[siber]

Hi all!

Was reading with interest. I thought I'd add my tuppenny's worth on my experiences with convoys. But understand that I don't get to play as often as I'd like (demands of gf!) so I'm in a Type VIIB in 1939/1940 before the escorts get REALLY good... However, I'm on 86% realism with manual targetting, no stealth meter etc, so it's not as easy as all that...

What I generally do is head toward where a convoy is thought to be... (from radio report or sound contact at 20km distance) until I'm within about 5-10km of the outside escorts. I then go to periscope depth and listen for a few minutes. If I find the convoy, I use the map-marker to plot where a ship in the main body is. Then, after a minute or so, I plot again. Repeating three or more times will give you a number of plots in a line. Extend this line about 20-30km and head for that point, initially parallel to the convoy (or heading slightly away from its course in case of side escorts running out at you) and then perpendicular to its course. When I reach the extended line, I dive to 15m and continue at 1kt at slow speed, listening for the convoy.

With any luck (90% of the time for me), you'll pick them up again still heading on the same course. If not, start the tracking/positioning procedure again. Put the scope up occasionally to scan the horizon in the direction of the sound. The first ship you see should be the front escort. At this point, rig for silent running and order all stop, ensuring that you are at least 14m down to prevent floating up and your conning tower poking up above the surface. Sit and wait for the front escort to pass, resisting the temptation to fire the electric eel in your stern tube at him. There are better things coming...

The rest of the convoy should be about 1km behind the front man. Upon spotting them you should be able to determine whether you're near the centre of the group. If not, but you're pointing in the right direction, go slow at 1 or 2 kts to creep forwards. If you've gone past the central columns of the convoy, resist the urge to turn around. I've tried, but found that at slow speed I can't make it round in time to plot solutions, and at faster speeds the escorts hear you in the water and come running... You'll just have to be satisfied with small merchants on the outside screen, and perhaps have a pop at a centre column with your stern tube... However, if you're fortunate or cunning, you'll have ended up with at least some of the larger ships passing only 300-600min front of you. For big ones, a spread of four will give a significant chance of sending them down, but if there are small/medium targets, I normally send two fish off slowly towards a ship in the column beyond the one in front, and then two fast shots at a target right in front of me. I'd estimate that, with my ropey shooting, about 75% of close shots hit, but only 25% of long shots. Occasionally however, a missed shot at a large merchant will (through nothing more than luck!) run into a smaller ship on the outer columns. This has happened to me twice before.

Generally I find that being in the middle of the convoy offers you some protection, as it takes the escorts a good couple of minutes to get there from their stations. I've had torpedoes hit before and then waited for the next ship in column to come up and shot at that too before I head down to safety. I crash dive to 150m then switch to silent and use the last bit of speed to turn 100 degrees left or right. The crew aren't reloading as we're still on silent running, and then I can generally creep off silently towards the back of the convoy. Once the escorts have given up trying to find me (often I don't even get pinged) I come up to periscope depth, scan the horizon and then reload the tubes. If a ship I know I've hit hasn't sunk, I'll hang around the back of the convoy - diving briefly if my watch spots the rear escort - to see if a wounded merchant drops out the back. If so, the deck gun finishes her off, but then the rear escort usually comes (belatedly) to try to help, and I might get depth charged again.

Once this is done, I start the whole process again until I'm out of torpedoes, fuel or patience. Generally I'll head back when I'm down to 2 torps remaining, saving them for any chance encounters on my way back to Kiel around Scotland.

Anyone agree with this tactic? If find it opens up the centre of the convoy to attack, although there's a greater risk of ramming while you're sitting still at periscope depth, waiting for the convoy to pass. However, generally I manage to get 10-15k tonnes per patrol using this method, one big ship and a couple of smaller ones. Or would I be better taking long shots from the edges of the convoy?