How do you go about attacking a convoy?

Nisgeis · 04-09-10, 01:37 PM

I'm looking for a bit of general information on the way people prosecute attacks on convoys in SH5 or SH3. What you do, what you don't do etcetera. Do you end around and dive along their track and wait submerged for them to steam over you? Do you stalk them until night and then try to work your way into the convoys surfaced from astern? How do you attack yours?

robbo180265 · 04-09-10, 01:43 PM

Assuming that I can get into position, I tend to wait for them to come to me. I dive to let the lead destroyer sail over the top using the scope to make sure. From then on I wait till the merchants are within range - loose a few eels, normaly 1 per ship (not looking to sink , but wound).

I then dive under the convoy and try to stay under it whilst reloading - I figure that the ships above should mask sounds from the sub - plus it makes it difficult for the destroyers to get a clear run.

Rinse and repeat.

Afterwards (when safe) I come up to the surface and hunt the stragglers and wounded ships with the deck gun.

mcarlsonus · 04-09-10, 01:55 PM

end arounds - I hate having to shoot at something moving away from me! After one hit, merchants, tankers, etc., begin to behave erratically. A well-placed shot from astern has a longer run time, thus giving the target the opportunity to maneuver out of position (even at short distances!) SH5 merchies (unrealistically) turn on a dime ("and give you five cents change").

Deck gun? Can't use any longer as freighter/oiler gunners are deadeye killer marksmen! If this astounding firing acumen had any basis in fact, the U-Boat portion of the War in the North Atlantic would've been over before the end of '41!

kylania · 04-09-10, 02:03 PM

Sounds like I do the same. Try to get ahead of a convoy and wait for them. Now, with map contacts on I wait between the first and second columns. I'll set my TDC and get my scope in position (usually 10-20 degrees off center). Then as the ranks pass that point I'll fire. What happens is I'll end up hitting four ranks of ships essentially simultaneously. I'll also hit the one behind me with tube V. Depending on the reaction of the escorts I'll either just sit there and reload, repeating the process with the 3rd or 4th rank of ships, or I'll dive to 100m or so and start to slowly exit the convoy to the rear.

Once I'm confident that the escorts have left, I'll come to periscope depth and finish off the wounded ships or if it's really clear I'll surface and finish off with the deck gun.

With map contacts off I'm not confident enough judge my position inside the convoy, so I'll attack from 1km to the side or so.

Night surface attacks I've tried once, and it was pretty cool, but if it's not foggy enough it's really dangerous I've found, so I tend to not do them that often.

Nisgeis · 04-09-10, 02:14 PM

Thanks for the responses so far guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcarlsonus

end arounds

How do you exit - try to get out at the rear of the convoy?

Westbroek · 04-09-10, 02:45 PM

Go as deep as the sea bed permits and make 2-3 knots (depending on battery) in the opposite direction of the convoy. Destroyers will be looking for you like crazy once the convoy is past you, but if you're patient, they'll give up.
...unless you're using Ducimus' AI mod, in which case, you should have stayed in port

mcarlsonus · 04-09-10, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

Thanks for the responses so far guys.

How do you exit - try to get out at the rear of the convoy?

Before or after the attack?

Before - the, "end around" part:
Stay outside the escort or merchant detection ring(s) (inner is visual range, outer yellow represents passive sonar and red is active sonar? Is that right, guys?), flank speed, move away from convoy JUST a smidge outside detection range, gradually increase turn to parallel their course, then begin to close submerging only when it's clear one will be able to get into decent position before the target gets in front of you at more than, say, 800 meters. CAREFUL - the faster one goes, the greater the possibility you'll be seen and attacked!

After - eluding DD's, hostile Ski-Doos, rabid environmentalists and eco-terrorists:
Go down to at least 20m/66ft, at, "Run 1" ("dead slow"). Don't rely on pinging to determine distance from hostiles as the sounds don't vary much in SH5. Pings, depth charge explosions sound the same both when they're close or even moderately far away. Watch hydrophone lines to get an idea of where they're looking about and see if they're looking for you in all the wrong places. Move along the noise lines presenting as little of yourself to the hunters as possible (move along the lines like they were courses!). Before you've decided it's safe to come up, first, come to periscope depth and look around! One thing done well in SH5 is, "lurkers." This'll be a DD/DE sitting quietly not far from you, making little headway, with its searchlights off, all active detection systems "off," patiently waiting for you to come bobbing up like a cork...at which point, most assuredly, you will die!

mcarlsonus · 04-09-10, 02:56 PM

Disregard my previous if using Ducimus' mod. In that case, abandon all hope...

ERPP8 · 04-09-10, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nisgeis

I'm looking for a bit of general information on the way people prosecute attacks on convoys in SH5 or SH3. What you do, what you don't do etcetera. Do you end around and dive along their track and wait submerged for them to steam over you? Do you stalk them until night and then try to work your way into the convoys surfaced from astern? How do you attack yours?

I have many strategies.
4 for merchants, two for destroyers.
Merchants:
1. I catch up to them and sink them with guns.
2. I catch up and use torps and guns.
3. In small convoys I use torps to sink the escorts and surface sink them with guns and/or torps.
4. They have too many escorts and I use just torps from underwater.

Destroyers:
1. I intercept their path then submerge.
2. I pass them and get into their path.

mcarlsonus · 04-09-10, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kptlt_Lynch

Lie in wait ahead, track multiple ships, calculate shots, manuver to a 90deg position... usually within one of the outside lines.

Fire, and dive.

I have however, in a moment of insanity (& too much coffee), surfaced and manned the deckgun in the middle of the convoy and driven though it like a rally driver all the time firing at ships. Escorts started firing, hitting their own ships while I weaved in and out of the traffic riuning their solution on me. Not advisable, but fun for a few minutes!

Kapitanlieutenant Lynch: If those MERCHANT gunners had gotten a bead on you, you'd be colder'n a mackeral in no time! AGAIN we have part of the proof that, in SH5, commercial shipping is FAR more dangerous to surface-running Untersee Boots than military pros!

oscar19681 · 05-16-10, 04:55 PM

go ahead of the convoi , hang m on peri depth and let the torpedos go!!!

robbo180265 · 05-16-10, 05:17 PM

Yeah - have a look back through this thread , some damn fine tactics here.
Also check out the SH3 forums for convoy attack tactics - some damn good ones there too

Westbroek · 04-09-10, 04:56 PM

Ducimus!
Don't take it down! The way I see it, the argument that exists for mods like Lorka's arcadey creations hold true to your AI mods as well ie. the more options available the better. I (perhaps masochistically) enjoy getting depth charged mercilessly and it absolutely makes a great challenge.
I can atest that it is, in fact, not at all impossible to escape escorts using your difficult ai mod. You just really have to be on your A game and have everything work out in your favor. Being prepared beforehand is more important than the actions you take after the attack, which is pretty realistic.
People should have the option to really defy the odds!

Westbroek · 04-09-10, 05:14 PM

Question: to continue the discussion regarding tactics:
What is everyone's standard practice regarding torpedo speed. When is it ideal to use fast/medium/slow torpedos on merchant ships? What do you most commonly use?
Cheers

Ducimus · 04-09-10, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westbroek

What is everyone's standard practice regarding torpedo speed. When is it ideal to use fast/medium/slow torpedos on merchant ships? What do you most commonly use?
Cheers

I always use fast, unless i have a reason not to.
Reasons not to:

- I need a delay so i can have more time to depart my present location before torpedo hits.

- I need a delay to time my salvos to hit at same time.

- Too far away from a fast moving target, this is my one shot at it and I Need more range on the fish, trade off is, im firing MUCH sooner to compensate.

04-09-10, 01:37 PM	#1
Nisgeis Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,909 Downloads: 77 Uploads: 11	How do you go about attacking a convoy? I'm looking for a bit of general information on the way people prosecute attacks on convoys in SH5 or SH3. What you do, what you don't do etcetera. Do you end around and dive along their track and wait submerged for them to steam over you? Do you stalk them until night and then try to work your way into the convoys surfaced from astern? How do you attack yours? __________________ -------------------------------- This space left intentionally blank. Last edited by Nisgeis; 04-09-10 at 02:01 PM.

04-09-10, 02:03 PM	#4
kylania Silent Hunter Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,528 Downloads: 118 Uploads: 0	Sounds like I do the same. Try to get ahead of a convoy and wait for them. Now, with map contacts on I wait between the first and second columns. I'll set my TDC and get my scope in position (usually 10-20 degrees off center). Then as the ranks pass that point I'll fire. What happens is I'll end up hitting four ranks of ships essentially simultaneously. I'll also hit the one behind me with tube V. Depending on the reaction of the escorts I'll either just sit there and reload, repeating the process with the 3rd or 4th rank of ships, or I'll dive to 100m or so and start to slowly exit the convoy to the rear. Once I'm confident that the escorts have left, I'll come to periscope depth and finish off the wounded ships or if it's really clear I'll surface and finish off with the deck gun. With map contacts off I'm not confident enough judge my position inside the convoy, so I'll attack from 1km to the side or so. Night surface attacks I've tried once, and it was pretty cool, but if it's not foggy enough it's really dangerous I've found, so I tend to not do them that often. __________________

04-09-10, 02:45 PM	#6
Westbroek Lieutenant Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: LA Posts: 256 Downloads: 121 Uploads: 0	Go as deep as the sea bed permits and make 2-3 knots (depending on battery) in the opposite direction of the convoy. Destroyers will be looking for you like crazy once the convoy is past you, but if you're patient, they'll give up. ...unless you're using Ducimus' AI mod, in which case, you should have stayed in port __________________ .Godspeed.

04-09-10, 02:56 PM	#8
mcarlsonus Weps Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 362 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	P.S. "Westbroek" is right! Disregard my previous if using Ducimus' mod. In that case, abandon all hope...

05-16-10, 04:55 PM	#11
oscar19681 Admiral Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: netherlands Posts: 2,020 Downloads: 119 Uploads: 0	go ahead of the convoi , hang m on peri depth and let the torpedos go!!! __________________ we live we die but death does not ends it. Jim Morrison 1943-1971

04-09-10, 01:43 PM	#2
robbo180265 Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton, England.Party capital of the south Posts: 2,255 Downloads: 126 Uploads: 0	Assuming that I can get into position, I tend to wait for them to come to me. I dive to let the lead destroyer sail over the top using the scope to make sure. From then on I wait till the merchants are within range - loose a few eels, normaly 1 per ship (not looking to sink , but wound). I then dive under the convoy and try to stay under it whilst reloading - I figure that the ships above should mask sounds from the sub - plus it makes it difficult for the destroyers to get a clear run. Rinse and repeat. Afterwards (when safe) I come up to the surface and hunt the stragglers and wounded ships with the deck gun.

04-09-10, 01:55 PM	#3
mcarlsonus Weps Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 362 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	end arounds - I hate having to shoot at something moving away from me! After one hit, merchants, tankers, etc., begin to behave erratically. A well-placed shot from astern has a longer run time, thus giving the target the opportunity to maneuver out of position (even at short distances!) SH5 merchies (unrealistically) turn on a dime ("and give you five cents change"). Deck gun? Can't use any longer as freighter/oiler gunners are deadeye killer marksmen! If this astounding firing acumen had any basis in fact, the U-Boat portion of the War in the North Atlantic would've been over before the end of '41!

05-16-10, 05:17 PM	#12
robbo180265 Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton, England.Party capital of the south Posts: 2,255 Downloads: 126 Uploads: 0	Yeah - have a look back through this thread , some damn fine tactics here. Also check out the SH3 forums for convoy attack tactics - some damn good ones there too

04-09-10, 04:56 PM	#13
Westbroek Lieutenant Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: LA Posts: 256 Downloads: 121 Uploads: 0	Ducimus! Don't take it down! The way I see it, the argument that exists for mods like Lorka's arcadey creations hold true to your AI mods as well ie. the more options available the better. I (perhaps masochistically) enjoy getting depth charged mercilessly and it absolutely makes a great challenge. I can atest that it is, in fact, not at all impossible to escape escorts using your difficult ai mod. You just really have to be on your A game and have everything work out in your favor. Being prepared beforehand is more important than the actions you take after the attack, which is pretty realistic. People should have the option to really defy the odds! __________________ .Godspeed.

04-09-10, 05:14 PM	#14
Westbroek Lieutenant Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: LA Posts: 256 Downloads: 121 Uploads: 0	Question: to continue the discussion regarding tactics: What is everyone's standard practice regarding torpedo speed. When is it ideal to use fast/medium/slow torpedos on merchant ships? What do you most commonly use? Cheers __________________ .Godspeed.