Any tips on convoy attack?

[GoldenRivet]

Shadow the convoy for a few hours at night and monitor the escorts. over time you might notice a pattern of when they break away from the group and execute a zig zag search pattern.

try to time it so that you are closing in on the convoy (on the surface) from either the 10:00 or 2:00 position just as one of the flanking escorts is at the outer limit of his search pattern.

when you feel you have established a comfortable firing position, order ahead slow and submerge to periscope depth and commence your attack.

for evasion i recommend going under the convoy. the confusion and collision hazards above you will sometimes prevent the escorts from responding with an effective or organized attack.

once you have evaded attack, head back to the left or right side of the convoy just at the limit of visual range and follow them again... repeat the process for a few days until you have managed to chip away at the merchants sufficiently.

good luck!

[Sniper_Fox]

heh, i just wait till its around 10 oclock at night till about 3, and then i rush in, ALL AHEAD FLANK! fire all my torps and go under the convoy, then after loading torps, ill come up periscope depth and launch all bow and aft torps at all available targets, and then fire the deckgun and personally man my 37mm AA gun. till the destroyers and escorts close in and start firing at me... with luck they hit the surrounding convoy, then ill dive deep under the convoy after sinking about 5-10 ships ( always target the biggest ship first, thats yer prize!) then execute your best escape and evade manuvres.

sometimes to throw sh!t into the wind ill take on one of the escorts...

some of you may call me crazy... i just say ive got balls... and hell Hindrich Willembrock did the same!

plus what destroyer is gunna expect a crazed lone wolf attacking his ducklings headon like that? if you manage to take out the destroyer escorts ( good luck with that however... ive done that ONCE! and ive failed countless times:rotfl: )

the convoy is like lambs to the slaughter... especially if you get inbetween them!

as golden rivit says... shadow em... thats the key... establish a pattern, and report the contact in... aparently if you do that a bunch of times and shadow the convoy a few days ( its worth it trust me... id rather take out 10 ships in a few days and take decent-severe damage from one convoy then endlessly search for 5 ships.) subs will show up on your contact update, and eventually show up at the convoy, giving the 3-4 escorts a reaaal hard time

4-5 uboats vs 3 destroyers? not enough depthcharges to go around!

[Jimbuna]

I'll give you one.....don't get overly greedy and start taking chances. Better to live and fight another day.

[danurve]

With 1.03 now late `41 I often use less then calm seas to my advantage.
I try to get right in front of the convoy, watching for escorts of course or +7500 in front of any eyes. Then I'll make right for them. You oviously can't keep a scope extended, and if you take a peek watch your scope meter. Most of the time a swan or maybe a quad stack will be at point. Now you know the convoy isn't far ahead. Here you need to change your course away from the lead escort inner cone. Once your past the cones points you can alter your course for the convoy - dead ahead again and even take a peek.
You see most of the jucier targets, heavy tankers, cargos, factoy ships are often in one of the inner columes. Flanked by other cargo ships and smaller tramps & such. Pick your targets, here's where a pair of TII's pay off. You have to use your head when selecting pistols, in heavy seas magnetics are problematic. Alot of times though under keel shots pay off big time. If your aob and distance is right when you adjust your course you'll have time to get off 4-5 forward shots and 1-2 stern. Watch your speed, by now your boat is somewhere right smack in the middle so it is hard not to get greedy. If you do you'll get spotted. Use the marker tools, keep an eye on cutting in front of ships. You can use the cover of the convoy to your advantage as well.
I have been using this method and slammin serious tonnage in GWX. I've even escaped without needing to crash dive or give away my position. From there I use the hydrophone and check on the convoys general course, and when the escorts give up on me then several times flanked to the port/starbord side, outmanuvering - swinging around it's course and slam like two more merchants from a side attack. If you forget to monitor the side escort - your done. Type VII boats are very manuverable for this jazz. Typical patrol is around 40-50k, last one was ET16, weather is usually crappy.

Say, where ARE these uber escorts I've heard so much about.

[gimpy117]

thanks guys

[Schwuppes]

Originally Posted by Sniper_Fox

as golden rivit says... shadow em... thats the key... establish a pattern, and report the contact in... aparently if you do that a bunch of times and shadow the convoy a few days ( its worth it trust me... id rather take out 10 ships in a few days and take decent-severe damage from one convoy then endlessly search for 5 ships.) subs will show up on your contact update, and eventually show up at the convoy, giving the 3-4 escorts a reaaal hard time

4-5 uboats vs 3 destroyers? not enough depthcharges to go around!

There is just one small problem... AI subs can't dive!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Schwuppes

There is just one small problem... AI subs can't dive!

The one's with big holes in their sides can