1944 convoy attacks

[Detritus]

I've decided to scratch my current career and start a new one with all the mods I've been saving for it, partially since I'm bored with the on going one but also because it's 1944 and just can't deal with convoys anymore :x Largely this has to do with abnormal amount of premature detonations. Since it's practically impossible to get close to them, I've had to resort to long range shots up to 4km distance but during the last three attacks I fired a total of 11 torps (T I's and T III's) set on slow, wind 5 m/s and had 5 of them go off prematurely. The ships started to maneuver, of course, and hit only with 2, no sinkings. Either my tactics are bollocks or something weird is going on. At first I thought to get rid off the escorts on one side with acoustics for entering/exiting but usually either the leading or trailing escorts nevertheless finds us and quite frankly, clearing out the warships first seems a bit lame: it wouldn't happen in real life.
So for future refence: how do you deal with convoys in 1944 and onwards?

[rulle34]

It should of course get harder when you passed the golden days. Fire from long range is logical when escorts makes it impossible to come close, but you can always try to make sure you are ahed of convoy, lay still at 25 m, let the convoy come over you and get up to periscope depth and fire all your torpedos at your targets. Then dive as deep as you can and try to evade escorts. Hairy, scary, but can work if you are careful.
Good luck

[Type941]

They go off prematuraly? I thought that was when the AI started shooting at them and they blow up.. no?

[Detritus]

It should of course get harder when you passed the golden days. Fire from long range is logical when escorts makes it impossible to come close, but you can always try to make sure you are ahed of convoy, lay still at 25 m, let the convoy come over you and get up to periscope depth and fire all your torpedos at your targets. Then dive as deep as you can and try to evade escorts. Hairy, scary, but can work if you are careful.
Good luck

Tried that and every other trick in the book but nothing seems to work anymore. Guess I'm just really unlucky or then the leading escorts are with elite crews who somehow pick you up even when dead stop, silent running. That's why I'd to start firing from long range.

Yes, torpedos set for magnetic detonation can and do go off prematurely. It's just that at this stage of war (Feb 1944) and at the rate they're going off early is just plain weird. Or Lady Luck really has decided that I'm not gonna make it through the war.
Anyway, more suggestions for this problem are still welcome (by many, I'm sure) so keep it coming.

[WolfyBrandon]

It should of course get harder when you passed the golden days.

Im still in 1941 and im every convoys worst nightmare! Infact it's actually starting to get a little boaring cause a lot of times I do a torpedo attack and the destroyers never even drop a depth charge cause im so sneeky :up:

So im actually looking forward to the later years :D

Wolfy

[Dave Kay]

....but you can always try to make sure you are ahed of convoy, lay still at 25 m, let the convoy come over you...

Try 40m, ahead slow, silent running--- works for me! :lol:

[Detritus]

....but you can always try to make sure you are ahed of convoy, lay still at 25 m, let the convoy come over you...

Try 40m, ahead slow, silent running--- works for me! :lol:

Hmm, that deep? Never tried it, always advancing in 15-18 meters. Gotta try that with the next convoy.

[BettingUrlife]

I've never had that much trouble penetrating a convoy, even in 1944-45. I usually try to get ahead, staying out of radar range, get into rough position then dive. Once I see the convoy on sonar, I go to silent running, ahead slow and get myself into position. Once I see the first escort I try to position myself to either side, keeping a careful watch on his zigzagging. Once safely pass, I point myself perpendicular to the convoy. Look for the tankers, shoot from the furthest possible point, which gives me a couple of options.

I can see what the escorts do, they usually head away from the group. It also makes the convoy zigzag which is good as that slows it down, allowing me time to reload and get more shots off. If I am detected I head into the middle of the convoy which helps to evade. If I am not detected, I can shoot more tankers or if the zigzagging pulls me/or ships out of position I move out of the convoy shooting more ships as I go. This makes a hole which can allow easier penetration next time.

[Detritus]

That's pretty much what I do as well, except going straight in the middle of it, fire at close range and dive deep. Since the escorts usually head away this gives enough time to stay in the moderate safety of the convoy and plan your exit route. I always make only one attack eahc time, not wanting push my luck. After getting clear of the convoy, try to hit an escort at rear or flank to create an exit for further attacks. It's just that those bastards seem to have PSI senses now, miraculously heading straight for our position and starting to ping. It makes sense in a way that if you're too close, the AI sensors will react but it's rather uncanny that they always come close enough to spot this. Bad luck? Perhaps. With the next convoy I'll just play hokey and use the opportunity to figure out what's going on, not accepting defeat. Remains to be seen.