Task force attack

[Jazzy]

I've being playing SH4 for a while now but that I have sunk ships in convoy attacks, I would like to have a go for the task forces. However, of the many hours I've played, I have only ever seen 2 major task forces (not the ones made up of destroyers, ones made up of battleships and/or ACs).

And out of those 2 occasions, I did sink a Fuso class, mainly because he was under 500metres away and I wasn't spotted yet.

Does anyone know where is the best chance of finding such Task forces, and would they be the same tactics as attacking convoys? Thank you

[Rockin Robbins]

Task forces have two characteristics: they're well guarded by DDs and they move mondo fast--at least 20 knots.

That means that your cone of opportunity, that area you must be in ahead of them where you have the ability to close the range far enough to get some kind of shot off, is narrow. Most of the time you'll detect a task force, only to have to watch it steam away because you have no way to get a shot off at it.

Then, if you do find yourself in a position to attack, there is the destroyer screen. If they force you down for five minutes, it's over. The task force, at 20 knots will be past the point where any approach is possible (a hiding submarine works for the enemy).

Therefore you have to be able to loiter in a position where you can unleash as many torpedoes as possible from at least 2000 yards. It's a low probability situation with a huge payoff, and the prime targets are big, so this is a slam dunk, take it every time situation.

These CVs and BBs are hard to sink, so no multiple targeting here. If you can sit boadside to the task force so you can send 10 torpedoes for the biggest target that's what you should do. Shoot from an angle so that targets overlap, making a miss into a probable hit somewhere else.

Shoot 'em all and go deep. If you wound one he'll slow down and the task force will abandon him to your tender mercies. You might just get 10 misses, but that's not usually the case.

But you get one chance against a task force. Shoot everything you have.

[torpedobait]

This might be better placed in Patrol Logs, etc. but it serves to illustrate how I attacked an IJN Task Force, which may be of assistance, Captain Jazzy:

On Feb. 11, 1942, 156.3 Nm WNW of Kuching (Borneo), per a radio message received two days earlier, I had the USS Sargo (SS-188) at a position 2000 yards west of 03-00N, 108-30E ready to intercept an expected IJN Task Force. Picked up a sound contact at 1800 for several loud warships. Roughly plotted the course of two lines of ships heading my way. The lines appeared to be 1350 yards apart, with the ships running at high speed. We maneuvered Sargo to a point ahead and approximately equidistant between the two lines. Normally we would have take a position facing directly up the IJS's course, but the first and only lead escort we observed via periscope was a Kuma Class light cruiser, which we considered to be a minor threat as we have never heard of one dropping depth charges despite being equipped with sonar, so our position was perpendicular to their course, facing the eastward line of ships. We allowed the Kuma to pass, and fired one stern tube at the Takao CA running parallel to the Kuma and passing behind us. The fish struck immediately under the #2 Turret, causing the magazine to explode and destroying the ship in massive secondary explosions. The next target in line was a large fleet carrier (identity undetermined). Two hits near the stern from the forward tubes brought her to a stop. She eventually sank without further action on our part, probably due to the extensive fires we observed.

Inexplicably, the entire TF now slowed to six knots! When a second Takao CA passed astern, we hit her with a single torpedo into the fore magazine, with predictable results - went down like a junkie prostitute needing $10 for a fix. We went on to take down a third Takao class CA, plus a Maya class CA all before the four side and stern DD escorts arrived! With only 200 feet of water available, we dove to 180 feet, went to silent running, ordered a heading back up the track of the TF, and crept away without a scratch. The escorts were observed to drop DCs around our original firing position. A nice days work with over 100,000 tones of warships and not a scratch on Sargo.

For purposes of full disclosure, I do use automatic targeting, on the theory that I have no crew of experts to assist me in plotting, setting a firing solution, etc., not to mention that I hate math.

Anyway, if you need to test this one process for attacking that particular IJN Task Force, you now have all the relevant info on position, time, target disposition, and the tactics that I used successfully. Hope it works for you too. :salute:

[Jazzy]

Thanks Robbins and torpedobait, the co-ords is in fact the area that I sank the Fuso class

[merc4ulfate]

April 1945 Bungo Straights.

Good luck