Here is how you kill destroyers with head-on shots:
Run away from them at flank speed, placing your stern 180 bearing directly pointed at the incoming destroyer. Identify the destroyer to determine its keel depth. Set your stern torpedo at about one-half meter deeper than the keep depth of the target.
If you are lucky, the destroyer will not zig-zag. If so, wait until it comes within 500 meters, and fire. If you have auto-TDC, just keep your scope locked on the target. If you have manual TDC, set target speed to zero which makes the torpedo a point-and-shoot weapon, but you'll need to make sure you shoot as close to 180 bearing as possible.
If you are not lucky, the destroyer will zig-zag on its approach. However, at about 400 meters it will stop zig-zaggin and start a straight-in approach. You need to have your tube door open and be ready to fire as soon as he stops zig-zagging. You can't delay because much closer and your torpedo won't arm or come up to the proper depth to detonate.
If you have a noisemaker and a zig-zagging destroyer, as soon as the destroyer hits 200m drop the noisemaker and turn 90 degrees. The destroyer usually stops and hovers over the noisemaker for the duration it is active. You should be able to swing 90 degrees and pop the destroyer while it is broadside to you and stopped dead listening to the noisemaker.
In all cases you should be prepared to miss. If you miss, or your torp does not detonate, LOWER THE PERISCOPE, turn 90, dive to 25m, and pray. If you are lucky, you will escape the depth charges with minor damages and you can pop back up to periscope depth and re-engage the destroyer. You want to lower your scope during this procedure so it does not get snapped off by the destroyer running you over.
You should always man your damage control station to maximum whenever trying this.
If you only have bow torpedoes available, you can run straight at them or run back emergency with your bow pointed straight at them.
If the destroyer has hedgehogs you are screwed.
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