Run into a large convoy "escorted" only by an aux cruiser
 

It's July 1940 now, southwest of Ireland, wonder how come there were no destroyers, they're a piece of cake without one.
After sinking the cruiser with two eels I surfaced in broad daylight amidst more than two dozens of merchant ships and picked my targets as i like, firing with my deck gun after torpedoes run out. However I had to leave the larger part of the convoy on their way after I had nothing left to pour on them. How I wished I had chosen a IX at that time...:damn:

Ah the joys of randomly generated shiping convoys. I wish I was that lucky durring my last convoy attack. The escorts nearly killed me out right but ran out of depth charges befor they could finish the job. They did manage to nearly take me out with flooding and in the process distroyed both my engins and most of my torpido tubes. And they did all that with just two charges.

That's the beauty of a quality random campaign. It sometimes happened that way in real life, especially that early in the war when the RN was still seriously hurting for escort materiel.

Make hay whilst the sun is shining...dark skies aren't too far off http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif

right, you where lucky!

in 1940 the escorts where still less fitted with ships. was one of the best years for the boats. there also where many "lone riders", single merchant ships - you can sink them all with your deck gun. but leave the battlefield soon, or some destroyer will meet you.

better was only the "golden era" also called "the lucky time", when operation "paukenschlag" started. the patrols of the american shore in 1941.

wow I haven't been that lucky...current campaign 2 convoys in 3 patrols, all escorted by a smattering of Hunt and Tribal, with the first having the Rodney along, Aug 1940
did take out the HMS Rodney, one torpedo hit, one a dud, list to starboard and then finished her off the next day...then lost the convoy after one Hunt kept me down better part of a day and a half...

I'd love to find one with just an aux hanging around...just rolled into 1941 so probably won't

Early in the war you often encounter convoys escorted by a single Flower Corvette - which be attacked with the deck gun if the weather permits. I usually get rid of the escorts first, then surface and pick off the merchants with the deck gun.

Something funny happened in my last patrol. I came across a convoy south of Iceland with my VIIC. It was escorted by three warships. Two Flower Corvettes and a V&W Destroyer. After sinking the lead warship (V&W), I made sure to get away, surface and get ahead of the convoy to attack the remaining warships. After awhile the convoy came my way with a Flower Corvette having resumed the lead. I easily got rid of him and then wanted to set up an attack on the last remaining Flower Corvette when my hydrophone operator told me this ship was LEAVING the area.

Odd, I thought. So I surfaced and proceeded to pick off some merchants with the deck gun, then submerged to listen for the Flower Corvette.

He was gone.

Surfaced again, destroyed all enemy ships and shot the freight off the decks of the neutral vessels, then got out of the area.

My question: Why did the last Flower Corvette FLEE the scene!?

First, the 'deck gun vs corvette' idea: good thing it's only a game. Nicholas Monsarrat recounted an incident in which a u-boat surfaced behind his corvette. Guess what the real ones had back there? A 40mm AA gun. Killed the entire u-boat deck crew, including the captain.

As for your last corvette fleeing, he might not have. If the weather was bad enough (you didn't say) he might have sunk. Another possibility is that he shot at your periscope and accidentally hit one of the merchants. In SH3 that makes him an instant enemy, and the others might have blasted him to oblivion. Silly, but it happens in the game.

A rarely seen anomaly of the game can come in the shape of a ship losing it's waypoints...this usually occurs when damage is sustained but can happen for other reasons such as bad weather and overcrowding of an immediate vicinity/area.

Nice touch. I may try this from now on, early on in the war. :up:

I see. Weather conditions were great for deck gun use. I know in reality the U-Boot would have been toast, but it's just a game so what harm is there in having a little fun and adventure? :)

I don't recall the fleeing Flower Corvette even firing his weapons. It's almost as if he suspected I was behind the convoy because he navigated towards that direction. When I surfaced to attack some merchants he must have heard me but he didn't come back. When I dove my hydrophone operator told me that the warship was speeding away. This has happened a few times when I used the tactic of getting rid of the escorts first. It's not only Flower Corvettes who have fled in my game but also V&W Destroyers.

I just find it odd that they would chicken out. I mean I am just a simple U-Boot. :O:

It's a symbolic action but makes me feel better.

Neutral vessels: Your ship might get through intact but the freight on your decks doesn't! :DL

I've considered torpedoing neutral vessels because they're blatantly supplying my enemy with tanks, trucks, cargo and airplanes. But so far in my current career I've simply shot off the stuff on their deck (and the cranes).

My biggest problem is when I come across a neutral oil tanker. There's nothing to shoot at and my only option is to sink the ship. After all, oil is life in a modern war and I don't want my enemy getting a drop of it. But since this is just a computer game nothing will really happen. I could sink each and every oil tanker heading towards the UK and they won't run out of the black gold - ever. :nope:

You simply don't have enough offensive weaponry to stop everything that is scripted in...besides, they'll simply respawn as soon as you leave the area.

None at all. I sometimes let my enthusiasm for my ideas of 'playing realistically' wash over in my comments. On the other hand I've seen my share of people advising others on how to use the game's foibles to their advantage, and it drives me crazy.

My only theory for that is badly scripted AI. Maybe they're convince that where they are heading is where you are.:dead:

You mean with all the cranes and cargo intact, or respawn after being sunk?

With neutral vessels, you could try hitting the engine room (if you're feeling really accurate :03:) to ensure no tanks for your enemy, but also no neutral ships sunk :D