Hunting Destroyers - and a question

[Gustav Schiebert]

I've been playing some of the Single Missions in GWX, doing convoy attacks and trying to sink destroyers as a challenge.

What are your tactics for sinking destroyers?

I realise that many will (quite rightly) avoid destroyers, and when I'm playing a DiD campaign of course I give them a wide berth. But they make an interesting challenge, especially for those doing manual targeting.

I usually lie abeam of a destroyer to give it a nice clear ASDIC contact. When it approaches, I put on a burst of speed so that it passes behind me, then as the destroyer goes hard over to try and turn around, I go full astern. By the time the destroyer has completed half of its 360 turn (ie is facing back in the direction it came), it is usually lies betwen 340 and 350, almost exactly abeam.

I use manual targeting, which at this range is very forgiving of rough calculations. The range (which doesn't affect the shot calculations) is about 450, depending on the turning circle of the destroyer. AOB can be pretty much anything, you're so close that it barely matters - although if you've done the manoeuvre right it should be 90.

So here's my question - what's the speed of a destroyer in an attack run? By defenition, when they're in a run it's impossible to measure it accurately so I have to guess. It of course varies, but I've had hits with as little as 10kts and as much as 25.

[maillemaker]

I only try shots on circling destroyers in desperation. Either I'm damaged and can't dive, I'm caught in shallow water, or it is impossible to break contact. I use manual lead and shoot about 1-2 lengths in front of them. I'd say I have a 40% hit rate.

What I prefer is to get them to chase me. If they don't zig-zag it's a cake-walk. Set your fish for magnetic impact and shoot at 500 meters and it's done and done.

If they are coming in zig-zagging, you have to wait until 400-300m before they stop and come straight in and it's touch and go whether you can nail them and still have the fish arm in time.

Steve

[Gustav Schiebert]

Thanks - I never thought of manually shooting in front of the target, I use OLC Gold which means taking detailed measurements of speed etc. Given the short range, I might start trying that in future.

As you say, in a real game I'd probably never engage one unless there's no choice. But after weeks of sinking slugging tankers it makes a nice change.

[gazpode_l]

The last time I was regularly playing SH3, I would have at least one of two stern tubes already preset to a certain depth (EG 5m) as destoyers and corvette's have a small draft, and if I could catch one running in from astern, I'd let a torp go at around 450-500m :gulp:

[Jimbuna]

I tend to avoid them at all costs but if given no choice I go to magnetic setting and fire when they're about 400m away (arming distance is 300m) the distance at which they usually straighten up their course of direction.

[Gustav Schiebert]

A lot of people seem to have much better success with magnetic pistols - I usually use impact but reading these I think I'll give them a try. Thanks for the heads up!

[Paulebaer1979]

I hunt destroyers only when the weather is fine enough to use the deckgun. Then i wait for the convoy and try to keep my position 500m beside the courseline of the leading destroyer. With no wind (and sea) my engines are stoped and my course has an 90° angle to the course of the convoy. With wind (and sea) i go with low speed on a parallel course and wait for the ships.
I always use the magnetic pistol and set the depth 1m below keel. When the first destroyer is blown up, one or two of the rest of them start searching and come to the last position. This gives my a short time to launch torps for them, because they go straigt ahead with no turns. Whenever a destroyer is blown up, the rest of them come to his position and on their way they get a torp. So i´m able to blow up all destroyers from a convoy, surface and sink the convoy with the deckgun.
Works fine until mid/end of 1942 with LSH 5.1 at 84%. After that, i save my torps for the biggest ships in a convoy. Going inside, launch some torps and going away deep (190m+) and silence. I don´t hunt convoys in shallow waters (less than 200m).
Single destroyers only gets torps if they are near by me and don´t turn around. If they do so, i go deep and drive away.

[maillemaker]

By far the easiest way to sink destroyers is with those magical homing torpedoes from a Type XXI. :D