Step-by-step stalking method for a Noob

[das numnutz]

Well I'm not exactly a noob, I did own SH3 when it first came out, but I did get rid of it before GWX came out. I purchased SH4 hoping it would quench my sub sim glory, sadly it has not done that yet, so it has been shelved until its problems are resolved. But I did however re-buy SH3 and installed GWX. WOW, this is so much better that I remember SH3.

Now to my question. I am in my 2nd patrol of the war, 1939, off the south western coast of England, and I just received a report of a large convoy heading SSW. I'm all kinds of giddy to sink some ships. Thing is I have no idea how to stalk/approach/intercept this convoy the way it is supposed to be done, not the plot-course-hoping-i-run-into-convoy way. Could someone give me a step by step instruction to do this? I remember seeing something like that a while ago but all my searches came up empty.

[GoldenRivet]

in 1939 this should be easy.

in the "noobish" fashion this is the easiest way to go about stalking these guys without going into a bunch of intercept angles and plotting their course and bearing and blah blah blah.

find the contact report on the map. it should be a square with a line sticking out the back. this line is best thought of as the wake coming out the back of the convoy.

at the back of the line use the ruler tool to draw a line from the back of the line toward the center of the convoy mark on the map - but continue the line well ahead of the convoy by a good 60 miles or so.

imagine this line as being the route the convoy is on... now all you have to do is go to the route as far ahead of the convoy as you can Oh say 50 - 60 miles and then do periodic hydrophone checks by submerging to periscope depth - if the sonar man hears anything he will report it.

Lead the convoy. Try to stay ahead of them... imagine that you and the convoy are heading for the same place on the map... but its kind of a race to see who gets there first - you want to get there before they do. best speed is on the surface beyond visual range.

once your out ahead of them - but NOT directly in front of their path - its best to be a little off to one side - just wait at periscope depth - at or below one knot speed (or stopped) while rigged for silent running.

when they arrive - start shooting

dive deep - 150 meters, ahead slow or about 1 knot, rig for silent running and try to get away from their path.

you can surface when you escape the destroyers and your also beyond their visual range - secure from silent running and reload your torpedoes. do regular hydrophone checks to keep yourself appraised of where they are headed... when your ready - race out ahead of them again on the surface. Submerge to periscope depth and repeat the attack. you can do this day in and day out and claim a few ships every attack - gradually thinning out the convoy until you run out of torpedos.

this is not the realistic way to do it, but it is as realistic as you can get without going into actually plotting everything out on the map and being an uber kaluen about it.

[Brag]

In my webbie read the article GWX Convoy Attack :D
I hope it helps!

[das numnutz]

bunch of intercept angles and plotting their course and bearing

LOL, thats actually what I am looking for. The method you explained to me is very familiar, been using that for as long as I remember playing sub sims (started a LOOONG time ago with aces of the deep). Now that I am older and wiser (I hope), I want to know the in-depth method of plotting the convoy's course in the nav map and being where I need to be at 90 degrees of bow when I get there.

[Joe Armstrong]

The method described above is a ball park type approach. It will work, but to come right on the money you will need to use your radar to make an end run out of range of the convoy. Once in position ahead of the convoy use sonar along with a Maneuver Board and “is was” to set up your position keeper. Once the convoy is close enough you will need to use your position keeper on a ship near the center of the convoy. Then dive deep and go to silent running until the screen passes over head. Then come up to periscope depth when your targeted ship reaches several hundred yards from your position and unload all your torpedoes. Then return to below the thermal level, rig for silent running reduce speed to 1 nautical mile per hour and creep away. The nice thing about the Maneuver Board is that you can get up to 5 radar fixes take a snap shot of the map and fixes using the “PrtScr SyRq” key, then take the game to zero using the decrease time compression then Alt Tab or Start key to go to windows and paste your map into MOBO. This gives you hours to plan your course and intercept if necessary. It also gives you the most accurate course of the enemy, the best intercept location, and distance from the approaching convoy.

[T.Von Hogan]

[quote=GoldenRivet]in 1939 this should be easy.



find the contact report on the map. it should be a square with a line sticking out the back. this line is best thought of as the wake coming out the back of the convoy.

My GWX ain't got nothing pointing out of anything:arrgh!: it makes e be:know: or :dead:

[GoldenRivet]

i think this post was started before GWX2 was released... In the previous version of GWX the contact marks still had "tails"... they have been removed in GWX2 so this "newbish" method no longer works.

the next best thing is to observe the convoy at long range and mark their position once per hour for two hours. Once you have two points you can use the ruler tool to connect the two points. Once this is done you can extend the ruler line out to about 100 KM and this is a course line you can expect to encounter this convoy on again later.

now... go beyond visual range and proceed at ahead flank to some point on this line many miles ahead of the convoy and wait for them to catch up to you.

one small problem however that you have to be aware of... GWX convoys occasionally change course without warning, so you may sit and wait for a convoy that will never get there.

periodical hydrophone checks are important for this reason.

In fact the original post and its 3 subsequent replies are almost a FULL YEAR OLD

my advice to Joe Armstrong would be to stop going back in the forum 75 pages and digging up old garbage.

[Canovaro]

Interesting thread for you:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=121786

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=131138

[DrMilton]

Thing is I have no idea how to stalk/approach/intercept this convoy the way it is supposed to be done, not the plot-course-hoping-i-run-into-convoy way.


Whats wrong with this way...? :88)

You think captains did much different?

[Pisces]

Ahum! Revived thread!

[T.Von Hogan]

:oops: couldn't see the dates thru the beer fog:lol: Sorry GoldenRivet

Personally i like it without the tails, being an old navy quartermaster i don't have problems figuring out directions