Marko Ramius
06-14-07, 06:01 AM
It's very doable in SH4, much harder in SH3. The first time it all worked it was probably the most entertaining mission since I started..
Obviously the key is to sink the destroyers. After that it's all fun and games: No need to even use torps, just surface and maul the merchants with the deck gun (particularly enjoyable with the big gun that becomes available towards the end of the war). From 2,500ft away it's pretty safe, even if they have guns they can't even hit their own bridge.
How to take out the destroyers: The strategy is based on the whole convoy's (destroyers included) daft behaviour in SH4 after the first ship is down. Instead of making a run for it or start evasive maneouvers which would really make things hard they usually just idle stupidly around at 2knots, making easy targets. That is if they can't see or hear a boat around which can be easily arranged thanks to the thermal layer.
As a general rule, convoys come with 4 destroyers. I usually wait in front of the convoy perpendicular to their course engines stopped, take out the front DD, dive deeper, shoot a decoy, turn 90o and duck under the TL for a while, slowly moving away from the decoy. The first DD can be a challenge depending on weather and light as they usually zig-zag a lot but its only a matter of small corrections back and forth to get within range. Then I have to adjust the aim a bit to compensate for the DD's turning. Takes a while to master this shot.
After the first one is in the soup the other two or three will sprint over, DC the crap out of the decoy and predictably head back to their original positions on the flanks and rear of the convoy. Occasionaly they might take off sniffing around for a while but they will eventually come back and float on their spots at 2 knots waiting for a torp to split them in half. At periscope depths it's very easy to approach and take them out one by one. Unless you get too close or too fast they won't budge.
Another more adventurous technique is to make a run for the convoy surfaced at full speed, make sure they've seen me and start chasing me. Then I turn 180o and make a run for it at, at periscope depth. Usually three DDs will come after me in the following pattern: Once they come within 2,000ft they slow down to 12k so they can listen and the middle one will be right behind me at 180o sniffing left and right. The other two will be at around 160o and 200o but they hold a steady course. These are actually easy to take out with a stern fish, provided the torps are reliable (not early-war) and not a fresh boat or crew. The middle one is harder, I have to let it get really close and then it usually takes a tight spread of three to cover the zig-zagging. Some things can go wrong with this strategy but it's still around a 50%-60% success rate and very impressive when it actually works. The fourth DD which is usually far away is easy, just lay under the TL for a while until it can't see/hear me and eventually it will do the 2knot-sitting-duck routine.
After that? Fun and games and a shooting practice with the deck gun.
Obviously the key is to sink the destroyers. After that it's all fun and games: No need to even use torps, just surface and maul the merchants with the deck gun (particularly enjoyable with the big gun that becomes available towards the end of the war). From 2,500ft away it's pretty safe, even if they have guns they can't even hit their own bridge.
How to take out the destroyers: The strategy is based on the whole convoy's (destroyers included) daft behaviour in SH4 after the first ship is down. Instead of making a run for it or start evasive maneouvers which would really make things hard they usually just idle stupidly around at 2knots, making easy targets. That is if they can't see or hear a boat around which can be easily arranged thanks to the thermal layer.
As a general rule, convoys come with 4 destroyers. I usually wait in front of the convoy perpendicular to their course engines stopped, take out the front DD, dive deeper, shoot a decoy, turn 90o and duck under the TL for a while, slowly moving away from the decoy. The first DD can be a challenge depending on weather and light as they usually zig-zag a lot but its only a matter of small corrections back and forth to get within range. Then I have to adjust the aim a bit to compensate for the DD's turning. Takes a while to master this shot.
After the first one is in the soup the other two or three will sprint over, DC the crap out of the decoy and predictably head back to their original positions on the flanks and rear of the convoy. Occasionaly they might take off sniffing around for a while but they will eventually come back and float on their spots at 2 knots waiting for a torp to split them in half. At periscope depths it's very easy to approach and take them out one by one. Unless you get too close or too fast they won't budge.
Another more adventurous technique is to make a run for the convoy surfaced at full speed, make sure they've seen me and start chasing me. Then I turn 180o and make a run for it at, at periscope depth. Usually three DDs will come after me in the following pattern: Once they come within 2,000ft they slow down to 12k so they can listen and the middle one will be right behind me at 180o sniffing left and right. The other two will be at around 160o and 200o but they hold a steady course. These are actually easy to take out with a stern fish, provided the torps are reliable (not early-war) and not a fresh boat or crew. The middle one is harder, I have to let it get really close and then it usually takes a tight spread of three to cover the zig-zagging. Some things can go wrong with this strategy but it's still around a 50%-60% success rate and very impressive when it actually works. The fourth DD which is usually far away is easy, just lay under the TL for a while until it can't see/hear me and eventually it will do the 2knot-sitting-duck routine.
After that? Fun and games and a shooting practice with the deck gun.