I think it's probably because of Silent Running. I also think that if you've got DDs around, probably best to just leave Silent Running on, go below the layer, and sneak off. I wouldn't turn off Silent Running just to load torpedoes. Not if those blue warship sound spikes are still visible - if you can still hear them, chances are decent that they may well be able to hear you if you stop trying to be quiet.
Only time I turn off Silent Running with destroyers around is when I've been damaged and need some faster Damage Control response for pump/bulkhead repairs and flooding control. As soon as that critical stuff is under control, I go silent again and fix the other stuff later.
Another thing worth mentioning...if you went into action with enough torpedoes onboard to be able to reload in the first place, then before you get to that point, I guess you've already fired all your tubes (10 in the case of a Gato/Balao). Assuming that at least half of them hit, you've already made a pretty spectacular attack, quick reload not so critical, is it? Time to slink away.
I've only felt pressured once or twice to reload torps in Silent Running with escorts around...and all those occasions were definitely events where several other things had already gone in directions other than I would have desired....
|