Bad Weather Convoys

[Nerazzurri]

Because I've just came back to the game after a while I want to know what you guys would do in this situation.

1939, 15m/s winds and rain and the associated waves and low visibility; convoy's approaching Britain, just off Ireland, slow moving, with what appears to be just one escort.

If it was open ocean I'd like to shadow the convoy. But with not far for it to reach it's destination there's not really any point, i don't think. And the chances of getting off a successful shot are very small, I think.

Would you's leave it alone, and if not, what would you do??

[BulSoldier]

I am actually quite unlucky in my current patrol. It is late january '40 and it is just neverending massive rainstorm. IN day i have some visibility but at night iut is so dark that the watch crew noticed large convoy at 400meters (i was actually within the convoy and they were traveling opposite to my course). I dived and creeped away.It was plane luck not to ram a ship.

It was poitless trying an attack since even at 400meters from the closest target i couldnt see it.My best advice is whenever the weather is making your calculations hard you better just leave the convoy until there are more favorable conditions.
It is just not worth the risk shooting torps in such a hard conditions.There is always the next convoy, but when you are on patrol you cant just find torps floating around to rearm if you keep wasting your aals at hard targets.

[sharkbit]

Are you sure about the one escort? And by low visibility, I assume you mean the weather report reads no visibility(<1000m)?
If it is 0 visibility(<1000m) I'd be tempted to try a surface attack and run like a madman through the convoy taking snap shots with gun and/or torpedoes when a target presents itself and pray that there isn't a Southampton Class cruiser in the middle of the convoy that sights you when you emerge from the mist.

Lightly escorted convoys are just too hard to pass up, even in crappy weather.

[mr chris]

Originally Posted by sharkbit

I'd be tempted to try a surface attack and run like a madman through the convoy taking snap shots with gun and/or torpedoes when a target presents itself and pray that there isn't a Southampton Class cruiser in the middle of the convoy that sights you when you emerge from the mist.

Well it is funny you should bring up a Southampton Class cruiser.
As in my last patrol mid 1940 400km east of Ireland. I blundered into the middle of a convoy in heavy fog. I only noticed i was in the middle of one when decided to take some air on the bridge. I was presented to my horror, a Large cruiser popping out of the fog right in front of my boat. No more than 400m away.
I hit cash dive so hard i thought i had broken the keyboard.
I managed to avoid being seen. I have no idea how the cruisers lookouts must have been sleeping on duty.
I set course to slowly slink away.
Then went up stairs to change my underwear.

[Packerton]

I saw Shadow it, or simply pick some targets in the center (usually the biggest ones) and use your hydrophones to hit that one.

[Jimbuna]

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!!...SINK EM ALL!!