Attacking TFs is my favourite part of the game. I try to intercept every TF radio report I get, if it's even remotely possible (this includes screaming across Biscay at flank to catch a TF going south to gibraltar). All tonnage scores aside, I'm happy with a patrol if it involves attacking a TF. I love the shock of discovering too many BBs to attack (i.e. two Nelsons and a Revenge).
As mentioned before, the really tricky thing is getting a fix on their course. I have to admit that I cheat a bit on this - even though i have map contact updates off, i can still find the exact position of a TF from a radio report by 'finding' the circle in that grid square with my mouse cursor. If I have a second radio contact with the same speed and general course, I assume it's a steady course and draw a line between the two readings. This can yield deadly accurate course info. Then I just get there, at maximum speed and lie in wait. My general strategy is to pick one target (the biggest) and make sure I kill or cripple it. Spreading your tubes over two targets tends to result in non-crippling damage. You only get one shot at most TFs, so it's gotta count. On the other hand, your TF is moving so slow that you could outflank it! Slow TFs can be disappointing - like a cruiser or something. One time in the med i found a TF that was doing about 15kts, and it consisted of 3 cruisers. I killed one in the first attack, flanked the TF, and killed the other two in the second attack.
The other nice thing about TFs is that they move so fast that their acoustic detection is poor (i think). So you can travel underwater faster without the same risk. Also, when your torps hit, the TF keeps screaming forward at high speed. If you turn against their direction right after you fire and get a little distance, the majority of the escorts will go too far past your initial position to pose a threat. It's just the rearguard you have to worry about.
TFs are the big candy in this game, for me.
Kb
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