[Kaptlt.Endrass]

While not recommended, I will, in the case the escorts are in a ring set apart from the merchants, go in from the front. For example...

(Last month, Western Approaches [AM77])
(July 1942)

Recieved report of a convoy at 0730-ish, went to flank speed and plotted a head-on meeting. Spotted the lead escorts around 0800, dove to periscope depth and reduced speed to ahead 1/3, rigging for silent running. From my position, I observed the convoy as the lead escorts, a J&K-class and a Hunt II, approached. Recorded speed before escorts closed to within 600 meters.

From there, I lowered the perisope and killed the engines, listening closely as the two destroyers came perilously close. After three minutes and a quick look-see, I restarted the engines to one knot, angling AWAY from the convoy center.

When the lead merchants were 900 meters out, I made a turn into the convoy, easily slipping into its midst. Choosing a large tanker and troop transport as my targets, I lined up the tubes and fired. One detonated early, but the short range meant that no manuvers could be carried out. The remaining three hit as I put my stern shot into a coastal freighter and dove to 60 meters, still at one knot. From there, I turned to the convoy's end and snuck out undetected.

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So, that's how I do it sometimes. Other times, I'll hit them from outside the screen, or if it 1939-early 40, I'll maybe take out lone escorts or escort pairs before surfacing and gunning the enemy merchants down.