Unescorted convoys

Foghladh_mhara · 04-04-07, 07:42 AM

During the early stages of the war due to a lack of escorts with the range for transatlantic crossings a lot of the slow convoys were only escorted a distance out from their departure port and received about the same distance from their inbound port. (I have read somewhere the lines of longitude upto which cover was provided but cant find it now

) This changed with the occupation of Iceland and the setting up of dedicated escort groups that took over the middle stretch of the journey.

Is this reflected in GWX and if so does anybody know beyond which points on the grid map beyond which convoys were on their own?

I'm still in Nov 1939 in my latest career and have been dreaming about what an enterprising Kaleun could do to a defenceless convoy that still hasn't been equipped with deck guns on the high seas :hmm: 14 eels and 220 rounds of deck gun ammo.

I'm coming over all faint

3Jane · 04-04-07, 09:23 AM

In mid '40 I found a convoy of medium merchants and large tankers escorted by only a V+W at the front and a corvette at the rear, nothing on the sides at all. Haven't been that lucky since though.

TarJak · 04-04-07, 09:46 AM

bigboywoolly is the person to ask about this. You could send a PM. Not sure if that's one of the "secrets" of GWX though so he might hint but not tell. I don't think it is possible to split a convoy or delete units from it in SHIII during it's passage though so if it starts with escorts it will have them the whole way because of the way units in a convoy are handled. BBW?

Mush Martin · 04-04-07, 09:49 AM

Actually I beleive it has been done to a certain extent
but still easier to ask bbw than to go through all
the convoys in rnd layer.

MM

Jimbuna · 04-04-07, 10:04 AM

It is reflected in the number and 'capability/status' of the escorts as the war progresses. Air cover is also representative of reality ie: combat radius

Foghladh_mhara · 04-04-07, 10:35 AM

Of course there is the small matter of actually finding a convoy in the middle of the wide North Atlantic but thats a mere technicality

Think I'll give my patrol area a miss on this cruise and follow the Pet Shop Boys advice. Go West the man said and so I shall. About 600 miles off the Irish coast for starters and then the waiting will begin

bigboywooly · 04-04-07, 10:42 AM

Unfortunately its not possible for a rnd group to have the escorts leave after a certain point so any escorts are in from the stat till the end

Game engine limitation

Early war convoys do have less escorts though to make up for that
Not all early war convoys sailed without escorts in RL anyway - the bulk did

Mush Martin · 04-04-07, 11:14 AM

I had thought that it had been done by spawning them in and out
at the MOE area sorry I was wrong again then.
MM

bigboywooly · 04-04-07, 01:12 PM

No a ship is on from start till finish in the rnd

In the scr you can script ships leaving

In PQ17 the escorts are in 4 groups seperate to the merchants and they peel off and leave the convoy alone as happened

Not a simple job to do and unworkable to replace all the early war convoys in the rnd with individually scripted ones in the scr

The happy times mission is an example of a scripted convoy with a meeting point for escorts

Foghladh_mhara · 04-04-07, 06:22 PM

I guess my search for the undefended convoy is in vain then

Managed to find a convoy off the West of Ireland that was lightly escorted and sank the HMS Glasgow and 2 large merchants for 37000 tonnes. Coupled with the 14000 I got before reaching the convoy it wasnt a bad return on my quest though

Zero Niner · 04-04-07, 08:13 PM

It's March 1940 in my current career, using a Type IXB.
So far all the convoys I've encountered have at least 3, more commonly 4, escorts. I wonder if this is par for the course? I've yet to encounter one with only one or two, or better still, zero escorts.

Iron Budokan · 04-04-07, 08:35 PM

I've never come across an unescorted convoy, either.

Keelbuster · 04-04-07, 08:41 PM

I came across an unescorted convoy in Stock SH3. Since NYGM and GWX, i don't think i've ever seen one. I've seen light escort coverage - like 2 or 3 - wiht these mods. But the only unescorted convoy was long ago...it was nice - so early in the war that they didn't have deck guns either

Jimbuna · 04-05-07, 06:21 AM

The good old 'early days' eh !

04-04-07, 07:42 AM	#1
Foghladh_mhara Commander Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 473 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Unescorted convoys During the early stages of the war due to a lack of escorts with the range for transatlantic crossings a lot of the slow convoys were only escorted a distance out from their departure port and received about the same distance from their inbound port. (I have read somewhere the lines of longitude upto which cover was provided but cant find it now ) This changed with the occupation of Iceland and the setting up of dedicated escort groups that took over the middle stretch of the journey. Is this reflected in GWX and if so does anybody know beyond which points on the grid map beyond which convoys were on their own? I'm still in Nov 1939 in my latest career and have been dreaming about what an enterprising Kaleun could do to a defenceless convoy that still hasn't been equipped with deck guns on the high seas :hmm: 14 eels and 220 rounds of deck gun ammo. I'm coming over all faint __________________ The beauty of not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise without any of the stress that might normally precede such a venture

04-04-07, 09:23 AM	#2
3Jane Ace of the Deep Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: York. Northern England. Posts: 1,004 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	In mid '40 I found a convoy of medium merchants and large tankers escorted by only a V+W at the front and a corvette at the rear, nothing on the sides at all. Haven't been that lucky since though. __________________ Fate opposes me in vitality and morality, forced ever onward, burdened, always in shackles. So this very moment, without tarrying, pluck the quivering strings. Because fate punishes the one who plays, all lament with me. (http://hosted.filefront.com/KatherineRowan)

04-04-07, 09:49 AM	#4
Mush Martin Eternal Patrol Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,398 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Actually I beleive it has been done to a certain extent but still easier to ask bbw than to go through all the convoys in rnd layer. MM __________________ RIP Mush Tutorial

04-04-07, 10:04 AM	#5
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	It is reflected in the number and 'capability/status' of the escorts as the war progresses. Air cover is also representative of reality ie: combat radius __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

04-04-07, 10:35 AM	#6
Foghladh_mhara Commander Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 473 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Of course there is the small matter of actually finding a convoy in the middle of the wide North Atlantic but thats a mere technicality Think I'll give my patrol area a miss on this cruise and follow the Pet Shop Boys advice. Go West the man said and so I shall. About 600 miles off the Irish coast for starters and then the waiting will begin __________________ The beauty of not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise without any of the stress that might normally precede such a venture

04-04-07, 09:46 AM	#3
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	bigboywoolly is the person to ask about this. You could send a PM. Not sure if that's one of the "secrets" of GWX though so he might hint but not tell. I don't think it is possible to split a convoy or delete units from it in SHIII during it's passage though so if it starts with escorts it will have them the whole way because of the way units in a convoy are handled. BBW?

04-04-07, 10:42 AM	#7
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Unfortunately its not possible for a rnd group to have the escorts leave after a certain point so any escorts are in from the stat till the end Game engine limitation Early war convoys do have less escorts though to make up for that Not all early war convoys sailed without escorts in RL anyway - the bulk did __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

04-04-07, 11:14 AM	#8
Mush Martin Eternal Patrol Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,398 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	I had thought that it had been done by spawning them in and out at the MOE area sorry I was wrong again then. MM __________________ RIP Mush Tutorial

04-04-07, 01:12 PM	#9
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	No a ship is on from start till finish in the rnd In the scr you can script ships leaving In PQ17 the escorts are in 4 groups seperate to the merchants and they peel off and leave the convoy alone as happened Not a simple job to do and unworkable to replace all the early war convoys in the rnd with individually scripted ones in the scr The happy times mission is an example of a scripted convoy with a meeting point for escorts __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

04-04-07, 06:22 PM	#10
Foghladh_mhara Commander Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 473 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I guess my search for the undefended convoy is in vain then Managed to find a convoy off the West of Ireland that was lightly escorted and sank the HMS Glasgow and 2 large merchants for 37000 tonnes. Coupled with the 14000 I got before reaching the convoy it wasnt a bad return on my quest though __________________ The beauty of not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise without any of the stress that might normally precede such a venture

04-04-07, 08:13 PM	#11
Zero Niner Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,033 Downloads: 69 Uploads: 0	It's March 1940 in my current career, using a Type IXB. So far all the convoys I've encountered have at least 3, more commonly 4, escorts. I wonder if this is par for the course? I've yet to encounter one with only one or two, or better still, zero escorts.

04-04-07, 08:35 PM	#12
Iron Budokan Sea Lord Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 1,778 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	I've never come across an unescorted convoy, either. __________________ "You will take on England wherever you find her ships, and you will break her power at sea." --Iron Coffins, Herbert A. Werner http://kennethmarkhoover.com

04-04-07, 08:41 PM	#13
Keelbuster Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: BA 72 Posts: 1,092 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	I came across an unescorted convoy in Stock SH3. Since NYGM and GWX, i don't think i've ever seen one. I've seen light escort coverage - like 2 or 3 - wiht these mods. But the only unescorted convoy was long ago...it was nice - so early in the war that they didn't have deck guns either __________________

04-05-07, 06:21 AM	#14
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The good old 'early days' eh ! __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!