Any way to deal with the Hedgehog?

[BasilY]

Having lost 3 consecutive careers to hedgehogs, (GWX2.1) I am seeking ways to avoid the same fate again. All ideas welcomed.

[Annatar]

Don't get pinged.

[A Very Super Market]

Yes, sit in port the entire patrol. Claim that there were "engine problems"

[Gaijin]

Stop letting your men keep them as pets onboard your sub?

Strap a huge inflatable tyre to the front of your bow?

[Faamecanic]

:salute: I guess the answer is "there is no answer"? I would be curious also to a good answer being as these hedgehogs have been my demise for 2 careers.

[magicsub2]

an easy way is to start the patrol from the start of 1939, not missing one bit.

then the ai gradually increases.

[Jimbuna]

If you have external view enabled you will sense when the escort is approx 200 yards from you. Provided your deep enough, suddenly go to full astern and the forward throwing projectiles will occasionally overshoot their target........if your lucky :DL

[GREY WOLF 3]

Don't get pinged.
In other words dont get detected:D

[Schöneboom]

If you must carry on after 1943 (which is like playing Russian roulette with 4 chambers loaded, IMO), here is one "crazy" idea which could turn the odds in your favor, at least for a little while.

If you know the bearing of the attacking DD, you could try running towards it at top speed, to get under it before the DD can adjust its hedgehog launch time. Then you will be coping with its wabos instead. It's a trade-off, of course: you may survive the pass, but you will not "slip the noose," esp. if there is a hunter-killer team -- and you lose a bit more battery power each time.

Then again, maybe you will have some interesting tales of an engagement lasting several hours, with the oxygen or the battery power running out! Happy Days! :yeah:

[rubenandthejets]

Ron Jeremy isn't that bad, is he?

[Otto Heinzmeir]

If you must carry on after 1943 (which is like playing Russian roulette with 4 chambers loaded, IMO), here is one "crazy" idea which could turn the odds in your favor, at least for a little while.

If you know the bearing of the attacking DD, you could try running towards it at top speed, to get under it before the DD can adjust its hedgehog launch time. Then you will be coping with its wabos instead. It's a trade-off, of course: you may survive the pass, but you will not "slip the noose," esp. if there is a hunter-killer team -- and you lose a bit more battery power each time.

Then again, maybe you will have some interesting tales of an engagement lasting several hours, with the oxygen or the battery power running out! Happy Days! :yeah:

I just started GWX3.0 and spent 2 and 1/2 hours avoiding DC's from 3 or 4 DD's after taking out a light cruiser. Since this was on Sept 9th 1939 when its suppose to be easy, I was wondering if I could get some pointers on avoiding before I get killed. My attack may have been ill advised as there were no waves, it was broad daylight and only about 90m deep.

Now when you have 3 or 4 DD's or DE's ganging up on you. How can you tell which of the DD's will be making a run at you? Since my crew is brand new, my Hydrophone guy kept losing contact with the nearest warship even though the nearest warship was like 200m away or less. I have read to make your aspect small by turning to the DD that is pinging you. With multiple DD's is that feasible? Seems like one pings, one listens and 1 drops DC's and you have to turn to avoid the DC's so you can't worry about your aspect in regard to the other DD that is pinging. This attack lasted about 2 and 1/2 hours. Out of that time I bet I got pinged 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Fortunately I started with fresh batteries and they never really got the depth accurate.

[TarJak]

Simple answer, don't get into a position where they can use them on you.

[bookworm_020]

Depth and speed. If you are deep enough, and you have external view on, you do stand a chance. Go to flank when they fire and a hard turn as well. It give you a chance of missing them.

[Mittelwaechter]

The key is to stay undetected, adapt your tactics!

This includes to stay outside of convoys and to operate at periscope depth.

Shoot long range, make good use of FATs and fan shots.

A ratio of 4 eels : one sunken ship is realistic, don't go for BRT high scores.

If you h a v e to dogfight, store some Falke torpedos and shoot first.

[Lzs von swe]

Yes, Mittel is right.
Use the standoff range of your weapons. Fire and clear datum.
If detected, pray and go deeper.
When you hear dc´s in the water change speed, course and depth. Then go back to 1 knot, always stay on silent running.
But rule no1 is: Stay away from destroyers:arrgh!:

[Otto Heinzmeir]

Great tips. I am all for rule number one from here on out.

[Hartmann]

Use a XXI boat in 1944 :D stay deeper and run at 17 knts can save you

[Freiwillige]

Strap a trampoline to the front of your boat, Hedgehogs will bounce right back up and go boom on the destroyers! SOooo simple yet so effective!:haha:

[BasilY]

Yes, Mittel is right.
Use the standoff range of your weapons. Fire and clear datum.
If detected, pray and go deeper.
When you hear dc´s in the water change speed, course and depth. Then go back to 1 knot, always stay on silent running.
But rule no1 is: Stay away from destroyers:arrgh!:

I don't think hedgehogs give out the "DC in water" warning...

[danurve]

The sacrifice of tonnage for storing a few extra T-IV / T-V's is worth it.
This of course presumes your aware of your surface contacts and an escort doesn't sneek up behind your screws.

[Jimbuna]

Yes, Mittel is right.
Use the standoff range of your weapons. Fire and clear datum.
If detected, pray and go deeper.
When you hear dc´s in the water change speed, course and depth. Then go back to 1 knot, always stay on silent running.
But rule no1 is: Stay away from destroyers:arrgh!:

I don't think hedgehogs give out the "DC in water" warning...

That's correct, they don't.

[Cohaagen]

You lot are a bunch of wimps - imagine if the Squid mortar was modelled in game. How does a 40-50% kill ratio sound?

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/851/squidchic58.jpg

[Freiwillige]

The first successful use was by HMS Loch Killin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Loch_Killin) on 31 July (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_31) 1944 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944), when she sank U333 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterseeboot_333). The system was credited with 17 submarines in 50 attacks.

That less than 1/3rd kill ratio. Good odds for the Kaleuns:salute:

[Otto Heinzmeir]

Yes, Mittel is right.
Use the standoff range of your weapons. Fire and clear datum.
If detected, pray and go deeper.
When you hear dc´s in the water change speed, course and depth. Then go back to 1 knot, always stay on silent running.
But rule no1 is: Stay away from destroyers:arrgh!:
I don't think hedgehogs give out the "DC in water" warning...

You mean your suppose to be warned when DC's are in the water. hmm my hydrophone guy has never once warned me. Is this because he is too green or is there some setting to turn on for the DC in water warning?

[Puster Bill]

That less than 1/3rd kill ratio. Good odds for the Kaleuns:salute:

That's 1/3rd per attack. Those kind of odds will kill you quickly. Think of Russian Roulette with 2 chambers loaded instead of one, and playing more than one round.

Still sound attractive?

[danoh]

Well the Hedgehog was a super weapon for the Allies so it's gonna be a problem if you are facing it. Your best bet is to understand how it works, how it is employed, and anticipate what you must do to avoid it.

The hedgehog works so well because:

1) the destroyer can shoot it while it still has you in contact, since it is an "ahead thrown weapon." so the destroyer will still have you in sonar contact when it fires the hedgehog. And:

2) it is not set to explode at some depth, but only explodes on contact. So if it explodes, it has hit you and that means you're probably dead.

The hedgehog throws a ring of bombs which actually look really cool. I recall one narrow escape in which this chandolier of death floated just of my stern.

So you might use the external cam for a while - yeah, it's lower realism, but you need to watch how it works.

A ship that shoots it at you will be charging at you, so you might think about getting the mod that shows escort contacts in red on your sonar. When you see one charging at you, anticipate the hedgehog, and instead of waiting for the depth charge warning, drop a bold and floor it out of the area. I don't know exactly how far ahead the hedgehog fires or if this is variable, but I would guess it is about 300 meters. I don't know if this is variable.

Unfortunately, all this information will likely only give you a better idea why you died. The hedgehog was a GREAT weapon because the escort still has you in it's sonar cone when it's fired.

The deeper you are the more time that ellapses between when the death chandolier enters the water and when you get hit, so deep is good.

One question I have is how many hedgehog attacks a typical escort has. It's like 24 mortars so they can't have more than half-a-dozen, but if anyone knows how many hedgehog salvos escorts typically have I'd like to know.

Avoiding detection is of course the best possible scenario. After 1942, I don't attack heavily escorted convoys if seas are not rough because unless the water is stormy they are going to find you and kill you.

Of course, one other way to avoid them is to play SHIV - the Japanese escorts don't have hedgehogs:P

[Otto Heinzmeir]

When do the allies first start using hedgehogs?

[Oneshot/Onekill]

I believe from my limited naval knowlege, it was late 1943.

[Otto Heinzmeir]

I believe from my limited naval knowlege, it was late 1943.

Ah thanks.

[Lzs von swe]

This is from uboat.net.
The first Hedgehog installation was put onboard the frigate (DE) HMS Bayntun on March 12, 1943.

Your SO calls out "wasserbomben" when DC´s are in the water, but not always. If Jim says there is no such call for Hedgehogs I take his word for it:cool:
Stay in the control room or your SO station and listen for the destroyer to accelerate and then the splashes. Order higher speed, depht cange and change course. To port or starboard? Your call, Kaleun.

[Cohaagen]

The first successful use was by HMS Loch Killin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Loch_Killin) on 31 July (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_31) 1944 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944), when she sank U333 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unterseeboot_333). The system was credited with 17 submarines in 50 attacks.

That less than 1/3rd kill ratio. Good odds for the Kaleuns:salute:
The statistics are a bit confused because they often combine kills for single and double Squid installations - the double fit (as it was always intended) was much more deadly. The converging pressure wave concept, designed to crush the U-boat's hull, is shown below:

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9638/image81.gif

That actually shows Limbo I think, but the principle and depth bombs used were exactly the same. And even 1/3rd odds doesn't sound good to me!

Didn't one of the early escorts accidentally launch a Squid round into her foc'sle by mistake? Something to do with mixing up practise and live charges?

[harzfeld]

Having lost 3 consecutive careers to hedgehogs, (GWX2.1) I am seeking ways to avoid the same fate again. All ideas welcomed.

Homing torpedoes is your friend. Try use em on approaching destroyers before you go deep. :up:

[Otto Heinzmeir]

This is from uboat.net.
The first Hedgehog installation was put onboard the frigate (DE) HMS Bayntun on March 12, 1943.

Your SO calls out "wasserbomben" when DC´s are in the water, but not always. If Jim says there is no such call for Hedgehogs I take his word for it:cool:
Stay in the control room or your SO station and listen for the destroyer to accelerate and then the splashes. Order higher speed, depht cange and change course. To port or starboard? Your call, Kaleun.

Ah many thanks.

[Oneshot/Onekill]

Well i did say my naval knowledge was limited. At least i got the year right, one outta two ain too bad. :)