An operational question

[Alycidon]

Hi,

This is a question relating more to immersion (or possibly submersion) in the game and I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice, or an insight, as to how a real U Boat Commander would have acted in this situation.

So far, I've completed 3 patrols in a Type IIa boat up and down the English East Coast and have now embarked on my first patrol on a Type VIIb. It is December 1939, my orders are to proceed to, and then patrol, grid CG11, which is off the Spanish Coast.

En route to this grid (still north of Ireland) I have spotted a convoy. So far my lookouts have identified 2 destroyers and a submarine escorting at least 9 merchants. In addition, unreported but visible to me, I can see a larger warship in the middle with another 3-4 merchants (possibly more) beyond. The warship looks like a cruiser but at this point I'm not certain, in any event, it is clearly a large convoy.

My question is this, given my orders to begin my patrol well to the south, should I engage? In real life would a U Boat Commander have done so? How happy would Doenitz be with me if I sank half the convoy (which could already have another boat or boats assigned to it) but returned to base before even reaching my patrol grid due to having fired all my torpedo's?

Engage (and damn it is tempting!) or just radio a contact report?

[don1reed]

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

Targets of opportunity are always appropriate.

And, as always, if it hasn't been done yet, Welcome aboard! :)


cheers,

[Randomizer]

In all likelihood and situation permitting, a situation report would be sent to BdU with your recommendations and new orders or repeat of your patrol orders would probably follow. Unfortunately SH3 does not allow this sort of interaction so you're on your own. In the meantime, you cannot go far wrong by shadowing and sending off a contact report to see what the game offers up in the way of a response. If you get something like "Be More Aggressive", you have your answer.

I would disagree that a convoy represents a target of opportunity since attacking one generally takes time and fuel, there were instances (as related in Blair and others) where boats were called off convoys to perform duties that had higher priority for U-Boat Command. For a single ship, sink it, sail on and enjoy...

In December '39, there were only a handful of U-Boats at sea and although the game randomizes patrol grids rather aimlessly, the Operations Section sent boats to their objectives with specific aims in mind and to achieve certain goals. In reality they would not have sent a boat to CG11 on a whim so there would have been some goal that they expected you to accomplish there.

From an immersion standpoint, only you can judge what seems "real" for you; SH3 will never penalize you for expending your torpedoes on a convoy but real life might have had somewhat different results. Particularly if your presence in CG11 was required by some big-picture mission authorized way above your pay grade like at OKM where Doenitz' bosses ruled.

[don1reed]

I was only responding only to "game play" aka fun. And he's not going out of his way to chase a blip on a chart, he has them in sight.

cheers

[Sailor Steve]

I never thought of it before, but Randomizer is probably right. In real life the kaleun would probably call it in and await orders. The game, however, doesn't know the difference.

But for me it's a new one for my 'Die Roll' list. :sunny:

[VONHARRIS]

I agree with Sailor Steve.

For the game , I would have lined up a 3 torpedo shot at the capital warship and the other one at any other target so that all torpedoes hit at the same time. Meanwhile I would have dived to 100m to escape.

[HW3]

I think in RL it would have depended on which way it was going(to/from England), and how important the assigned mission was. A contact report would most certainly have been sent, and the resulting orders would have depended on the above.

:salute:

[Captain Nemo]

If your using GWX, get close enough to the convoy so that more than three contacts show up on your nav map and send a contact report. You should then receive a reply back saying something like "no other assets are available, go ahead and attack if possible". Those are not the exact words but it gives the go ahead to attack the convoy, which is good enough for me.

Nemo

[Mittelwaechter]

Your job is to sink allied shipping wherever you find it.
As we know it was quite hard to find it.

Of course Doenitz would have ordered you to engage.

And even with broken radio equipment a Kaleun would not have hesitated to engage.

If there is an overall picture expecting you to reach CG11 fully armed you would know it.

Sink some fat tubs, Herr Kaleun.

[Pisces]

You were supposed to patrol CG11, but likely without certainty that you would find anything there when you arrive. But now you have a convoy delivered at your doorstep for sure. I'm betting Dönitz would have wanted you to seize the opportunity. Carpe Diem.

[Alycidon]

Thanks very much for all your advice and opinions, I duly noted and followed the consensus.

I sent in a contact report but had already decided that whatever the response I would make one attack with a full salvo of 4 torpedo's. I got a message telling me to be more aggressive which I took to be an endorsement of my intention to attack.

In the event, I nearly never got to make the attack as I was spotted by a destroyer as I moved a little closer to try and identify the capital ship. This was about 10.00 in the morning and for the rest of the day I found myself trying to keep clear of 2 very aggressive destroyers who kept making sweeps along my side of the convoy, forcing me to dive (weather was clear blue skies and a millpond sea) and lose speed.

In the end, I managed to get ahead of the convoy and attacked about 17.20 from a range of 4000m, 3 torpedoes at the cruiser (Southampton class) and one at a small merchant just beyond her. The cruiser got hit by 2 and sank, the other 2 missed.

I dived to a depth of 80m and contined under the convoy and then turned to head directly out of the rear, the escorts never spotted/heard me and I'm not aware that they made any depth charge attacks, I didnt hear any at least.

I'm now continuing my way to grid CG11 with a big grin and a happy crew after arguably the most absorbing 3 hours I've ever spent in front of a pc!

[Randomizer]

Good call and nice shooting!

[desirableroasted]

weather was clear blue skies and a millpond sea



Don't you just hate bad weather? And I will bet you a drink at the O-club, it will be cold and raining when you finally get back to base for a few days off.


In the end, I managed to get ahead of the convoy and attacked about 17.20 from a range of 4000m, 3 torpedoes at the cruiser (Southampton class) and one at a small merchant just beyond her. The cruiser got hit by 2 and sank, the other 2 missed.

Glad you got your Southy. I had been hoping (for you) that it would be a BB (they sometimes show up in early war convoys, in GWX at least), but a Southy is no slouch. Good call and good shooting!