Maybe that's a little misleading...

Is there any information available how an wolfpack attack has been synchronized?

Did the BDU give the order to start the attack?

Did the wolfpack leader give the order?

Or was is chaotic without any synchronization? (Everyone shoot when he was in good firing position)

BdU released U-boats for attack when there was a sufficient number present for at least one to maintain contact with the convoy.

Sometimes boats would be allowed to attack alone, if no other U-boat was sufficiently close.

There was never any 'wolfpack leader'.

Stiebler.

By Erich Topp

http://www.combatsim.com/memb123/htm/nov98/uboats.htm

This is contrasted with how the Americans did it-their wolfpacks (usually smaller than the Kriegsmarine's, usually 2-4 subs) were under the control of a local commander (sometimes a commodore).

@Stiebler, Jim: Thanks. Synchronizing will be the last hard piece of work for me. I already have a solution, but it is inexact (tolerance +/- 30 minutes) because it is based on an estimation how late after spawning the AI-subs begin to attack a convoy moving at 7knots .....

On the other hand: I don't think we need a 100% exact synchronization: "Fire", "Boom".

Yesterday I played a test convoy wolfpack attack. I liked it - especially at night. We won't get 100% realistic battles, since the AI-subs tend to attack/sink the escorts first, because those are the first who come into their visible range. But I think that isn't that worse, because the (deflecting) effect for the player is the same: the escorts leave the convoy and give the player a better chance for his own attack.

@H.sie:
No, definitely no synchronisation needed. U-boats might attack on the same night, but any synchronisation was a complete coincidence.

Stiebler.

@Stiebler: Nice to know, so my current solution with an accuracy of about +/- 30 (or 60) minutes seems to be sufficient. Saves me a lot of work & time.

That they attack escorts first seems fine to me.:up:

Stiebler_Surrender_Smoke_CAM_2
 

I have updated my Surrender-Smoke-CAMship mod, which overlays H.sie's V15_G2 patch-kit, with a small fix.

The new version is called Stiebler_Surrender_Smoke_CAM_2

See here:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...1&postcount=18

Stiebler.

Note that this could have been a viable strategy on the part of the Kriegsmarine. For a good while there the British were starved for good escort vessels-so you trade some raw tonnage now so that there are few escorts later, then attack the weakened convoys. Sink enough escorts and the British might be forced to abandon the convoy system.

It is very possible that the KM had considered this, and indeed later in the war escorts became as interesting as target as merchants themselves, because the main purpose was to tie lots of resources to the convoy system and prevent them being employed more directly agains the german land. However, the KM knew as well as the commanders how difficult it was to hit an escort with low draft (Which is mainly what was used as escort in early war: corvettes and sloops) and thin profile from the bow that was zigzagging and changing speed wildly during their search pattern. By the time the escorts became bigger and better equipped (i.e. more interesting targets) they were already being mass-produced like the River frigates, and again there was no point in sinking them and alerting the whole convoy when the same torpedo could hit a merchant.

But yes, it's food for thought and I guess there are no 100% satisfactory explanations for why it wasn't even attempted.:up:

Actually, it was attempted. At a later stage in the war, (aug 1943 if I recall), if a uboat was deteced by convoy escorts, standard operating procedure dictated that it's primary duty switched from sinking some merchants to sinking some escorts. In the words of Doenitz in the operational order, this was meant to a) create an atmosphere of fear on the escort crews, and b) tie up/sink escorts so that other uboats could close in on the convoy unimpeded. The operational order goes on to providing tactical tips such as remaining surfaced for a bit so the escort knows that you're there and heads right for you, supposedly making for an easier shot. I would provide a link but am a bit pressed on time.

Sorry to say, but I have to damp down the optimism of a quick solution regarding wolfpacks. During my tests I found out that at dark nights (especially in GWX 16km atmosphere) the AI-sensors are totally blind and thus the AI-Subs won't attack - although the watch crew on the players sub has a visible range of some kilometers.

Hope I can fix it somehow.

holy sh## whats going on here?

I've been away from silent hunter for something like 9 months and come back to this? :rock:

You guys never stop amazing me :up:

Too bad my sh3 cd exploded in my dvd drive something like 9 months ago :nope:

I guess the game is quite cheap now tho..

Great job guys, thank you