How to attack convoy's

[looney]

Hey all...

I'm playing this game roughly 2.5 months now, and GWX prolly 1.5 month. I'm in my 1st serious career. It's now mid 1940, I haven't come acros that many convoy's yet the ones I did come across where from contact reports and I was able to approach them from the front. Mostly guarded by 2 V & W plus 1 smaller ship. I could down 1 or 2 merchants and useally the excorts never found me.

As I'm still learning I'm not playing DiD. I'm SW of Spain CG79 and I found me a nice convoy. It's on my Port side and only ship I can see is a Black Swan. I took some basic info I now have a rough course, W turning to SW. Therefore I need to make the outer turn. But somehow I can't manage to get past the BS..It killed me 3 times now. A real bugger.

So my question: How would you approach this convoy? And get at least 1 merchant.

[gord96]

surface and start shooting your deck gun at the lead destroyer. make sure you are going flank speed directly at him. as he gets closer start to go port or sb of him until he sinks. then start sinking ships with your gun and torps on the surface. keep an eye out for the two side destroyers. head to the port or sb of the convoy and use the same deckgun tactic on that destroyer. as you await the destroyers continue to sink merchants with your deckgun. keep lots of spare crewmen ready to take your dead gunnery crew's spots. if you are being double teamed by two destroyers are usually go to periscope depth and fire off a mag torp at one then go down to 160m. wait it out then come back up and follow then wounded convoy.:up:

[Penelope_Grey]

I would surface as said before, but be careful about bursts of speed, keep them controlled. too much speed will get you killed.

Without being too garrulous the key thing is to lead the convoy, convoys could only go as fast as the slowest ship, which means a surfaced U-boat is fast as hell. What you need to do is lead the convoy and then sneak in at 90 degree angle, pick your targets and fire (try to get it so all Torpedoes impact at about the same time). Another good trick is to select 6m on your shallow depth this puts the U-boat low in the water which makes you harder to spot. I say 6m as it means you are low and harder to see but can still move reasonably swiftly.

Above all slow and steady is the key. Keep track of the escorts see which way they are headed, what they are doing and so on. Don't run at flank for too long, and as you get nearer to the convoy, don't turn side onto it, keep your bow or stern pointed at it. Sometimes you may need to come to a complete stop and wait for it to come to you, I have had to do it, if you need to do it, then stop and park her there.

Lot of people may not realise this, or simply could not be bothered to do it but if all else fails, and you can't approach the convoy from its starboard go round the back and try to approach from the port side. The port side may only have an armed trawler for protection, or even nothing at all! Don't feel that the side you are on now is the only way in, truth is in 1940 there are lots of ways in to the sneaky Kaleun.

I will say I disagree about what gord96 has said, if you start firing your deck gun, and there should happen to be a heavy cruiser or a battleship amongst that convoy and you have not see it yet, their range finders will zero in and you will be shot to bits. firing the deck gun against lone merchants or convoys of 2 or 3 ships is fine, but against a full size convoy, I say be sneaky and don't let them know you are there.

[gord96]

penelope is correct as well. I forgot to mention that only use my tactic if you have super torpedoes, the advanced diesels that can get an IXB up to 37 kts and the high explosive rounds for the deck gun. if not go sneaky.

[Tontoman]

Some things I've done, all depends on weather, day/night etc and year

- Get ahead and dive. Try and approach lead destoryer close enough not to get picked up by the side patrol, but not too close so he picks you up, going to convoy at 45 deg angle between the lead and side destroyer. Remember his side spotting is mainly passive (so run silent), just don't get in front (why I wait if I can until he stops doing a search pattern). Soon as you get past, it's all yours. Lots of hydrophone use.

Pros - lots of easy and safe kills once you're in. (my usual method)
Cons - if you blow it, you're shallow and have to evade quick.

- Take out the defending destoryer on the side. Evade, surface, get ahead and attack convoy again but now they are a ship short.

Pros - safe
Cons - two attacks, uses 1-2 torps for destroyer (this is where battery torps come in use).

- Go deep and let convoy pass overtop (has to be slowish convoy). As the merchants get close go high speed (so they don't pass overtop) and go periscope. Destroyers detect you but can't get to you without ramming their own ships
Once you are at periscope depth, blow things up and use ships to get away from destroyers (just don't get rammed). This is where real life is easier than the game. Read a number of accounts where subs where on the surfance between merchant ships. Destoyers didn't fire or chase, in the game they'll still do both using the uber ship brakes built into the game.

Pros - Easy to try, fun and hectic as hell
Cons - Risky, ships are going to be moving all over the place so hard to get clean shots.

Cheers.
T.

[Penelope_Grey]

I don't think personally that there is a set way to attack a convoy, there will always be differences you can apply general principles to attack, but in the end, you just have to go with what you got in front of you, in many cases to successfully attack a convoy you have to think on the fly as they say...

Use a bit of sense and keep an eye on any escorts near you, also be prepared to dive at a moments notice.

[Mush Martin]

(try to get it so all Torpedoes impact at about the same time).

Now yer learnin :up: and teachin :know:

[Penelope_Grey]

Thanks MM! I can do that you know, get my torpedoes to imapct more or less at the same time.

[Mush Martin]

Strike First Strike Fast Strike hard .............
Nobody gets a chance to evade that way and
it is the acme of skill in subsimming.:up::up::up::up:

[Brag]

Above: you got some good and some, ahem, suicide club advice.

Once you have the convoy's spped & direction, plot a parallel course at least 10 kms away from convoy. Get ahead of the convoy, dive and wait for it come for you. Lots more details in Convoy Attack article on my webbie. :rock:

Good hunting!

[Heibges]

Lot of people may not realise this, or simply could not be bothered to do it but if all else fails, and you can't approach the convoy from its starboard go round the back and try to approach from the port side. The port side may only have an armed trawler for protection, or even nothing at all! Don't feel that the side you are on now is the only way in, truth is in 1940 there are lots of ways in to the sneaky Kaleun.

Great idea. With only one escort, that is what I would do.

[Heibges]

I don't think personally that there is a set way to attack a convoy, there will always be differences you can apply general principles to attack, but in the end, you just have to go with what you got in front of you, in many cases to successfully attack a convoy you have to think on the fly as they say...

Use a bit of sense and keep an eye on any escorts near you, also be prepared to dive at a moments notice.

One good way to analyze an attack is using the METTT methodology.

Mission= Your mission is always to sink enemy shipping, and bring your boat back in one piece.

Enemy= What kind of merchants and warships do you see? How many? What are their capabilities? What is their position? What is their search pattern. What is the chance of enemy air activity?

Time= How much time do you have to do the mission. If there is 3 days before the convoy gets under aircover, then you have 3 days to accomplish your mission.

Terrain= At sea terrain is weather. Keep in mind fog as it applies to visability. Keep in mind cloud cover as it applies to the danger or air attack. Keep wind/sea state in mind as it effects visibility and torpedo depth. If you are attacking at night be sure to consider the moon.

Troops Available= What is the condition of your boat and crew. How many and what types of torpedoes do you have left?

[Penelope_Grey]

Above: you got some good and some, ahem, suicide club advice.

Once you have the convoy's spped & direction, plot a parallel course at least 10 kms away from convoy. Get ahead of the convoy, dive and wait for it come for you. Lots more details in Convoy Attack article on my webbie. :rock:

Good hunting!

Welllll.... you could dive... but in the early stages of the war I am all for making full use of the surface attack strategy.

[looney]

tnx all..

I will read the tips on attacking convoy's my main problem is I 'm on the outer turn so i don't know where they will be goin to. Luckily it's 1940 so not much enemy air activity. Just the Black Swan.

[Mush Martin]

PG ,Heibges and Brag all are right and the methods sound by and large
I often use the approach used by brag in my serious none uber careers
as its the stealthiest approach. I evaluate my shooting solutions using
a target assesment method like Heibges METTT methodology and I usally
execute the attack with a simultaneous full opener as described by PG.

Ms. Penelope said it best though when she said each situation will always
be a little different, and remaining flexible in approach is bang on.

its not a setpiece all though convoy attacks can be its a flowing execution
using an offensive and defensive repretoire. with a bag full of tricks learned
in education and experience.

I find though that the one guiding factor Used in all my attacks that isnt
really mentioned here is the same method I use at walmart on saturday
afternoons.

Exit Strategy. my first strike is almost always large but occasionally
timed over steady shooting through Long med short range as the
convoy comes on. but either way In accordance with the potential
detection values of the escorts I always am prepared to leave before
they can get a good look at the datum point. other wise I may scrub
for unfavourable conditions. I do improvise but even those must be
favourable to get chosen. but always first plan your exit then your
shots.
M

it helps your defensive strategy to spend an afternoon sitting up top
and watching how an escort group will hunt you. so as to understand
their methodology and patterns. this alone will
improve your survivabity ingame.

[TarJak]

there is no set plan as already described. There are however some principals that you need to be aware of:

1. In all submarine operations stealth is the key factor. If they can't find you they can't hit you. Therefore stay quiet and stay out of sight as much as possible. Surface attack only when the weather and conditions are favourable. (Not much point attacking on the surface in full moonlight on a calm sea).

2. Always work out how you plan to escape befoer you plan how to get in. Surviving the attack is what it is all about and if that means aborting and setting up again then so be it.


3. Always treat the escorts with respect and as much as possible stay away from them. Even early war they may be dangerous.

4. Get as close as you can to your target. One of my favourite tactics is to submerge to 25-30m approach from in front of the convoy at a 45 deg angle between the lead escort and the side escort then slide between two rows of the convoy.

5. If submerged, use your scope as little as possible. It makes a wake that can be spotted and give the escorts a datum to attack you.

6. When in position fire and the quickly but quietly start to make your escape. The firing point is the datum from which the escorts will start their hunt so the further away from that point you are the better. I tend to dive as deep as possible at 2kt and turn the sub no more than 10deg rudder so as not to lose speed. I then try to slip out the back at a 45 degree angle between the following and side escort depending on whether they are actively pursuing me by this time.

7. Never attempt to attack a heavily escorted convoy in shallow water!

Gute Jagd!

[Schöneboom]

Perhaps this is too obvious to mention, but even if the weather is crappy, wait until it gets really dark to attack on the surface. It makes a world of difference in '39-40. Then again, if visibility is so bad due to fog that you can't see even one ship until it's almost on top of you, it might be better to call it off. There are always more ships out there. And the weather will improve -- usually when you're halfway home! ;)

Viel Gluck!

[Canovaro]

I'm with TarJak all the way, it's pretty much how I do it.

Silent in, silent out! :arrgh!:

[Happy Times]

Hey all...

I'm playing this game roughly 2.5 months now, and GWX prolly 1.5 month. I'm in my 1st serious career. It's now mid 1940, I haven't come acros that many convoy's yet the ones I did come across where from contact reports and I was able to approach them from the front. Mostly guarded by 2 V & W plus 1 smaller ship. I could down 1 or 2 merchants and useally the excorts never found me.

As I'm still learning I'm not playing DiD. I'm SW of Spain CG79 and I found me a nice convoy. It's on my Port side and only ship I can see is a Black Swan. I took some basic info I now have a rough course, W turning to SW. Therefore I need to make the outer turn. But somehow I can't manage to get past the BS..It killed me 3 times now. A real bugger.

So my question: How would you approach this convoy? And get at least 1 merchant.

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/uboat/index.htm

[CapZap1970]

This is how I do it: I always try to assume an optimal position (90º perpendicular to the convoy's path). Reserve 1 accoustic for the leading escort and aim the other 3 to the fattest ladies in the convoy. I first fire at the convoy, so the escort gets upset and accelerates to more than 12 knots, or the accoustic will fail to detect it.
Once this is done, I dive and reload for the next attempt. If I get lucky, I can take out the same way the escort at the back of the convoy. ;)
But that's just me. :oops:
CapZap

[Chisum]

This is how I do it: I always try to assume an optimal position (90º perpendicular to the convoy's path). Reserve 1 accoustic for the leading escort and aim the other 3 to the fattest ladies in the convoy. I first fire at the convoy, so the escort gets upset and accelerates to more than 12 knots, or the accoustic will fail to detect it.
Once this is done, I dive and reload for the next attempt. If I get lucky, I can take out the same way the escort at the back of the convoy. ;)
But that's just me. :oops:
CapZap

I don't like 90°, I prefer moving to be in the convoy between an angle of 40° & 50°.

I always coming in front and in diagonal, under an angle of +/- 45°, and I let advance the convoy. That gives more chance to touch in the event of failures.
Then I fire front and behind then I plunges directly very deep maximum 2 kts while directing me to the opposite course of the convoy.

Yesterday I precisely made a success of the most beautiful blow into 29 mission. I was hidden in AM53 while waiting for end the 24 hours and a convoy arrived just above me !
In this position I fired 6 torpedoes, there were 6 impacts, 4 ships sunk + 2 ships damaged.
No reaction of the hunt !!(I don't understand why ?)

28.000 tons at the bottom in 18 minutes and 60 miles of the English coasts.

Maby I was lucky...

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2151/olm29ik3.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=olm29ik3.jpg)

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1373/bilaned8.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bilaned8.jpg)

[Mush Martin]

agreed 40 degrees forward of the convoy as they pass into torpedo
range, roughly on an average day 1.5 to 2km away from the track.
the idea being that a long distance single hit on a far column ship
will often send the escorts off in the wrong direction, if you are
stealthily pre positioned at all stop.
also with your bow pointed not towards the convoy
but away from them so that when they enter torpedo range you have
them at exactly 270 degrees bearing so as to use both fore and aft
tubes. at that point you can fire a torp ever few
minutes and get in the first two or three relaods prior to disengaging,
your also by this orientation usually half the way around onto to the
evasion course already and headed away shortly after startup.
make a 90 degree hard turn drop a decoy and dive and your away.
M:arrgh!: I Love this game.

[looney]

Woot I got into the convoy fired 2 torps (couldn't get accurate range due to weather) bot detonated 1 ship sank other severly damaged... over 10k tons already with 3 more torps on me. omw to intersept convoy again.

[Happy Times]

Would like to read more of these, anyone know where to find?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/annemariepurnell/canktba.html

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/annemariepurnell/canktbb.html

[TigerShark808]

"surface and start shooting your deck gun at the lead destroyer. make sure you are going flank speed directly at him."

" keep lots of spare crewmen ready to take your dead gunnery crew's spots" :up:




WOW!:o Man do you play rough. :arrgh!: I thought the name of the game was to keep your crew alive and to get them back to port healthy ? ;)

[Mush Martin]

"surface and start shooting your deck gun at the lead destroyer. make sure you are going flank speed directly at him."

" keep lots of spare crewmen ready to take your dead gunnery crew's spots" :up:



WOW!:o Man do you play rough. :arrgh!: I thought the name of the game was to keep your crew alive and to get them back to port healthy ? ;)

What your missing is hes driving Uberboot. and that being the case
Cryin wont help you, prayin wont do you no good.
see the video here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUkKWxN8Sq4

[TigerShark808]

"surface and start shooting your deck gun at the lead destroyer. make sure you are going flank speed directly at him."

" keep lots of spare crewmen ready to take your dead gunnery crew's spots" :up:



WOW!:o Man do you play rough. :arrgh!: I thought the name of the game was to keep your crew alive and to get them back to port healthy ? ;)

What your missing is hes driving Uberboot. and that being the case
Cryin wont help you, prayin wont do you no good.
see the video here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUkKWxN8Sq4


Very nice vid :up:

[Chisum]

Superb !
Great job.
:up:
Realistic damages ?
:arrgh!: