Sorry, been there done that in RL and I will not agree that the norm is a DD spotting a surfaced submarine in choppy seas at 8k yds with whatever vision was available "reasonably reaslistic". Not saying it couldnt happen, but the variables are too many, and the numbers dont stack up. In a calm sea, I would agree, but never in a choppy sea, and not consistantly.
I can deal with that issue better then the scope being spotted at almost 3 miles in a choppy sea. I'll give you a test, take an 1-1/2" piece of Black pipe 3' long stick it in the ground, get back about 2-3/4 miles sit at a bench and use 50x binoculars and see if you can find it. then when/if you do, stand up and see if you can find it while standing in footing that doesnt move. then try it again in a moving car! good Luck!

Sorry I stood lookout on a surfaced sub and can assure you that visibility on the open ocean is tougher for the big guy spotting the low profile small guy.

I really wish I could take you out there and show ya! :D In any event its the only thing I disagree with, and regardless of that i still stand firm that GWX is a top nothch mod deserving credit beyond words.

Frank :know:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: ok ill go out and try that sometime with the pipes haha. and that would be awesome to acutally go out on a sub lol

i see what youre saying and ill trust a guy who has done that kind of stuff before more than ill believe anyone else. anyway, i was just going on what mel told me about how far away you can be spotted. when i get my comp fixed and start playing again, ill probably just wait to attack convoys at night and try to go for single ships.

Thanks Frank,

Schkpf :|\\

KPT M,
You can also right click on the sound man's icon to go to the hydro as well as right click on the helmsman to get straight to his controls. Just faster and in the dark hitting the wrong key has happened.
I do things different in different weather
I do not move straight out the back, too many lurking (I increase the number of escorts 1943 on to actual amounts comparible to convoy content).
I actually go forward at an angle to constantly cross merchant tracks. This does confuse the escorts which must stop and wait. I make my way out the side if at all possible.
This does not stop a pair of intense escorts but a pair beats 4-5 and if I play the speed up/turn/slow down; thing enough they can even run out of DCes.
But, that takes about 4 hours and living through four tough intense can't even put it on pause hours of DCing is a true highlight of SH3 simming! Getting to 3:45 in a 4 hour DCing is a very depressing bit of SH3 simming:rotfl:
And yes, I have gotten that far and been sunk. The worst was 5 escorts for almost 6 hours. After 3 hours it was down to 2 but they came later in relief and at about 5:45 I finally did a port when I should have done a starboard and RIP
I was not upset but truley amazed and knew I finally had it tweaked right.

Then GWX basically did that for everyone!

Wulfmann

Dont give up on night surface attacks on convoys just yet!

Before Gwx, I would do the traditional let the convoy run me over then proceed to butcher it. Not fearing the escorts that much in vanilla or Gw 1.1 .

Now GWX comes along and of course I download the manual as soon as it comes out. I think i read every post of the beta testers in regards to evading escorts. Then the day came GWX is here, and WOW!!!!!! Those escorts mean buisness!!!

I followed all the advice and it works. Tougher yes but doable. However after reading one of the short stories posted here ( Laughing Swordfish , Brag or maybe someone else... I read them all, can't get enough!!!) and remembering WW2 history, most early war convoy attacks were at night and on the surface.

Well, I go ahead and give this tactic a shot. It works great! Now let me put in a disclaimer. Conditions have to be perfect or pretty close for it to work.

- At night (not dusk or dawn but real dark)
- Early war (39 to early 42) (no radar equiped escorts!!!!!!)
- Running decks awashed
- Only a convoy, not a task force with a crap ton of destroyers going at 20kts
- Not a lot of escorts ( has worked with 4 to 5 escorts in convoy)

I like to run parrallel to the convoy 5-7km away. I will try to come in between the lead escort and one the flank escorts (preferebly a Flower that is the flank escort)
Sometimes the flank escort will shoot out of the convoy. sometimes toward you sometimes to the tail end of the convoy. When it comes toward me i try to keep a small profile, show it your tail and parrallel the convoy waiting for him to turn back.
Once it heads to the back of the convoy sprint in toward convoy.

I have gotten as close as 900m to an escort and not been detected. However that was not my plan. i like to keep at least 3km away.

Sprint in at maybe 5-10 kts, target 2 ships , 2 torps each . I usually like to shoot when they are 3km or so away. Turn 180 degrees and go ahead standard or full (still trying to figure out which is better).

Torpedoes should now be hitting and you are a good 4-5 km away from the convoy. Always maintain a low profile to an escort (never show one your side, only your bow or aft end, and decks awashed)

Now if you were not detected parrallel the convoy again and repeat.

If you were detected of course crash dive, go deep and go silent. The sprint out of the convoy probably bought you a couple km's so this is a big help to get deep. If the escort chasing you is Flower just out run him!

Another way to make it easier for yourself is to sink one the flank escorts prior to attacking the merchants. This can be tricky since they dont travel in a straight line all the time. But usually after they turn away from the convoy and search and return they will go straight for a while. Just a matter of timing. observe them for a while and note the pattern. After a flank escort is sunk or immoblized retreat 5-7 km away from convoy and wait for other escorts to return to there normal positions and attack the ungaurded flank.

I'm hope this is helpful. Please feel free to critique or criticize. It seems like I learn something new very often reading posts by all of you. Keep em comin.

Hi and thanks for the advice, this stuff is what I've been looking for. Try as I might, getting away is the big, frustrating problem for me so will definitely try these tactics out the next time I find a Convoy. Cheers.