Stay on the surface

[Heibges]

I think the most important thing is taking your time, determining the convoy course, the analyzing the escort patrol pattern in relationship to the convoy.

This will tell you where and when the gaps in the convoy will appear.

I try to start my attack just as the lead escort starts the leg of its seach out in front of the convoy. It is then moving out ahead of the convoy, and I am approaching from the right or left flank at high speed.

[Heibges]

In medium seas and light fog you can get to about 700 or 800m before being spotted.

In heavy seas and heavy fog, you can get to within 400m.

[flag4]

Originally Posted by Kpt. Lehmann

In SH3/GWX, they will tend to catch you more often than not... HOWEVER, if you can grab some distance from the convoy... crashdive... and give the escort chasing you the slip before help arrives...

... They'll happily DC the heck out of the area you were last reported to be in... while you are creeping away on silent running deep below.

Other notes on surface attacks: (To anyone who cares to read)

-Fire salvoes of at least two to increase your chances of sinking your target.

-Do not try to STAY and fight it out on the surface. (When an attack is successful, they KNOW you are out there somewhere and will break their butts to find and kill you... because you are trying to choke the life out of England, remember?) If you get greedy... you will die.

-Do not underestimate the power of the merchant deck gun... and remember that as the war goes on, each ship mounts more and more of them. They aren't usually very accurate, (inertial and laser guided stability has been removed from every gun in GWX) however if you have my luck, a single unlucky shell hit will kill your entire watch crew and your favorite officer. Besides, accuracy doesn't matter when you've got guns coming our of your ears. Put enough rounds down-range and some will hit. Merchants can kill you.

-It is easier for the enemy to spot you big ole' wake than it is for them to spot your sub.

-The enemy "talks" to each other. (signal lamp and/or wireless) If they see you, they will tell all their buddies... including fleet and air assets many kilometers farther than you can see.

-When you have been spotted... for a few moments there is no point in stealth. Ring up flank speed if you haven't already, and crashdive... get deep... then go silent... and forget about sinking ships while you are busy surviving.

-Wait for the "Tail-end Charlie" and pick him off. In so doing you've already put a bit of distance between yourself and those who'd like to punch your ticket.

-Stop wasting eels on escorts... the tonnage... and your mission... is to sink the material being carried to England... that will be dropped on Germany.

-When you are in a tough spot and you let yourself get rattled... slow down and think.

Wow!!

top advice Kpt'n

though it's the err, "slow down and think" bit that spills my soup...

[Paajtor]

That's a good advice, though...after all, it may be your last thoughts you're thinking there...

[Heibges]

Depending on the location of the escorts it is possible to fire your torps, and escape all on the surface like in real life.

By staying on the surface you can move out of their visual range before they get on scene to investigate.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Heibges

Depending on the location of the escorts it is possible to fire your torps, and escape all on the surface like in real life.

By staying on the surface you can move out of their visual range before they get on scene to investigate.

Generally only achievable in inclement and foggy weather....and still with great risk :hmm:

[Brag]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Generally only achievable in inclement and foggy weather....and still with great risk :hmm:

Good way to have an interesting but short carreer.

[Foghladh_mhara]

Originally Posted by TarJak

Another little known tactic is to move all your crew to the forward most comaprtments when running decks awash. This reduces the bow wave as you approach and makes it harder for the escorts and merchies to spot you..

Seriously?? Does GWX actually model the physics of this into the game?

[joegrundman]

I find it easy enough to make a surface attack against convoys, and i get really close too, but i find that within 5 - 10 secs of torpedoes hitting I'm picked up by searchlights pretty much 100% of the time.

I always crash dive at that point, so in the end i end up underwater anyway

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Foghladh_mhara

Seriously?? Does GWX actually model the physics of this into the game?

Purely a matter of personal opinion by community members of this forum :hmm:

IMHO......no effect at all

There are similar mixed views with regard to dive times

[Rhodes]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Purely a matter of personal opinion by community members of this forum :hmm:

IMHO......no effect at all

There are similar mixed views with regard to dive times

If my memory doesn't play tricks, did we not have a thread that discuss this and when one crash dive and move the crew to the forward compartment, helped the boat to dive fast? Because I always to this. And well, even if doesn't do a damn thing, one can always say that it's more realistic...I think........

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

If my memory doesn't play tricks, did we not have a thread that discuss this and when one crash dive and move the crew to the forward compartment, helped the boat to dive fast? Because I always to this. And well, even if doesn't do a damn thing, one can always say that it's more realistic...I think........

I believe there was a thread which proved inconclusive :hmm:

Some agreed and some agreed to differ

[Abd_von_Mumit]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I believe there was a thread which proved inconclusive :hmm:

Some agreed and some agreed to differ

That is how it was indeed. I don't remember seeing any proof that moving your crew around changes any aspect of boat behaviour in game. Such things cannot be a matter of belief, so I tried to check it by means of testing, and the tests proved nothing. So in my opinion anyone can still move his crew to bow cmpartments if it adds to his immersion, but I personally prefer to focus on other important details in heavy circumstances and do not trouble myself with what I feel would be useless and too time consuming.

[Penelope_Grey]

Originally Posted by joegrundman

I find it easy enough to make a surface attack against convoys, and i get really close too, but i find that within 5 - 10 secs of torpedoes hitting I'm picked up by searchlights pretty much 100% of the time.

I always crash dive at that point, so in the end i end up underwater anyway

The cunning Kaleun is already making their escape when the torpedoes impact! Escaping on the surface without diving is such an awesome feeling! And it means you can attack again within the hour.

At night even with G7a torpedoes, set them for 30 knots to give you more chance to increase distance. In the dark they wont see the wake till its all over anyway and then its too late.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Penelope_Grey

The cunning Kaleun is already making their escape when the torpedoes impact! Escaping on the surface without diving is such an awesome feeling! And it means you can attack again within the hour.

At night even with G7a torpedoes, set them for 30 knots to give you more chance to increase distance. In the dark they wont see the wake till its all over anyway and then its too late.

The balance and trade off you have to decide upon is whether to set your dive speed at 2 knots and accept the correspondingly miniscule change in depth and position, or set a higher speed to travel further and run the risk of being heard.
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