Selecting appropriate underwater speed when near or under a convoy

[Sag75]

I have just a technical question about this..

Is really modelled in SH3 the masking of your engine noise by merchant engine?

Originally Posted by Sag75

I have just a technical question about this..

Is really modelled in SH3 the masking of your engine noise by merchant engine?

No.

[HW3]

As Contact said it is not modeled. There have been reports of skippers trying to hide from escorts under a merchant. The escorts just circled the merchant dropping depth charges, and refused to leave even after they ran out of them. I have tried running through convoys submerged in silent running at 2Kts, and the escorts followed me right through pinging away. If they get close enough to ping you, you won't lose them just running under a convoy.

It's quite a nice trick to "play" game "catch if you can" with escorts while shielding yourself under the ship

Escorts shouldn't have thrown DC around a merchant since I believe there would be no effect and even might be dangerous for merchant itself. All escorts had to do is listen/ping and follow. As soon as batteries runs out U-boat looses it's cover and then..

The fun depends on how smart AI is of course

[Paul Riley]

In a nutshelll then I think we can all agree that the best strategy is just stick to trying to slip through and make as much distance between yourself and the convoy as you can.I normally evade on a 90 degree course from the convoy's previous course,evade DCs for approx 1 hr using whatever methods I can at that moment,slowly come to PD with no ballast,have a quick scan around,then surface if all is clear.Or,I would just wait until I am in my predetermined radar clearance zone,and begin my next 'catch up' phase of the attack.I will never be bullied from a convoy into breaking off my attack,i'll keep at em until I run out of torps or have sustained significant damage,or am being harrassed too frequently by aircraft at the same time.

I just thought how thrilling it would actually be to follow under the convoy,then surprise them with your next attack from within

Cheers for the answers anyhow.

[RoaldLarsen]

Well, I'm not so sure I agree. Once, in 1943, after I had attacked a slow convoy (5 knots?) and hit at least one ship, I tucked myself under a troop ship while I reloaded my four front tubes. Took at least 1/2 hour. Escorts did not detect me. I then slowed down, let the troopship get about 300m in front of me, fired a mag torp, which brought it to a halt. Waited for its friends to leave, and finished it off.

I'm not certain that the game models sound masking of sub by merchants, but on more than one occiasion it has seemed to do so.