Sinking small DD Escorts

[Sandman_28054]

Due to a recent computer virus my son picked up, I have had to reformat my HD. I have reloaded SH3 with all the bells and whistles.

I have reloaded SH4. Patched to 1.4, added the green light mod, Cpt. Midnight Radio mod, and the Trigger Maru mod.

I separated the SH4 into two playable versions.

The stock version with everything but Trigger Maru.

Copied that version and added Trigger Maru, remaned it TM, that way I can play both.

Anywho, I started a new career (in Tirgger Maru), troop insertion at Manilla was the first mission.

Completed that and got orders to patrol w/n 100 miles of Convoy College for 48 hours.

Completed that. Decided I'd cruise down towards Singapore and see whats up there.

On the way I ran into a covoy heading North-northwwest. It consisted of 6 DD's, 2 Kongo Class BB's, 1 heavy cruiser, 1 light cruiser, and 1 small tanker.

Radioed the contact, and got orders to inflict heavy damage on the task force.

I ended up firing 4 fish at the lead BB. Set my fish to 4' depth, contact influence. Found out 3 would have done the job. (Sank 1 Kongo(?) Class Battleship: 32000 tons)

Anywho, turned west and dove to 220', ordered silent running.

Took 2.5 hours of playing to evade, but I evaded.

Surfaced and radioed status report. Received orders to patrol within 108 nm, area b11 in the South China Seas for 48 hours.

Sidenote: after evading that convoy, on the way to b11, I ran into it again.

I reach the area and in less than 3 hours I receive a contact, some small Destroyer Escort.

I turned to get a side shot. (I was heading East, he was heading South) When it was within 3000 yards, it found me. I admit I wasn't really to shook up. I figured I'd let him approach to within 1000-1500 yards and fire down the throat.

Big mistake.

Here is the deal, I set the "fore" tube fish to run at 3.5' med speed, contact fuses.

They passed right under.

Dove to 180' and let him pass over. As he was passing, I went to flank speed and went to periscope depth. I was really lucky in that I came up he was only 800 yards to the stern of me heading 180 doing 12 knts. I set the "aft" fish to run at 3.5' med speed, contact influence and fired 3 shots.

Again they just passed harmlessly under the DD.

Needless to say I was pissed. He turned and came at me again.

Dove to 220' ordered silent running and have for 9 hours tried to evade.

I cannot lose him.

Depth: 220'
Silent running
Speed: 1knt.

Questions:

How come the Recognition manual does not show the keel depth?

How the heck am I going to lose this guy?

No matter what I do he is right on top of me. No matter which way I turn, he finds me.

Been running at 220-180' for 8 hours at 1 knt at silent running. Batteries down to 60%, CO2 at about 25-30%. He continues to pass back and forth over me so I think he is out of DC's.

Help?

Thanks.

[Beardy Bob Black]

Hi Sandman,

I am in no way an expert, but I do have a little experience:



Again they just passed harmlessly under the DD.

How come the Recognition manual does not show the keel depth?
How was the weather?

If the seas are rough then it is possible for your fish to pass under the target - even if you set them to the shallowest depth.

I have killed DDEs before so I know it is possible.

There is a mod in the modding forum that replaces the stock RM with one that shows the length and beam of ships - alas it does not seem to be compatible with some of the other mods I have installed so I dont use it.

If you hunt around there is also a pdf document that lists all the ships and their drafts (in fact there are two seperate docs that I am aware of).




How the heck am I going to lose this guy?

No matter what I do he is right on top of me. No matter which way I turn, he finds me.

Been running at 220-180' for 8 hours at 1 knt at silent running. Batteries down to 60%, CO2 at about 25-30%. He continues to pass back and forth over me so I think he is out of DC's.

This is a pain.

Can you get under a thermocline? You may have to dive below test depth.

If he has run out of DCs have you tried letting him pass over you and then sitting still. Remember, when you get behind him he can no longer track you as he cannot hear over his owns screws.

Try doing a 180 turn at flank once you get behind him and then dropping to 1/3 bell once you have turned.

If all else fails, you may have to get all gung-ho and take the fight to him on the surface. You may be able to get a spread of fish off and a few gun rounds before slipping back under, pass under his keel then pop back to the surface.

In the time it takes him to evade you fish and come about, you may be at enough range to break his sound contact. Pump a few more fish out the back, go deep while turning 90 and go silent.

Of course, you will probably have tried all this before.

Torpedo room, smoke me a fish - I'll be down for breakfast ...

[gmuno]

With Trigger Maru the torps will always run deeper as set and the magnetic influence detonator ist almost useless (i figured a 10% chance of detonating once - at least for keel busting). This is fact until at least early '43.
Use 2 torps. Set those at minimum depth (1 ft.) and alternative detonators (1 contact + 1 magnetic) before shooting. Works almost everytime.
So... Good shooting.

[Arclight]

Don't know what type of sub you're commanding and how deep it can go, but I say go deeper, as deep as your nerves can tolerate. Change course to see if that throws him of, doing a 180 can do the trick. Maybe give him something to worry about and send some fish in his direction. I wouldn't try the DG; AFAIK a DD will beat a sub in a gun duel pretty much most of the time. Hull damage will also reduce the depth you can safely keep.

[Sandman_28054]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, but I have tried all that. That is why I came here to ask.

During the 8 hours I have been trying to evade this small DD, I have expended all but 2 fish in the aft tubes, and 2 fish in the fore tubes. (Trying to save a few for the trip home, just in case the need arises.)

I cannot hit the DD.

The torps pass under the hull each time.

The torpedo depth setting will only allow me to set to 3.5'. About 1 meter. Contact fuses do not work. Magnetic fuses do not work.

I have waited until the DD passes, and dove to 240' and turned 90 degrees to his run and he still finds me. I believe I'm in a Sargo(sp) class boat.

I can't remember right off what kind of small DD it is, but according to the recognition manual, it starts with an "S" and it is one of the smallest.

Anywho, I did save the game immediately after my last contact with the convoy. I could reload from there and avoid this DD the next time.

And your right, I'm not to thrilled about surfacing and going toe to toe with my deckgun against a destroyer, even if it is a small one. Besides, the only way that would be feasible would be to keep my stern section to him as my deckgun is mounted on the stern. Top speed for me surfaced in excellent conditions is 20 knts. The same for him. Best I caould do is to keep pace with him and hope he does not shoot me in the engines.

Any further tips?

[Soundman]

I too, use TMO and the only boat I have found that runs shallow enough that a fish will run under the keel without detonation is the Subchaser.

I have taken on and sunk a Subchaser with the deck gun, but don't recommend it. He did some pretty good damage to me before he went down. It's a fun and rewarding challenge to take them on, but IRL evasion is the safe bet.

BTW, took me a while to notice this...the depth setting dial can be set a few feet deeper than it's default position. It acts as though it wants to resist, but you can set them a little deeper.

[Sandman_28054]

Well fellow Captians, I never was able to do anything with the small Destroyer escort, so I did the alternative. I loaded a previous save.

My last save was evading the previously mentioned convoy.

After some doing, I shadowed the convoy for 20 miles staying about 10500 yards away.

I was able to pull in front by about 7500 yards. I turned Northeast, heading 45 degrees.

From the projected path of the convoy, I submerged at flank speed.

When I was between 2650 yards and 1500 yards, the path of the leading destroyers, I order battlestations, and silent running. When the convoy was within 5000 yards of my current position, I ordered all stop and took a last reading on my intended target. The other Kongo Battleship.

Down periscope.

20 minutes later I raised my scope for another look, and took another reading, then scope down. I did this for one hour as the convoy approached.

Silently and patiently I waited.

Finally, the Kongo was within range, 2200 yards and a green light on the target.

I fired 4 fish, all set at 4' depth, med speed, magnetic fuses.

Scored 3 hits. Figured I'd get him later when there wasn't so much heat coming down on me.

Dove tp 220 and turned west.

Evaded the convoy once again.

Using the same tactics as before, I tailed the convoy and got set in front for another attack using my last 4 fish.

Same settings as before.

As I fired my fish, the Kongo suddenly sped up to 20 knts.

All four fish missed. But that is not the end of the story.

Fortune smiled on me, because at the same time the Kongo sped up, this opened the door for my fish to hit a Takao Heavy cruiser. Wished it would have been the other cruiser, it was a Mogami Heavy Cruiser, 35,000 tons worth. Oh well, take what you can get. :damn:

3 fish hit.

Turning to evade, I dove to 220 and turned due south, heading for home.

10 minutes into my escape, came the announcement: "She's going down!"

I went to periscope depth to get a look, sure enough, sunk, one Takao Heavy Cruiser, 15870 tons.

Diving I turned for home.

Even though i did not make the last part of my mission, (patrol the South China Seas) I did end up with a total of 47,870 tons sank on my first mission in TMO at 85% realism.

Visiting Davy Jones' locker are 1 Kongo class Battleship: 32,000 tons; 1 Takao Heavy Cruiser: 15,870 tons. (Tell 'em Captian Timothy Grant (not my real name btw) sent ya!)

Not a bad piece of work even if I do have to "blow my own horn."

Thought you Captians would like an update.

(By the way: I printed out an updated version of the recognition manual, and according to it, it was a Shiratsuyu Escort Destroyer, draft: 11.5 ft. But evidently it was a Subchaser, the speeds don't match. The ship I got in my recognition manual said Shiratsuyu, but it had a speed of 20 knts. And the updated version I just printed says the Shiratsuyu can do 34 knts. Still don't know why the fish ran under the boat? Oh well, doesn't matter anyhow.)