A field day(night) in the western approaches.

[SabreHawk]

Well, last night was a crap shoot indeed in the western approaches.

Had been patroling only a day or two when a map contact showed up indicating a convoy heading east toward the channel. I set course to intercept in about 11hrs and right on time upon about the fourth sound check during that time there they were on the hydrophone and I didnt have to check for myself.(Thanks Olaf, goes to show how well a fella can do on a full stomach) I had ordered Olaf to do a nice meal about four hours before the intercept point.
So I manuevered for a firing position, and came to a stop and surfaced to await their arrival. Now just before this my sound guy with the full tummy reported some warships to the northwest, ans also to the east but at very long range and aparrently not escorting this convoy but merely patrolling. Too far away to give any trouble I figure.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-03-31_221427.jpg
So then finally the convoy was in range, and we let go four torpedos targeting three of the six ships and hit three of them but one torp missed.
A few more shots and was down to 5 torps left and only hit with a couple of them shot on the second shootings. They were manuevering at this time so I chalked the misses up to this and decided not to waste any more and proceded to finish them off with the deck gun, which we then did and ended up sinking all six ships in the convoy
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_174627.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_174631.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_174740.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_180356.jpg
As you can see they were a bit frantic, and searching with lights and were tring to scatter but to no avail.
All the while as per the sound guy(rough seas allowed this) was showing the previously distant warships approaching. from the north and the east. But obviously were still not in visual range.
So after the final ship was sunk, I then submerged and set course to the southwest, eventually ending up westerly in the opposite direction of the convoy's original heading. The warships did arrive and searched but found nothing and never got a line on us, not even on sound.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_181700.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_182636.jpg

Then once well away I sent a status report and got a message I didnt expect.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/SabreHawk1/SH5Img2010-04-01_192558.jpg
Geuss we did good eh? Even though the required tonnage has not been acheived they said to patrol on in the area of my choice or return to base.
Well we have 5 torpedos left, and im sure we'll find targets on the way back and may well get the tonnage to complete the mission but im not even sure we have to given that message.

[SteamWake]

Nice job.

Yes you can disregard the message and continue on your rampage :salute:

By the way it always seems like a turkey shoot when you get the right conditions. The escorts are kind of clueless.

[SabreHawk]

Actually they weren't escorting the convoy as can be seen in the first map screenie. They looked to be just on a standard patrol, and there were six of them to the northwest, and though you cant see the sound contact line there were two more to the east, though were at extreme range.

Obviously the convoy had put out a distress call, and the warships came, but arrived way too late. And I dont even know that types they were as I never got a visual on them, only sound. So they could have been DD's, Corvettes, or who knows.
But this is how I like it to be, they never see me coming or going. Only that there was an attack. And they didnt even have any ships to find at all, as the convoy was headed for Davey Jones's locker already. So nothing to find but empty sea.

[mcarlsonus]

I agree with, "SteamWake" - I simply don't believe there's enough AI in the standard campaign game(s) to enable escorts not already attached to the group to respond to distress calls. Further, as also mentioned by, "SteamWake," they ARE pretty friggin' clueless even if they're in the area! They may NOT retaliate at all but, even if they do, you're in more danger of being deafened by their ASDIC's pinging than from their ignorant depth charges attacks (yes - I'm aware that early in the war, the Allies navies had depth charges incapable of operating at depths U-Boats could attain, but I evade DD's and DE's routinely from periscope depth - while looking straight at 'em!)

[SabreHawk]

Ya, but it's obvious they were responding to a call for help because they were heading northeast well away from this area earlier before I began the attack. And were then on thier way to the area where I was attacking during it. The sound contacts during the attack confirmed this as I could tell they had changed course from where they were originally heading.
I then after the final ship was destroyed submerge and changed course to the southwest, then to the west as they arrived at the scene. But of course by this time there wasn't anyting to find and I was well out of their sonar range and heading away at half speed and at 70m.
After a time I did go to periscope depth and even gave though to turning around and seeing if I could take one of them. But they were out of visual range by then, and well............ why take a risk like that and possibly ruin a perfectly successful convoy attack by getting myself sunk.
An unnessicary risk IMO, as the objective has been achieved and the war supplies are on the bottom and the warships who came to thier aide have no idea where I am or going, and they never knew.

So we are heading north now, and will take a route similar to how we got here, and will in all likelyhood run into more supply ships and use up the remaining ammo and then it's homeward for us and then back out if the tonnage is needed.

I belive in General Patton's statement. " No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country, he won it by making to other poor bastard die for his."
It's also been my belief that had Hitler taken this same mindset things might have came out differently. But they didn't and fortunately for us lost.
In the end he simply bit off more than he and his forces could chew, and through his acting stupidly and selflishly lost big time.

[SteamWake]

I have no trouble beliving they responded to a distress call. In fact in looking at the first map that should be pretty obvious.

It's just that i dont fear them.

The other night I was hammering an convoy from inside the middle of them pounding away with the deck gun. The escorts were on the outside and couldent figure out how to get to me and sailed in circles.

Finally an armed merchant got in range and tore me a couple of new portholes.

Fear the armed escorts more than the DD's :haha:

[SabreHawk]

Oh man Steam, I can believe that about attacking from inside the convoy, did this as a rule in SH3 and I had them unable to get to me in the same way. Yes I did almost on several occasions nearly slam into one of the merchants cause my attention was foucused behind me and being in between the collums like that it's a neat trick to pull.
One time I dont think you could swim between me and a small merchant and I barely was able to stop at back full in time.
Meanwhile the three DD's and one armed trawler just didn't know what to do, even the merchants weren't sure which way to turn and some went one way and some another.
I think though that we can take credit for our attack strategies, and not contribute it all to the AI being broke.

Being just radical and unpredictable enough without being stupid is a delicate balance.
As they say, there's a thin line between genius and stupidity.

[robbo180265]

On the off chance that you haven't seen this:

I'm using the "U boat killer AI mod"

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=165886

It's early on in the war for me '39 but this mod really makes a difference. The DD's will actually search for you (not always in the right area) and it makes the game so much more enjoyable. They are still pretty clueless but as I say, it's early days yet and the author of the mod seems to think that they will improve as we get later into the war.