Tactical decision: what would you do?

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by MKalafatas

Trying to penetrate Rabaul harbor in an S-boat, in February '42. The time is 1900 --- quite dark. Enemy destroyer (type as yet undetermined) patrolling 3000-4000 yards outside the harbor in deep water.

The harbor itself, of course, is shallow. I don't know what, if anything, is inside.

My options:

(1) Confront the destroyer in deep water outside the harbor, and then penetrate.

(2) Sneak around the destroyer, get into the harbor, and deal with him on the way out.

My inclination is to go with option (1), as the risk is relatively low. If I fight the destroyer first, should I:

(a) ambush him with a spread?
(b) ping him to provoke a charge, and shoot down-the-throat?

Haven't had much luck ambushing destroyers.

Curious to know how everyone deals with this problem.

I wouldn't even consider your course of action unless I was in a Gato class boat. I wouldn't try it unless I was in a Balao class boat. An S-Class is out of the question. That thing can't run deep enough to get away if something goes wrong. I would creep away and find a softer target.