Guide/Tips/Hints for Hunting a Convoy

[VolvicCH]

I find that staying on the outside of the convoy and then making my way in equidistant from the front/side escort works pretty well.......from there on in its just plain sailing, however I only fire whatever tubes i have ready, i dont try to hang on and reload. 4 bow tubes,1 stern, go deep, evade, get ouside of convoy, overtake and restart.




Have a nice day

[Brag]

Read the articles on convoy attack on my webbie. The techniques explained there work on GWX2.0, Too.

[Buhring]

Maybe it works only because I'm still in the happy times (dec. 1940), but usually I do like this:
1. Get right ahead of the convoy with reciprocal course
2. Place myself just under periscope depth and proceeding at 2 kts or less
3. Put the boat between the predicted course of the two central columns of the convoy (usually the most valuable targets are there)
4. Turn the boat by 90 deg, so her bow is heading towards the projected course of the column where the front escort of the convoy is
5. Stop the boat and maintain a depth of 14 mt -- absolute silent running
6. Let the escort pass
7. When you are in the midst of the convoy, fire a salvo of two against the best target of the column in front and another one at the best of the column behind you, the fastest the better
8. Maneuver so you can fire another two torps to another target in the front column
(7 & 8 must take no more than 180 sec.)
9. Crash dive; go silent at 50 mt.
10. Make a hard turn and go to 150+ mt.
11. Disengage -- the escorts will get to guess your position, but you will be already too deep for them to locate you precisely when they arrive.

Usually I can sink three large ships (cargo, merchants or tankers) and run away unscathed.

I'm playing GWX 1.03 at 90% realism (external views just for the fun of seeing ships sink, not to gather info).

Gute Jagd

Buhring

[Gezoes]

When getting in is risky, I let the first escort pass, and sneak by the wing DD (if he's there) at 20 m (2kts. max).

Then I get a good reading on the speed from the ships I can clearly see. Identify as many of the convoy as you can.

Open the tubes before you fire, and away we go, you already have the speed and types. Range, AOB may still be required here and there.

And I always try to seek overlapping ships

After the attack, and if the DD's aren't close yet, I slowly decent or if they are on to me, crash dive to the deeps. Hard turn and slip away, for now...

[vodkavera]

Originally Posted by Buhring

Maybe it works only because I'm still in the happy times (dec. 1940), but usually I do like this:
1. Get right ahead of the convoy with reciprocal course
2. Place myself just under periscope depth and proceeding at 2 kts or less
3. Put the boat between the predicted course of the two central columns of the convoy (usually the most valuable targets are there)
4. Turn the boat by 90 deg, so her bow is heading towards the projected course of the column where the front escort of the convoy is
5. Stop the boat and maintain a depth of 14 mt -- absolute silent running
6. Let the escort pass
7. When you are in the midst of the convoy, fire a salvo of two against the best target of the column in front and another one at the best of the column behind you, the fastest the better
8. Maneuver so you can fire another two torps to another target in the front column
(7 & 8 must take no more than 180 sec.)
9. Crash dive; go silent at 50 mt.
10. Make a hard turn and go to 150+ mt.
11. Disengage -- the escorts will get to guess your position, but you will be already too deep for them to locate you precisely when they arrive.

Usually I can sink three large ships (cargo, merchants or tankers) and run away unscathed.

I'm playing GWX 1.03 at 90% realism (external views just for the fun of seeing ships sink, not to gather info).

Gute Jagd

Buhring

Exactly how I do it to!
But I have two stern tubes to use with my IXB.
Works like a charm!

/VV

[Tool]

I have come up with an almost foolproof way of dealing with escorts.. as i probably have sunk 15+ of them so far in GWX 2 and i'm in Patrol 6.

If i'm spotted and they are approaching i turn on a course that is running parallel with them, and the same direction with them off my rear around 180 degrees, and keep an eye on them every few minutes while at Periscope depth. When they get within 1000m or so i dive to about 17m.. which puts the top of my conning tower below their keel. As they close to very close range i push to flank speed, and turn at about a 45 degree angle off our course, and they end up dropping the DC's behind me far enough to do no damage.. I immediately start up to PD and have one tube setup for 2m depth, impact fuse, and start raising my periscope and opening the outer door. As soon as it crests the water i usually have a shot into its broadside at about 500M and 90% of the time that fish finishes off the DD..

This has worked very well for me so far in 39 and early 40 but i'm sure i'll have to adjust this as time goes on and their stuff improves.

Tool.

[Buhring]

Originally Posted by vodkavera

Exactly how I do it to!
But I have two stern tubes to use with my IXB.
Works like a charm!

I have a IXb too (U-123).
Yet I wonder if this will work in 1943...

Gute Jagd

Buhring