HELP! Escorts won't leave me alone!

[Qairyl]

No matter what I try, my worst enemy so far has been convoys. Every time I try to attack one (after they seemingly spawn right next to me; no prior warning they're there before I'm within 2000m), I get destroyed. It doesn't matter what the escorts are, whether they're armed trawlers or destroyers. 10m, 100m, full speed, no speed, half speed, whatever, they never leave me alone and they always nail me. It seems like my sub's a DC/escort magnet, anti-sonar coating or not. They never leave, they chase me for hours, and soon enough I'll have a long chain of warships circling over my head ad infinitum.
Currently in a career mission with a VIIC.

How do I shake off escort ships so they don't sit above me forever? Please help!

-Qairyl (SubSim.com newbie)

[ps249]

Rig for silent running or come to a complete stop at least 50-120 M below the surface- you may have to wait for hours ....

[Dowly]

First of all, dive to atleast 150m. Then rig for silent run and pray. :rotfl:

[Qairyl]

That's one of the problems...I'm deep, I'm on silent running, and they're still blowing my conning tower off every time.

-Qairyl

[shegeek72]

I have a similar situation in a 1942 campaign with a IXC. My myopic watch crew doesn't notify me of a warship until it's bearing down on me. I lost one sub, but avoided major damage the second time by going silent running and evasive maneuvors.

Tara
--

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Qairyl

That's one of the problems...I'm deep, I'm on silent running, and they're still blowing my conning tower off every time.

-Qairyl

And I assume you are changing your heading from time to time? Also, try to position your sub so that you give the minimum figure to 'lock on' to with their sonars.

[svenks]

they seemingly spawn right next to me

I think this is your problem - you are simply getting too close and you get spotted (visual, hydrophone or radar) before you even begin your attack.

When you get a convoy sighted message, plot an intercept course that will place you ahead of the convoy, NOT LESS THAN 30 KM away. Dive and listen. Do it yourself, your sonar guy will not report anything until he can identify the contact as warship or merchant. If you can hear the convoy, stay submerged and approach slowly. If not, surface and sail toward where you have calculated the convoy must be now. Dive every 30 minutes and do the listen! Sooner or later, you will hear them, or you will be able to calculate that you have missed them: The convoy may have turned, or you may have miscalculated their position from speed, time and course.

There will always be a lead escort, beware of him! Keep your bow (or stern) towards him as he passes, moving very slow and at silent running. I usually do this at 20-25m, but remember - if he gets too close, he WILL spot you!

BRGDS
Sven

[HunterICX]

did you sunk any of the ships that the escort was supporting?

Yes?, Then they have the bloody right to hunt you down and try to Depth Charge your ass back to the stonage

No?, Then something went wrong in your aproach.

Mostly I Intercept and go for Silent Rig, Periscope Depth and a bit of calculation they will come from my 90º Left/Right and with an distance of 3 KM. Shoot my fish at them...Biggest boat If I might add....Crash Dive...and go hang under there other boats. dive to 150 meters and go 7 knots , depends on the merchant I hang under and when its night...I go 1 knot and move awaaaaaay....

[Qairyl]

OK, now this is REALLY starting to drive me absolutely crazy. Apparently my sonarman's constantly asleep, and the enemy warships have some kind of high-tech laser sight or can hear a pin drop 200m below the water. I've tried everything you've told me, and still nothing works. They always glide right over me and annihilate me with wave after wave of depth charges. I've almost given up completely since I can't kill a convoy to save my life, literally. What should I do? Should I just start over? Or do the (dumbest) thing I can think of; surfacing and trying to blow their guns off? Please help!!!

-Qairyl

[andy_311]

Originally Posted by Qairyl

OK, now this is REALLY starting to drive me absolutely crazy. Apparently my sonarman's constantly asleep, and the enemy warships have some kind of high-tech laser sight or can hear a pin drop 200m below the water. I've tried everything you've told me, and still nothing works. They always glide right over me and annihilate me with wave after wave of depth charges. I've almost given up completely since I can't kill a convoy to save my life, literally. What should I do? Should I just start over? Or do the (dumbest) thing I can think of; surfacing and trying to blow their guns off? Please help!!!

-Qairyl

Even if you manage to blow there guns of they still can ram you,then dc you,also depends what escorts they are?I have decked it out with "Flower corvettes up to 42" Black swans and other dd's if they come too close i've always torpedoed them better to sink a few dd's and live anouther day rather than get blown to smithereens.

[Highbury]

Deep, silent run. 1kt speed and tell Bernard to stop humming Tipperary.

Good luck.