Best Areas to Patrol

[DeePsix U-48]

Hey all,

Long time lurker on the forum, new to register. Where have you been most successful in finding ships/convoys/task forces?

I have had varied success in finding boats SSW of Ireland and the North West passage between the British Isles. Wish I could give you a grid square but I can't.

Thanks for the imput!

~DeePsix
Captain, U-48

[Alyebard]

visit
http://www.communitymanuals.com/shiii/index.php?title=Main_Page

[TDK1044]

AM52 sees a lot of convoy activity.

[SmokinTep]

I have found a lot of convoys off the coast of Nova Scotia.

[andy_311]

AM17 AM18 AM27 all good spots to intercept convoys heading for Liverpool

[FAdmiral]

BF13 is my large tonnage favorite. Great 16-20 merchant
convoys every 72 hrs. going wsw at 6 kts.


JIM

[FAdmiral]

All during 1940, I used BF13 as a very good hunting grid. In 1941
it is still very good but a new element has been added. No air during the 40s but now in 41 we have the new PBYs which can
reach BF13. BUT the PBYs are larger & slower than the fighters.
This means your crew can spot them further away and it takes longer for them to reach you. The accuracy has gotten better
but they still use surface bombs. In BF13, expect them to patrol
that grid about 4 times a day. No radar yet so you are still
fairly safe at night but spotting them flying at night is much
closer than during the day. Just Remember, the later the date,
the less safe you are at any given time. TC just adds to the
ever increasing danger if you use it too much....


JIM


PS. Watch for the merchants getting guns, it happens to some of them during 1941.

[Letum]

I swear by AM19 or the western approaches after 42

[kiwi_2005]

BE15 or its BF15 can't remeber but its just outside the engish channel not far from Brest. Theres always nice cargoes c2 and 3 to sink. Im told theres a taskforce here during 1941 but i never found it :cry:

[FAdmiral]

1941 seems to bring out more Task Forces then in previous years.
I noticed one coming down the east side of England, going west
thru the channel and then turning north up thru the England-Ireland passage. I might have intercepted it if was not going
25 kts. I was just a bit too far away to torp some big warships.


JIM

[scrapser]

If it's early 41, run north/south through the eastern half of the BF grid. I ran into two convoys both steaming north there and both had a Passenger Liner and three troop transports, plus a T2 and a T3. All British vessels.

Right now it's early fall 41 and I just finished a patrol sinking two Revenge and a King George. The Revenge BB's are now artificial coral reefs off Gibraltar and the King George resides on the bottom west of Ireland. That one was the best, I ran into it head on with 0 winds and early morning daylight.

scrapser

[Sebbe]

eastern half of the BFgrid? isn't that the coast of France?

Always a lot of action in the canal an around Scapa Flow (lots of destroyers, if you're interested in having a bit of horror....:))

my tactic if you dont find anything: get into a harbor. always something to torp there...

Does anyone know some good spots of the coast of America? I'm in a 9C and i get a lot of missions there, but last time I've been there, I had a storm that lasted for about a week. Didn't sink anything except for a cargo and a tanker in NYharbor....

[andy_311]

There's also the approach to Port of Spain in 42 when the US enters the war "Tankers" or anywhere in that area assuming you got the range to get there and back (It take's a very very long time)

[scrapser]

I'm at work so you're probably right. If BF is wrong then it's BE to be sure. I was sent to BE67 and as I headed northeast out of that quadrant I ran into one of the two convoys I mentioned. I was surprised to see a valid Passenger Liner target so early in the campaign. I found another one in a convoy leaving the Gibraltar Straits in 40, so I'm assuming there's a lot of troop movement from the Med up to England in late 40 early 41. Also, don't forget those Troop Transports, their renown value is second only to a Passenger Liner.

scrapser

[FAdmiral]

On my last post about the PBYs, I stated that they might come
out at night. WELL THEY DO !!! I have the searchlight mod &
here comes this bright light near midnight heading straight for
my surfaced boat. I got under just in time (very close call).
This happened in the northeastern corner of grip BE so they
definately will come out that far. BF13 is gonna be a nightmare
with all this increased air activity. Looks like danger will be both
day & night. Will probably have to charge batt during the day
when I can spot them at a greater distance....


JIM

[tycho102]

In the early war (1939-1940), AM52 is close and accessible. Not much aircover, and convoys are regular, spaced pretty close (about 1200km apart in '39, 1000km in '40), and the water is very deep. Very easy to get to with a VII at 10knots.

After that, you have to head out west. I forget the western grid locations, as my RADIO OPERATOR handles all the opportunity contact plotting. I just draw some lines, and try to achieve an intercept.

[FAdmiral]

I just came across a 2 merchant convoy right at dawn. The lead
ship, a T3 followed by a Coast Merchant with a rear GUN !!!
I deceided to do a little test. I surfaced right beside them
about 900 meters and watched. The gun swung towards me
and opened fire. In about 10 minutes and the gun maybe fired
about 20 shells, not one even came close. I was dead still in the
water, not moving (a perfect target) I deduced from this that
the merchant gunnery isn't very good in Feb. 1941....


JIM

[kiwi_2005]

July 1942 ordered to Grid BE24 on my way there i get a message that a Taskforce , pointed towards Liverpool. So i make a right and head there, and ahead full, only to get there and no taskforce maybe they did a u turn or somethink. Went right into liverpool harbour hoping they did be there but only found two C3's so sunk them then headed out and got hassled by a boat plane. we are now submerged resting on the bottom for the next 12hrs. my men are knackered!

[Redbear]

Can't say it's my favorite, but I recently found a nice convoy just west of Gibraltar, beyond the area of allied air cover (1940) heading west (guess it's convoy HG). A number of tankers and large troop carriers. It's my first trip down there to see how 'active'the area is. Worth checking out if you're in the area.