Der Teddy Bar
09-29-06, 08:41 PM
I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to CCIP's great work regarding the convoy routes.
CCIP configured the convoy routes with parallel courses that have at each way point a chance of a direction change. The parallel courses can at their widest part be up to 600 kilomtres apart or as close as 100 kilometres.
CCIP's great work turned a simple convoy intercept into an incredible adventure that made the eventual success all that more sweet as it was so hard earned, especially as this same cool feature had me miss another convoy only days earlier.
I will note here that NYGM have also added a little addition to make the convoy reports less precise. Instead of the convoy reports being 100% precise and saying SSE or ESE etc we now have both of these saying SE.
This very feature resulted in me missing the first convoy as it was ESE and I went SE, but I would not want it any other way.
I plot my intercept course based upon the reported convoys expected position etc
=========================================
05.58 03JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 15MPS E
ACKNOWLEDGE LARGE CONVOY REPORTED IN AL33 ON E COURSE AT 8 KNOTS.
U-76 277K's DUE SW OF CONVOY. WEATHER CONDITIONS & DISTANCE WILL MAKE FINDING CONVOY DIFFICULT. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
Great, another update, this should be easy.
=========================================
03.53 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 8MPS S
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM13 ON E COURSE AT 8 KNOTS.
U-76 71K's DUE SW OF CONVOY. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
Another update make adjustments to intercept based on new information.
=========================================
07.25 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 10MPS W
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM15 ON E COURSE AT 7 KNOTS.
U-76 45K's DUE SW OF CONVOY. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
How could I miss this convoy now?
=========================================
13.28 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 7MPS NW
SURPRISED BY ESCORT. MINIMAL DAMAGE. ESCAPED AT 220 METRES.
SUSPECT CONVOY HAS CHANGED COURSE SO SSE.
=========================================
Having been caught on the surface it took a few hours to shake the escort and return to the surface. All the while submerged I perceived by the sonar reports that the convoy had changed course.
I set a new intercept course based upon my belief that the convoy is now on a SSE course.
Then another update, YES! I had made a good decision.
=========================================
19.32 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST HEAVY RAIN & HEAVY FOG 7MPS E
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM16 ON SE COURSE AT 6 KNOTS.
U-76 52K's DUE ENE OF CONVOY. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
What could go wrong? You guessed it...
=========================================
05.09 05JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 7MPS E
PERFORMED END ROUND ON CONVOY AND SUBMERGED FOR APPROACH. ATTACK FOILED BY COURSE CHANGE TO EASTERLY COURSE. ATTEMPTING ANOTHER END ROUND.
U-76 DUE ESE OF CONVOY.
=========================================
While submerged I perceived by the sonar reports that the convoy had changed course and again plotted a new intercept. When another report confirmed my assumption of the convoy changing course.
Finally a break in the weather.
=========================================
07.40 05JULY
WX - PARTIAL CLOUD 3MPS E
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM16 ON NE COURSE AT 6 KNOTS.
U-76 21K's DUE E OF CONVOY.
=========================================
Then...
=========================================
09.59 05JULY
WX - PARTIAL CLOUD 0MPS
SHIPS SIGHTED TO THE S. CONVOYS COURSE NE.
=========================================
After a few hours...
=========================================
12.16 05JULY
WX - PARTIAL CLOUD 0MPS
CONVOYS COURSE NNE.
=========================================
I submerged for a daytime attack as I am still a bit spooked by the earlier escort coming out of the rain from nowhere and was concerned about being detected by radar.
I approach the convoy while Silent Running and alternating between speeds of 1 knot to ahead standard depending on where and what direction the escorts are facing.
I get within 2000 metres of the last few rows and use the 2 electric torpedoes set for an under keel detonation... 2 misses. Might have run deep or did I get the wrong AOB?
I am forced to use the gas torpedoes and I set these at 5 metres... 2 hits!
One escort takes up the attack on me I set my depth to 210 metres due to the glassy conditions and continually change course and speed. While the escort was often close he was never really on the mark.
I discover that my crush depth is 229 metres as I slowly sustain damage and I order a new depth of 210.
It took a few hours but I eventually was able to escape with 2 ships and 8000+ tons!
So a big thanks to Heinz for making the convoy intercept anything but a given. In the end it was luck, observation and BDU's updates that enabled me to regain the convoy after 2 unsuccessful attempts.
EDIT: It should be noted that CCIP's work was a follow on from Jason885's convoy work and it was Jason885's hard work that made the current convoy system what you see today.
CCIP configured the convoy routes with parallel courses that have at each way point a chance of a direction change. The parallel courses can at their widest part be up to 600 kilomtres apart or as close as 100 kilometres.
CCIP's great work turned a simple convoy intercept into an incredible adventure that made the eventual success all that more sweet as it was so hard earned, especially as this same cool feature had me miss another convoy only days earlier.
I will note here that NYGM have also added a little addition to make the convoy reports less precise. Instead of the convoy reports being 100% precise and saying SSE or ESE etc we now have both of these saying SE.
This very feature resulted in me missing the first convoy as it was ESE and I went SE, but I would not want it any other way.
I plot my intercept course based upon the reported convoys expected position etc
=========================================
05.58 03JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 15MPS E
ACKNOWLEDGE LARGE CONVOY REPORTED IN AL33 ON E COURSE AT 8 KNOTS.
U-76 277K's DUE SW OF CONVOY. WEATHER CONDITIONS & DISTANCE WILL MAKE FINDING CONVOY DIFFICULT. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
Great, another update, this should be easy.
=========================================
03.53 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 8MPS S
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM13 ON E COURSE AT 8 KNOTS.
U-76 71K's DUE SW OF CONVOY. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
Another update make adjustments to intercept based on new information.
=========================================
07.25 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 10MPS W
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM15 ON E COURSE AT 7 KNOTS.
U-76 45K's DUE SW OF CONVOY. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
How could I miss this convoy now?
=========================================
13.28 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 7MPS NW
SURPRISED BY ESCORT. MINIMAL DAMAGE. ESCAPED AT 220 METRES.
SUSPECT CONVOY HAS CHANGED COURSE SO SSE.
=========================================
Having been caught on the surface it took a few hours to shake the escort and return to the surface. All the while submerged I perceived by the sonar reports that the convoy had changed course.
I set a new intercept course based upon my belief that the convoy is now on a SSE course.
Then another update, YES! I had made a good decision.
=========================================
19.32 04JULY
WX - OVERCAST HEAVY RAIN & HEAVY FOG 7MPS E
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM16 ON SE COURSE AT 6 KNOTS.
U-76 52K's DUE ENE OF CONVOY. WISH US LUCK.
=========================================
What could go wrong? You guessed it...
=========================================
05.09 05JULY
WX - OVERCAST MEDIUM RAIN & HEAVY FOG 7MPS E
PERFORMED END ROUND ON CONVOY AND SUBMERGED FOR APPROACH. ATTACK FOILED BY COURSE CHANGE TO EASTERLY COURSE. ATTEMPTING ANOTHER END ROUND.
U-76 DUE ESE OF CONVOY.
=========================================
While submerged I perceived by the sonar reports that the convoy had changed course and again plotted a new intercept. When another report confirmed my assumption of the convoy changing course.
Finally a break in the weather.
=========================================
07.40 05JULY
WX - PARTIAL CLOUD 3MPS E
ACKNOWLEDGE UPDATE. LARGE CONVOY AM16 ON NE COURSE AT 6 KNOTS.
U-76 21K's DUE E OF CONVOY.
=========================================
Then...
=========================================
09.59 05JULY
WX - PARTIAL CLOUD 0MPS
SHIPS SIGHTED TO THE S. CONVOYS COURSE NE.
=========================================
After a few hours...
=========================================
12.16 05JULY
WX - PARTIAL CLOUD 0MPS
CONVOYS COURSE NNE.
=========================================
I submerged for a daytime attack as I am still a bit spooked by the earlier escort coming out of the rain from nowhere and was concerned about being detected by radar.
I approach the convoy while Silent Running and alternating between speeds of 1 knot to ahead standard depending on where and what direction the escorts are facing.
I get within 2000 metres of the last few rows and use the 2 electric torpedoes set for an under keel detonation... 2 misses. Might have run deep or did I get the wrong AOB?
I am forced to use the gas torpedoes and I set these at 5 metres... 2 hits!
One escort takes up the attack on me I set my depth to 210 metres due to the glassy conditions and continually change course and speed. While the escort was often close he was never really on the mark.
I discover that my crush depth is 229 metres as I slowly sustain damage and I order a new depth of 210.
It took a few hours but I eventually was able to escape with 2 ships and 8000+ tons!
So a big thanks to Heinz for making the convoy intercept anything but a given. In the end it was luck, observation and BDU's updates that enabled me to regain the convoy after 2 unsuccessful attempts.
EDIT: It should be noted that CCIP's work was a follow on from Jason885's convoy work and it was Jason885's hard work that made the current convoy system what you see today.