Convoy attack in shallow waters

[kalkulator]

Hello!

First an introduction, since it's my first post:
Totally new in this forum, and pretty noob to Silent Hunter. I have SH3 patched up and have the GWX-mod, and ready to sink some ships.

I love the realism part of this game, but can only go for 59% realism now.

Now, to the topic:
Just east of the southern coast of England, I find a large convoy going north, and I plan to make some havok to their ships. Having only done 4 patrols before, I only have a IID with three tubes and three torps left.

Closing in on them, I do a depth-under-keel-check. 27 metres.... Ops.. Not to good for my escape-plan. I fire off the three torps, sinking two, harming one but it won't sink (yet, at lest). And then THREE destroyers starts the search for me. I planned to sneak INTO the convoy, maybe drive directly underneath one of the ships, but didnt get there in time before they started pinging me.

So now I'm laying low - well, only 25m below the surface - using every little chance to sneak a little bit away. But... Are we doomed? As one of the greenies in the engine-roomed screamed out after the first wasserbombe blew off close by; "Scheisse, our captain is a noob!!"

Am I? Attacking a convoy in shallow water is the certain death, or can I prove to my crew that I had an ace up my sleeve?

[bookworm_020]

The best thing you can do is to go to silent running, set your speed to 2 knots and make your way toward deeper water. Avoid making any sharp rudder commands, unless dodging a depth charge and hug the bottom as best as you can.

Try and keep you profile as small as possible (bow or stern towards the destroyers and move away from the convoy (they will breadk off to rejoin it after awhile, just pray the don't call for reneforcements!)

Good luck, your going to need it.:up:

[kalkulator]

Thanks, I will try that now.

But is it common sense to by all cost avoid what I did? (that is, attacking convoys in shallow water)...
Is that a big NO-NO in U-boat warfare, and the only outcome of it is sleeping with the fishes?

What I'm trying to say is; have anyone of you done it, with great success?

Well, now, I go back to my IID and give it my best now, anyways....

[mowgli99]

i have done it with sucess but i consider myself experienced nowadays. You will eventually be able to do just about anything with enough experience and practice. Best of luck to you.

[TarJak]

If you start hearing screw noises from the hunting DD's, make a 10 degree turn to either starboard or port until you are heading about 30 to 40 degrees away from their path. This is better than using full rudder as it will keep your speed from dropping. When you hear the splashes from the DC's hit flank speed and steer 10 degrees the other way.

It won;t do much but at least you'll feel like you are doing something:lol:

After the last DC explodes you have about 30 seconds before they can hear you again so sty at flank for no longer than that time.

If there are more than one hunting you I suggest you make silent speed for most of the time until you can creep away. Alternatively if you have a torp or to get back to PD and have a crack at sinking one or two of them. It might even the odds a little and at least you'll feel like you arr fighting back. :)

[jwatch]

From what I've read on WWII submarine warfare, most captains would elect to attack, shallow water or not. Many American boats operated in VERY shallow water in the Pacific theater. Asdic and hyrophone searches seemed to be very ineffective in shallow water, especially with nearby convoy sounds. But of course, once you're found, you've had it. I'm now on my second patrol from Wilhelmshaven. En route to my patrol area, through the North Sea I pursued and attacked a convoy in 40 meteres of water. (sqare AN56) Four tubes fired, three misses and one dud. But so far, I've eluded two DDs with ease and reloading. Good luck to both of us!

[Stealth Hunter]

IID is a pain for sea patrols...

Harbor raids are perfect for that midget of a thing, but it will always remain pathetic... unless you want to drag it back to WWI.

[TarJak]

From what I've read on WWII submarine warfare, most captains would elect to attack, shallow water or not. Many American boats operated in VERY shallow water in the Pacific theater. Asdic and hyrophone searches seemed to be very ineffective in shallow water, especially with nearby convoy sounds. But of course, once you're found, you've had it. I'm now on my second patrol from Wilhelmshaven. En route to my patrol area, through the North Sea I pursued and attacked a convoy in 40 meteres of water. (sqare AN56) Four tubes fired, three misses and one dud. But so far, I've eluded two DDs with ease and reloading. Good luck to both of us!

Unfortunately SHIII models ASDIC and Sonar the same whether the water is deep or shallow. Here deep water just means you can get further away from the DC's by changing depth as well as moving left or right. In shallow water you only really have one plane to play with.

[kalkulator]

I am now safely docked in Kiel. Got a few blasts on me, but managed to sneak away after about two hours.

I heard some of you mentioned my IID being pathetic!? :doh: We just started this war, and all I got was this IID. I've heard someone mention something bigger and better, but honestly - them Kaeluns obviously have to compensate for something else... :cool:

Being in the 1st Flotilla, eventually I will get my hands on the VIIB. Only if the High Command would give me some more enemies to sink, and not all those bloody neutrals (of which I have sunk before - hence not enough renown to.. erh.. "compensate")...

[Stealth Hunter]

Yeah you better take a VIIB... or we'll lock you in the stern tube of our VIIC and shoot you out.:D

Better get to it, sonny-Jim.:up:

[Venatore]

So now I'm laying low - well, only 25m below the surface - using every little chance

Hi Kalkulator,

I read in a book (unsure which one, as a have too many now to remember) during the D-Day landings a destroyer was patrolling to the flank of the main landing site when it stumbled upon a Luftwaffe pilot floating (alive) in the sea. This pilot was shot down and waiting to be rescued. The destroyer stopped and plucked him out of the ocean. This pilot was very anxious to leave the area and the captain got suspicious, depth charged the immediate area and scored a direct hit on a U-boat the was at full stop on the bottom waiting to pick the pilot up.

The U-boat and pilot where in the middle of starting the rescue, when the destroyer approached and the U-boat submerged, waiting for the pesky intruder to leave.

[kalkulator]

So now I'm laying low - well, only 25m below the surface - using every little chance

The U-boat and pilot where in the middle of starting the rescue, when the destroyer approached and the U-boat submerged, waiting for the pesky intruder to leave.

:cry: Poor u-boat. Did the pilot survive?

So the moral is... :hmm: RUN AWAY! :up:

Stealth Hunter: :lol:

Do I like to use smileys too much? :huh:

[headcase]

Welcome aboard!

It is possible to operate in shallow waters. Make sure of your shot. Avoid using T1 eels. Fire at the maximum range you are able to. Get out of Dodge as quick as you can after firing, and don't wait around to see the fireworks. But it's still a bad idea. DD's and their friends have the deck stacked way too heavy.

But you have the best boat for the job. The "bathtub" boats are small enough it's a skoosh easier. Not that I'll trade my IXB for one. It's still a good boat to get your skills up in. And when you can trade up it'l feel real good.

Good luck, and good Hunting!

[siber]

If you're out of torps, DO NOT make the mistake I did and, feeling unable to fight back, surface to fight it out with the deck gun... That's the short way to the bottom. I found out one day when feeling reckless... :arrgh!:

You might want to remember that the DDs are armoured - I forgot - and that they've got lots of big guns whereas you've got a 20mm flak peashooter - which I also forgot. :doh:

I was back on the bottom within 3 minutes of surfacing to duel it out. :down:

(I'd like to think that, had it been real, I could have surrendered.)

[kalkulator]

The "bathtub" boats are small enough it's a skoosh easier.....It's still a good boat to get your skills up in. And when you can trade up it'l feel real good.


That was what I was thinking about - the feeling of accomplishment when earning enough renown for a VIIB (or VIIC which I see they're offering now). I have only got 6 torps in total on my IID now, and my patrol is over pretty fast.

Each time I am in port, I use about 1month to get out again. Some times longer when the hull integrity is below 100, am I right?
How historical correct is this? Were there anyone docking one day, and leaving, say, the next day or two already?

[U49]

Each time I am in port, I use about 1month to get out again. Some times longer when the hull integrity is below 100, am I right?
How historical correct is this? Were there anyone docking one day, and leaving, say, the next day or two already?

Maybe you have look at a tool called "SH3Commander" It will you you a little more feeling and control about the stuff before and after a patrol... just watch out for it here on subsim.
You can find it on JScones web page :
http://www.users.on.net/~jscones/software/products.html

[Kpt, Otto]

The "bathtub" boats are small enough it's a skoosh easier.....It's still a good boat to get your skills up in. And when you can trade up it'l feel real good.


That was what I was thinking about - the feeling of accomplishment when earning enough renown for a VIIB (or VIIC which I see they're offering now). I have only got 6 torps in total on my IID now, and my patrol is over pretty fast.

Each time I am in port, I use about 1month to get out again. Some times longer when the hull integrity is below 100, am I right?
How historical correct is this? Were there anyone docking one day, and leaving, say, the next day or two already?

Yes SH3Commander is the answer. I nearly always start the war with a type II and use SH3Commander to be able to return to a port nearer than my home port. I often choose to return to Wilhelmhaven or Cuxhaven depending if I have been smashed up or not!! If I have not been damaged then the turn around time is only 1 day and I can be back on station within a few days. After three or four patrols I then normally return to my home port, Kiel, throught the Kiel canal.

Using SH3Commander you can return to any axis port as well as do other things. :up:

[kalkulator]

I installed SH3 Commander now. Returning to another base, and not Kiel, will not that only resupply me with new torps and fuel? It will not give me a new objective, right?

[Kpt, Otto]

When you leave a port other than your home port using SH3Commander you are not asigned a new patrol square. Instead you can choose which area you would like to patrol. The only downside to this is that you are not awarded renown for patroling your asigned square becasue you have not been asigned one in the first place.

However you are rewarded for all the ships you sink.

[Samwolf]

I installed SH3 Commander now. Returning to another base, and not Kiel, will not that only resupply me with new torps and fuel? It will not give me a new objective, right?

You can use Sh3Patrol with Sh3Commander and assign yourself a new patrol grid so you can get the points.

[Brag]

What's missing in this thread is:

Stay out of shallow water!
Stay out of Der Kanal!
Stay out of ports!
Stay away from Edelphine, she's mine :cool:

[Stealth Hunter]

Then I claim Scapa Flow and Loch Ewe!:stare:

HE can have New York.