[I'm goin' down]

Originally Posted by Diopos

Assuming you're in a favorable position in front of the convoy and that it doesn't change course try the "deep" approach. Under the thermal layer, possibly near "test depth" or even deeper. silent running and low speed. Monitor the situation via passive sonar. Regardless of how the game implements it, I never use active sonar (including depth-under-keel measurements) in the presence of warships.

Now the key to navigate via passive sonar is your ability to "visualize" the situation on top. Recently I was experimenting with attacking convoys from "within". This essentially meaning try to keep the "center" of the convoy at 0° relative bearing (RB) while remaining on its path.

At far distance you may have a signal with a spread of ~5-10° (centered at ~ 0° RB of course). You may have some specific "target type" resolution ie DDs (high speed screws) or merchies (low speed screws).

At medium distance the spread has widened and you can resolve flanking DDs/Escorts and probably the leading escort. Start tracking the flanking DDs and observe if there is a high speed screw signal "atop" of the low speed screws. Note if it is shifting from left to right,this indicates a leading DD doing "sweeps" in front of the convoy. Try to keep the "center" of the low speed screws at 0° RB.

At close distance flanking DDs/Escorts at 270-310°/90-50° RBs, Leading Escort somewhere at your flank or rear quadrant, low speed screws spreading from 330° to 30° RB. Your sonar man will be probably identifying closest contact at Short Range.

At this stage you'll be considering the details of ascending to periscope depth and turning to get as "vertical" as possible relative to the convoy course. But as far as the "final approach" part of your attack, you can already consider yourself IN the convoy.

At medium and close range you may need to conduct maneuvers to minimize your "aspect" relative to the DDs/Escorts.

This method works well for stock "dumb" and "straight running" convoys. But what I am trying to emphasize here is not the method itself but the "stay deep", monitor via hydrophones but above all try to "reconstruct" the situation on the surface aspect of it.

Remember that regardless of what "final approach" tactic you may choose your success will very much depend on the data you have collected during the "shadowing" of the convoy. Convoy course, speed even zig-zag patterns can be collected at this stage. Then YOU decide time, location and mode of attack. YOU have the initiative.

The above only works if the sonar man has not turned off his hearing aids!