What about aft torpedo tubes?

[Leg]

What tubes do you use first? I bet the bow torpedo tubes..
But what about the aft ones? When do you use them? What type do you like more in the aft tubes (TI, TII?). What do you do if you've just aft torpedos left? Do you return to the base or continue with your attacks untill the last one is spent?

[Mr.Fleck]

What tubes do you use first? I bet the bow torpedo tubes..
But what about the aft ones? When do you use them? What type do you like more in the aft tubes (TI, TII?). What do you do if you've just aft torpedos left? Do you return to the base or continue with your attacks untill the last one is spent?

Hello Leg,

depends on the target. For single merchants I try to use my aft torpedos first. Later in the war I load my aft tube with accoustic torpedos as defence against destroyers. Although its more a psychological effect, to know I could strike back. In general I dive as deep as possible in case a destroyer is aware of me.

When I attack a convoy the front tubes are used first. Very seldom I have the opportunity to use my aft tube(s) too in the same attack.

Generally I return to base if only aft torps are availlable, but it also depends on the year, wheather, patrol area, tactical situation etc.

Cheers!
Mr. Fleck

[Jimbuna]

I use the aft tubes as an additional supplement to the fore ones when faced with an abundance of targets (large convoy).

The aft are also handy if your being stalked by an escort....especially when hedgehogs become available.

[nikbear]

Yep,as has been mentioned,if your in a big convoy early in the war,you can get in the centre and then your aft tubes can be very handy in spreading a little confusion as to where the strikes are coming from :03: also they are the ubiquitous DD killer when they get a bit nosy and are on your trail,"They don't like it up'em' captain" :haha:http://www.genuinelondonpearlykingsandqueens.co.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/clive.JPG

[DMarkwick]

I have had about 30%-50% success in nailing a destroyer that is bearing down on me. Got to try & arrange it to be on your tail, and a slight zig-zag in the destroyer's path is desirable as you get a slightly larger window of opportunity for a hit. Setting the torp(s) to follow an exact 180 degree line from your sub and watching carefully from the periscope for a firing opportunity is the thing :)

[Synthfg]

Always like to keep a type 1 set to fast in the aft tube As I tend to go after escorts looking for point blank down the throat shots, sometimes I miss, Having an eel ready to go from the aft tube means I get a 2nd shot If I can 1) Avoid damage to the perescope 2) Avoid the depth charge pattern Trick is to not release as soon as the escort is past, but to wait until the eel has the nessisary space to travel 300m note that this time can be used to correct for any change in the escorts course by turning the boat If you miss with this 2nd shot, dive deep and prey

[Bent Periscope]

If you're running from a destroyer, how far away do you fire your aft torpedo if you are letting the destroyer get as close as possible. Obviously, it can't be 300 meters since the destroyer is also in motion and so the torpedo will not travel the full distance when it meets the destroyer.

What if you are charging the destroyer or other ship and he is also heading towards you? What tactic do you employ? When do you fire? Dive? Do you fire at PD or wait until you hit a certain depth, say 20 meters? Do you crash dive but immediately reduce or cut engines while turning so the destroyer doesn't hear you or do you keep the engines blaring away?

Or do you just never challenge a destroyer?

Thanks,
BP

[mookiemookie]

I'm in a Type IX and so I have two stern tubes. If you don't mind wasting a torpedo, you have a good chance to sink a destroyer who's chasing you. Here's how I do it:

Stay at PD. He already knows you're there and you're going to either be a hero or fish food, so it gets a bit harrowing here. Stay calm! Wait until he's about 800 meters away. Set your eels to run at 2 meters. (BTW: If it's stormy weather with choppy water, I wouldn't try this as the wave action has a strong possibility of setting your torpedoes off early) Get your torpedo solution on him and move your scope a couple degrees off his port or starboard side and fire one of your tubes. Repeat with his other side.

Now you've bracketed him in with your fish. He will ALWAYS turn to one side or the other to avoid your torpedoes. What he doesn't know is that he's just turned INTO your torpedo. If all goes well, you'll hit him in the bow quarter and since those tin cans are fragile, he'll sink like a rock.

Now this is in a perfect case scenario. There's a lot that could go wrong so it's not a guaranteed success. I've only had to do this a couple of times, but it seems to do the trick.

[Synthfg]

Mehh

Type-1 Fast, either approaching from the front or rear, with the tube open, launch at 500m straight down his throat, he won't have time to turn or evade

[Murr44]

I'll use the aft torpedo if I'm in the middle of a convoy or if I hit something that requires a second shot & I don't want to waste another fore tube shot on it. Otherwise I will return to base with aft torpedoes unused.

[FIREWALL]

I didn't bother to read the posts like some of the others so to up my post count too . :O:

I say do the same thing. :haha:

[Platapus]

If I have a lone small merchant and I have plenty of time, I will set up my approach to use the stern tube.

I like to "save" the bow tubes for when I have bigger ships, multiple ships, or I am short of approach time.

[Kapt Z]

If I have a lone small merchant and I have plenty of time, I will set up my approach to use the stern tube.

I like to "save" the bow tubes for when I have bigger ships, multiple ships, or I am short of approach time.

I agree.:up:

[Bent Periscope]

Usually I can find a few lone merchants and then I’ll race ahead and set him up for an aft shot.

I’m in early-1942 and just got a IXB for the long trips so now I can send out two eels and hopefully take out some of the bigger ships.

[timmyab]

I mainly use the stern tube to finish off ships that refuse to sink.I load them with T1's as stealth isn't an issue in these situations.I also use it occasionally if I get within a convoy but it's often a wild potshot because I concentrate on lining up the fore tubes.
If I've got just aft tubes left I usually go home.It's never a nice feeling to know that you've got nothing up the spout on the long journey home.

[Kubryk]

I use aft torpedoes as soon as I can, paying attention, 'cause I still am not that familiar with shooting in the opposite direction. I only use it for single merchants. Since I don't engage DDs I don't need to save one aft torpedo as a life-savier in a bad situation.

[Leg]

Excellent! As I am using a type IX as well I keep a steam and an electric in my stern tubes, even if I think I am going to use just a kind of torpedos. So in this period I am using stern torpedos to attack single ships; shadowing them and going ahead, then going to PD and getting in position to use the stern tubes... usually it works. I also use them attacking convoys after I've shot the bow ones. I keep one or two torpedos returning to the base, expecially in this moment in my campaign (june 1940), when the bases in France are not operative yet and I've to return to Germany.