Aircraft spotted! Short range!

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Salvadoreno

Ya man that time compression can be a killer. EVEN AT 256x! I never been in a type IX..hmm. Maybe its time. Im so use to the quick diving VIIB and VIIC that im not ready for the bulky IX. They arent very good at attacking convoys either.. But i like all the torps.. Hmm.. Maybe its time to switch from my IID after my 2nd patrol. 1.Flotilla ill be sent to Africa, with new GW too! Ill get some good action!

Ive found that ive always had time to dive so long as i have radar or a RWR active. One reason that i dont start any career before 42. (other reason is up until mid1941 when the allies start using radar, the games a turkey shoot and not very challenging to me)

Contrary to what some may advocate, I think IX boats are great convoy killers. You just have to be smart about your approach and positioning so you can lay and wait. Even in mid 44 im usualy not detected until AFTER the torpedo's hit. My usual tactic is to get inside the convoy between two coloums of ships so i caqn bring both bow and stern tubes to bear simultainously. All that said, i don't see convoys all that often in an IX, but when i do, its a beautiful thing.

Escort evasion is alot harder however. Infact, when you have 3 or more escorts, ones always going to have contact with you no matter what you do. At that point its all about trying to make them think your somewhere your not, either in position or in depth. I've evaded improved convoy's version of Captain walkers HK group in biscay bay, but let me tell you it wasnt easy, not without a great deal of time, and it wasnt unscathed. Destroyed most of the equipment on my decks. Flack guns, deck gun, snorkel ,etc)

I think my main attraction to IX boats is
1.) The idea of operating in distant or exoctic places. (south africa, south america, US east coast, The Caribean, the indian ocean, etc)

2.) Lots Torpedo's with lots of fuel usuall means good tonnage.

3.) My primary goal seems to be to survive the war, and the long range patrols in an IX boat seem to advance the timeline faster as your in transit alot to your Operating area with high TC. That said, that isnt always the case. Some areas you have to dive daily, or encounter single merchants or aircraft while enroute to your grid.