Convoy Intercept help

Sharkey · 05-17-13, 09:03 AM

Is there a quick and easy way to work out a convoy intercept?
my current guesstimation technique leaves me way off course on most occasions.
I've seen the tutorial in Guides & Training but it seems kinda time consuming and a little complicated for a quick solution ( for me anyway!)
What system do you guys usually use?

Happy Hunting.

Sailor Steve · 05-17-13, 09:21 AM

I draw a line from the convoy in the direction it's heading. I then figure out how far it will go at its current speed in how many hours. I then figure out how long it will take me to get ahead of it and lie in wait.

Depending on which supermod you're using you may be missing due to the simple fact that the convoy zig-zags, changing course from time to time for that very reason. They don't want to make it easy for you to catch them.

Redmane · 05-17-13, 01:55 PM

As Sailor Steve has said, if you are using one of the supermods, you can expect that any radio report you get on a convoy may be telling you only one leg of their zig-zag course, and not at all reporting their base course, which is the actual direction they are heading. As far as the stock game goes, I always found the little course estimate tails on the contact markers to be quite accurate, though often the outfit in question may change course and leave me with empty sea to look at. My approach was much simpler than the one described in the tutorial. I would draw an 8 mile diameter circle around the location of the contact report, extend a course line for x number of miles, depending on their course, speed and distance from my boat. Then I drew another 8 mile circle, lined from the edge of one to the other to make a corridor on the map. Once I reached a point well ahead of the target, I ploted a zig-zag search pattern back up the corridor in the direction I expected the target to approach. Much of the time I would find them.

I am currently running the TMO mod, playing the basic career. Intercepting convoys and TF's is much less a sure thing, in part because the course estimates in the radio reports for such outfits is all you get, the little course estimate tails are not shown on your nav map. In dealing with these I find the postion of the outfit reported, and take a look for what possible destination they may be heading for, given their general direction and what may be in rough line with it. Sometimes this seems to lead to an obvious destination, like Tokyo Bay. Other times, there's nothing much at all, as far as a destination goes along the probable track of the reported outfit. The other issue that comes into play in TMO is the actual speed of the convoy/TF. Some convoys are all freighters/tankers, making perhaps 5-8 knots. Others are fast transport convoys, running at 15-18 knots. Then there are the TF's running at 20 kts or perhaps as fast as 33 kts, if you see one of the Tokyo Express TF's in the Solomons. In any case, I draw out a line for my best guesstimate of their course, then a few circles representing the distance they will cover at the reported speed, perhaps a few more if I missed the exact moment of the report to show how far they have gone in the meantime, and check first to see if I can get close enough to have a chance at them. Then its a matter of running fast enough to reach their possible location at an appropriate point in time. Sometimes I make an intercept, sometimes I don't. I'm happy to say that I have made quite a few, and been able to bag some targets at the end of the chase. Also, there are times when such outfits will just happed to cross your course, and then its a matter of making good decisions on how you are going to run the approach in order to get to a firing position.

By the way, I've posted a couple of stories in the "Stories and Patrol Logs" thread about chance encounters I've had in TMO. In one I mention the "O'Kane Solution." This is really a constant bearing solution for targeting with your torpedos and is a very helpful thing to have in your bag of skipper's tricks. Visit the "Tips and Tricks" thread and read through the tutorial Rockin Robbins wrote on this. You will find it very useful indeed, I think.

Sharkey · 05-17-13, 02:54 PM

Thanks for the quick response guys.
I'm running TMO, I was doing more or less what you suggested Sailor Steve but it didnt occur to me that they would possibly be zigzagging, heck I would under the circumstances!

Redmane I'll try your suggestions, and will certainly take a look at the posts you mentioned, thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed explanation.

Redmane · 05-17-13, 05:37 PM

You're welcome, glad to help.

Armistead · 05-17-13, 08:00 PM

TMO zigs most groups every 10nm's.

05-17-13, 09:03 AM	#1
Sharkey Seaman Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Wales, UK. Posts: 31 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Convoy Intercept help Is there a quick and easy way to work out a convoy intercept? my current guesstimation technique leaves me way off course on most occasions. I've seen the tutorial in Guides & Training but it seems kinda time consuming and a little complicated for a quick solution ( for me anyway!) What system do you guys usually use? Happy Hunting.

05-17-13, 09:21 AM	#2
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I draw a line from the convoy in the direction it's heading. I then figure out how far it will go at its current speed in how many hours. I then figure out how long it will take me to get ahead of it and lie in wait. Depending on which supermod you're using you may be missing due to the simple fact that the convoy zig-zags, changing course from time to time for that very reason. They don't want to make it easy for you to catch them. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

05-17-13, 01:55 PM	#3
Redmane Torpedoman Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Somewhere in the Pacific Posts: 113 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	There's more than one method As Sailor Steve has said, if you are using one of the supermods, you can expect that any radio report you get on a convoy may be telling you only one leg of their zig-zag course, and not at all reporting their base course, which is the actual direction they are heading. As far as the stock game goes, I always found the little course estimate tails on the contact markers to be quite accurate, though often the outfit in question may change course and leave me with empty sea to look at. My approach was much simpler than the one described in the tutorial. I would draw an 8 mile diameter circle around the location of the contact report, extend a course line for x number of miles, depending on their course, speed and distance from my boat. Then I drew another 8 mile circle, lined from the edge of one to the other to make a corridor on the map. Once I reached a point well ahead of the target, I ploted a zig-zag search pattern back up the corridor in the direction I expected the target to approach. Much of the time I would find them. I am currently running the TMO mod, playing the basic career. Intercepting convoys and TF's is much less a sure thing, in part because the course estimates in the radio reports for such outfits is all you get, the little course estimate tails are not shown on your nav map. In dealing with these I find the postion of the outfit reported, and take a look for what possible destination they may be heading for, given their general direction and what may be in rough line with it. Sometimes this seems to lead to an obvious destination, like Tokyo Bay. Other times, there's nothing much at all, as far as a destination goes along the probable track of the reported outfit. The other issue that comes into play in TMO is the actual speed of the convoy/TF. Some convoys are all freighters/tankers, making perhaps 5-8 knots. Others are fast transport convoys, running at 15-18 knots. Then there are the TF's running at 20 kts or perhaps as fast as 33 kts, if you see one of the Tokyo Express TF's in the Solomons. In any case, I draw out a line for my best guesstimate of their course, then a few circles representing the distance they will cover at the reported speed, perhaps a few more if I missed the exact moment of the report to show how far they have gone in the meantime, and check first to see if I can get close enough to have a chance at them. Then its a matter of running fast enough to reach their possible location at an appropriate point in time. Sometimes I make an intercept, sometimes I don't. I'm happy to say that I have made quite a few, and been able to bag some targets at the end of the chase. Also, there are times when such outfits will just happed to cross your course, and then its a matter of making good decisions on how you are going to run the approach in order to get to a firing position. By the way, I've posted a couple of stories in the "Stories and Patrol Logs" thread about chance encounters I've had in TMO. In one I mention the "O'Kane Solution." This is really a constant bearing solution for targeting with your torpedos and is a very helpful thing to have in your bag of skipper's tricks. Visit the "Tips and Tricks" thread and read through the tutorial Rockin Robbins wrote on this. You will find it very useful indeed, I think. __________________ REDMANE Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bullet-proof. -V Last edited by Redmane; 05-17-13 at 02:10 PM.

05-17-13, 05:37 PM	#5
Redmane Torpedoman Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Somewhere in the Pacific Posts: 113 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	YW You're welcome, glad to help. __________________ REDMANE Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bullet-proof. -V

05-17-13, 08:00 PM	#6
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	TMO zigs most groups every 10nm's. __________________ You see my dog don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.

05-17-13, 02:54 PM	#4
Sharkey Seaman Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Wales, UK. Posts: 31 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the quick response guys. I'm running TMO, I was doing more or less what you suggested Sailor Steve but it didnt occur to me that they would possibly be zigzagging, heck I would under the circumstances! Redmane I'll try your suggestions, and will certainly take a look at the posts you mentioned, thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed explanation.