Warships in a Convoi (GWX)

Gezur(Arbeit) · 01-27-08, 05:52 AM

Hi,

I once attacked a convoi with a Revenge driving in its middle and now I want to ask: Was this a scripted Convoi or was this random convoi with a random warship inside? Is it possible that a warship is in a random convoi?

Thank you.

€: Good

Gezoes · 01-27-08, 05:54 AM

In the early war, it was quite common for (older) warships to sail along with convoys.

Von Manteuffel · 01-27-08, 07:43 AM

Welcome aboard Gezur(Arbeit)

As Gezoes says, it was quite common for capital ships to be part of convoys early in the war. The problem was that Britain had a limited number of battle ships and, after the loss of HMS Hood, tended to smother them with covering vessels. This was disproportionate for their value.
Plus, even though the Bismark was no longer, the RN was obsessed by fears concerning the Tirpitz - not to mention Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. So, later on, they kept most of their heavy-hitters close to home, so as to be able to meet any threat the German big ships posed.
On the Russian convoys, it was common for the convoy escort flagship to be a Heavy Cruiser, when available radar-equipped, and for there to be at least one escort-carrier to see off the Condors and to provide some protection in case the Tirpitz sailed out of Norway to intercept.

Uncle Goose · 01-27-08, 07:40 PM

The decision to include capital ships to a convoy was made to reduce the attacks made by surface raiders (like the Admiral Graf Spee). The few escorts that convoys usally had were no match for these heavily armed raiders and thus a solution had to be found. By placing an equally heavy ship inside the convoy it was much harder for raiders to engage in a convoy battle. Later in the war this tactic was abandoned since Germany didn't have any Surface Raiders left to battle the convoys. Still, Britain risked a lot by putting a capital ship in a convoy since it could do little against U-boats. By placing it in the middle they reduced the risk of getting torped since there were at least a few collums of ships between them and the egde of the convoy.

Jimbuna · 01-28-08, 08:16 AM

In the early period of the war, BB's were in fact part of a convoy, but after the sinking of the Bismarck, they would often shadow the convoy from 20/50 miles away in preparedness for Tirpitz or another surface raider breaking out into the Atlantic.
Often there would be Heavy Cruisers used as a replacement when resources were thread thin.

Look at the section entitled 'Great Surface Raiders'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...281939-1945%29

01-27-08, 05:52 AM	#1
Gezur(Arbeit) Soundman Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 149 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Warships in a Convoi (GWX) Hi, I once attacked a convoi with a Revenge driving in its middle and now I want to ask: Was this a scripted Convoi or was this random convoi with a random warship inside? Is it possible that a warship is in a random convoi? Thank you. €: Good Last edited by Gezur(Arbeit); 01-27-08 at 09:52 AM.

01-27-08, 05:54 AM	#2
Gezoes XO Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 435 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	In the early war, it was quite common for (older) warships to sail along with convoys. __________________ If I wasn't a little mad, I'd go mad.

01-28-08, 08:16 AM	#5
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,473 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	In the early period of the war, BB's were in fact part of a convoy, but after the sinking of the Bismarck, they would often shadow the convoy from 20/50 miles away in preparedness for Tirpitz or another surface raider breaking out into the Atlantic. Often there would be Heavy Cruisers used as a replacement when resources were thread thin. Look at the section entitled 'Great Surface Raiders' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_...281939-1945%29 __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

01-27-08, 07:43 AM	#3
Von Manteuffel Commander Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 473 Downloads: 411 Uploads: 0	Welcome aboard Gezur(Arbeit) As Gezoes says, it was quite common for capital ships to be part of convoys early in the war. The problem was that Britain had a limited number of battle ships and, after the loss of HMS Hood, tended to smother them with covering vessels. This was disproportionate for their value. Plus, even though the Bismark was no longer, the RN was obsessed by fears concerning the Tirpitz - not to mention Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. So, later on, they kept most of their heavy-hitters close to home, so as to be able to meet any threat the German big ships posed. On the Russian convoys, it was common for the convoy escort flagship to be a Heavy Cruiser, when available radar-equipped, and for there to be at least one escort-carrier to see off the Condors and to provide some protection in case the Tirpitz sailed out of Norway to intercept.

01-27-08, 07:40 PM	#4
Uncle Goose Torpedoman Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 113 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	The decision to include capital ships to a convoy was made to reduce the attacks made by surface raiders (like the Admiral Graf Spee). The few escorts that convoys usally had were no match for these heavily armed raiders and thus a solution had to be found. By placing an equally heavy ship inside the convoy it was much harder for raiders to engage in a convoy battle. Later in the war this tactic was abandoned since Germany didn't have any Surface Raiders left to battle the convoys. Still, Britain risked a lot by putting a capital ship in a convoy since it could do little against U-boats. By placing it in the middle they reduced the risk of getting torped since there were at least a few collums of ships between them and the egde of the convoy.