The British Channel

gord96 · 10-02-06, 08:37 AM

i am new to the game and am on my 5th patrol in my first try at a career. Alot of my patrols take me south west of Britains shores so I head through the channel alot. It has been some good fun so far. Lots of traffic and nice targets, but it is so shallow that if a destroyer gets a sniff of you it can be hard to avoid him. In the later game is the Channel something you should avoid? Seems as time goes on there are more and more destoyers there and as soon as you attack something the repsonse times of the PB's, aircraft or destoryers is very quick. Is it safer to go around Scotland? Or should I just suck it up and enjoy the fun and challenge that attacking ships in the Channel brings?

Thanks

HunterICX · 10-02-06, 08:44 AM

The English chanal is not a place to be when the British Escorts and Destroyers are advancing in Detecting devices. the English channels is shallow so when you get spotted you cant dive deep to shake of the DDs.

Early war its oke to take the risk

but try to avoid it, soon it will be a place thats hell itself . I lost many subs in that channel.

Go around England to get to your asigned grid. its deeper and near Scapa there is good traffic and in early war there are juicy Convoys heading towards Ireland.

TarJak · 10-02-06, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gord96

i am new to the game and am on my 5th patrol in my first try at a career. Alot of my patrols take me south west of Britains shores so I head through the channel alot. It has been some good fun so far. Lots of traffic and nice targets, but it is so shallow that if a destroyer gets a sniff of you it can be hard to avoid him. In the later game is the Channel something you should avoid? Seems as time goes on there are more and more destoyers there and as soon as you attack something the repsonse times of the PB's, aircraft or destoryers is very quick. Is it safer to go around Scotland? Or should I just suck it up and enjoy the fun and challenge that attacking ships in the Channel brings?

Thanks

After 1939 I'd be very nervous about going through the channel too often. Historically the channel was very rarely used by u-boats other than some early war minelaying operations which were of dubious effect.

To answer your question, if you like the buzz and challenge then go for it. If you play dead is dead then be very very careful about where and what you attack if you want to have a long war career.

Warmonger · 10-02-06, 09:21 AM

I'd avoid the channel at all costs like the guys before already said. Just too dangerous. By going ahead 1/3 or even slow you can get everywhere even taking the long route around.

Biggles · 10-02-06, 09:24 AM

I've never tried to take that route after summer 1940, because then I'm transferring to Brest, where my missions is mostly outside Ireland, so what's the point.....

But it's okay to travel there in 39, some merchants, and the destroyers seems to be driven by a bunch of drunk teddybears from time to time, so they're a good target too.

Respenus · 10-02-06, 09:28 AM

I tried once in a campain in '44!

Chaos! And I was luckly only two destroyers discovered me! But my sonar man had a lot of contacts all the time, so we went surface the boat, dive the boat, surface the boat, and again and again, so when I finally arrived a few grids from the Spanish coast, I let my guys rest for 24 h, as they were completely down!

I msu say that I was lucky, some people aren't! So try too keep away from the British channel, unless it's the only was and REALLY THE ONLY WAY to do sth.

The_Blockade_Runner · 10-02-06, 10:01 AM

Biggles, can you please explain your sig to me

gord96 · 10-02-06, 10:04 AM

Thanks for the input guys. It is Febuary 1940 right now and I think this will be my last trip through the Channel. My fourth patrol almost killed me. I did manage to take 2 destroyers out and alot of cargo ships but I can see every time I go though it there is more and more warships. When I was plotting my course for this patrol I was planning on going around Scapa Flow but at the last minute changed to the channel. Took out a coastal merchant and within 5 minutes had two destoyers closing in. Got away fine but it makes u mighty nervous when the navigator tells u it is only 23m deep where u are. Thanks again guys.

10-02-06, 08:37 AM	#1
gord96 Commodore Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 627 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	The British Channel i am new to the game and am on my 5th patrol in my first try at a career. Alot of my patrols take me south west of Britains shores so I head through the channel alot. It has been some good fun so far. Lots of traffic and nice targets, but it is so shallow that if a destroyer gets a sniff of you it can be hard to avoid him. In the later game is the Channel something you should avoid? Seems as time goes on there are more and more destoyers there and as soon as you attack something the repsonse times of the PB's, aircraft or destoryers is very quick. Is it safer to go around Scotland? Or should I just suck it up and enjoy the fun and challenge that attacking ships in the Channel brings? Thanks

10-02-06, 08:44 AM	#2
HunterICX Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2006 Location: Malaga, España Posts: 10,750 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	The English chanal is not a place to be when the British Escorts and Destroyers are advancing in Detecting devices. the English channels is shallow so when you get spotted you cant dive deep to shake of the DDs. Early war its oke to take the risk but try to avoid it, soon it will be a place thats hell itself . I lost many subs in that channel. Go around England to get to your asigned grid. its deeper and near Scapa there is good traffic and in early war there are juicy Convoys heading towards Ireland. __________________

10-02-06, 09:24 AM	#5
Biggles Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sweden (I'm not a Viking...) Posts: 3,529 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I've never tried to take that route after summer 1940, because then I'm transferring to Brest, where my missions is mostly outside Ireland, so what's the point..... But it's okay to travel there in 39, some merchants, and the destroyers seems to be driven by a bunch of drunk teddybears from time to time, so they're a good target too. __________________

10-02-06, 10:01 AM	#7
The_Blockade_Runner Sparky Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 156 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Biggles, can you please explain your sig to me __________________ U boat warfare, Product of German Engineering. German Engineering in da house

10-02-06, 09:21 AM	#4
Warmonger Lieutenant Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 266 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I'd avoid the channel at all costs like the guys before already said. Just too dangerous. By going ahead 1/3 or even slow you can get everywhere even taking the long route around.

10-02-06, 09:28 AM	#6
Respenus Ace of the Deep Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,169 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I tried once in a campain in '44! Chaos! And I was luckly only two destroyers discovered me! But my sonar man had a lot of contacts all the time, so we went surface the boat, dive the boat, surface the boat, and again and again, so when I finally arrived a few grids from the Spanish coast, I let my guys rest for 24 h, as they were completely down! I msu say that I was lucky, some people aren't! So try too keep away from the British channel, unless it's the only was and REALLY THE ONLY WAY to do sth.

10-02-06, 10:04 AM	#8
gord96 Commodore Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 627 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the input guys. It is Febuary 1940 right now and I think this will be my last trip through the Channel. My fourth patrol almost killed me. I did manage to take 2 destroyers out and alot of cargo ships but I can see every time I go though it there is more and more warships. When I was plotting my course for this patrol I was planning on going around Scapa Flow but at the last minute changed to the channel. Took out a coastal merchant and within 5 minutes had two destoyers closing in. Got away fine but it makes u mighty nervous when the navigator tells u it is only 23m deep where u are. Thanks again guys.