Do you always report a convoy?

ncorpuz34 · 10-29-08, 12:16 AM

I start a new career in an S-boat early in the war (no radar) and a couple of days into the patrol, at about 0200 I come off TC as my SO reports multiple contacts. On my binocs I spot 3 destroyers doing a sweep towards my area and the reflections of at least 6 more bigger ships more off into the horizon. Looks like something big! Am I detected? Im not sure, the destroyers aren't "steaming towards my location" so I assume not. I make a radio report of the contact back to base and wait for the response. I am ordered to "Sink IJN Warships" and my mission objects are updated.

Hmm...easier said than done.

So I submerge and get on the sonar. I make a few pings on which in the end turn out to be a convoy of about 6 merchant ships, 3 big passenger liners, 1 cruiser and 6 DDs. The front 3 DDs are now in my area with spots lights but dont know my exact location. Since no surface radar, and my crew is having a hard time maintaining a visual, I had to use active sonar to calculate a heading and range of the convoy. I turns out im in a bad position to attack and as half the convoy has already passed me and is about 5000 yrds away. I sneak past the 3 DDs to get within range. Forced to pass up the juicy 10k ton passenger liners, I turn my attention towards the cruiser and notice through the periscope that the convoy is already on alert and is doing zig-zags. I usually use the O' kane or Cromwell method but since I had no early warning about the convoy, I have to use the good ol TDC. I am forced to get contact range readings using active sonar due to a bug in the new RFB 1.52 not being able to hold a lock on a ship (inhibiting the stadimeter). But at this point didnt matter since the convoy is already doing evasive manuevers. I try to get the best solutions with the TDC before firing off my 4 fish in a spread hoping to hit the cruiser. All miss. Frustrated, I break off the attack and go deep to avoid the DDs and decided to live to fight another day.

Okay now onto my question(s):
Am I expected to always report a convoy no matter what?

There was another time when I spotted the a large IJN convoy and in a good position (Battleships, Carriers, Cruisers), I make a report and get a message somehting like "We have been notified of the convoy, will send out additional forces to deal with them. Attack at your own descretion" So I wasn't FORCED to sink any of the ships. (I was in good position, I did anyway, ending up taking out 1 BB and 1 Cruiser).
In this case I was hoping to get that same msg but guess it didn't happen.

So if I sank 10 ships on this patrol but if none of them were warships, do I fail the mission?

Now I know at least to TRY to get in a better position before making a report but in this case was a bit difficult as I had no radar to determine the convoy's heading and range. My deckcrew seemed to be asleep as well so no visual updates (Contacts came to within 2000yrds, clear weather, excellent visibility, during the night) except for my own eyes (another feature of the extreme 'realism' of the new RFB?:hmm

Should I have even made at report in my (bad) position? Even though my mission objects said to report any convoys spotted in the patrol area first before any action is taken (Im also running RSRD). I assume IRL, there was no question about it.

10-29-08, 12:16 AM	#1
ncorpuz34 A-ganger Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 72 Downloads: 118 Uploads: 0	Do you always report a convoy? I start a new career in an S-boat early in the war (no radar) and a couple of days into the patrol, at about 0200 I come off TC as my SO reports multiple contacts. On my binocs I spot 3 destroyers doing a sweep towards my area and the reflections of at least 6 more bigger ships more off into the horizon. Looks like something big! Am I detected? Im not sure, the destroyers aren't "steaming towards my location" so I assume not. I make a radio report of the contact back to base and wait for the response. I am ordered to "Sink IJN Warships" and my mission objects are updated. Hmm...easier said than done. So I submerge and get on the sonar. I make a few pings on which in the end turn out to be a convoy of about 6 merchant ships, 3 big passenger liners, 1 cruiser and 6 DDs. The front 3 DDs are now in my area with spots lights but dont know my exact location. Since no surface radar, and my crew is having a hard time maintaining a visual, I had to use active sonar to calculate a heading and range of the convoy. I turns out im in a bad position to attack and as half the convoy has already passed me and is about 5000 yrds away. I sneak past the 3 DDs to get within range. Forced to pass up the juicy 10k ton passenger liners, I turn my attention towards the cruiser and notice through the periscope that the convoy is already on alert and is doing zig-zags. I usually use the O' kane or Cromwell method but since I had no early warning about the convoy, I have to use the good ol TDC. I am forced to get contact range readings using active sonar due to a bug in the new RFB 1.52 not being able to hold a lock on a ship (inhibiting the stadimeter). But at this point didnt matter since the convoy is already doing evasive manuevers. I try to get the best solutions with the TDC before firing off my 4 fish in a spread hoping to hit the cruiser. All miss. Frustrated, I break off the attack and go deep to avoid the DDs and decided to live to fight another day. Okay now onto my question(s): Am I expected to always report a convoy no matter what? There was another time when I spotted the a large IJN convoy and in a good position (Battleships, Carriers, Cruisers), I make a report and get a message somehting like "We have been notified of the convoy, will send out additional forces to deal with them. Attack at your own descretion" So I wasn't FORCED to sink any of the ships. (I was in good position, I did anyway, ending up taking out 1 BB and 1 Cruiser). In this case I was hoping to get that same msg but guess it didn't happen. So if I sank 10 ships on this patrol but if none of them were warships, do I fail the mission? Now I know at least to TRY to get in a better position before making a report but in this case was a bit difficult as I had no radar to determine the convoy's heading and range. My deckcrew seemed to be asleep as well so no visual updates (Contacts came to within 2000yrds, clear weather, excellent visibility, during the night) except for my own eyes (another feature of the extreme 'realism' of the new RFB?:hmm Should I have even made at report in my (bad) position? Even though my mission objects said to report any convoys spotted in the patrol area first before any action is taken (Im also running RSRD). I assume IRL, there was no question about it.