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Originally Posted by kylania
Well, using that great screenshot and tactics as above I ran into a convoy two days ago. I tried a surface attack. I waited between the outter two columns of the convoy about 2500m from the lead escort. Since it was night, he went right past me. Then I started to move in at 1/3 speed to get into position in the middle of the convoy, so I could head on fire at two large cargos and aft fire at another as it passed me behind.
Apparently getting greedy was my downfall. The front line merchants turned their lights on and the starboard rear escort started shooting at me before i was even in place!! I turned into the convoy, sprayed a wild volley hoping for anything, then crash dove under the convoy using their prop sounds to hide and get away. I ended up being depth charged, but only minor damage and it was repaired well. Turns out I'd hit a single large cargo and I finished him off later.
Tonite I found another convoy. I tried something similar, but this time I only went one column deep, ignoring the juicy large cargos in the middle. 24 ships in all. Escort went past me no problem, I moved in at slow, and no one reacted. There was 900m between the columns and I was smack in the middle of it, silent and still. Than the large cargo spins it's search light RIGHT on me and the whole convo starts to turn. I was about 600m away so being hit was a big possibilty!! I even got a "we're being rammed!" message. So I turned into the convoy trying to keep my cool. Luckily their turn matched mine and I let loose ALL my torps. Two into the large cargo in front of me, two more into the trailing medium cargo behind it, and my aft tube into the orginal large cargo that was my primary target and the one that found me. ALL the escorts were on me this time.
They never depth charged tonite, I think they just couldn't find me. I easily evaded them and headed back the way they came. About 11km away I lose all sound contacts and surface. Looking back I see a stopped large cargo!! In the distance TWO smoke trails. One is another large cargo moving at 4kts and the other one is a Small Merchant!? Wow, talk about a lucky shot.
I move in and finish off the stalled large, but in doing so one of the Flower Corvettes comes rushing back to defend. Too late! Down I go again, wait a bit... then when clear move against the large cargo. At this point the small is 10km ahead and the convoy is 20km ahead. I put another torp into the large and than I notice TWO escorts coming at me. Choices choices.. do I finish off the large, and leave the small? HECK NO! One more torp finishes off the large then I full ahead (flank speed was broken this whole patrol!) at the small. 5km away.. escorts are 8k and closing FAST! Four tubes are ready now, I put one more into the small and she goes down, then I rush the flower covrette!! At 2500m I launch two torps and crash drive to port. I guess I missed with my throat shots. Oh well, my first engagement with a military ship. Tried to ambush a destroyer eariler, but was seen.
So, my convoy skills are getting better I think. Got 3 from this latest convoy, but I'm still iffy on distances and stuff. Next time I'll try submerged.
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