avoiding escorts

[misha1967]

Originally Posted by SubHunter88

If it's a Single escort.. Doesn't it make more tactical sense to take him out?

I often see this with Smaller convoys in vanilla .. A single DD out way ahead. Since i use MOBO to plot intercepts i consistently get way ahead and 'wait' for them silently.

With the element of supprise, I can let the DD get quite close and often do him in with a single shot.. Tho i always use 2 just incase :P

This leaves me to obliterate the trailing convoy with relative impunity.

That would be the one situation where I might consider breaking my own rule, yes. But even so conditions apply:

1) Are you close to certain you'll take him out? Because if you miss, you'll have wasted torpedoes that could have sunk freighters AND you won't be making a second run any time soon if you managed to get his attention with your miss.

2) Do you have electrics or is it night? Escorts are quite nimble and small, so it doesn't take much of a warning for him to be able to evade your shot and then... See 1)

3) Is the weather relatively calm? Because if you do take him out, it's time to take out the rest of the convoy on the surface and if you can't surface... Well, it's going to be a while before you'll be ready for a second torpedo run. Not that it's impossible, but it will take a while. Also, rest assured that somebody got off a radio message when the escort went boom, so if you're in waters either covered by air or likely to have escorts roaming around, you'll have company soon.

But yes, with the above considerations, if you're close to certain that the lone escort won't survive your initial attack, go for it. You now have an unescorted convoy to send to the bottom at your leisure.

[SubHunter88]

Originally Posted by misha1967

That would be the one situation where I might consider breaking my own rule, yes. But even so conditions apply:

1) Are you close to certain you'll take him out? Because if you miss, you'll have wasted torpedoes that could have sunk freighters AND you won't be making a second run any time soon if you managed to get his attention with your miss.

2) Do you have electrics or is it night? Escorts are quite nimble and small, so it doesn't take much of a warning for him to be able to evade your shot and then... See 1)

3) Is the weather relatively calm? Because if you do take him out, it's time to take out the rest of the convoy on the surface and if you can't surface... Well, it's going to be a while before you'll be ready for a second torpedo run. Not that it's impossible, but it will take a while. Also, rest assured that somebody got off a radio message when the escort went boom, so if you're in waters either covered by air or likely to have escorts roaming around, you'll have company soon.

But yes, with the above considerations, if you're close to certain that the lone escort won't survive your initial attack, go for it. You now have an unescorted convoy to send to the bottom at your leisure.

Thats pretty much my Line of thought also.

I always carry electrics for escorts even if only a few of them. I normally keep it in Tube I. I use mobo to intercept ahead of the convoy, Planning it so i engage at night.

I'll carefully get into position silent running, then when he closes with me, engine OFF.

When he closes to about 800-900m Tube one LOS! right into his bow. no time to react.

Also like you said, I'll only attempt it if

1. There adequate prizes in the convy to justify the risk.
2. There are no more escorts. I never engage escorts if theres 3 or more of them.
3. Im certain i can get the kill.
4. Im in remote waters (no air support or nearby warships).