, instead of selecting the throttle-or-whatever-that-damned-rrrring-rrrring-thing is called. So once you are at your desired depth, set your speed to slow, and silent running. Getting deep is more important, so don't slow down too soon.

And move away or point towards the pinging destroyer. You'll slow less reflecting area.

Your current sitiation is very dire to be honest. It may be too late already. But you have nothing else to loose than sit it out. Hope luck is on your side now.

[Mittelwaechter]

Welcome aboard, Herr Kaleun. Would be more pleasure to meet you under better circumstances.

Sitting there and wait is certain death. Try to sink your attackers is the only way to survive. After shooting all torpedos you may try to sneak away.

Do you have some torpedos left?
If yes:

Are both periscopes destroyed?
If yes:

Is the weather good for magnetics at shallow depth?
If yes:

Goto 16 meters depth - listen with the hydrophone and note the position of the destroyers. They will circle and run directly over you, but without depth charges they won't harm you at 16 meters.

Do you know the types of DDs? Was there a corvette with them? A sloop (Black Swan)?

Concentrate on the "sitting duck" if you can hear him and your position is good. Send an electric to his position - magnetic - 5 meters running depth (if possible - H.Sie?). If it bounces off (listen!) it's the corvette (or maybe a sloop) - next try on this exact target (follow your contacts noting their positions) with 6.3 meters running depth.

And/or:

Let a DD pass you directly from port/starbord and listen to what side he turns. Prepare a forward or stern tube accordingly to shoot straight - magnetic - 90° AOB . You may want to back/forward a few meters to ensure the torpedo has a chance to arm itself. Shoot your eel at the DD passing the 35° mark left or right from your eel's path (slow 30 knots electric) or the 25° mark (fast 44 knots steamer).


Good luck! See you in Valhalla.

[FalcoGooner]

Man was I lucky. Oh yeah and now i see i forgot to say that my hydrophone was destroyed.

I tried with the torpedos but no luck, just couldn't determine their location. I went back to 70 meters and 2 knots speed.

But finally, at 3 am the 3 destroyers started drifting away. There was still some pinging at 4 am and at 4.30 it was around half hour without pinging, so i took my chances, surfaced the boat and I was simply delighted. They were gone, full speed ahead back home.

My batteries were down to around 5% and CO2 levels almost in red. I probably used all my luck this time.

Mission ended with two kills, one Granville type freigther and one J&K class destroyer. 2 dead seaman, 1 dead petty officer and hull integrity of only 37,17%. I also received iron cross first class after this patrol.

And now since it's friday its time for some r&r in the local pub.

Oh and thank you for your help

[Pisces]

Congratulations!

With some types of uboats even 2 knots is too loud. I can't remember which. So 1 knot is safer. The threshold seems to be between 1 and 2 knots, or between 50 and 100 rpm on the 3d shaft rpm dial. There are 2 dials left and above of the left helmsman. Keep an eye on those.

[Aktungbby]

FalcoGooner!Remember silent running routine as well as proceeding at two knots or slower; I never attack without 150 meters to hide in. If your not careful around the Royal Navy's persistent destroyers you'll be Falco-Goner!

[Kaptlt.Endrass]

One tactic i've always used and usually works is to wait until they lose contact and go over, then immediately make a flank speed 90 degree turn, deploy decoys if you have them, and dive 5-10 meters. The escorts shouldnt hear you because of the wesserbomben they drop, or in your case, their propeller's cavitation.

[Jimbuna]

Welcome aboard FalcoGooner

I agree with Pisces....1 knot should be your stealthiest speed.

[Kaptlt.Endrass]

I forgot to add that you indeed shoulset your speed LOW on completing your turn. Thank you Jim for helping me remember that.

[Jimbuna]

Your welcome matey

[FalcoGooner]

Thank you all again.

I never used 1 knot, because until that incident I was always in deeper waters when destroyers were searching for me. I went down to 150-200 m and waited and sooner or later they gave up on me.

Had another patrol and sank 2 auxilary cruisers northwest of Ireland. They had one destroyes for escort, but like i said it was no problem avoiding him.

I then went down to Casablanca and sunk around 3 merchants that were docked there. On my way home near south coast of Portugal I attacked 2 French merchants and they only had one trawler for escort. Sunk all 3 of them. I was in that region for a couple of days and saw no allied military activity, except for that trawler. Was I lucky or is hunting around there really that easy? Im in mid 40's.

[Jimbuna]

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!!