Late 43 convoys and beyond (GWX)

[Jaman]

Am i the only one who avoids every and all convoys on that timespan?.
I tried to attack three times and all the three ended the same way, my u-boat damaged after no less than three hours of deep charging by no less than 4 DD´s and not a single merchant sunk (a couple damaged by patern torpedoes).
Now everytime i recieve a convoy report i go ahead flank the other direction. Im really afraid of their new ASDIC, not to mention the Colony class DD .

[nikbear]

Don't worry,everybody is exactly the same,to attack convoys at this point of the war is suicide,look for the last stray merchants,or better still head down to the Carib,they are less protected there

[papa_smurf]

Failing that, transfer to the South Pacific and sun it out for the rest of the war

[Jimbuna]

This is exactly what happened at this time....the hunters became the hunted.

[TarJak]

From late '43 onward the game changes from one of hunting to one of survival whilst also hunting.

Your tactics need to be adapted, you must be far more conservative and your tonnage scores are going to be predictably smaller.

If you are patient and stealthy enough though you can still get away scot free with even heavily defened convoys and task forces. There are opportunities for those that can get into the right position, but you must also know when to avoid contact and not press the attack.

the fun part is leaning to know the difference.

[tomfon]

Originally Posted by TarJak

If you are patient and stealthy enough though you can still get away scot free with even heavily defened convoys and task forces. There are opportunities for those that can get into the right position, but you must also know when to avoid contact and not press the attack.

Yeah. Therefore, its completely suicidal to attack a convoy guarded by 12,13 or 14 destroyers. In fact, its not only suicidal, its useless too cause there are very small chances to hit ANY-thing. On the other hand, there are some convoys guarded only by 6 or 7 destroyers. These are an opportunity.

Originally Posted by TarJak

the fun part is leaning to know the difference.

P.S. I once got this message while on patrol (1944): Constant aircraft. CENTRAL ATLANTIC WORSE THAN BAY OF BISCAY.

[Jaman]

6, 7 DD´s an oportunity?. If only one gets a hint of your position you are done for!. I could barely escape from a 5 DD´s attack after 3 realtime hours, i had half a mind of surface and put and end to it.

[irish1958]

Following the spectacular success of the U-boats in the North Atlantic in January-March, 1943 using wolf pack tactics, April saw the Allies getting serious about anti-submarine warfare. U_boat losses became so severe that BDU recalled all boats and changed tactics to harass shipping in waters near Britten and North of Norway.
Convoy attacks (especially) by wolf packs ceased, and single boats were not to attack convoys.
The "Battle of the Atlantic" was over and the Allies had won.

So anybody who finds it difficult to attack convoys from then on, join the club at the bottom of the Atlantic.

[Pepe le Moko]

Yes when you read what happened historically during that period, like irish said, after a few successes in the begining of 1943, it goes downhill pretty fast from there and gets really ugly.

Almost all the escort groups have a jeep carrier with them, the Allied organize bait convoys to draw the U-boats and then trap them, I think there was one case where there were 21 escorts protecting a convoy or waiting for U-boats to fall into the trap. Also it is around that time they have these nasty Bay of Biscay aircraft ASW patrols or offensives and the U-boats barely manage to do any significant sinkings and suffer huge losses. At one point, probably summer 1943, they have say 18 U-boats sailing out of the french harbours and 13 get sunk byaircrafts.

So yes it is around that time that it becomes really nasty.

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

Originally Posted by TarJak

From late '43 onward the game changes from one of hunting to one of survival whilst also hunting.

Your tactics need to be adapted, you must be far more conservative and your tonnage scores are going to be predictably smaller.

If you are patient and stealthy enough though you can still get away scot free with even heavily defened convoys and task forces. There are opportunities for those that can get into the right position, but you must also know when to avoid contact and not press the attack.

the fun part is leaning to know the difference.

I take it that high wind days would be ideal, anything that can kick up the waves and hamper the ASDIC would be good. I'm guessing right position would depend on how gfar out from the merchants the DDs are. I havent made it this far,but if they are 3-5 kms out, you set up for point blank shots. If they still continue to escort close in like they are doing so far in 39-40, you take a 2-3 km shot,per the GWX manual (one shot for far side of the convoy and run away before impact). I really dont know, but I would like to hear more about opportunities and how tactics have to be changed.

[Jaman]

Even with the XXI (since im the best Kaleun i forced the BdU to give me one on February 1944 ) its very difficult. Lately i have managed to cause some damage from long range (no less than 4000m), i fire a 6 mixed eels salvo (2 T3, 2 T3 Patern, 2 T1 patern) in a wide spread and then turn away as fast and as deep as possible. Seems to be working, 2 Large Merchant, a couple of Liberty´s, a small freighter and small merchant sunk so far, and none of the escorts got a hint of me.

I guess ill keep attacking using that tactic, at least while my luck last .

BTW: I really hate the RAF, i hate them so much that im sure Churchill felt a disturbance in the force.
They nearly got me the last patrol 300km away from French coast, direct hit just behind the turret, they forced me into Brest for repairs with half my batteries dead, no more snorkel, both periscopes broken and my WO in pieces. Not only that, those damn bastards tried to finish me off 4 times on my way back to port!.

Sure this is not a gentelmen war anymore .

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

Originally Posted by Jaman

.

BTW: I really hate the RAF, i hate them so much that im sure Churchill felt a disturbance in the force.

Cordell Hull to Roosevelt: "My Lord, Churchill bids you to make contact with him."
Roosevelt:"Manuever out of the asteroid field so we can send a clear transmission."

Roosevelt to the Churchill hologram:"What is thy bidding my master.."

"Churchill:"We have a new enemy..."

Roosevelt:"I have felt him. He's just a boy. He's at sea, Doenitz can no longer help him."

[sharkbit]

Originally Posted by UnterseeBoogeyMan

Cordell Hull to Roosevelt: "My Lord, Churchill bids you to make contact with him."
Roosevelt:"Manuever out of the asteroid field so we can send a clear transmission."

Roosevelt to the Churchill hologram:"What is thy bidding my master.."

"Churchill:"We have a new enemy..."

Roosevelt:"I have felt him. He's just a boy. He's at sea, Doenitz can no longer help him."

[Jaman]

Originally Posted by UnterseeBoogeyMan

Cordell Hull to Roosevelt: "My Lord, Churchill bids you to make contact with him."
Roosevelt:"Manuever out of the asteroid field so we can send a clear transmission."

Roosevelt to the Churchill hologram:"What is thy bidding my master.."

"Churchill:"We have a new enemy..."

Roosevelt:"I have felt him. He's just a boy. He's at sea, Doenitz can no longer help him."

Would the HMS Nelson count as the first Death Star?.

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

The whole bloody island would be the Death Star

Nelson might be the Super Star Destroyer