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View Full Version : Don't things just get harder for the Gray Wolves!!!


ddiplock
05-29-08, 11:58 AM
So, i've got my boat kitted out with some goodies. A large Flakvierling flak piece attatched to my boat, a radar warning reciever, and radar...of which i use sparingly just to see if there's anything around, but during this patrol, its been off 99% of the time. lol

Isn't it interesting the difficult position that enemy radar puts the uboats into? Already i've seen that simply getting into position to attack a convoy or a task force is much trickier as you risk detection if you're riding on the surface, whereas submerged your batteries don't produce the speed to get you into position, and even if they did, you'd be heard on enemy hydrophones in a second. I came across a British Task Force, nothing too fancy, a light Bogue class carrier. I'd been reciving a constant stream of reports updating me on their position, so I thought why not, i'll try and bag myself some goodies.

I attempted to maneuver my boat into some form of attack position but I must have cropped up on their radar as two planes appeared. I crash dove down deep, but no bombs were dropped, and no destroyers paid me a visit. I used the external cam, and the carrier had sterted evasive maneuvers: they knew there was a uboat in the area. But as mentioned, no one tried to drive me off.

Alas, I wasn't able to get ahead of the task force into a favourable attack position and had to let the task force slip away.

I'm thinking in future, whenever I detect the radar signals of enemy escorts, to turn and start heading in the other direction, to get ahead and try to get into position.

Does anyone have any tips.suggestions on attacking convoys in the later years of the war? :hmm:

Uboatman
05-29-08, 06:56 PM
So, i've got my boat kitted out with some goodies. A large Flakvierling flak piece attatched to my boat, a radar warning reciever, and radar...of which i use sparingly just to see if there's anything around, but during this patrol, its been off 99% of the time. lol

Isn't it interesting the difficult position that enemy radar puts the uboats into? Already i've seen that simply getting into position to attack a convoy or a task force is much trickier as you risk detection if you're riding on the surface, whereas submerged your batteries don't produce the speed to get you into position, and even if they did, you'd be heard on enemy hydrophones in a second. I came across a British Task Force, nothing too fancy, a light Bogue class carrier. I'd been reciving a constant stream of reports updating me on their position, so I thought why not, i'll try and bag myself some goodies.

I attempted to maneuver my boat into some form of attack position but I must have cropped up on their radar as two planes appeared. I crash dove down deep, but no bombs were dropped, and no destroyers paid me a visit. I used the external cam, and the carrier had sterted evasive maneuvers: they knew there was a uboat in the area. But as mentioned, no one tried to drive me off.

Alas, I wasn't able to get ahead of the task force into a favourable attack position and had to let the task force slip away.

I'm thinking in future, whenever I detect the radar signals of enemy escorts, to turn and start heading in the other direction, to get ahead and try to get into position.

Does anyone have any tips.suggestions on attacking convoys in the later years of the war? :hmm:


I have now reach 1945, after late '43 attcking the large convoys gets progressively difficult and I had to give up after 6th June, maybe just coincidence but when out on my next patrol the outer ring of escorts was so well organised that I could not get into a postion to fire even at the outer lane of merchants. I am in a IXD2 so it might be easier in a VII but my advice would be, stay away, and that seems to be echoed when I asked the question. With the Bogue/Casablanca I have had good success, got 1 of each last patrol, got into position along their expected path but not within 3000m of the escorts, still left me with max range shots at about 4.8km where the torpedo would intercept, this leaves plenty time to get away.

The smaller convoys are still difficult but you can get into position without being detected and get away without being heard too. Which is a relief at this late stage.

Anyway hope this helps, I am off to greet 1945 and probably my death along with my crew.

Letum
05-29-08, 07:05 PM
Yup.

You really have to second guess the convoy, out manover it well out of range and
hope it hasn't zig-zagged after the allies have good radar systems.

I remember it was a real nightmare in SH 2.

Yorktown_Class
05-30-08, 01:07 AM
Are you saying,leaving radar turned on they can detect that?

Lzs von swe
05-30-08, 05:32 AM
Yes, they will.
But it works both ways..

Yorktown_Class
05-30-08, 05:45 AM
Yes, they will.
But it works both ways..

Thanks,when I turn the radar off,I still get my crew telling me we have radar contact,what am I missing here??

Lzs von swe
05-30-08, 05:58 AM
The safest way to make sure the radar is off is to do it you're self, at your Ra station. Then it will stay of. You will still get warning from the radar warner, if the enemy is using his radar.

Letum
05-30-08, 06:27 AM
Yes, they will.
But it works both ways..
Thanks,when I turn the radar off,I still get my crew telling me we have radar contact,what am I missing here??

Radar can be picked up by radar warning systems.

It sounds like your crew are telling you they can detect enemy radar.

Yorktown_Class
05-30-08, 06:55 AM
Thanks guys for setting me straight,still a lot I don't know about the inter workings of a sub...thanks:up:

Jimbuna
05-30-08, 08:28 AM
I'm thinking in future, whenever I detect the radar signals of enemy escorts, to turn and start heading in the other direction, to get ahead and try to get into position.



That is a wise/sound tactic Kaleun http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

rifleman13
05-30-08, 10:26 AM
Harder?!?

It's just more interesting to play and more fun!:arrgh!:

That's why I patrolled the Hebrides to the Rockall Banks to the Bay of Biscay and found just handful of ships!:damn: Maybe for lone ships under 6000 tonnes.

That just means I don't dive very often to check the hydrophones!:damn:

GWX is a great mod! Thanks GWX Team!:rock:

ddiplock
05-30-08, 10:45 AM
I have radar installed on my boat, and a warning reciver too. I have the Radar turned off 99% of the time to avoid detection, but, on the odd occasion, I do stick in on for a few minutes at a time, see if there is anything out there. When i'm satisfied, it goes off again :)

Konovalov
05-30-08, 10:49 AM
I turn my radar on if I'm bored and want to see some action. It's a bit like leaving a piece of food out on a hot sunny day. Give it a few minutes and there will be flies all over it. :D

Ivan Putski
05-30-08, 11:18 AM
Like ddiplock, I leave my radar off the majority of the time, your radar warning is your real life saver. I`ve had plenty of aircraft warnings, don`t assume all radar warnings are ships, they`re not. Many times I`ve been attacked at night by radar, and searchlight equipted flying boats. It can be a real challenge late in the war, but remember even in early 1941 the Germans lost 3 of their top U-Boat Aces in the same month. So Happy Sailing, and stay alert. :up: