Will you attack convoys in later war period (1943~1945)

[peterloo]

In my 8th patrol @ 1943 Christmas, everything went on well. I was particularly happy since I got the first taste of magnetic exploders (I didn't know how to set depth - silly me) A C3 and Liberty down with 2 fishes each.

When I was returning to base with 3 fish (2 bow 1 stern for my type 7, my radar discovered a merchant. I ran to intercept it with full speed and I realised that it is a medium sized convoy with 4 DD as escorts. I submerged and try to sink a troop transport with 1 T1 FAT and T3 FAT. I set my depth 10.5m. However, the fishes didn't score a hit (cause DDs discovered me) and finally they hit a C2 before sucking up it battery.

The DDs chased after me, dropped at least 200 ash cans (although none got a direct hit) and I submerged to 160m. The DCs took away my desk and periscope. I had to surface since I cannot use my schokel (spelling). From the bridge, all my heavy flak get wasted, and radar not working. Horrible experience!!!

If you were me, will you attack that convoy???

[Corsair]

At this time and 4 DDs, I would give it a deep thought depending on the time of day (or preferably night) weather conditions and relative positions and bearings. Depends what prey is in the convoy, must be worth it. I have learned too many times it can be dangerous to get greedy and trigger happy...;) As I always play DiD, have become more careful with time. Sometimes better live for tomorrow than back to Sept 39...:shifty:

[bigboywooly]

Well as the war moves on you should find less and less single contacts and more convoys
The trouble is the convoys escorts get increased as the years go by too
You have to change your way of thinking from 42/3 onwards
Its not the happy times anymore in fact its quite the opposite

Yes I would have attacked the convoy and tried damn hard to make it out alive
One ship sunk is not great but your not going to bag half a dozen os so at that stage of the war

[Jimbuna]

One of your primary duties is to attack convoys and should be secondary only to the safety of your crew and boat. :yep:
So yes, I would attack...try to target the 'easiest kill' and dive to safety then after evading (hopefully) any reprisals from the escorts plot a course to intercept the convoy further on in it's journey and have another go :up:
If your lucky or skilful enough you can carry on like this until you run out of eels :D

Ever the optimist! lol :arrgh!:

[danlisa]

Hell yes - ATTACK.

You will get some of the most nail biting & nerve breaking action during this time in the war. Anything leading upto this time is just practice.

Do I have a death wish:hmm:

[melnibonian]

Remember what the BdU was saying????

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE :D :D :D

I always attack and after 1942 I usually die in the process :oops: :oops:

Nevertheless ATTACK :up:

[Wulfmann]

Not knowing what version you play makes that difficult to assess.
I play a modded version of TGW but most particularly the convoy escorts are increased to realistic numbers (12-20 all veteran). When I see the first escorts of a convoy I can usually count seven before I see the smoke from the first merchant.
Because my sensors are also modded harder it is imperative I be silent and at one knot or dead stopped. I also keep my boat at 13 meters for peri depth. Even then slipping through a gap with a proper approach happens one time in 3. If I do get in I do not reload but use the four forward on two ships and go to 200plus and under the merchants in their direction until I can move to a flank, not out the rear where 4-6 escorts will be lurking.
If I get detected trying to sneak in I use a homing on the lead escort and go full speed into the convoy if close enough or dive toward it and again run along with the merchants.
My first job is to preserve the boat and crew but after that it is to stop or slow the allied supply chain.
Another method is to get near a flank position and fire across the first line of cargos and dive away. This you should be able to do but it is not as easy for me as the multi escorts are layered times 3 in my convoys
Point is, convoys are the point of what we are supposed to do and if I can still do it with this difficulty factor why wouldn’t you?
Why do I torture myself like this? The intensity of this coupled with the fact it (IMO) is closer to what a Kaleun would have had to deal with makes it hyper freaky. Try counting all the escorts with the hydro and guess which ones are lining up for the run switching from one to another and waiting to hear the cans drop so I can turn away from certain death. One wrong thought and I can lose what the schwine Englander is doing and death follows.
Teddy Roosevelt said there is nothing quite like coming under fire without effect. In SH3 there is nothing like a successful attack on a convoy (and two ships sunk in 1944 is a really big deal!!) and eluding up to 20 escorts that have given it their best.
As long as you have a feared objective to master you will continue to keep a high interest in SH3.
Hence; making it very hard. If I walked away from my version for three months I would likely not get far out of port.


Wulfmann

[fredbass]

Of course you would attack, you just need to be more careful. The game wouldn't be very fun if you didn't try. And it's not like you can't go back in time, which you can if you want.

[AVGWarhawk]

Yes, attack. Must be further away and dive immediately after firing. Do not hang around at periscope depth to see the fireworks. If you do the only fireworks will be your own coming off the out pressure hull:o

[Sailor Steve]

If I ever get that far, you bet I will. It's my job.

[drussxx]

yes that is where the action is. it is very nerve wracking approaching a convoy in the latter stages of the war. but thats what you play for. it is also very intense once you have fired your torpedoes and the escorts come after you. i am now playing with the new greywoves updates. apparently the depth you can go down to has been amended to a more realistic level.(i tried it out and it reminds me of a scene from das boot).i have yet to reach 1943. with the greywolves update.so i am looking forward to when i can pit my wits with the escorts from a convoy from then on.it should be interesting.PS a very big thank you to the greywolves team for such a great job with their new mod. it really is like going from sputnic to star wars. the difference is fantastic. :arrgh!:

[TarJak]

No question get in there and send some of the buggers to the bottom.:arrgh!: It's your job!

[peterloo]

Thanks for you guys' advice.

You all say that I should attack, and if I had chance, I would try one on large convoy, and even Task forces

Yep, I saw a task force last patrol but its running away from me @ 25kts. I'm behind. Cannot chase after it since I cannot go at that speed. [If you want, you can. You can call in Ju-88 to tow you!!] Maybe next time when I returned to Bergen / Lorrient after fall of Rome @ 1944. (Current @ Feb 1944) Definitely more patrols in Atlantic!!!

[AS]

If you don´t attack you´ll probably be sentenced to death at home for cowardice - this is what happened to a few U-Boat commanders in WW2. We shouldn´t glorify Mr Dönitz and the BdU - it all began based on comradeship and a kind of "brotherhood" feeling, but when the war got harder, the distance between Dönitz and his men grew. In the end, when the allies invaded the beaches of Normandy, he even ordered them to ram (!) any allied ship, which meant suicide or kamikazee.

Just an afterthought,

cheers, AS

[Hybris]

Yes, attack. Must be further away and dive immediately after firing. Do not hang around at periscope depth to see the fireworks. If you do the only fireworks will be your own coming off the out pressure hull:o

Thinking that you have either a VII or a IX you pop up at periscope depth use salvos (Just two tubes per a target) choose the two easiest targets fire then go as deep as you can. Once your done reloading go silent and slowly proceed till you can fire again then repeat.

Or you can do what I do which is get ahead of the convoy and stay at periscope depth and as they get closer launch all your torps then turn around running at flank and use your rear tubes and run until your tubes are reloaded then turn around and charge the convoy firing everything you got. From there I hide under a UNDAMAGED ship and use it as a hat only popping out to fire torpedos soon either your out of torps or battery power you go ultra deep and just wait for the convoy to move on then you blow ballast and go home on diesels.:arrgh!:

[Jimbuna]

Yes, attack. Must be further away and dive immediately after firing. Do not hang around at periscope depth to see the fireworks. If you do the only fireworks will be your own coming off the out pressure hull:o

Thinking that you have either a VII or a IX you pop up at periscope depth use salvos (Just two tubes per a target) choose the two easiest targets fire then go as deep as you can. Once your done reloading go silent and slowly proceed till you can fire again then repeat.

Or you can do what I do which is get ahead of the convoy and stay at periscope depth and as they get closer launch all your torps then turn around running at flank and use your rear tubes and run until your tubes are reloaded then turn around and charge the convoy firing everything you got. From there I hide under a UNDAMAGED ship and use it as a hat only popping out to fire torpedos soon either your out of torps or battery power you go ultra deep and just wait for the convoy to move on then you blow ballast and go home on diesels.:arrgh!:

Quite an interesting strategy :yep: ....but is it 'GWX proof' ? :hmm:

[Albrecht Von Hesse]

As the entire point of sending U-boats out was commerce warfare --to reduce much-needed supplies to the enemy, it wouldn't make a lot of sense to stop attacking convoys. So, yes, I continue attacking them.

However, what changes --drastically-- is how I attack. No more creeping to within 500 meters without much of a worry. No more 'hovering' about reloading and going back for seconds. I have to use a great deal more care in my approaches, and have to accept breaking off and bailing without firing a shot when necessary. I have to be a lot more patient, a lot more methodical, in attack approaches, and take a longer time setting them up as I'm firing from further out.

But, yes, I never stop attacking convoys, no matter the year.

[kiwi_2005]

Think about it if you turned away from a convoy because there were too many escorts what would your crew think of you? Sinking ships raised morale, running away from convoys would probably all make them apply for a transfer to another boat and all your be left with is that Bernard!!! :rotfl:

[Corsair]

Think about it if you turned away from a convoy because there were too many escorts what would your crew think of you?
Depends how much they care about staying alive as opposed to having a fair chance of not seeing the next morning...;)