Sorting the Sheep from the Greywolves

[Mush Martin]

OK lads Im concerned that in 60 yrs we havent learned that
the best defence is a good offence.

who among you when in contact with enemy escorts dives
deep and goes silent

or

who among you grapple with the enemy at Peridepth.

[ReallyDedPoet]

You know my story on this one, be interesting to hear what others have to add. The majority of the time I go deep on this one on the rare occassion I will stary close to the surface and try and launch some eels, but this has proven costly for me on more than a few occassions.


RDP

[Jonathan]

I have not run into any convoys yet, but typcially I go low and slow...and then come back hard with the deck gun.

[headcase]

Depends on the situation. HK groups or convoy escorts? Weather conditions, including night. What I currently have for an ordanance loadout. How good is my crew? What is the current state/ attitude/ relative position of my Boat. I try to evaluate the entire situation, and make the call based on what I can do with a reasonable chance of sucess and survival. Everything I put on the bottom hurts the enemy. And the longer I can avoid being put there hurts them even more.

[Mush Martin]

I admit I had considered a neutral option but I decided that what I meant
was your preference what comes more naturally to you
M

[Chock]

Normally I prefer going for long shots with several simultaneous hits on things by timing the shots, so hopefully I never get into trouble, but if it comes to close stuff I generally stay close, go deep and hide under the convoy, then when the escorts get bored or look in the wrong place, I sometimes come up and have a crack at them, the deciding factor usually being how many tubes and fish I have and how good I think they are. It requires a lot of careful listening on the hydrophones, but I think that's one of the fun parts of the sim to be honest.

If it isn't favourable, I'll feck off in the opposite direction. So neither one nor the other, but both, depending on how good they are.

Chock

[Mush Martin]

Well I endorse the simultaneous first strike method for sure.

No warning
too late
no detection

good pass.
M

[Avatar]

I selected "go deep," as that is my SOP. But weather permitting I try to stick around at PD and go for some more tonnage.

[robj250]

I didn't vote because the options were not suitable for my choices.

Normally, on my way to my grid zone and come across a lone warship, I'll take her out if the situation allows it.

If I'm attacking a convoy, I prefer nights and/or bad weather. I'll take out as many merchants as I can. But, when I'm being bothered by an escort, I'll try to take it out. But if that is not possible, then I'll go deep and sneak away.

However, I never attack a convoy in shallow waters.

I have just engaged a convoy at night and in bad weather and was able to take out two ships before a J Class DD came after me and I had to go deep, then silent running at 1 kt manouvering to get away. This time I had some top damage. I managed to get away and surface and make my repairs and load my externals. Now, there were two Troop Transports in that convoy, so, I'm going to shadow it and hope the weather stays bad and when it is suitable, I'm go in and take out those two transports and anything else I can. I'd love to take out that J Class DD which caused me to cut off my attack and gave my ship some damage.

I will be posting my attack sometime today as soon as I get it up on Youtube.

Rob

[Mush Martin]

Danke herr Rob Danke

still its about what feels more comfortable
not necessarly are you limited to a single approach
you should vote with your feelings.
M

[Wreford-Brown]

PD and hammer them.
It can get very expensive in acoustic torps!

[Oberon]

Just to show I'm not always a sheep...

I didn't have enough time to get out of the way, so I stuck to the surface and hammered it out with torps and deckgun. Cost me 50% hull and an officer for 15K tonnes.

[Mush Martin]

No one would accuse you of sheepish behaviour even before this
action.

condolences to the widow of your crewman and to the officers
and men of your Boat.
M

[Oberon]

Thanks Mush, won't seem the same without him. I'm very lucky that the TIIs I fired in vain at it before he came into proper gun fire range actually hit. Had to limp back to Wilhelmshaven, but received a Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub...I'm having a word with Uncle Karl about getting a Ritterkreuz for my departed watch officer.

[U49]

My primary task is to interrupt the supply routes to the european theater.
Secondary task is to neutralize enemy battle assets.

That secondary task can be fulfilled either by inflicting damage to high profile target like carriers or battleships, or by threatening primary targets, so valuable destroyers are bound to defend my primary targets.

To fullfill these tasks I need to close in on my targets. That means passing the outer screen....
If I have a good position and good target solution (to a convoy) I go deep and silent to break UNDER the screen but TOWARDS my targets.
If my posrion is not favorable or I'm still missing data about my target I need to stay on at least PD. Even if this means to fight my way THROUGH the escort screen.