Escaping Destroyers -39'

P_Funk · 05-30-12, 09:34 AM

Early war ASW was mostly "easy" for the U-boats because both the ASDIC and the depth charges frequently only went to a certain depth or saw to a certain angle/depth.

Basically, dive to 150m+, wait them out, ????, profit.

Even a yacht club armed with grenades could probably kill you in the channel.

Osmium Steele · 05-30-12, 11:05 AM

GWX rule #2: If you MUST navigate the Dover area, only do so at night, on the surface, preferably in a driving rain. And, good God, do NOT attack anything.

Once past the Dover area, stick to the French side. Surfaced at night, submerged at 2 knots during the day.

Attack single ships, only at night on the surface.

Once the allies develop radar, SEE RULE # 1.

Gargamel · 05-30-12, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osmium Steele

GWX rule #2: If you MUST navigate the Dover area, only do so at night, on the surface, preferably in a driving rain. And, good God, do NOT attack anything.

Once past the Dover area, stick to the French side. Surfaced at night, submerged at 2 knots during the day.

Attack single ships, only at night on the surface.

Once the allies develop radar, SEE RULE # 1.

Sigh, radar.

Went into the med before they had radar, no prob. Night, surface, fast.

Tried to leave the same way a month or so later after they deployed radar.

Nope.

Tinman764 · 05-30-12, 04:29 PM

Opps! That 1st picture looks remarkably like a bunch of Buzzards circling around waiting for dinner.

Gargamel · 05-30-12, 05:23 PM

If you have more than one ASW asset hunting you in '39, you messed up somewhere.

nutworld · 05-30-12, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

If you have more than one ASW asset hunting you in '39, you messed up somewhere.

Everyone has to "start" somewhere. Might as well learn early in the war how to avoid those pesky 'cans.

I'm still learning, for sure, but I guess I have been fortunate to not attract as much attention this U-boat is receiving.

Sailor Steve · 05-30-12, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osmium Steele

GWX rule #2: If you MUST navigate the Dover area...

Actually I do go that way, but only after leaving Wilhelmshaven on August 19th. Everybody is still at peace.

Of course Doenitz' standing orders forbade even that. He didn't want anyone knowing what he was up to.

Spherical · 05-31-12, 12:51 AM

Well quite a learning curve. But definitely good to learn it now!

Cheers for the responses!

boonie · 05-31-12, 01:17 AM

in my experience with 1939 destroyer AI:

- you can avoid them very easily if u set silent running and manually set speed to 0.5 knot (click on the spedometer btwn 0 and 1).
- do not turn off silent running to attempt to reload.
- you can only do 'ahead slow' once they are more than 5km away.
- do not use observation scope (O) or attack scope (F3) when your boat is moving.
- only use observation scope when u are stationary (0knot), avoid using the attack scope like the plague, they can see that very very easily it seems.
- do not fully extend the observation scope, only extend enough so u can see things.
- avoid using scopes if can be helped, use sonar contact to update their guestimated location.

general steps to lure and kill destroyers (1939 period only, havent experiment with late stage dessy):
- when they are coming for you from like 6-8km range dive and set speed to 0.5kt + silent running, this will make u disappear from their sensors. When you initially dive, you should should still have pretty high speed for a brief moment (5-6knot), make use of this speed to get to a favorable angle/firing position.
- bear in mind they will usually head straight to the last spot where u were detected and will travel straight to said spot and start their scan from that spot. Make use of this opportunity when they are on this headlong path and torp them.
- if they are already there and are running in random circles looking for u, use patience and dive away to about 600meter distance from their circular search pattern, stay on periscope depth as often as possible. their asdic seems blind vs close to surface depth @ 0.5knot. swing around to wait for oppotunity.
- at around 600m to 1km, with your bow facing their general direction, set torp to high speed and shoot when their hull is about to circle to (not after) directly 90 degree facing you (broadside), at that angle and close range it takes a miracle to avoid ur torp. Note when u are doing 0.5 knot ur boat turn slow as hell, you will need to use judgement on whether if they will still be there after the turn is completed. use the rear tube to shoot them to avoid making this long turn if u still have a fish in there (having a fish in rear tube always means the first destroyer that come for u is a free kill).
- when shooting your torp, only surface ur observation scope for a brief moment, dont linger the scope above water to see explosion, instead retrieve it and wait til 10sec before impact and raise it again to see the impact (if u really want to see them asplode).
- watch ur depth very very carefully, when u travel below 2 knot, the boat depth can change 1-2meter on random chance. this can make ur conn tower go above water, especially when coupled with rough/semi-rough sea condition.

additional info:
- at around early november 1939 the channel is mined according to BDU radio message.

edit:
disclaimer: if u use the above tactic and gets killed. do not blame me

happy hunting.

Soviet Creeper · 05-31-12, 05:40 AM

I tend to, should a destroyer catch me with mah pants down, evade his first attack and then while hes coming around nail him with 2 fast moving fish while praying they dont dud. If they do dud, then Im in for a bad time

Sailor Steve · 05-31-12, 07:19 AM

I never shoot my torpedoes at destroyers unless I feel I have absolutely no choice. Every eel fired at an escort is one less merchant sunk.

Gargamel · 05-31-12, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I never shoot my torpedoes at destroyers unless I feel I have absolutely no choice. Every eel fired at an escort is one less merchant sunk.

But sometimes hitting that lone convoy escort is worth the extra tonnage.

05-30-12, 09:34 AM	#1
P_Funk Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 2,537 Downloads: 129 Uploads: 0	Early war ASW was mostly "easy" for the U-boats because both the ASDIC and the depth charges frequently only went to a certain depth or saw to a certain angle/depth. Basically, dive to 150m+, wait them out, ????, profit. Even a yacht club armed with grenades could probably kill you in the channel. __________________

05-30-12, 05:23 PM	#5
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	If you have more than one ASW asset hunting you in '39, you messed up somewhere. __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

05-31-12, 01:17 AM	#9
boonie Electrician's Mate Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 134 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 0	in my experience with 1939 destroyer AI: - you can avoid them very easily if u set silent running and manually set speed to 0.5 knot (click on the spedometer btwn 0 and 1). - do not turn off silent running to attempt to reload. - you can only do 'ahead slow' once they are more than 5km away. - do not use observation scope (O) or attack scope (F3) when your boat is moving. - only use observation scope when u are stationary (0knot), avoid using the attack scope like the plague, they can see that very very easily it seems. - do not fully extend the observation scope, only extend enough so u can see things. - avoid using scopes if can be helped, use sonar contact to update their guestimated location. general steps to lure and kill destroyers (1939 period only, havent experiment with late stage dessy): - when they are coming for you from like 6-8km range dive and set speed to 0.5kt + silent running, this will make u disappear from their sensors. When you initially dive, you should should still have pretty high speed for a brief moment (5-6knot), make use of this speed to get to a favorable angle/firing position. - bear in mind they will usually head straight to the last spot where u were detected and will travel straight to said spot and start their scan from that spot. Make use of this opportunity when they are on this headlong path and torp them. - if they are already there and are running in random circles looking for u, use patience and dive away to about 600meter distance from their circular search pattern, stay on periscope depth as often as possible. their asdic seems blind vs close to surface depth @ 0.5knot. swing around to wait for oppotunity. - at around 600m to 1km, with your bow facing their general direction, set torp to high speed and shoot when their hull is about to circle to (not after) directly 90 degree facing you (broadside), at that angle and close range it takes a miracle to avoid ur torp. Note when u are doing 0.5 knot ur boat turn slow as hell, you will need to use judgement on whether if they will still be there after the turn is completed. use the rear tube to shoot them to avoid making this long turn if u still have a fish in there (having a fish in rear tube always means the first destroyer that come for u is a free kill). - when shooting your torp, only surface ur observation scope for a brief moment, dont linger the scope above water to see explosion, instead retrieve it and wait til 10sec before impact and raise it again to see the impact (if u really want to see them asplode). - watch ur depth very very carefully, when u travel below 2 knot, the boat depth can change 1-2meter on random chance. this can make ur conn tower go above water, especially when coupled with rough/semi-rough sea condition. additional info: - at around early november 1939 the channel is mined according to BDU radio message. edit: disclaimer: if u use the above tactic and gets killed. do not blame me happy hunting. Last edited by boonie; 05-31-12 at 01:28 AM.

05-31-12, 05:40 AM	#10
Soviet Creeper Planesman Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: In the corner of shame Posts: 187 Downloads: 143 Uploads: 0	I tend to, should a destroyer catch me with mah pants down, evade his first attack and then while hes coming around nail him with 2 fast moving fish while praying they dont dud. If they do dud, then Im in for a bad time __________________ I used to be a huge submarine guy but now I'm a huge submarine girl ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

05-31-12, 07:19 AM	#11
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	I never shoot my torpedoes at destroyers unless I feel I have absolutely no choice. Every eel fired at an escort is one less merchant sunk. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

05-30-12, 11:05 AM	#2
Osmium Steele Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Upper midwest USA Posts: 1,101 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	GWX rule #2: If you MUST navigate the Dover area, only do so at night, on the surface, preferably in a driving rain. And, good God, do NOT attack anything. Once past the Dover area, stick to the French side. Surfaced at night, submerged at 2 knots during the day. Attack single ships, only at night on the surface. Once the allies develop radar, SEE RULE # 1. __________________ In the month of July of the year 1348, between the feasts of St. Benedict and of St. Swithin, a strange thing came upon England... My U297 build thread

05-30-12, 04:29 PM	#4
Tinman764 Chief Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: U-32's Wintergarten Posts: 325 Downloads: 182 Uploads: 0	Opps! That 1st picture looks remarkably like a bunch of Buzzards circling around waiting for dinner.

05-31-12, 12:51 AM	#8
Spherical Swabbie Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 5 Downloads: 28 Uploads: 0	Well quite a learning curve. But definitely good to learn it now! Cheers for the responses!