I just have an incredible time with a convoy.

[Silver_Silence]

I must have played over 20 patrol altogether so far, but I rarely have convoy action. I am still new to this game. I spend most of my earlier career raiding port during happy time when the ports are literally undefended. Then come a convoy. The time is Feb 40. Some 10 merchants escort by 3 destroyers. In the past, when I met even 1 destroyer in shallow water, I am already in trouble. But I practiced by snap shot at them and I am confident enough to rough with them. I fire at them about 15 degree ahead of them while they are turning around. I wasted some torp but I did sink 2 and crippled 1. Now all the merchants are mine! I never thought it is possible. The crippled ship shot at me from afar as we are moving away. I used my deck gun to finish 5 small ships. Then come the bigger ones. Just when I thought I can destroy the entire convoy, my girlfriend call me to come see her, and of course complained how I put computer game before her. *shrugs* so I saved and hope the save is good, unlike earlier ones that would crash the game as soon as it is loaded. I know a lot of you must have done this many time. But for me being able to take apart all escort and have a run on the merchant unchallenge this is first time. Now I have to go because my girlfriend is waiting. It is ashame the designer never fix the saving problem before they fold it.

have fun hunting.

[Jimbuna]

Good hunting http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif (with the girlfriend I mean) ;)

[kylania]

Congrats! I still have trouble with escorts myself. That's why I tend to try for one kill, then creep back later and try for another.

[Blacklight]

I've only encountered ONE convoy that I had fun with. The rest, I've had nothing but *expletive explative explative* with.
That particular convoy had like 15-20 ships... and it was completely UNESCORTED and UNARMED! It was litterally a blast. I drove up and down the ranks pummelling them with my deck gun, torpedoes, and flak gun. I think I sunk all but three before I ran out of ammo.
Now, I'm lucky if I'm able to sink one or two ships in a convoy because the escorts are like angry bees now.

[Silver_Silence]

I finally got back and pull my saved game. Fortunately for me it work! At the end my deck gun do most of the job sinking all of the small ships. I big ones however I really drop the ball. I only manage to nap one medium cargo. An empire freight left laying on one side but refuse to sink. An ore carrier with her butt sitting on water but still running fast. I use my flak gun trying to sink that one but to no effect. A destroyer later arrived at the scene, I used up all my torp so I dive and rig for silent running. It was fine and the destroyer has a few misses. I thought I lose her lock on so I use TC. I died. (yep - can't help it - these depth charges attack last far too long.) At the end I sink 9 ships. End of career.

[nikbear]

Thats a shame SS:nope:,I had the luck of the devil himself with me tonight,ran into a convoy in AM51 in march'40.Sank the two blackswans looking after the flock before they even knew what hit them,then surfaced and took out the S'class sub bringing up the rear with the deck gun,my expert gunners took it out with one shot!:oThen U124 proceeded to reak havoc on the merchants:rock:all in 15 ships!!!!;)including the ones sunk previous at the start of the patrol the total came to 22 ships and 85316GRT:up:Best result I've had in ages:arrgh!:Drinks are on me back at Wilhelmshaven!

[Brag]

The trick with convoys is: Get inside the escort screen, sink one, two, or three ships fast and go deep and silent. Never mind fighting escorts.

Visit my website for detailed tactics.

[nirwana]

Another way is shadow the convoy til night, get into position 1.5km 90 degree from the closest outside row, fire a spread with 7 degree 5m depth setting as soon the front row pass the 320, No need to set anything in the TDC. Turn to convoy course + 45 degree and run surfaced full speed. If u wont be detected its possible to run a 2nd attack later. Sometimes im even be able to attack a third time loading the externals. As soon as radar is available to the escorts this wont work anymore of cause.

[meduza]

I never attack the escorts, it's a waste of eels IMO. I sink 2-3 big ships, go deep, and return to attack until all the big ones are gone. I leave the small ships alone, and search for another convoy :arrgh!:

[Silver_Silence]

Yes, I think using torp on escort is a waste tonnage wise. Even in the last attack I mentioned I only got 40k ton. But it is about fullfiling the dream of sinking every single damn ship in the convoy that make it so gleefully amusing. Still I find it easier to sink the escort than to evade their depth charges. It could be because I spend most of the time in shallow water east of britain.