Foxendown
03-31-07, 03:55 AM
I've not been playing SH3 (with GWX) for long, but my latest patrol has been
something of a low point because of results that felt unrealistic.
Here's a brief description of two convoy attacks (one by day, one by night) near the
Canaries in May 1941.
1. When I attacked at night, which, based on historical events,
should have been the safer option, the escorts seemed to know exactly
where I was, but I couldn't see anything until I was right on top of
one of them. The night was so pitch-black that I didn't see how I could
have used manual TDC. Even with auto tdc I didn't survive long
because one escort seemed to come out of nowhere with no warning from
my crew. It seems to me that at night you are always on the
defensive, which was I understand not the case in real life.
2. With my day time attack I tried to be stealthy, but as I was
submerged I failed to get into a firing position before my batteries
were depleted. On the surface, in good weather, the escorts saw me at
about 10-12, 000 metres.
3. Once they had seen me, the escorts came out to attack me one by
one . Their tactics were suicidal and I sank them one after the
other. They did the same thing each time: headed straight for me at
full speed and I put an eel along the length of their keels. They
didn't learn from experience or act in a co-ordinated way.
4. After that I tried to approach the convoy, but already in May 1941
it proved to be very well armed with accurate weapons that scored
hits at long range. So I submerged and of course I was too slow and
running down the batteries again. But when I ran with decks awash,
they didn't see me at all, even at point-blank range! They manoeuvred
but didn't fire.
So I'm going to have a successful career sinking escorts ;)
(at least until hopefully they get better later in the war and get
hedgehogs), but I can't imagine slipping between two destroyers
800m apart without being detected like the kaleun who sank HMS
Eagle. It's early days yet and my experience of SH3 isn't extensive,
but I'm already wishing that the escorts were a bit less observant
but better co-ordinated in what they do (and I that could be more stealthy so I
can get closer to the merchants).
BTW I've read some of the very interesting and helpful threads about
tactics and will try to apply them as I enter my third career.I'm
sure that at least some of the above must be down to my lack of
experience of SH3 and I'm happy to be put right on any aspect. Also,
I appreciate that this is a game not real life ;) (and one which I have
enjoyed and will continue to enjoy enormously).
something of a low point because of results that felt unrealistic.
Here's a brief description of two convoy attacks (one by day, one by night) near the
Canaries in May 1941.
1. When I attacked at night, which, based on historical events,
should have been the safer option, the escorts seemed to know exactly
where I was, but I couldn't see anything until I was right on top of
one of them. The night was so pitch-black that I didn't see how I could
have used manual TDC. Even with auto tdc I didn't survive long
because one escort seemed to come out of nowhere with no warning from
my crew. It seems to me that at night you are always on the
defensive, which was I understand not the case in real life.
2. With my day time attack I tried to be stealthy, but as I was
submerged I failed to get into a firing position before my batteries
were depleted. On the surface, in good weather, the escorts saw me at
about 10-12, 000 metres.
3. Once they had seen me, the escorts came out to attack me one by
one . Their tactics were suicidal and I sank them one after the
other. They did the same thing each time: headed straight for me at
full speed and I put an eel along the length of their keels. They
didn't learn from experience or act in a co-ordinated way.
4. After that I tried to approach the convoy, but already in May 1941
it proved to be very well armed with accurate weapons that scored
hits at long range. So I submerged and of course I was too slow and
running down the batteries again. But when I ran with decks awash,
they didn't see me at all, even at point-blank range! They manoeuvred
but didn't fire.
So I'm going to have a successful career sinking escorts ;)
(at least until hopefully they get better later in the war and get
hedgehogs), but I can't imagine slipping between two destroyers
800m apart without being detected like the kaleun who sank HMS
Eagle. It's early days yet and my experience of SH3 isn't extensive,
but I'm already wishing that the escorts were a bit less observant
but better co-ordinated in what they do (and I that could be more stealthy so I
can get closer to the merchants).
BTW I've read some of the very interesting and helpful threads about
tactics and will try to apply them as I enter my third career.I'm
sure that at least some of the above must be down to my lack of
experience of SH3 and I'm happy to be put right on any aspect. Also,
I appreciate that this is a game not real life ;) (and one which I have
enjoyed and will continue to enjoy enormously).