How to shake off escorts in 1944

[Flyingrodent]

Hi guys,

Has anyone managed to successfully shake off a destroyer from 1944 onwards and if so how did you do it?

In my career I've just reached 1944 and I try to keep my distance when approaching a convoy. I'll normally fire my eels at about 5km under silent speed immediately followed by rudder hard to starboard or port. I dive as quickly as I can and as deep as I dare (at least 160m depending on hull damage). I keep to less than 100 rpm and try to keep my stern in the direction of the escorts. However if I'm detected the destroyer will constantly circle my position and ping me no matter what I do. I've tried varying depth, using bursts of speed as the destroyer goes overhead, changing direction, using decoys but to no avail. I try my best to keep behind the destroyer but I can't because it is too fast. Is this just the sad fact of late war u boot warfare and once you're detected you're toast or is there any chance to escape?

Cheers,

Mike

[Hylander_1314]

The only way is to dodge the dc's until they run out of them. Go as deep as possible and and wait for them to make a run, Turn and go to flank speed to outrun them as best as possible. If they use hedgehogs, it is a real pain.

[Shkval]

How many DC they are carrying? I used to attack them with sound guided torpedoes but that was in vanilla SH3, is that possible in GWX? Maybe to stay put until the last second and use short jerk of speed just to let those DC past you? Do they always try to align with you? In that case circling is handy?

[Rhodes]

In 1944? You pray!

[Red October1984]

Have you tried going real deep (160 meters) setting speed at 1 knot and rudder at 5-10 degrees? It works sometimes. I never made it to 1944.

I just started a IXC/40 career in 42. Im taking the years one boat at a time.

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Have you tried going real deep (160 meters) setting speed at 1 knot and rudder at 5-10 degrees? It works sometimes. I never made it to 1944.

I just started a IXC/40 career in 42. Im taking the years one boat at a time.

1 knot is too slow. It is no better than being stationary. You need to be going at least 3 knots to have a chance at avoiding anything. The ASW gear in the late war is obnoxiously effective. The late war is more about survival than tonnage.

You need at least BOLD 3 to really have a chance in the late war. It attracts more initial heat from destroyers, but they will choose to focus on the decoy, rather than you unless you do something to attract attention and even then, it really boils down to luck.

[sublynx]

Originally Posted by Shkval

I used to attack them with sound guided torpedoes but that was in vanilla SH3, is that possible in GWX?

Yes it is possible. The acoustic torpedoes come around late 1943 and after that taking a few destroyers out with them is almost easy. However, there are usually enough escorts to make your patrol hell anyways. I've never played in 1944, because late 1943 the escorts get too good for me so quickly that I don't learn fast enough what to do with them.

[Shkval]

So bottom line is "attack if you can", and sorry for being boring... how many dc they are carrying? Is number different by type of a destroyer?

[irish1958]

There is a year 1944 in the game? I have never gotten there.

[TheRoadTrain]

Originally Posted by Flyingrodent

Hi guys,

Has anyone managed to successfully shake off a destroyer from 1944 onwards and if so how did you do it?

In my career I've just reached 1944 and I try to keep my distance when approaching a convoy. I'll normally fire my eels at about 5km under silent speed immediately followed by rudder hard to starboard or port. I dive as quickly as I can and as deep as I dare (at least 160m depending on hull damage). I keep to less than 100 rpm and try to keep my stern in the direction of the escorts. However if I'm detected the destroyer will constantly circle my position and ping me no matter what I do. I've tried varying depth, using bursts of speed as the destroyer goes overhead, changing direction, using decoys but to no avail. I try my best to keep behind the destroyer but I can't because it is too fast. Is this just the sad fact of late war u boot warfare and once you're detected you're toast or is there any chance to escape?

Cheers,

Mike

I always take down the front/lead destroyer with a homing torpedo,preferably once he has passed by and im in his " baffles " zone,and if i'm lucky enough I can get a few eels off at Merchants..If not I dive deep as possiable into the convoy turn hard port or starboard,and point my bow directly at the last escort that's behind the convoy/silent speed, and pray...
If i'm a few 3-4k out firing at a convoy,instead of turning, I dive deep as possiable and use reverse 1/3, so i'm " backing away " from the convoy...
Good Hunting Bro

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by Shkval

So bottom line is "attack if you can", and sorry for being boring... how many dc they are carrying? Is number different by type of a destroyer?

The number of depth charges vary between destroyer classes. A good guesstimate is between 36-72. Also, in the later war are Hedgehog ASW mortars. These things throw out a nice ring of death to find your sub and all have impact fuses. A Hedgehog mortar has roughly 12 tubes and most ASW vessels could fire 2-4 volleys.

[Flyingrodent]

I must confess that this is my first campaign so I'm guilty of reloading because I want to develop my tactics and witness all the events of the war. I'm then going to start from scratch with no reloads.

When I got back to port I realised an updated sonar covering was available so I'm going to see if that helps. It was a surprise to find La Rochelle was in the midst of an air raid when I set sail.

Despite trying all the helpful tips you've all given I've still not been able to shake off a pursuing escort. I can dodge the D/C and other nasties but once the escort has run out of these it continuously circles my tin can until I have to surface.

The best distance I managed was getting the escort to the outer circle on the attack map using decoys and quick bursts of speed. Firing a homing eel before diving can also help because if you sink the nearest escort you just might be able to escape before another arrives.

However, I've concluded that from 1944 onwards it is far better to sacrifice targetting accuracy and keeping your distance from convoys. Normally firing at a distance of 4-5km will allow you to escape before the escort arrives and score a few hits. It also pays to have a go at the escorts before the merchants so that the defence isn't quite as tough. Lastly, there are still the odd merchant sailing alone in 1944 so it's much safer to go after those.

Mike

[SubConscious]

Originally Posted by Flyingrodent

Despite trying all the helpful tips you've all given I've still not been able to shake off a pursuing escort. I can dodge the D/C and other nasties but once the escort has run out of these it continuously circles my tin can until I have to surface.

Hi Mike,

This is historically accurate and is why U-boats had approximately 80% losses in WWII. During the last year of the war, anti-submarine warfare was really perfected, and the escorts were absolutely tenacious. If they didn't destroy it outright with depth charges / hedgehogs, they prosecuted the U-boat until it was forced to surface due to lack of oxygen. Escorts would work in packs, with some drifting and listening, functionally invisible to the U-boat below, while others ran depth charge patterns.

In short, it was close to suicide to be aboard a U-boat in 1944. If you go to sites like http://www.uboat.net/fates/, you can get a good idea of what it must have been like for the U-boatmen.

I hope this helps.

David

PS - U-boats are never referred to as "Tin Cans", as that was the term for Destroyers.

[Flyingrodent]

I'm glad the game is accurate as well because it's all part of the fun. I'd like to be part of the 20% survivors though so the day I escape a 1944 escort I'll be jumping around like a loony! I might even dress up in a grass skirt, wear makeup and dance to 'music' played on pipes and tin cans!

Originally Posted by SubConscious

PS - U-boats are never referred to as "Tin Cans", as that was the term for Destroyers.

[codmander]

Sink...