Convoy attack vs Port attack

[Raf1394]

Do you guys prefer the standard convoy attacks in open sea? Or do you guys sometimes try to sneek inside an enemy port and find some good targets.
For example. Trying to sneek in Liverpool or Portsmouth ports, and sink every ship that is docked there.

I just gave British ports as example. But could be other allied ports.

The difficulty is not the same i guess. Ships docked in ports are easy targets. But getting there undetected is a challenge i think. Also consider the shallow waters incase you are detected.

[Hooston]

Well, whatever floats your boat (or not) I guess. Harbour raids just seem silly to me.
It wasn't really a thing in real life, with one or two exceptions such as Royal Oak and midget subs. Scapa Flow is actually an anchorage rather than a harbour.
As a "realism" bore I'd point out the following:
No tides or currents
Perfect navigation
Excellent night time vision
Terrible blackout discipline on shore - OK for US east coast I suppose!
Massive wide shipping channels
Ships tied up to docks directly exposed to the ocean. What exactly is the purpose of the harbour?
Very few mines and nets
No booms
Very few small patrol craft or small vessels
No searchlights


The game really can't hack it.
However Uboat actually looks worse in the playthroughs I've seen! Cardiff looked more like Miami... I quite like the town, but....


I did once attack a bunch of merchant ships moored off Casablanca as part of operation Torch (GWX) but not actually in a port. That seemed much more realistic and I ended up getting very sunk by a whole bunch of US destroyers.

[HW3]

I attacked an Allied Task Force at anchor in Norway using Fifi's mod. There were several Tribal destroyers, 3 Troop ships, and a Light Cruiser there. I managed to sink 2 Troop ships and the Light Cruiser. The other Troop ship had broken mooring and floated away, ending up grounded. The Destroyers never found me.

[Raf1394]

Originally Posted by HW3

I attacked an Allied Task Force at anchor in Norway using Fifi's mod. There were several Tribal destroyers, 3 Troop ships, and a Light Cruiser there. I managed to sink 2 Troop ships and the Light Cruiser. The other Troop ship had broken mooring and floated away, ending up grounded. The Destroyers never found me.

I think its always a good tactic, to run away as fast as possible right after you fired the torpedoes. Especially long range shots on stationary targets.
While the torpedoes are still running towards the target(s), in the meanwhile you are heading away.

I always try to do this in Scapa Flow.

[HW3]

I was close range, submerged, so I reversed and backed away slowly to not awaken the escorts till the torpedoes went off. By then I was far enough away, and moving at silent running, that they didn't locate me.

[Raf1394]

Originally Posted by HW3

I was close range, submerged, so I reversed and backed away slowly to not awaken the escorts till the torpedoes went off. By then I was far enough away, and moving at silent running, that they didn't locate me.

Nice done

[Shadowblade]

I love good harbor raiding. Tonnage is tonnage plus there can be large warships and troop transport ships anchored in Scapa Flow and other ports.
It is just strange that anchored DDs are still pinging and listening in harbor where should be some harbor traffic to keep them busy all day.


I attack on convoys and TFs too if there is opportunity, especially if there are some large ships to sink.

[Raf1394]

Originally Posted by Shadowblade

I love good harbor raiding. Tonnage is tonnage plus there can be large warships and troop transport ships anchored in Scapa Flow and other ports.
It is just strange that anchored DDs are still pinging and listening in harbor where should be some harbor traffic to keep them busy all day.


I attack on convoys and TFs too if there is opportunity, especially if there are some large ships to sink.

I also see lots of light cruisers and auxiliary cruisers being docked in port.

Honestly, i avoid sinking corvets or destroyers, or any other type of escorts.
The only warships i would target are big cruisers or battleships, aircraft carriers.

Even light cruisers i don't bother about.

[Shadowblade]

Originally Posted by Raf1394

I also see lots of light cruisers and auxiliary cruisers being docked in port.

Honestly, i avoid sinking corvets or destroyers, or any other type of escorts.
The only warships i would target are big cruisers or battleships, aircraft carriers.

Even light cruisers i don't bother about.

well, I usually dont attack lonely DDs. But sometimes you need to sink escort to get to bigger prey

Light cruiser is always good target for me.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Hooston

Well, whatever floats your boat (or not) I guess. Harbour raids just seem silly to me.
It wasn't really a thing in real life, with one or two exceptions

...actually it was a big thing if you don't limit your thinking to just submarines. Tha British attack at Mers-el-Kebir to sink the French fleet at Algeria preventing German acquisition, Adm. Cumningham's attack at Taranto to destroy the anchored Italian fleet...proving to Yamamoto that could be done as Japan then proceeded in attacking Pearl Harbor(incl. minisubs)...and the numerous attacks to sink the mighty Tirpitz in its Norwegian fjord anchorage using submersible x-craft are examples. In playing SH-V, I've attacked ports at New York, Malta, Gibraltar, Charleston, Bergin, the Faeroes, Scapa Flow, 2 Queen Elizabeth class battleships at Alexandria, and the 5 'Churchill Express' troopships intercepted at Capetown, South Africa...which in a type VII U-boat requires meticulous battery/fuel management and a re-eel/refuel at Vichy-held west-african Port Dakar to return to the French coast sub pens...

[Shadowblade]

yeah, all sides did harbor raiding so do I

[Blesk]

Actually, I have one question… Is it possible to sink a ship in harbor straight bow to you with magnetic setting aiming below the ship’s depth? I have encountered a Hood type cruiser in the port, nearly 50 000 tons but there was no way of attacking from any other side so I backed off. Now when I’m thinking about it, would it be possible to sink him this way?

[Raf1394]

Originally Posted by Blesk

Actually, I have one question… Is it possible to sink a ship in harbor straight bow to you with magnetic setting aiming below the ship’s depth? I have encountered a Hood type cruiser in the port, nearly 50 000 tons but there was no way of attacking from any other side so I backed off. Now when I’m thinking about it, would it be possible to sink him this way?

So you are shooting at he's front bow?

I think with a magnetic torpedo, its possible. Don't forgot that the water is very shallow. When the ships keel is deep, and you want to go under it. You can hit the bottom of the sea.

With impact pistol, it won't work i think. The AOB is too bad.
But with magnetic, it will explode if its near the ship. The damage would not be perfect. But i think it will explode.

[Shadowblade]

Originally Posted by Blesk

Actually, I have one question… Is it possible to sink a ship in harbor straight bow to you with magnetic setting aiming below the ship’s depth? I have encountered a Hood type cruiser in the port, nearly 50 000 tons but there was no way of attacking from any other side so I backed off. Now when I’m thinking about it, would it be possible to sink him this way?

I guess I had similar issue - HMS Hood in Plymouth protected by subnet (front+side, it was not possible to fire above the subnet.). Only way to sink her was sneak around the subnet and behind the Hood and fire several torpedoes with magnetic pistol aiming under her keel (very bad angle for attack with impact pistol).

[Blesk]

Originally Posted by Shadowblade

I guess I had similar issue - HMS Hood in Plymouth protected by subnet (front+side, it was not possible to fire above the subnet.). Only way to sink her was sneak around the subnet and behind the Hood and fire several torpedoes with magnetic pistol aiming under her keel (very bad angle for attack with impact pistol).

Yes, it was exactly in Plymouth!