What do you do when a convoy or ship is going away from you?

[IcyWaters]

I've seen videos and read stories about subs lying in wait along a convoy's path, then ambushing the convoy as it passes, but what are a captain's options if the convoy was heading AWAY from the sub's location? Not necessarily directly away from the sub, but shall we say "not in the sub's general direction"? Or what happens if the convoy/ship WAS heading directly away from the sub?

[Sailor Steve]

One thing you can do is what the Americans called the "End-Around". Wait until they are on the horizon, surface, go to flank speed and head at a angle to them, so they are always on the horizon and you slowly get in front of them. Depending on the situation this can take a day or more, so you have to be patient. Then you'll be in front of them so you can make a decent attack. Sometimes it helps to dive and get a good sound bearing, then surface and take up the chase again.

Another thing you can do is approach as close as you dare, making the final run in on the surface after dark. This could work in real life, but the game can be finicky about how well they can see you at night.

[GT182]

You could try for a shot at the rear of the ship. Destroy the props and they ain't going anywhere. Tho you'll have to wait out the destroyers that will attack you. I've done it in SHIII a few times with success, but it should work in SH5 too.

I've done the ol sneak off and then run to the front trick. Takes time getting far enough away to surface and then run at full speed to get ahead of them. Try plot their course and hope they stay with it.

Edit: You beat me to it Steve. LOL

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

One thing you can do is what the Americans called the "End-Around". Wait until they are on the horizon, surface, go to flank speed and head at a angle to them, so they are always on the horizon and you slowly get in front of them. Depending on the situation this can take a day or more, so you have to be patient. Then you'll be in front of them so you can make a decent attack. Sometimes it helps to dive and get a good sound bearing, then surface and take up the chase again.

Another thing you can do is approach as close as you dare, making the final run in on the surface after dark. This could work in real life, but the game can be finicky about how well they can see you at night.

+1 I swear by this method, its like a huge thanksgiving platter of leftovers in the fridge, you keep on coming back and attacking at your leisure, on your terms.

[IcyWaters]

Ah, I see. I have read a bit about this procedure. So there is no other way aside from the end-around? And is a surfaced sub always faster than the transport/frieghter/target ships? I mean, are there any ships that are "gone" once they are heading away from you?

[finchOU]

Originally Posted by IcyWaters

Ah, I see. I have read a bit about this procedure. So there is no other way aside from the end-around? And is a surfaced sub always faster than the transport/frieghter/target ships? I mean, are there any ships that are "gone" once they are heading away from you?

90% of the time yes...you are faster than most of your prey. Alot of Juicy targets are faster than you on the surface...say a troop transport....so if you happen to be in a good position, ie in front of them when you make contact...you might have a fleeting oportunity to sink one....ie Luck ie right place right time right tactic.

The end around is the anwser...yeah..it takes time...but being slow patient and methodical is what is going to not only keep you alive...but make your attacks more successful.......maintain your stealth while repositioning for another ambush. Use environmentals to your advantage...aka Dark, lower visiblity. I would use the smoke on the horizon during the day (early on)...then close it in as the sun goes down. Use your hydrophone to varify the position of the convoy if you lose sight...or cant get close enought to maintain visual. Convoy=big noisy smoky=easy to see/ hear = advantage for you! Now take advantage!

[IcyWaters]

Thank you for that info!

Next question I guess is how do you determine if it is worth chasing a contact for days and days? I assume if it's a convoy, that's just too good a target to pass, but what if it's a single ship or maybe two or three? Is there a certain point wherein you can say you can't be bothered to chase it?

[RickC Sniper]

A spotted unescorted ship is always worth it, as well as escorted convoys.

It usually only takes 24 hrs or so, and we in the game have time compression to make that very manageable.

[Sailor Steve]

If it's an unescorted ship early in the war the odds are it won't be armed, so you can just chase it up the rear and use the gun.

A convoy can only travel as fast as the slowest ship there, so they usually don't travel faster than six knots, sometimes as fast as nine. You can travel at seventeen knots or better, so the only real danger is getting too close and alerting the escorts.

[IcyWaters]

Thanks for that info!

I was wondering, if I was using real navigation and I was able to map the convoy's course, what is the minimum recommended offset? ie, I know you guys say "keep them on the horizon" but how far is that more-or-less?

[Trevally.]

Originally Posted by IcyWaters

Thank you for that info!

Next question I guess is how do you determine if it is worth chasing a contact for days and days? I assume if it's a convoy, that's just too good a target to pass, but what if it's a single ship or maybe two or three? Is there a certain point wherein you can say you can't be bothered to chase it?

Its not worth it if you are very low on fuel and only have enough to get home.

Or when one of your crew says "I have a bad feeling about this one"

[Trevally.]

Originally Posted by IcyWaters

Thanks for that info!

I was wondering, if I was using real navigation and I was able to map the convoy's course, what is the minimum recommended offset? ie, I know you guys say "keep them on the horizon" but how far is that more-or-less?

This changes with the weather and your speed
Just keep them on the horizion 8 to 12 km and you should be ok (your profile is very small so they wont see you. Beware that convoy escorts also have a small profile). You can go a lot further and should still be able to get to a good attacking point.
If you are going out of sight with them - you can dip under every now and then to ensure they have not changed course.


If you have already attacked this convoy and there are wounded ships - do not let them get more that 25 to 30km away or the auto repair bug will fix their damage.

[IcyWaters]

8-12km should be alright? Thanks!

Reason I ask is because I am not familiar with the sight ranges of this game so it is easier to plot out a 12km offset rather than "play it by feel" with keeping things on the horizon. Also might be easier to just plot a 12km offset line, run a course parallel to that line but a further 3-4km away and do a good run, then come back to the 12km offset line to "check" on the convoy.

[Trevally.]

What you could do is play a single mission with the game realism seting turned down.
Here you can watch on map view how far each ship can see (gray circle on map). You can watch this circle change as you adjust your speed, turn towards target (lower profile) etc. It is a good way to then guess how far they can see.

Then try again at night

This can also be done with antisub ships. Their sensors can be shown on map and you can see how much noise you are making at depth etc. (orange and red circles).
If you are deep and at silent running - watch the orange circle around the dd increase if you load a torp, increase speed etc