Tactic for sinking convoy escort?

[Aviv]

Okay so when you report a convoy and it asks you to sink the escorts, does anyone have any tips to do that? Since they don't go straight long enough, it's tricky.

The way I can think of doing it is to allow him to see me, very far away, and as he comes to me (as long as he sees me he'll stay dead straight) fire a torpedo. The problem with this is it's so easy to dodge since it's heading for his bow at 000 degrees. Obviously it would be easier with an electric torpedo, but when they're not available..

A second method I thought of was to attack the convoy at first, and then as the escorts come to me, dive very deep and escape them. Then after a few hours the escorts will need to get back to the [surviving] freighters and I noticed they'll go very straight and fast to catch up, giving me time to fire a torpedo. But the problem is I need to survive the destroyers for a long time, and I might have wasted too many torpedoes on the freighters. Besides, the destroyers can reach 21KT and can be too far away once I've surfaced and made sure he can't see me.

So does anyone have any tried-and-tested method to help destroy escorts?

Thanks

[ancient46]

I use the Cromwell or O'Kane method to for merchants.
I use the Brave Sir Robin method with ASW ships. "Run away, run away!!"

[Armistead]

Bout impossible to set up an Okane type attack on an escort as most zig a lil when on convoy duty.

I prefer a down the throat shot if you are stuck with M14's. Just set them as swallow as possible and shoot a spread, althought I will unlock and just set new bearings. If I can I set up a DTT from the stern, if you miss you can get under faster. If he is zigging, learn to time it so you shoot where he is heading in his next zig.

If you're gonna shoot at an angle you about have to fix it in place so it doesn't speed up. Shoot one in front of it..in front of the bow about 10 degrees, one MOT. The first one should stop it from taking off, but shoot fast. I often leave the torp door shut for the first one and open for the next ones so they arrive about the same time.

[sergei]

Originally Posted by Aviv

Okay so when you report a convoy and it asks you to sink the escorts, does anyone have any tips to do that?

I like to think of these as guidelines rather than actual orders.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by Aviv

A second method I thought of was to attack the convoy at first, and then as the escorts come to me, dive very deep and escape them. Then after a few hours the escorts will need to get back to the [surviving] freighters and I noticed they'll go very straight and fast to catch up, giving me time to fire a torpedo. But the problem is I need to survive the destroyers for a long time, and I might have wasted too many torpedoes on the freighters. Besides, the destroyers can reach 21KT and can be too far away once I've surfaced and made sure he can't see me.

So does anyone have any tried-and-tested method to help destroy escorts?

Thanks

That's the method I would try. I've only accomplished a clean sweep twice in my history of this game and that was in the Stock Version (I'm not braggin') and, under the most favorable conditions. I would attack the convoy and immediately go deep in a direction toward the convoy's rear. There will (usually) be 1 DD that hangs around (stopped), protecting the convoy's flank. I'll then close, from behind him to within about 2000 yds and let a couple of fish loose. Once he's taken out, another DD will replace him in protecting the flank. It can be a slow, tedious, process and if the seas are rough, and it's night time, the conditions are ideal. I'm not too good with DTT shots like Armistead is so, this is the tactic I've come to rely on.
BTW, when they say "sink the escorts", do they expect you to take out all of them? Those ungrateful #@$&*$$'s!

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

That's the method I would try. I've only accomplished a clean sweep twice in my history of this game and that was in the Stock Version (I'm not braggin') and, under the most favorable conditions. I would attack the convoy and immediately go deep in a direction toward the convoy's rear. There will (usually) be 1 DD that hangs around (stopped), protecting the convoy's flank. I'll then close, from behind him to within about 2000 yds and let a couple of fish loose. Once he's taken out, another DD will replace him in protecting the flank. It can be a slow, tedious, process and if the seas are rough, and it's night time, the conditions are ideal. I'm not too good with DTT shots like Armistead is so, this is the tactic I've come to rely on.
BTW, when they say "sink the escorts", do they expect you to take out all of them? Those ungrateful #@$&*$$'s!

Funny, Usually when I get those reports to sink the escorts, it depends on the size of the convoy and amount of escorts, like a typical 4 escort convoy, I only need to take out 2 of the 4 escort in order to complete that objective.

[JoeCorrado]

To heck with destroying the escorts unless they happen to become a target of opportunity. My method for attacking the escorts would be to sink the merchants first and then maybe try to nab one as he heads for home.

If I don't succeed... well hey, I tried. Right?