Neutral Convoy

[Eastwa]

Hi All

I was patrolling near Rockall the other night in early 1940 and got a convoy report of a Neutral convoy, I decided to have a look and soon ran into it.
I found about 20 ships totally unescorted and all with no running lights on.
Decided to investigate further and spotted a number of ships with British flags that was enough for me ending up sinking 6 for about 35000 Grt none came up as neutral when I sank them so all good.

Been playing SH3 since it came out and have never had this happen before usually they are always lighted ships, anybody else had this happen to them ?

Cheers

[RConch]

I had one early war in the North Sea. No lights and escorted by Brit destroyers. I was under the impression if escorted by enemy warships all was fair game. Sank two large Norse merchants. Got dinged for sinking neutral ships with a loss of renown.
Now I just leave that stuff alone.
Excellent score on your convoy.:salute:

[HW3]

Hi Eastwa,

Convoys are reported as friendly/neutral/enemy based on what nationality the lead ship is. The lead ship is the most central ship in the front row of the columns.

This might help explain it better.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/davestev47/convoydiagram.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/davestev47/media/convoydiagram.jpg.html)

The Commodore ship in the picture would be the lead ship. The nationality of that ship would determine how the convoy is reported.

[Jimbuna]

^ 100% that.

[Tango589]

News to me, cheers!:up:

[Eastwa]

That's news to me as well, is this a gwx improvement or was it stock sh3 ?

[Jimbuna]

This has always been the case so I suppose the answer is 'stock' and not an actual improvement.

[allievo]

And what will the status of the convoy be if the lead ship is sunk? :hmmm:

[HW3]

I have noticed that after the lead ship is sunk, the convoy mills around for a bit, then reforms with another ship taking the lead ship spot. The convoy will then assume that ships nationality status. Wait until you run across a convoy with the lead ship being a German submarine. I have found more than one of those.:yep:

[Jimbuna]

If the lead vessel is a submarine the square convoy icon will become a circular one...green in colour for German and red in colour for what is usually a British S Class. Of course the colours will only be viewable if you have that setting or mod enabled.

[HW3]

Actually it is a blue circle for German, green is for neutrals.:03:

[Jimbuna]

You are very correct :):oops:

[Sailor Steve]

I was under the impression if escorted by enemy warships all was fair game.
In real life yes. In the game status is determined by the nationality assignment and nothing else. This has always been so, and discussed more than once.

[Sailor Steve]

usually they are always lighted ships, anybody else had this happen to them ?
There are no lighted ships in the stock game - that is purely a GWX thing. Ships that are lighted are always neutral. Neutral ships are not always lighted. This is explained in the GWX Manual.

[GreyBeard]

Neutral convoys with enemy ships in them? That really changes things. Every time I've received a contact report for a neutral convoy I ignored it. Now I'll have to go check them out. Let the fun begin. :woot:

[Jimbuna]

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/8636/cdw.gif (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/856/cdw.gif/)

[GreyBeard]

So I complete the requisite 24 hour patrol in grid BF19 and am now making my way towards tanker alley, as I recall around grid BE36, in my Type IX. I come across a small British Coastal Freighter which I sink with the 37mm flak gun. Took a a lot of ammo, but down she went. Worth about 1800 tons, so I couldn't see spending a torp or deck gun ammo if I didn't have to. It was getting close to chow time so I figure I'll make my distance from the site and do a save and exit. I'm almost there at 30 meters and 2 knots when sonar reports "Contact! Warship! Closing! Long range!" So much for chow. I come to periscope depth and receive a radio message, contact report, neutral convoy, heading SW, moving slow. I pop the scope and have a look. Sure enough there's the plume from an escort way off. It's about 1500 hours, sea appears calm, bright sunny sky, I'm guessing vis unlimited. Batteries depleted about 40%, same with oxygen, I knew I couldn't shadow them submerged so I come to 7 meters, decks awash. There it is, about 12km away, approx 20 ships, 3 or 4 escorts and only the lead ship was neutral! It's August 1940, if they spotted me I could just go deep, given the distance between us. Fortunately they didn't, so I continued to shadow, decks awash, trying to stay in front until darkness set in. Around 2300 hours they changed course from SW to NW, I did the same and at approx 0400 was in position to attack. I took out an Empire Freighter and an Ore Carrier, for about 17,000 tons total, submerged to 160m and made my way off silent. That was fun! :yeah:

[Tigershark624]

Thanks for this thread! I just received a contact report for a neutral convoy that's easily reachable from my current location and was going to turn back to my original course. Now I shall go stalking my first convoy. It's Nov 1939 and this large convoy is heading SSW at 8 knots. Wish me luck!

[UKönig]

Heil und Sieg, und Fette Beute!

[Plumber1]

I'm assuming that all the talk of convoys is due to GWX as I'm running the stock game and haven't seen or had reports of ANY convoy in 13 patrols; it's Jan '41. (I've downloaded GWX and SH3C last night and will be installing tonight in a second install of SH3).

[Sandman_28054]

If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a message from BDU in late 39 that all ships running without lights can be considered hostile?

[sublynx]

At the start of the war the rules on legitimate targets were really complicated, and changing constantly. Download Just Follow Orders mod if you want follow BdU's orders. You can find the mod from the essential mods collection over in that sticky by Hitman in SH3 Mod Workshop.

[U-15]

I'm assuming that all the talk of convoys is due to GWX as I'm running the stock game and haven't seen or had reports of ANY convoy in 13 patrols; it's Jan '41. (I've downloaded GWX and SH3C last night and will be installing tonight in a second install of SH3).

Enjoy Plumber1, you won't be disappointed.

The cult status (for want of a better phrase) of SH3, is all due to the skills and hard work of the modders out there.
I take my hat off to all of 'em, no matter how big or small their contribution be.

I too play SH3 with GWX3 and SH Commander.
It is an excellent combination. :salute:

[Sandman_28054]

Enjoy Plumber1, you won't be disappointed.

The cult status (for want of a better phrase) of SH3, is all due to the skills and hard work of the modders out there.
I take my hat off to all of 'em, no matter how big or small their contribution be.

I too play SH3 with GWX3 and SH Commander.
It is an excellent combination. :salute:

I have to agree.

I have SHIII, SH4, and SH5, and so far, there is nothing in my opinion that can touch GWX 3.0 and SH Commander.

Except maybe SH4, TMO 2.0.