Task Force Attack!

[jasondef]

Got 8 fish left, 4 bow, 4 stern, trying to finish off my patrol when I get a radio update that a task force is nearby, and I'm just in time to get into perfect position. So I go check it out. Wow, 2 Fuso battleships, 3 Shokaku carriers, 2 Takao heavy cruisers, 7 assorted destroyer escorts, and a couple small tankers trailing.:o

Wondering what different people's strategy here would be, and maybe some tactical tips! I'm still relatively new to SH4 (though a SH3 vet, its been a long time), my third mission (though only second merchant patrol mission), no idea how many torps it takes to sink a battleship, carrier, heavy cruiser etc. My first thought is prioritize the battleships, second the carriers in ranking of tonnage. Or should I just avoid this heavy group with limited torps and just a lone sub? Is this madness!! But c'mon, you can't resist. :arrgh!:

So my first run through, I fire 3 out the stern at the furthest Fuso, 1 at Fuso #2, (able to run under the traffic in the way with the Fuso's deep draft) swing around flank for bow shots, 2 at Fuso #2, and the final 2 at the nearest carrier, then dive down deep and silent just in time for the 2 or 3 nearest destroyers to start on me. Before my depth charge into oblivion, I get to see the fireworks a little. Not the most accurate, I get the first 2 in the first fuso, one at the second, and both my carrier shots strike their mark.

Well, the dang Fuso's seemed to shrug them off like mosquito bites, not even slowing down near as I can tell. The carrier's nose dipped down into the sea, but it kept putting along, not quite sinking. Well at least they won't be launching planes off that one any time soon! So my demise and that of my crew had at least some small meaning I guess.:()1:

So I'm gearing up for my next try, with some new strategy. I'm thinking with my remaining firepower, maybe I better just focus on the Fuso's, it looks like it may take 4 hits each to sink em' at least. Or maybe more, so focus on one plus a carrier. Or maybe just all at one? And to evade once I'm empty, I think I'll try heading under the fleet, hoping to get lost in the noise to buy some time and get out of there.

What would YOU do??

[FIREWALL]

I think you'll do fine. Personally I'd go for carriers. They do more damage to us and our Task groups in the War.

Good Hunting :up:

[jasondef]

That's a good thought. But I was going for the tonnage, maybe for realism the carriers would be more worthy targets for the war effort. And I'm guessing carriers take less fish to sink, so if I can get the 3 carriers instead of the 2 Fuso's, that'd be more tonnage. That's assuming I get all hits in the right places, unlikely.

[eatmafish]

congrats on winning the lotto man :D

did you report contacts to HQ? I believe it's time to go all out attack (1 ship at a time) at the cost of abandon ship if neccesary. :arrgh!:

[Bathrone]

Funny, as only yesterday I was griping about not having big encounters and playing today....low and behond a nice task force pops up close for me too! :lol: :cool:

Im not all that experienced and I had to mow through four destroyers before getting to the main pack. I was coming up from behind at night with the diesels whacking away. I later thought I should have veered to the west or east, moved in front of them and then patiently sat while they came to me.

Anyway I took out the four destroyers using between one and two torps each on magnetic triggering - about 0.5 meters under their draft depth. I dont know if this actually does more damage or not but the weather was clear so what the heck.

Now with this pesky ships on fire and plunging to the bottom I got within 5000 meters of the main pack. Two fleet carriers, two cruisers, wow! I tried in for one of the flat tops but I was pinged and I was in a world of hurt from there. I have a savegame at a good point, and long range torp attacks (standard torp fitout) dont work even on such large ships.

It seems to me I need to do better at predicting where I need to be and being positioned at the right time in the right place.

[jasondef]

Not a bad tactic, taking out the destroyers first. I tend to ignore those, saving my fish for the big boys, and rack up the tonnage. Then play the hide and seek game. Plus, I find its easy for me to take out the first destoyer, but after that when they're doing the evasives, tough to hit!

[Taurolas]

Destroyers are going to find you if you so much as fart within 4k.... the other thing is if the destroyers hear you the rest of the group will start doing zig zags if not already doing so. The idea then is to do a work around if possible (track their heading and see which port looks favourable or if a battle group their final destination) and then split and hit the gas you can always track them via radar if you have it and stay well out of visual range.

Have you ever tried long range attacks? This at the moment is something i'm trying as i've had good success so far from outside the general destroyer spotting and hearing distance range, hitting a carrier in rough seas and sink it from 7k is my best so far, neither the destroyers or main convoy saw em comming (roughish seas helped).

If like you say you got shook up by destroyers then it would seem they've already heard you so i'd say set your torps for magnetic (depending on date) or set depth no deaper than the cruisers and fire a spread at the 2nd main ship in line, you should then hit something of interest apart from a suicidal destroyer :) and if they zig / zag someone will get on the wrong end of a torp, this is the hail mary shot hehe. then go as deep as possible, now when i say deep i mean lights popping in the conning tower deep... those destroyers just dont know when to give up. depth charges from above and lights popping in the tower man its intense hehe.

[Baywing]

Personally, I'll always go for the carriers, they are the prizes of WW2, and they can do the most damage to our fleet. With 8 torps, I'd pick one carrier and send at least 3, maybe all 4. At the first hit, the entire task force will start evasive, so I think it best to get the job done fast and before the DD's get after you. I'd make my first shot with the stern tubes if possible. Then, I'd keep plugging away at that one carrier until she goes under. With any torps left, I'd evade and try to take out a tanker or 2, without oil, they ain't gettin' very far.

[The Fishlord]

What would YOU do??

Move at 2/3 speed to within 2000-1500 yards of the first Fuso. Fire all your bow torps at him (be sure to spread them out in this order: 1 centered using lock, 1 1 degree forward, 1 2 degrees forward, and 1 1 degree backward). Set your torp speed to fast, then fire all of them as quick as possible. Dive under him; destroyers will have a tough time going after you when they all bunch up in the center with the battleships.

Pop up on the other side and wait till you're in the same position with the second Fuso as with the first, except with stern tubes. Get closer if possible (within 1500 yards, too close to avoid). Fire ONE, ONE torpedo under his B turret.

Depending on your AI settings either battleship may stop moving. If any of them keeps moving, fire another torp into them until the propellors stop. When they do, just wait. They'll probably list pretty far if you've hit them in the right places. Finish them off at your discretion if they don't sink on their own (go deep and use silent running, then turn on timecompression until they stop sinking, then resurface and finish them).

[jasondef]

OK, I took all ideas into thought. Second time around, I got in front of the pack, fired 2 fish at each of the battleships with my stern, torps on slow. Turned around flank, fired at the closest carrier with 2 from bow high speed torps, saving my final 2 for finishing off any limping ships. I tried to work the torp speeds in this manner to get all torps to hit as close to the same time as possible. Then I headed for the approaching middle of the convoy. Managed hits with all but one fish this time! One battle ship sunk, the other crippled & listing, screws dead, same for the carrier. Was able to finish off each one with one of my remaining two torps each, easy when they are slowing to a stop. Talk about tonnage! Then I snuck out the back of the convoy, getting lost in the rest of the traffic on the way, steering directly under a couple vessels intentionally. I was well clear heading in the opposite direction, when the 7 destoyers were depth charging the front, opposite side of the convoy from me, no idea where I was. Couldn't find me, running on silent at about 1 knot the rest of the way. My battery was down around 15-20% by this time, but I was able to do 1 knot seemingly forever.

After maybe 2 hours of game time, I was able to surface and start to recharge, just out of sight of the convoy. Hard part was the continous patrol planes that plagued me, had to submerge seemed like every five minutes for a few hours until they thinned out, barely able to keep my battery charged above zero and keep moving away. Maybe that's another good reason to go after all the carriers first, so at least you can make your getaway easier without the constant buzzing of those annoying mosquitos, lesson learned for the future.

[Captain Vlad]

What would I do...*ponders*

Assuming a successful approach, I'd fire all four bow tubes at the carrier that I'm most likely to hit. I would then go ahead flank, bring my aft tubes to bear as fast as I could, and fire the four stern torpedoes at the same carrier.

What I decide to shoot at, sinks. Period.:rock:

Then dive like hell and get ready for the mother of all depth chargings.

[C DuDe]

:shifty: Hmmmmz,

Sitting in my S-class is thinking of getting just the 1 carrier :oops: , but it's a carrier!!!!:rock:

[NealT]

Carriers. They would take out the carriers. I am sure of it.

[bookworm_020]

What would I do??

I've already have done it!:arrgh!:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7799/sh4img200712192119sy4.jpg

[Schultzy]

Nice work guys, i've never even seen a TG yet...i'm happy to go home with a Sampan under my belt. :lol:

[-Pv-]

jasondef,

Your last successful attack is very much like those I've made. Long, hard, grueling and well planned. Great work.
-Pv-

[jasondef]

Thanks, PV. That means a lot coming from you, I'm honored sir! Took me couple tries, but well worth it. That was by far the most edge of my seat action I've had yet in SH4. Makes me almost want to just go Task Force hunting, screw the convoys! Luckily for the Axis powers, its been a rare find for me thus far.;)

[jasondef]

Bookworm, that appears to be the mother of all task forces! I only hope I can perish in such a noble fight as taking on that bunch. Nice work, I am envious!

Let this be a thread to be recognized by all those complaining they can't find any action.

[The Fishlord]

Bookworm, that appears to be the mother of all task forces! I only hope I can perish in such a noble fight as taking on that bunch. Nice work, I am envious!

Let this be a thread to be recognized by all those complaining they can't find any action.

Haha I got the very same task force once I believe. There were two Takao CAs, one Mogami CA, one Maya CA, one Yamato BB, one Escort CV, six DDs (mostly Asashio and Akizuki), two Fusos, one Ise, and a Medium Old Tanker.

Plagued by unimaginably frustrating torpedoes and an almost depleted load by the time I caught up with them, I only managed to bag the Yamato and cripple a Fuso.

*sigh*...

[Rockin Robbins]

I'm on cruise 15 of my career and only saw capital ships once, as they steamed by at 3000 yards. I shot six at a BB anyway and got it, but the rest just ran away at 30 knots. Even the DDs didn't bother to bug me. They were gone!:ping:

[Nisgeis]

I always try to follow the standing orders of the day. I got the following from the document 'Current Doctrine Submarines. USF 25(A). Prepared by COMMANDER SUBMARINE FORCE, PACIFIC FLEET. FEBRUARY, 1944' URL is http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/sub_doctrine.htm

That says:

4103. The objectives of submarine attack are enemy ships and shipping. If a choice is offered, priority is as follows: CV, BB, ACV, AO, any man of war larger than a DD, AP, AK, DD. However, no worthwhile target should be passed up in the hope of securing a better one.

So, that's the target order I go for.

Here's what the designations mean (I think, someone who knows for sure can correct me if I'm wrong):

CV- Aircraft Carrier,
BB - Battleship,
ACV - Escort Carrier,
AO - Auxillary Oiler,
AP - Non Landing Troop Ship,
AK - General Cargo Ship,
DD - Destroyer.

Unfortunately this means that I can't ignore Sampans and have to sink them.

Nisgeis.

[stormrider_sp]

I bounced on a huge task force last night, but I'm having problems approaching one of the big carriers. The Task Force is composed of 3 Carriers, 2 BB, 2 HC, 1 LC, Some Merchants and a perimeter with 1 DD for every 1000yds.

This is a daylight attack. Any advices on how to penetrate this screen??

[Capn_Sinky]

Me, I gotta go for the CV's. I usually only worry about tonnage when it's just a merchant convoy. Task Force's are the bomb if you can get into a good position.

Be careful if you lock the target in your scope though. I once wasted 6 fish on a large tanker that could have been taken out with 2 or 3. Multiple fish in the same spot don't do as much damage as spreading them out.

Excellent Job!

Capn_Sinky (aka Stinky)
O.I.C.I.C.
Office In Charge of Ice Cream
USS Drum

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

When I radio in the sighting I always obey the directive- either sink freighters or attack convoy. Either way I move within between 9000-7000 yards of the biggest, slowest target and fire. The distance will give me enough time to get the hell out of Dodge.

[peabody]

I have seen three Task Forces (I mean actual ships, I have seen several contacts but they were ahead of me and I couldn't catch them and no way to "go around"):
The first I had zero fish, on my way back for a refit. So I just watched them sail by.

Second I fired all six forward torps into the Ise Battleship and it went down. If there were Aircraft carriers, I didn't see them, so I took what I could. I dove deep and evaded because I thought I knew where they were going. Lot of reports with spottings in the almost exact same place. I was wrong.

Third was "OH, shoot I just screwed up big time!!!" (I didn't really say "shoot") Manila had been captured so I was sent to a base on Jawa. On the way back from a supply mission I was sailing along the row of islands on the southern part of the Flores Sea. Got 4 contacts, engaged but they were all USA. So just before the port I saw another USA merchant and surfaced. Since I was almost into the narrow part before the port, I stayed on the surface, got multiple contacts. Lots of blue lines and lots of black lines. The last time it was only a couple of black line for the tankers, this had lots of both. Since I had just made all these USA contacts I figured it was a Allied Task Force leaving port. Boy was I wrong, I'm sailing merrily (sorry, I guess Skippers don't do merrily) right smack into the middle of the biggest Task Force I have ever seen in the game. (But I haven't been playing very long) and that's when I said "Golly gee wiz, those are Japanese flags" Well it was something like that but not rated for daytime tv. They must have just attacked the base and were leaving. So I phoned home and told them I would be late for dinner and since the destroyers were making a beeline for me, I had no choice but to go deep. Then after an hour of real time, I saved it and went to bed, so I don't know how it's going to turn out.

Told the story so other noobs don't make the same STUPID mistake I did. I won't bother to ask what you guys would have done, because I am sure you wouldn't have made the mistake in the first place. I was so careful to check out the other contacts just to make sure it wasn't the enemy, but when a million ships sail toward me, I ignored it , an idiot at work.:smug:
I also had another first for me on this mission, one of the contacts, I was getting lined up plotting it's course, and then it just stopped. Turned out it sank. I don't know if maybe planes got it, it was grey not red so I am assuming it was allied?

Peabody (Stupid noob tricks a specialty.)