Was this just bad luck ?

[bertieck476]

Hi folks,
returning from a good patrol I happened upon a V&W that turned out to be the lead escort of a large convoy in Jan 41 and I was well placed as I was already ahead of it during darkness,I plotted an intercept ahead of the convoys course and flanked to this point arriving well ahead of time so I went to PD, set for silent all stopped and waited and listened eventually started getting long range contacts and things still looked good, so I sped things upto 128 tc to bring a bit closer with the occasional peek to see where the V&W was
The contact bearings were still looking good and the only visual I had was the V&W and it was doing a zig zag course, I thought I'd sit where I was all silent when it had passed if need be manouvre into a better position to attack the convoy.
Things start to get a bit nervy now as the V&W contacts start to get very small on my nav map but I reason that I better stay still and silent and let it pass, next thing I know were taking damage, there had been no depth charges, I think there was a bang and when I check the damage the flak gun is damaged along with the electric engines, both rudders and rear dive planes destroyed, I had a quick look above with the PS and there was searchlights looking for me so I dived and evaded eventually.
Now I was wondering did it know I was there or was I unlucky and it just happened to go straight over me and also I didn,t think they were that deep to be able to damage rudders and dive planes, what are your thoughts?
Bert.

[KL-alfman]

yep, the destroyer must have just run into your boat.
pls, bear in mind to stay away from them at least 1,000-1,500m. even early-war ASDIC might detect you at a lesser range.

[Jimbuna]

What you experienced could be down to a number of factors...some of which you may have been able to determine if you hadn't increased your tc at a crucial/critical time.

When the enemy are in close proximity your better off keeping tc to normal time if possible to enable/help you witness any sudden changes in course or direction, the commencement of zig zagging or active pinging....all of which are a clear indication they are aware of your presence.

Try not to lie broadside on to your prey becuase your cross sectional profile is at its greatest and therefore easiest to detect. better to have your bow pointed towards them and your boat set at 'silent running'.

If I hazard a guess at your demise I'd say he picked you up on sonar and zig zagged towards you but your game was in accelerated mode and therefore you weren't able to notice the tell tale signs.

[RConch]

If you feel the need to speed up an approach don't go over 8xtc and not for a long period. Too much can happen in an approach as you found out.
I am surprised that being in contact (visual) with escorts you could go above 32xtc.
If it is an enemy, even if I am not spotted (but I am watching them) the tc will only go to 32xtc.
Seems the only time I can get above 32xtc (while in contact) is if it is a neutral.
Good hunting in your next life.

Ja. My TC locks at 1.

[Weiss Pinguin]

IIRC correctly you can go up to 32x if you haven't been detected, but once you are it locks you at a lower TC level. Or he may have just adjusted his TC settings.

[schlechter pfennig]

Just my $.02:

Through experimentation I've learned that escorts will 'discover' you, no matter what, at higher TC than at 1X.

For instance, I've been running silent at 40 meters, and I've crept 2 kilometers away. Escorts are still circling where I'd been. I can bump up to 2X, and usually even 4X, and be 'safe'. If I bump TC up to 8X, though, within a minute I have every escort homing in to my new position.

I've experimented with TC when escorts have been unaware of me, too. My best advice from what I've learned is to keep TC down as low as possible once you're within 5 kilometers of the closest escort, and I'd recommend no higher than 1X at that point.

Happy hunting!

[bertieck476]

Thanks for the replies,
all the advice is welcome as I am still very much a novice.
Thinking back I only set to 128 while at the nav map and watched the contact spikes move along my plotted course for the convoy,when I had a look through the periscope to check on progress I was at 1x and when I was at the nav map my periscope was down so I was able to go to 128X.
I did notice the forward escort weaving or zigzagging but I thought this was normal and was just checking for contacts astern of it (in its baffles)also I have to admit that I was in what I thought was a good position to attack the convoy and did not even think about the fact that I was at 90 degrees to its course.I still have a lot to learn
I did evade them and get away and surface and carry out repairs with exception of the rear dive planes, and returned to the convoy to try and attack again but I do need to learn how to deal with the escorts because before I even got into a attacking position I was being detected and I didn't get away this time.
I am using the stock version and I havn't changed any settings (don't know how)
Bert

[KL-alfman]

for getting better in convoy-attacks I'd suggest to use the search-function of this board or look into the "tips and hints"-thread (sticky).
or you could download the GWX-manual.

[tomfon]

Originally Posted by KL-alfman

yep, the destroyer must have just run into your boat.
pls, bear in mind to stay away from them at least 1,000-1,500m. even early-war ASDIC might detect you at a lesser range.

+1

[Falkirion]

Dont get too close to your intended targets, especially if its in the center column of the convoy. There's plenty of time to get into firing position once the lead escort has slipped past you. Bit of patience and observations should get you into perfect position in future.

[krashkart]

I tend to keep my TC no higher than 8x when approaching or waiting for a convoy. A good thing I learned is to scout the convoy and see how many escorts they have riding shotgun. Once I have that figured out I engage the escorts first. Keep in mind that from time to time an escort will perform a sweep away from the convoy, usually the escorts on flank and rear guard. I have seen lead escorts perform sweeps. From your description it sounds like your V&W was doing just that -- unless you had already fired into the convoy and hit paydirt; which would put the whole formation into a zigzag.

Slow and steady wins the race.

EDIT:

As an example of unwanted things happening in high time compression; I had left my deck gun manned while patrolling near a radar contact. Dissatisfied with the speed of our progress toward the target I upped the TC to 128. When the contact turned green I immediately double-tapped the Backspace key, but it was too late. We had already sunk a neutral ship.

This PSA paid in full with negative renown.