Convoy Ambush Tactics?

[ThatSailor]

Hello all, I've been having problems with trying to ambush a convoy of four cargo/troop transports guarded by three Destroyers. I tried sinking the cargo/troop transports and dive 200 feet to avoid the Destroyers but they somehow get to my position before I'm able to get out of Depth Charge range and get ultimately f**cked. I also tried taking out one Destroyer at a time but their friends manage to blow me out of the sea with Deck Guns(while I'm submerged) Anyone have any advice to help me out with this?

[Rockin Robbins]

I recommend taking out the troop transports and using the escorts' behavior against them. First of all attack in the evening after the sun goes down. If you have a fair chance you haven't planned well enough.:arrgh!:

Then attack flooded down to decks awash but with batteries still on recharge. That way you know you're on diesels. Sneak in at right angles to the convoy's course from ahead so that when you get to about 2000 yards they'll be in front of you. That's your goal for first shot: 2000 yards to 1500 yards. You don't want to be too close. If you REALLY want to hedge your bet turn your tail to them and make your first shot a stern shot.

Now, before you're sighted and from quite a distance away you're going to shoot three at the largest merchie in the convoy. Make your shots good and hit the jets ahead emergency to get away from there. Your torpedoes are going to draw all the escorts to your side of the convoy to look at you. You shot from a long ways away so you can run.

But it's running with a purpose. Slip out the back, do an end around to the other side of the convoy and NOW you're going to be able to get much closer because the escorts are on the other side looking for you. Of course when you unleash hell (single target, enough torps to sink, nothing fancy here) you're going to run away, end around to your original side and.....you guessed it.

You started this early in the evening because it could take all night. I've left three escorts with no merchies to guard any more so they scattered and left the scene. It was most touching. I gave them a one-finger salute as they quitted the battlefield.:D

[Gerald]

:ahoy:

[Armistead]

Still trying to figure how they blew you out of the sea with deckguns if you were submerged, I assume to scope depth.

Many factors are involved. You want to attack when things are in your favor, dark, fog, rough water, etc. Not that you always can.

If seas are rough, I will plot and get in front, submerge, go silent, helm as needed to stay narrow to the nearest escort, then when in it's baffles come up and shoot at the group.

If water is calm, I prefer the same method RR uses, but always on my first attack I shoot sterns, that way you don't have to turn around exposing your broadside and getting seen. I may shoot from 4-7000 yards with M14's on slow settings, depends on many factors, mainly depth, I don't want to get caught in shallows if I have to dive. If you use TMO 2.2 they have a long gun range and good visuals. I shoot sterns from the flank using a spread and haul arse, get good distance, then turn and do another end around. Correctly timed you can attack with the flank totally exposed with DD's hunting where your torps came from. The night surface attack is deadly done correctly, except when they have radar.

If a group has radar, I'll let them spot me with me ahead about 7000 yards at night. I'll surface say 7000 yards ahead about 2000 yards off the convoys track, let them get me on radar, dive deep and flank speed to the other flank. You should be able to put enough distance by the time the escorts start searching where you were seen on radar. When you notice they're about 3000 yards near you, then it's best to go silent.

As RR said, stay decks awash, but don't go so deep your electrics come on, then you become a target for sonar. I can still hit 11-13 kts with the engines decks awash.

[Daniel Prates]

You're also probably forgeting to slow down when you reach lower depths. If you are at 200ft but running at full speed, you get quite noisy and they can pinpoint you easily. Rig for silent running, there is a button for that (at least in TMO it does).

[WernherVonTrapp]

Welcome abroad mate, er uh dude, or uhh guy, I mean, ThatSailor.:D

Now, tell your crew to turn the volume down on the victrola and to stop banging on those pots and pans. That way, you make more quiet-like and sneak up on them without being heard. The only thing they should hear is a loud "BOOM!" at the end of it all.:salute:

[ThatSailor]

Thank Ye all for the advice, managed to destroy all of the merchant ships plus two destroyers without any damage done to my sub.

[Rockin Robbins]

Good on ya, mate!:salute: