Run silent, run shallow!

Canovaro · 12-07-07, 02:41 AM

Interesting, but almost impossible without external view

Oberon · 12-07-07, 06:44 AM

Reminds me of the tactics the Soviets used to use to try and get their boats over the SOSUS line without being detected by close trailing a large noisey merchant. 'Buggering the whale' I think they used to call it.
No real idea of the success of such tactics, but I think a Victor did ram a merchant by accident once, possibly whilst close trailing.

Ping Panther · 12-07-07, 12:56 PM

Once inside and behind your chosen shallow drafted ship, I tend to find the need to do periodic periscope ups to be sure I'm on it's wake trail. Once you observe the general convoy route, speed, and zig-zags, (as any good Kaleun would) you can very soon get a sense of the track you follow.

Through it all, it sure keeps your wits on edge. I would not say it will carry you through in all cases, and it takes some efforts to stay in some range of tracking the path of your lamb within the flock. I had learned from some chances on other convoys at times where I got too involved with setting up new shots out from this, and had my engine speed up a knot just a little too long and had some very soft conning tower bumps. (no real damage, since you have practically no relative speed on any contact) but since you need to really assume a convoy speed here, you learn to lay in a fix on this, and take some gentle glides off to the sides as needed for targeting or sneaking from sight of an escort ship. (Magnetic det. shots down the length of convoy columns; all tricky here too, but sometimes you get lots of hull lines along a row when set up like this)

Taking an early hit (not so much for a quick sinking, just a lucky dead-in-the-water shot or slow burn, going for a stern shot here), at a leading merchant does help stir up the general ability of the convoy & its escorts ability to move along. I have seen ships halt (even some escorts, novice crews?) to avoid collision with others once a few go down slow.

I just can't get enough of the various tactical challenges GWX brings to us here!

:p

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12-07-07, 02:41 AM	#1
Canovaro Ace of the Deep Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 1,062 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	Interesting, but almost impossible without external view

12-07-07, 06:44 AM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Reminds me of the tactics the Soviets used to use to try and get their boats over the SOSUS line without being detected by close trailing a large noisey merchant. 'Buggering the whale' I think they used to call it. No real idea of the success of such tactics, but I think a Victor did ram a merchant by accident once, possibly whilst close trailing.

12-07-07, 12:56 PM	#3
Ping Panther Lieutenant Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: the armpit of the Mid-Atlantic / Quadrant CA42 Posts: 262 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	Once inside and behind your chosen shallow drafted ship, I tend to find the need to do periodic periscope ups to be sure I'm on it's wake trail. Once you observe the general convoy route, speed, and zig-zags, (as any good Kaleun would) you can very soon get a sense of the track you follow. Through it all, it sure keeps your wits on edge. I would not say it will carry you through in all cases, and it takes some efforts to stay in some range of tracking the path of your lamb within the flock. I had learned from some chances on other convoys at times where I got too involved with setting up new shots out from this, and had my engine speed up a knot just a little too long and had some very soft conning tower bumps. (no real damage, since you have practically no relative speed on any contact) but since you need to really assume a convoy speed here, you learn to lay in a fix on this, and take some gentle glides off to the sides as needed for targeting or sneaking from sight of an escort ship. (Magnetic det. shots down the length of convoy columns; all tricky here too, but sometimes you get lots of hull lines along a row when set up like this) Taking an early hit (not so much for a quick sinking, just a lucky dead-in-the-water shot or slow burn, going for a stern shot here), at a leading merchant does help stir up the general ability of the convoy & its escorts ability to move along. I have seen ships halt (even some escorts, novice crews?) to avoid collision with others once a few go down slow. I just can't get enough of the various tactical challenges GWX brings to us here! :p