tactics on getting past destroyers
 

So there you are sitting on the bridge not seen nothin but a few pesky fish boats than you get a call that an enemy convoy is heading your way you go and manuever for attack.

Thank you spot the convoy with your periscope its pretty big and you notice an escort coming straight to you...what do you do!!!

i have no idea on how to get past the destroyers so i can get a clear shot on the convoy. How far do i dive? What are decoys and are they effective? How do you let Mr.Destroyer know your not there.

Ideally, you want to come in below the thermal layer, at below 1-1&1/2kts. You know you passed the thermal layer, because the crew will announce it. Only come to PD after the destroyer has passed you, the reason being is, the cavitation from his own prop eliminates any nose you might make. They will, or at least one will, normally slowly zig-zag up from the back of the convoy, then reduce speed and drift back then repeat. Once he is passed you take your shots, then dive deep, and continue running silent. If executed well, he may never know where you were.

The decoys are only usefull when you are already being "pinged". The best way I ever heard them discribed were giant Alkaseltzers. Basically, they create bubbles in the water, in an attempt to give the DD a false positive when he "pings" making him depth charge the wrong area. The smartest move IMO to make when being pinged, is make yourself the slimest profile possible. The less surface area, the less of a signature you make on his sonar. Also the difference in water temperature when below the thermal layer make it more difficult for the sonar ping to penetrate.

Lastly, and I'll just say this because the celebration of my first succesful convoy intercept was short lived. When the DD contact appears to have left, he could be sitting and just listening for you to make a quick dash to safety, on which case coming out of silent running may ultimiatly end in your untimly demise.

Ain't that the truth. This sim can be quite tricky that way. I rampaged through a convoy yesterday then slipped away under a thermal. I know I had sunk 2 and hit a third but didn't know how badly. I marked the spot on the map and came sneaking back in latter to see if the cripple might be dead in the water around the marked area. Instead of steaming directly in I turned on the radar while still aways off ...and sure enough there was a ship dead in the water..'but it wasn't the cripple. It was a destroyer laying in ambush. :shifty:

I dropped under the thermal hoping to get close enough to pick of the varmit but when I got into what I figured to be a good position he had shoved off to rejoin the convoy.

yea those DD's are pesky, earlier today towards the end of my 4th patrol, i came across a lone fubiki now i had alrdy taken out 3 merchants in a very successful convoy attack so i figured what the hell and launched some torps at him. They all missed and he than knew where i was so i launched a decoy at periscope depth than dove down to 160'. sielnt running and 1/3 ahead i continued on my patrol course the DD pinging rarely, after about 15,000 m from the encounter i came up to periscope to see if it was clear and i looked behind me and there was the DD sitting in the water just 2,000m away....long story short...i stayed at 160ft for a while :up:

Run Silent, Run Deep.

Mentally, I note the time of the contact and pinging and wait 2 hours minimum in game time before even thinking about coming above 250 feet. Ease off on speed, I reduce to 2 knots and order Silent Running.

I graudually come up in 50 foot increments. The s.o.b. might be right above you waiting for you to come out of the thermal layer[s] and depth charge you to death, thusly, thee you depart this planet if you order Periscope Depth and take the chance he/she is gone.

I never attempt to go past the destroyers on surface at very close range. Submarines' hull is very vulnerable to cannon fire from bigger caliber. My only aim while approaching a convoy on surface is to approach the convoy at a comfortable range before taking a dive to begin computing my torpedo solution.

When I see a destroyer turn itoward my position, I wait around a minute or so to evaluate her true aimed course. Is she increasing her speed? Is she going straight towards my ship, or is she simply going elsewhere to patrol alongside the convoy? Only if I see no change of course in my direction after 30 seconds do I crash dive.

Another option, especially if you are using auto targeting, is to go to periscope depth, face the DD, and, when he gets inside 900 feet, sink him. I do this all the time. Takes some practice and nerve, but when you get good at it, it's very effective.