View Full Version : Do you select your targets in a convoy?
Is it worth spending 2 or more fish on a larger tanker than hitting those faster, smaller cargos with only one? Should i be picky?
Go for the big fat ones. A matter of arithmetic 10,000 tonnes divided by 2 torpedoes is 5,000 tons per torp. Two small freighters will be short of 5,000 tons.
What I often do is send 2 torps onto a fatty just to make sure my attack brings something.
Then I fire two torps at two separate biggies (Aim slightly forward of foremast) and try to sink them with one shot. If they all work, that's 30,000+ tonnes for a night's work.
By the time I fired four tubes it's time to get outta dodge.
The trick is not only sink ships but being able to brag about it later on in the pubs. :up:
Paajtor
06-18-07, 02:53 PM
Yes you should be picky, imo.
Go for that large tanker, and make sure you sink it...and run and hide.
You will want to be exposed to the enemy as least as possible, so imo it's better to perform 1 succesfull attack at 1 worthy target, then to do multiple attacks on small targets.
If you aren't detected after you sank that tanker, you can always go for another run...preferrably on another big target.
danurve
06-18-07, 03:18 PM
I try to get a good aob when I can get into position depending on the escorts. Not always possible in cruddy weather. But usually my favorite tragets, (troopships, fat tankers, aux cruisers) are flanked by the smaller tramps and such. So in some cases its a 2x2, scoot, shadow and 2nd run.
AoB isnt a big problem because i get really close :) i mean 300m close. Where to aim to sink a large one? Bow? I'm playing with 100% realism.
The Munster
06-18-07, 03:24 PM
Always pick your targets, the bigger the better. Even if you only manage to disable one or two, you can always hang around until the Convoy resumes on it's merry way then finish em off !
Select your big targets in advance. Do not economize by trying to get the big ones with one torp. It is just too frustrating to see them sail on and it takes a lot of time to redo a second attempt. Remember that an outgoing convoi is empty and the ships are harder to crack. So 2x2 is the way to go. The smaller one are for fun or targets of opportunity.
AoB isnt a big problem because i get really close :) i mean 300m close. Where to aim to sink a large one? Bow? I'm playing with 100% realism.
300m?
Have you thought about swappin out your deck gun for a really big drill?
I too always try to hit the biggest targets in the convoy. I try to plan ahead so that I can fire each tube in one attack, divided up in several salvos mostly on multiple targets.
For example, once I drove that way into a convoy, that I could hit 2 ships with 2 torpedoes each of tubes 1-4 and another one with a torpedo of the aft tube. That way I finished my attack very quickly and could dive away before the torpedoes even hit and therefore before the DD's start looking for me.
One idea might be to spare the aft torpedo for an incoming destroyer, depends on the number of escorts, the date and so on.
Thniper
06-18-07, 04:22 PM
One idea might be to spare the aft torpedo for an incoming destroyer, depends on the number of escorts, the date and so on.
Spare your aft torpedo? Never done that!:nope:
Let'em have it!!!:rock:
I always empty all my tubes, unless a DD is right above me.:D :o
For my bow tubes, I try to hit four different ships near the engine room so they slow down and I can finish them off later!:up:
Happy hunting!:arrgh!:
KeptinCranky
06-18-07, 05:50 PM
Yes, pick your targets, definitely, take out the largest first and work your way down, leaving any passenger/cargos for last, all this of course depending on feasibility of attack and such.
If there's any Capital ship dumb enough to be sailing along at 8 knots in a convoy, that goes down first though, not just because of renown but they're not supposed to do that IMO. Any battleship going slower than 15 knots where there might be U-boats about deserves to be sunk on general principle.:hmm:
Thniper
06-18-07, 05:56 PM
If there's any Capital ship dumb enough to be sailing along at 8 knots in a convoy, that goes down first though, not just because of renown but they're not supposed to do that IMO. Any battleship going slower than 15 knots where there might be U-boats about deserves to be sunk on general principle.:hmm:
Here comes Keptin 'The Punisher' Cranky lol!:D :D
Sink em all!:arrgh!:
But seriously I prioritise targets by size and accessibility. If for example I'm on the wrong side of a convoy to the largest ships I'll go for the next largest that I have a better chance of sinking.
Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice!
GibsonSG
06-18-07, 08:47 PM
I definitely try to pick my prime targets too. I just finished mission 5 in my IIA, and found a convoy headed to Scapa...I got out in front of them and waited at 14-15m depth, dead stop, until the lead DD was right in front of me. I popped up my scope and shot 1 from 400m, set at 2m deep. Direct hit, and he sank almost on top of me.
Then I accelerated to 2 knots, and targeted the biggest merchant, and shot my other 2 tubes at him. Dove to 20m while my crew reloaded (sucks to have only 3 tubes and 6 fish onboard). Once tube 1 was reload, I went to Pericope depth(2 meters lower to cover the low speed bouyancy). By then, tube 2 was ready also, I targeted 2 tramp steamers with 1 each, then had a merchant lined up by the time my last fish was ready. Shot at him and went to Silent Running, and dropped to 55m (was only 60m of water there off Scapa).
Apparently one of the tramps survived , but the other 2 sank, along with the merchant and the destroyer. Then I spent 3 hours evading the 2 DD's that came after me, one of which gave up once he was out of depth charges, the other stayed til I outfoxed him. I kept going fast while in his baffles, then silent run when he could hear me, with lots of course changes to the south and east. Was a fun time, much better challenge with GWX than the stock SH3 was.
Do you guys calculate AoB and enter speed and other data when you're rushing for a last shot before diving and are no longer 90º from your target? where do you get your aim? I've found that if i try always for the bow i'll rarely hit as i calculate speed by plotting and the charts provided (GWX) naturally can't provide exact values. I've missed a crippled cargo (he reduced speed so the convoy's speed no longer applied) by a centimeter (literally). I don't have external cameras or anything else so i figure it was aufully close. Oh well.
Btw where to aim for? I mean large tankers, cargos, merchants. Where for the most damage? What i usually do in my type VIIC is hit them once and then wait till they fall back due to slowness. I then persue this one crippled one and usually i get the kill. What happened this time was 2 escorts must have heard me and went back from the pack. I had little time to a proper solution (actually i had quite some time, i suck :( ) and missed.
bookworm_020
06-19-07, 12:10 AM
I always go for the biggest targets that I can get. I came accross a fast small convoy in the carribean, IT had 2 large tankers, 4 medium tankers and a large merchant, Fired two torps at a medium tanker that was in range (the convoy had 4 buckley destroyer escorts, so I didn't want to be counter attacked by them in water lass than 100m deep) Hiting it with one torpedo, which slowed the convoy down, allowing me to fire two torpedo's at a large tanker that was at the maximum range tor T2 torpedo's. One hit near the bown causing her to sink 10 minutes later.:rock:
The escort never got a trace on me, due to a high sea state. Not bad for a daylight attack in heavy seas at long range. I usualy try to get within 1500m to 1000m of the target before fireing, but I was caught out of positon, and at the speed they were going I wouldn't have caught up. Plus the fact that there were aircraft in the area due to me sinking half a dozen tankers in the area:arrgh!:
Lagger123987
06-19-07, 12:24 AM
I Mostly Pick The Smallest Ship In Convoy To Sink Then Return Home With Lots Of Firing Squads.
JohnnyBlaze
06-19-07, 12:36 AM
AoB isnt a big problem because i get really close :) i mean 300m close. Where to aim to sink a large one? Bow? I'm playing with 100% realism.
300m?
Have you thought about swappin out your deck gun for a really big drill?
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
If you play in full realism (i do use contacts update :oops:) you will find it very hard to kill more than a couple ships in a convoy mainly because they change speeds and AoB once the first ship is hit. The zing zag makes it really hard to be perfect. I also went there because i wanted to be in the middle of the convoys to avoid detection. I succeded. Sunk 2 large cargos, 1 large tanker (lucky shot) and a medium cargo while i was at it with the stern tube :) The hard part was to quicky calculate AoB and range for the stern tube and shoot it before the outcoming bow torpedos hit the first large cargo..
Edit: that was a small cargo i sunk with the stern tube. I think... Not a medium
I always look out for big fat tankers!
... which may resist 3 or even more torps as I read around here :D
... which may resist 3 or even more torps as I read around here :D
I found that most tanker sink after two torps....I usually place one a bit aft of the middle, the other one a bit in front of the funnel....
10000 tons for two eels, a fair trade imo:arrgh!:
You are right. That a tanker wouldn't sink after more than one torpedo didn't happen to me either. Just read about the ones which still keep floating after 3 hits.
Until I make some bad experiences with that I will too go for tankers first :roll:
You have to hit them in more than one spot. If all your torps go into the same hole you have less chance of a sinking.
KeptinCranky
06-19-07, 02:52 AM
This is true, I hit a small tanker right in the middle, which set it on fire but it continued on inside the convoy at the same speed. for my second attack I decided to shoot at it again, this time from the other side. hit it again but in the exact same spot, didn't seem to do anything it just kept on going:-?
as for "the punisher" :rotfl: I guess so :D
If you hit a tanker in stock SH III it usually goed under in a ball of fire.....
In GWX a tanker might slip away even after a few hits....maybe tankers should be made a little more vulnerable...from what I've read so far tankers were pretty explosive game....
The unpredictability has a cool side to it as well...
abel29a
06-19-07, 05:49 AM
If the weather is bad, tough - 12/13 m/s wind or worse - one torpedoe towards the bow of the ship is enough for even the meanest baddest tanker :) Just give it some time and it'll sink.
Attacking convoys in Hurricanes is my new favorite sport :)
SmokinTep
06-19-07, 06:21 AM
I will try and take a few shots at the bigger targets first if possible.
maillemaker
06-19-07, 06:50 AM
Have you thought about swappin out your deck gun for a really big drill?
bwahahahaha that's funny!
Canovaro
06-19-07, 07:11 AM
2x2 and only heavy ships. Sometimes use the stern, but don't keep the periscope up too long.
I always use greyrider's 90 degrees chart (example 7 knots = target at 13 or 347 degrees then fire) against convoys. This saves you a lot of time calculating and it can even be performed without any periscope at all, though not recommended.
2x2 and only heavy ships. Sometimes use the stern, but don't keep the periscope up too long.
I always use greyrider's 90 degrees chart (example 7 knots = target at 13 or 347 degrees then fire) against convoys. This saves you a lot of time calculating and it can even be performed without any periscope at all, though not recommended.
Can you tell me where I can get this chart?
Thankz
CapZap1970
06-19-07, 09:38 AM
Big fat targets first, if possible the ones at the other side of the convoy of where I am, then those closer in the middle and the closest side if time, distance and situation allow it. If the leading escort is sailing in a straight line in front of the convoy, then I take it with the first wave of torps. :up:
CapZap
I once sunk a large tanker with only one torp. Under the smoke and waited a minute. Suddenly all hell broke lose and it sunk in a second... I guess the damage model is a mistery for me
Kaleun_Saxi
06-19-07, 02:06 PM
I think GWX sometimes is quite fair, and sometimes it's not. Last night I spend hours in escaping one extremely good destroyer (after I killed two med freighters and one smaller one), and that was early 1940. Thank God I made it.
Now it's heaven, March 1940. Must be my birthday, I god a large convoy contact report (neutral) and neared the convoy to check whether I can attack British or French merchants in the convoy. It is daytime, and a flower corvette soon spotted me and started firing. A neutral corvette firing at me???? I took a close look - it was a British one. So I submerged, fired a torpedo at the stupid corvette and sunk it. Took a closer look at the convoy. 20 ships, in four rows, and no more defending warships. I found heaven.
There are 10 small freighters, 2 ore freighters, 2 large freighters, 5 medium tankers and one light tankers.
Damn, only five torpedoes for the first attack, and the seas are not calm. No deck gun. Now I've got the choice... :hmm:
ReallyDedPoet
06-19-07, 02:08 PM
Target selection, makes the experience interesting for sure :yep:
RDP
danurve
06-19-07, 03:32 PM
This reminds me of heading back to port with 1 fish left over, and crossing another convoy path. Well, used the fish on a directed shot to the stern to 'anchor' the ship. After the last escort gives up - providing you get away, return and finish her off with the deck gun.
Almost forgot to add pick an unarmed merchant :huh:
Redbear
06-19-07, 05:41 PM
I always select my targets, and go for the big ones. I know I'll only get a few good shots away before I have to get away or are forced down by the DD's. I like to make the trouble worth my while!
This reminds me of heading back to port with 1 fish left over, and crossing another convoy path. Well, used the fish on a directed shot to the stern to 'anchor' the ship. After the last escort gives up - providing you get away, return and finish her off with the deck gun.
Almost forgot to add pick an unarmed merchant :huh:
It's very hard for meto hit a stern shot. Only managed to do it twice both by accident. Calculating an AoB of a zig zagging target while you are moving at flank speed is out of the question for me so i don't even enter speed in the "computer" (TDC) I point generally where i have the feeling the ship will be when my fish arrives and shooting at 300-400m. I even miss sometimes so please, anyone more experinced, share knowledge! :) What do you do if you rushing to "ALARM!" and have only but a few seconds to make a shot at a tanker who would otherwise excape? If a convoy has, to say 8knots speed, whats the speed one should enter as soon as it starts zig zagging? Thanks.
Canovaro
06-20-07, 02:06 AM
This reminds me of heading back to port with 1 fish left over, and crossing another convoy path. Well, used the fish on a directed shot to the stern to 'anchor' the ship. After the last escort gives up - providing you get away, return and finish her off with the deck gun.
Almost forgot to add pick an unarmed merchant :huh: It's very hard for meto hit a stern shot. Only managed to do it twice both by accident. Calculating an AoB of a zig zagging target while you are moving at flank speed is out of the question for me so i don't even enter speed in the "computer" (TDC) I point generally where i have the feeling the ship will be when my fish arrives and shooting at 300-400m. I even miss sometimes so please, anyone more experinced, share knowledge! :)
Read this about stern shots:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=116525
Hm, but missing from that close is hard, even with this bug with the stern shots. If the target's heading and speed are estimated correctly it should be no problem from 300-400m. But if there other small errors than just the one which comes with the stern shot anyway, this may produce more missed shots, that's right.
HunterICX
06-20-07, 05:39 AM
Mah, I just look through the Periscope and go
''Iny miny miney mo''
:rotfl:
Big ones first, always keep one eel for a DD coming at me, straight down the throat.. my favourite shot, but if I get target fixtated and stare to long down the scope and my throat shot misses I end up dead and back in 39 :nope:
Big ones first, always keep one eel for a DD coming at me, straight down the throat.. my favourite shot, but if I get target fixtated and stare to long down the scope and my throat shot misses I end up dead and back in 39 :nope:
You do not save you campaign to start it all over again?
Nope, Dead is Dead... new start back at the beginning :yep:
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