Severe weather tactics

Corsair · 02-13-07, 01:06 PM

I have only one tactic in this kind of weather : stay under where it doesn't shake the crew, surface only for reloading, take out the card decks, craps, chess, backgammon, etc.. and wait for better times.

From my experience at sea, I think the most unreal thing in SH3 is having heavy fog with 30 knots winds. When you have heavy fog at sea, you usually have no wind or very little at the same time.

scalelokt · 02-13-07, 03:39 PM

Thanks for the comments everyone. I know its risky to go in surfaced against a convoy, even in a strong storm. From a survival standpoint it makes more sense to either just let the convoy go or at best try to attack submerged and see if you get some lucky hits. I guess I'm trying to find a way to use the storm to my advantage, even though all signs point to it being a very dangerous scenario. If the weather is that bad for what seems like a pretty large portion of the game, I was hoping to find a creative solution. Maybe its a lost cause, I'll keep working on it. At the very least its good for some stimulating conversation, thanks for the replies everyone!

The way I see it so far, the advantages of stormy weather (at least eariler in the war) are:
1. You can travel at high speeds surfaced with a low risk of detection, which is all but impossible submerged.
2. DDs are quite a bit slower in bad weather
3. DDs detection equipment wont work as well
4. Ships can be sunk with one torp instead of two or three
5. If a DD does come up on you the bad weather makes it pretty easy to escape assuming you dive quickly enough

The disadvantages are:
1. Visibility is so low that often times when you spot a ship they are already too close for torpedos
2. Cant use the deck gun
3. DDs can sneak up on you and its too late to dive when they appear in front of you (this is the biggest disadvantage of course)

Right now I'm thinking a submerged attack is the safest for sure, however a surfaced attack will yield more tonnage but with much higher risk. I guess no matter how you look at it, submerged attack is the way to go. I have to tell you though, its a lot of fun cruising around at high speed in a convoy taking out ship after ship while the DDs are hopelessly lost trying to find you. The other night I actually had a DD firing at their own ships because there were merchants between me and them. But the point isnt just to get tonnage, its also to survive so I think you all are right, its just too risky to attack like that. I've only been killed once donig it, but I think I've been pretty lucky.

Rykaird · 02-13-07, 07:15 PM

For whatever reason merchants can still haul butt in the worst seas - a full 9 knots in what felt like a hurricane! I sunk one last night in near zero visibility by going flank on the surface, directly behind her. I could barely catch her even at flank, given the rough seas, so no way I could run far ahead enough to get an intercept. (I love how the game models my sub slowing down when the props come out of the water as she porpoises her way through the waves).

Even though I was surfaced there was so much water pouring over the bow planes the hydrophones still worked, so I got directly on her tail and just chased her down, and eventually put one into her stern at 500m.

If there was one big prize in the convoy this might still work - by shooting her in the stern you disable her props, and as I have been informed, the escort will eventually abandon her, and you can come back at your leisure and finish the kill. So it might still be a good tactic to come blazing in on the surface if there's a great single target you want.

I'll give this a try, and if you don't hear back from me, it's because it didn't work and I'm fish food.

Heibges · 02-13-07, 07:19 PM

I usually try to follow the convoy in bad weather until in breaks. But I have followed them for 4 days before, and then abandoned the chase when the weather stayed severe.

But I have found it is pretty much a crapshoot to attack a convoy in extremely poor visibility.

Not only are you in danger from escorts, or even merchants coming out of the fog, but it is impossible to gather target data under these conditions.

Gezoes · 02-16-07, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scalelokt

Thanks for the comments everyone. I know its risky to go in surfaced against a convoy, even in a strong storm. From a survival standpoint it makes more sense to either just let the convoy go or at best try to attack submerged and see if you get some lucky hits. I guess I'm trying to find a way to use the storm to my advantage, even though all signs point to it being a very dangerous scenario. If the weather is that bad for what seems like a pretty large portion of the game, I was hoping to find a creative solution. Maybe its a lost cause, I'll keep working on it. At the very least its good for some stimulating conversation, thanks for the replies everyone!

The way I see it so far, the advantages of stormy weather (at least eariler in the war) are:
1. You can travel at high speeds surfaced with a low risk of detection, which is all but impossible submerged.
2. DDs are quite a bit slower in bad weather
3. DDs detection equipment wont work as well
4. Ships can be sunk with one torp instead of two or three
5. If a DD does come up on you the bad weather makes it pretty easy to escape assuming you dive quickly enough

The disadvantages are:
1. Visibility is so low that often times when you spot a ship they are already too close for torpedos
2. Cant use the deck gun
3. DDs can sneak up on you and its too late to dive when they appear in front of you (this is the biggest disadvantage of course)

Right now I'm thinking a submerged attack is the safest for sure, however a surfaced attack will yield more tonnage but with much higher risk. I guess no matter how you look at it, submerged attack is the way to go. I have to tell you though, its a lot of fun cruising around at high speed in a convoy taking out ship after ship while the DDs are hopelessly lost trying to find you. The other night I actually had a DD firing at their own ships because there were merchants between me and them. But the point isnt just to get tonnage, its also to survive so I think you all are right, its just too risky to attack like that. I've only been killed once donig it, but I think I've been pretty lucky.

Excellent observations there, it all depends on your style, boat, crew and weather I suppose

And I agree ofcourse, it is risky. Points 1 and 5, where the advantages are concerned, are key for my surfaced attack in storms at night. I come in at high speed on the surface, fully benefiting from my steady UZO, and I dive quicker once I have fired my eels. Not unlike the convoy attack in Das Boat, angriff fangt an!!

At the very least it's quite exciting

Fuer eins bis vier!! ALAAARMMMM!!!

02-13-07, 01:06 PM	#1
Corsair Ace of the Deep Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Toulouse France Posts: 1,140 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 0	I have only one tactic in this kind of weather : stay under where it doesn't shake the crew, surface only for reloading, take out the card decks, craps, chess, backgammon, etc.. and wait for better times. From my experience at sea, I think the most unreal thing in SH3 is having heavy fog with 30 knots winds. When you have heavy fog at sea, you usually have no wind or very little at the same time. __________________ NYGM 3.4A / Living SH3 V5.1 + SH3 Commander

02-13-07, 07:19 PM	#4
Heibges Sea Lord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 1,633 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I usually try to follow the convoy in bad weather until in breaks. But I have followed them for 4 days before, and then abandoned the chase when the weather stayed severe. But I have found it is pretty much a crapshoot to attack a convoy in extremely poor visibility. Not only are you in danger from escorts, or even merchants coming out of the fog, but it is impossible to gather target data under these conditions. __________________ U.Kdt.Hdb B. I. 28) This possibility of using the hydrophone to help in detecting surface ships should, however, be restricted to those cases where the submarine is unavoidably compelled to stay below the surface. http://www.hackworth.com/

02-13-07, 03:39 PM	#2
scalelokt Machinist's Mate Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: 400 meters to your right, calculating your speed Posts: 126 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the comments everyone. I know its risky to go in surfaced against a convoy, even in a strong storm. From a survival standpoint it makes more sense to either just let the convoy go or at best try to attack submerged and see if you get some lucky hits. I guess I'm trying to find a way to use the storm to my advantage, even though all signs point to it being a very dangerous scenario. If the weather is that bad for what seems like a pretty large portion of the game, I was hoping to find a creative solution. Maybe its a lost cause, I'll keep working on it. At the very least its good for some stimulating conversation, thanks for the replies everyone! The way I see it so far, the advantages of stormy weather (at least eariler in the war) are: 1. You can travel at high speeds surfaced with a low risk of detection, which is all but impossible submerged. 2. DDs are quite a bit slower in bad weather 3. DDs detection equipment wont work as well 4. Ships can be sunk with one torp instead of two or three 5. If a DD does come up on you the bad weather makes it pretty easy to escape assuming you dive quickly enough The disadvantages are: 1. Visibility is so low that often times when you spot a ship they are already too close for torpedos 2. Cant use the deck gun 3. DDs can sneak up on you and its too late to dive when they appear in front of you (this is the biggest disadvantage of course) Right now I'm thinking a submerged attack is the safest for sure, however a surfaced attack will yield more tonnage but with much higher risk. I guess no matter how you look at it, submerged attack is the way to go. I have to tell you though, its a lot of fun cruising around at high speed in a convoy taking out ship after ship while the DDs are hopelessly lost trying to find you. The other night I actually had a DD firing at their own ships because there were merchants between me and them. But the point isnt just to get tonnage, its also to survive so I think you all are right, its just too risky to attack like that. I've only been killed once donig it, but I think I've been pretty lucky.

02-13-07, 07:15 PM	#3
Rykaird Weps Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 356 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	For whatever reason merchants can still haul butt in the worst seas - a full 9 knots in what felt like a hurricane! I sunk one last night in near zero visibility by going flank on the surface, directly behind her. I could barely catch her even at flank, given the rough seas, so no way I could run far ahead enough to get an intercept. (I love how the game models my sub slowing down when the props come out of the water as she porpoises her way through the waves). Even though I was surfaced there was so much water pouring over the bow planes the hydrophones still worked, so I got directly on her tail and just chased her down, and eventually put one into her stern at 500m. If there was one big prize in the convoy this might still work - by shooting her in the stern you disable her props, and as I have been informed, the escort will eventually abandon her, and you can come back at your leisure and finish the kill. So it might still be a good tactic to come blazing in on the surface if there's a great single target you want. I'll give this a try, and if you don't hear back from me, it's because it didn't work and I'm fish food.