Firing blind

[Daniel Prates]

Originally Posted by Mush Martin

a deck full of Gun Crews is a better
option for a picket boat than a ten thousand 1941 dollar torpedo.

You're talking about 1940's currency, right?

At night, and with light fog or rain, you can get as close as, say, 1500 meters (4500 feet, or almost 1 nm) to a target without being seen. That's close enough for a torpedo attack (actually, an optimal position). Situational awareness is better, so it is indicated for those situations where you have multiple targets. Lastly, you will have more speed and manouverability. And if anything happens, you can be underwater in a minute or less, according to your crew's experience. So it is not as dangerous at is may seem, though sure enough, it is freaking bold!

Sure enough, in those cases, there is a tendency for also being DDs in the area. Multiple targets equals 'convoys'. This is where screening comes in handy. Once you know the pattern that the DD (or DDs) are sailing, you can more or less estipulate a safe area to engage. It will all depend on the situation.

Another advantage (correct me if I'm wrong, guys!) is that in the surface, you are invisible to active sonar. DDs can use active or passive sonar, but never both at the same time. If the escort is sweeping in front of the convoy, it is likely to be using active sonar, so if visibility allows you to sneak close to the rear of the convoy, you will not be seen or heard.

If you engage a convoy properly, nobody will know you're there until a torpedo strikes. So prior to that moment, it makes no big diference to be underwater or not.

Of course, this option is limited to poor visibility situations, where, thanks to your small silouette, you can seen the enemy before it sees you. Clear skies and weather and daylight rules out all of that.