Westbound Gibraltar Escorts--Bad News
 

There is a tricky convoy that spawns in Gibraltar. The only good thing about it, it is difficult to intercept as it changes direction frequently.

In bad weather the escorts are super efficient, must have radar early in the war. They finished my first GWX carreer as I was overhauling the convoy on the surface in low visibility. Their guns blew the sub right out of the water.

Now this:

28 July 1940
Having figured out the convoy changed course every 25 kilometres, I positioned U-53 for an ambush. When I made sound contact I was only 10 kilometers off the convoy's course. I moved away, repositioned, and dove to PD. Sound contact indicated we were on the convoy's path.

We went to action stations expecting the convoy in 45 minutes. Visibility was about 300 meters.

Soundman reported warship approaching very fast. A few seconds later, we heard weak pinging. Through periscope saw a Black Swan passing us 150 meters away. It dropped a load of depth charges.

I stayed quiet but began deep dive.

Shortly, we had 3 escorts and they were pinging us. We were at 30 meters when one of them made a pass overhead and dumped DCs.

Flank speed got us from under that salvo and down to 80 meters. Two ships at a time must have been depth charging. I never heard so many explosions so close together before.

No mater what we did, they had us. Pass after pass was right on top until the convoy arrived overhead and we manged to skulk away.

I don't know about you, but I'm leaving those Gibraltar convoys alone. :-?
Now I need a drink.

Does this mean that kapitan leutnant Johan Sebastian Balz is dead???

hopefully:rotfl:

It definately sounds like a different personality is manifesting itself. The gallant herr Balz would never skulk away from a convoy.
Maybe this creation will be a little less... demanding shall we say

Dead?
After my incredibly skillful avoidance of the vicious DC attacks, I am writing a letter to Mom. I have also instructed Cook to prepare an adequately good meal to celebrate my masterly avoidance of the enemy's explosive devices. :smug:

I'll se you all in Lorient after I expend my torpedoes. I have 90K on this patrol, so far. :smug:

Kptlt. Johan Sebastian Balz also known as
BB-Balz

Bugger

:smug: Fogh, not my fault I'm soooooo good:sunny: just ask my Mom. :smug: .

Kptlt. Johan Sebastian Balz

you did well to escape those 3 escorts!

So does that mean when the escorts are pinging you that they know where you are or are they actually looking for your location ?

At least they know your rough location and are trying pinpoint it. You can tell by the sound when they do have you. The soundman will also report this.:huh:

Shelton has already read the answer to the question he's now posted here.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...&postcount=209

Escorts will first find you with either optics or hydrophones and then switch to ASDIC when in range to do so. They do not automatically know you are there.

if i see escorts i do 2 things (now i changed the file's back to stock)

a. kill em when im in shallow water
b. dive to 150m if possible, change course at silent running and when far enuf i cut the engine's while lying on the bottom. :smug:

yes thanks for that ! :oops:

I was a Fool to Doubt Balz :lol:

Good job there, I knew Balz is not so easy to kill :up:

Btw, How well does anti sonar coating help you? Does it help reduce your signature to passive detection sonar, ASDIC, or both? Is it a significant upgrade? :hmm:

Thanks.

I believe that antisonar coating will reduce your sonar signature by 10%. Every little bit helps.