How do you hunt?

[Zero Niner]

Would be interested in hearing how other players hunt whilst on patrol. Do you rely on map contacts? Intel information? Do you periodically submerge & listen on the hydrophones? Do you man the bridge yourself & sweep the horizon for tell-tale smoke on the horizon?

[McBeck]

I find an area thats likely to have convoys and put myself in their path.

Eventually there will be a map update showning a convoy coming in my direction. I set a course to intercept and submerge when I get contact. If its nightime ill submerge periodicly to listen to hydrphones.

[Kaptan Tommy]

So far I just 'lumber' along on my way to the patrol area (or back) and wait for my trusty watch to tell me "ship sighted". Then I man the UZO and find it myself.

I've found that sometimes even I can't see the ship but if I scan slow enough there will be a quick reference made in that notepad showing type of ship, speed, and distance (though at first there will be no speed or distance shown).

[The Avon Lady]

Read Red Devil's tutorial (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/dominicobaggio/hydrophone.html).

[Kaptan Tommy]

Thanks Avon Lady. I'll read it in its entirety in a bit. It looks like a bunch of good, usable info for a newbie like me. :up:

[HKreutzkopf]

I think foolproof tactic is:
- dive to periscope dephth regularily and don't trust your sonarman. Listen always itself.
- don't trust your watch crew in fog and/or heavy storm. Be on bridge!

[Nedlam]

To and from my patrol area I rely in radio reports to find contacts. While I am in my patrol I use TC 128x or 256x(?) I try to stay submerged for 6 - 8 hrs at a time crawling along at 3 knots usually during the day and for a short time at night stopping every couple hours or so to sit and listen for a short time. I only come up to recharge my batteries, replenish my O2 and send reports then it's back down searching. It takes awhile to finish a patrol. I easily get the 24 hr requirement in! If I run out of torpedoes BEFORE I reach my patrol area I still go there to report any contacts (and practice tracking, finding, and even sometimes postioning for an attack if I think I can do it safely) until the alotted patrol time is up and then I RTB.

I still get the radio reports while I'm submerged. Which is a little strange. :hmm:

That's it in a nutshell.

[Redfoot]

I hunt down radio contacts, provided they're not too far off course. I tend to plow on towards my patrol grid first though, and get that pesky 24 hours out of the way. I dive until batteries hit 75%, then I surface and recharge, rinse and repeat.

When I can't find anything or i'm out of torpedo's on my way back to base I sometimes send in spam reports to BdU to lure in the british air patrols. This morning it backfired on me though, my IID got hit and I was forced to crash dive :doh:

[U-552Erich-Topp]

:) Has anyone had any luck using the radar on the u-boat yet????

[Kaptan Tommy]

Redfoot, I'm with you. I usually 'forge ahead' to the patrol area and get that 24 hour thingie out of the way. However, if I run into a lone merchant in my path, I try to dispense him with my deck gun crew. Once the 24 hour thing is satisfied, I'm seriously on the hunt, and on my way home.

I'm still early in the war so hunting is still fairly easy. I'm all about handing out awards, promoting guys, and acquiring new (and skilled) crew. Hope I can hang on and get a better boat (though I started out in a type VII). :smug:

[U-104]

:) Has anyone had any luck using the radar on the u-boat yet???? :yep:

[zoso791]

I have my own little method.
I reach the patrol area and dive so to use the hydrophone. When the battery goes down to 50% or lower I surface let them recharge and then dive again. Most of the mission is spent underwater using the hydrophone.

Jasiu Lentowicz