just carried out my first successful surface attack
 

0100hrs, filthy weather, type IXB, October 1940.

Got myself a C2 with two TIs @ 600m. An auxiliary cruiser spotted me after the merchant blew up and shelled me, but a crash dive and damage control team dealt with that.

So it can be done...the bad weather seems to be the key...

If im doing a torp attack i never ever do it on the surface.

Whats the point? You have the potential of being seen and your target going into evasive mode.

Whats the advantage to surface instead of periscope depth topedoing?

I usually only attack on the surface in choppy seas because it is a constant pain in the ass to maintain 12 meters in rough waters.

Ditto,

In nasty weather you are usually safe from being detected and the diesels have more oomph than the electrics. You can maneuver much more easily.

JBC

I meant to say "safer" not "safe."

JBC

speed

speed

JBC

i also find taking measurements to be simpler as well. Its much easier. At nightime they cant see you so well. Usually around 1000m. At day.. 4000m.

Unless it is early war years and I plan on using the deck gun, I always attack submerged.

I've found attacking from the surface useful only if my first torp didn't sink the target, then I surface and use my now greater speed and manoeuvrability to get ahead, swing round and loose another. I don't care if he sees me or not since he's taking evasive action anyway. I've only used this on lone merchants though, trying it on a convoy would be suicidal in my book :yep: . Anyone attempted a surface convoy attack?

What Salvadoreno said may have something in it though, handy in rough seas with extra stability of the UZO....need to give it a try :arrgh!: .

Once again, speed. After launching your torps you can evade at maximum speed and most of the time escape escorts (if they're not too close).
If you're submerged the escorts close on you very fast...

Only works early war.

HO YES, only in early war ....




anyway, sneaking in middle of a convoy is more fun

I just carried out a successful surface attack as well. It was 1941, and approaching dusk. I stumbled upon the convoy from about 90 degrees starboard at long range. I ran in full throttle, setting all my fish to 2.5m running depth, fast, impact pistols. I snuck through a gap in the escorts and loosed them at ~3000m. A quickly changed course 75 degrees starboard, putting distance between myself and the escorts and still keeping the convoy in sight. The torps struck and the escorts went nuts, but never caught up with me. I was too far away and the sun was just dropping below the horizon. Rinse and repeat.

I'm using RUb 1.43

I thought that surface attacks were difficult in SH3 because the U-boot was detected easily. Maybe running slow will avoid much spray. So I never tried surface attacks yet but I will do so when I will start another career. Of course only early in the war.

How can they even know where you are.

Firing from submerged, the first thing the escorts know is "oh ****, the merches are beeing hit on their port side. That means the enemy is SOMEWHERE on my left MAYBE.

No chance they can see you because you were never in visual site.

Simple logic (merchies getting hit amidships, port side = submarine to the port fore quarter) generally resolves the mystery of your probable position. Pinging fills in the gap, while depth charges create new ones (in your pressure hull).

Yeah but surly they wouldnt know what the hell.

They would get a report from another merchat that says

"SS Miramax has been in in the port side.

FIN"



Escort dont know what the feck.

speed

Speed is good for....coming home quickly.


Being completly unseen without the slightest Hint of where you are is better.

Whats safer?

Charging in at flank speed, possibly beeing seen, probably being heard, firing, then having to violently turn and dive?


Or being completly unseen, silently firing, lowering your scope, turning and changing depth. By the time you hit something, your nowhere near where you fired from.

Surface attacks are for deck guns. People who love surface attacks have just been watching Das Boot too much.