Drawing on your experience...

pensfan · 07-10-08, 07:42 AM

UnderseaLcpl,

Great response! I'm a newbie on my second patrol and find your info most useful. I hate to admit this but I did not even fire a torpedo on my first patrol.

Al

predavolk · 07-10-08, 08:17 AM

That's a good summary Undersea. I would add a couple of things.

1- Don't worry about their arrival time to the intercept point. Get there yourself ASAP. Then turn towards the convoy and head towards it 1/3 ahead on the surface. If you have radar detection (later in the war), dive once you pick up a radar signal. If it's earlier in the war, go in with decks awash (depth 7M) and dive when you get a visual contact (preferably with your own eyes before your watch spots the ship). This helps solve the problem of convoys changing course as you are reducing the amount of time they have to make one.

2- If you have to chase a convoy from the side or stern, make sure you swing at least 15K away from its outer escorts. This is generally the outer range of their radar or vision. Radar can be a little farther, like 17-18K. So 20K is probably a safe bet. Make a course that looks like this "[" where you angle out, run parallel, then angle back in. All done Ahead Full or Flank on the surface.

3- Adjust all your torpedoes on the way in. This reduces last minute snags.

4- Do not let the front escort get within 1 km of you if possible. 500M is certain detection. You then have to run and gun, or dive and hide. Try to use the sonar contacts to determine what side of the convoy the front escort is leaning towards, then try to attack the opposite side. The front escort is really your biggest challenge in penetrating the convoy unnoticed.

5- BdU gives you the speed of the convoy in the convoy report, so if it's a reported convoy, you've got that work done for you.

Good luck hunting!

UnderseaLcpl · 07-10-08, 08:45 AM

Thanks for filling in the gaps Predavolk. I guess I left some thing out while trying to keep that post from being unbearably long. I totally forgot about the radar detector!

Laufen zum Ziel · 07-10-08, 09:45 AM

I Learn something every day from this forum.
Great response from forum members makes this
forum what it is.

Seaveins · 07-10-08, 11:30 AM

As always, thank you for your responses. I will try a new approach tonight with the tools you have shared. Do any of you know when Allied radar became commonplace on escorts?

UnderseaLcpl · 07-10-08, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seaveins

As always, thank you for your responses. I will try a new approach tonight with the tools you have shared. Do any of you know when Allied radar became commonplace on escorts?

My approach is to assume they have it as early as Sep. 1940. Maybe they does and maybe they doesn't but caution never hurts.
This belief is derived from a destroyer I encountered in a storm in Sep. 1940. Maybe he just had REALLY good lookouts or a similarly talented hydrophone operator but as I was sneaking past him he suddenly veered in my direction. Luckily the bad weather ruined his ASDIC reception and I escaped unscathed by going deep and silent.

IRL march of 41 was the first detection by radar of a U-boat that resulted in a sinking. The boat happened to be U-99 under Otto Kretschmer. However, I am unsure as to how radar developments are modelled in-game and the allies indubitably had radar ship-mounted radar before this.

Seaveins · 07-11-08, 04:33 PM

Now that I am armed with better tactics, I can't shake this storm off U-51. The rain and wind has been relentless for 6 days in the AM52 area (Sept/40) and I keep tracking this great convoy that has almost reached port. The only light on this patrol has been accidently running into (not literally) the H.M.T. Aquitania. All 45,557 tons in exchange for one torpedo! Other than that the crew has smelled and felt better. We have been burning fuel for weeks and still have 12 torps. Any credit for not letting them loose willy nilly?

Sailor Steve · 07-12-08, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pensfan

UnderseaLcpl,

Great response! I'm a newbie on my second patrol and find your info most useful. I hate to admit this but I did not even fire a torpedo on my first patrol.

Al

WELCOME ABOARD!

Kptlt. Neuerburg · 07-12-08, 05:47 PM

My experience has taught me that its not tracking the convoy thats the hard part. As most people will tell you its getting away from the escorts. I have devloped a tactic that is both effective and highly dangerous which is to approch a convoy and destract the escorts on one side of the convoy by running at a speed that they can hear. When they turn and start towards you go slient and deep FAST!! When the escorts are destracted move in and make your kill. Then go back down and make your escape. This does work well on the early convoys on '39 and '40. Another thing to try is to go and use a ship as a hat like in Down Periscope, it does seem rather silly but it does in fact work. I did use this very successfuly in sinking a RN Battleship that was in the middle of a convoy and eluded the escorts long enough to fire three torps into the ship at it keel depth. Try them some time and see how it works. And it helps to have an outside view to see whats in the convoy. Remember the bigger the better!!!

UnderseaLcpl · 07-13-08, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kptlt. Hellmut Neuerburg

My experience has taught me that its not tracking the convoy thats the hard part. As most people will tell you its getting away from the escorts. I have devloped a tactic that is both effective and highly dangerous which is to approch a convoy and destract the escorts on one side of the convoy by running at a speed that they can hear. When they turn and start towards you go slient and deep FAST!! When the escorts are destracted move in and make your kill. Then go back down and make your escape. This does work well on the early convoys on '39 and '40. Another thing to try is to go and use a ship as a hat like in Down Periscope, it does seem rather silly but it does in fact work. I did use this very successfuly in sinking a RN Battleship that was in the middle of a convoy and eluded the escorts long enough to fire three torps into the ship at it keel depth. Try them some time and see how it works. And it helps to have an outside view to see whats in the convoy. Remember the bigger the better!!!

Please elaborate on the "ship hat" technique. Every time I try it they can still ping me and they won't go away! I don't use the external camera for it but I do cheat and use the periscope to keep me under the ship. Ultimately I just end up wasting torpedoes to sink my assailants. What am I doing wrong?

Kptlt. Neuerburg · 07-13-08, 10:44 PM

Ok I will say that the ship hat trick still works even if the DDs are still pinging you. Just concentrate on what ever ship it is your trying to sink. Sink it, dive and run like hell man!!

07-10-08, 08:45 AM	#3
UnderseaLcpl Silent Hunter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Storming the beaches! Posts: 4,254 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for filling in the gaps Predavolk. I guess I left some thing out while trying to keep that post from being unbearably long. I totally forgot about the radar detector! __________________ I stole this sig from Task Force

07-10-08, 09:45 AM	#4
Laufen zum Ziel Eternal Patrol Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hiding on the bottom Posts: 1,783 Downloads: 853 Uploads: 457	I Learn something every day from this forum. Great response from forum members makes this forum what it is. __________________ RIP Laufen zum Ziel

07-10-08, 11:30 AM	#5
Seaveins Sailor man Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Burke, VA, USA Posts: 44 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Attack tonight As always, thank you for your responses. I will try a new approach tonight with the tools you have shared. Do any of you know when Allied radar became commonplace on escorts?

07-11-08, 04:33 PM	#7
Seaveins Sailor man Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Burke, VA, USA Posts: 44 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Damn this weather! Now that I am armed with better tactics, I can't shake this storm off U-51. The rain and wind has been relentless for 6 days in the AM52 area (Sept/40) and I keep tracking this great convoy that has almost reached port. The only light on this patrol has been accidently running into (not literally) the H.M.T. Aquitania. All 45,557 tons in exchange for one torpedo! Other than that the crew has smelled and felt better. We have been burning fuel for weeks and still have 12 torps. Any credit for not letting them loose willy nilly?

07-12-08, 05:47 PM	#9
Kptlt. Neuerburg Admiral Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 2,279 Downloads: 54 Uploads: 0	My experience has taught me that its not tracking the convoy thats the hard part. As most people will tell you its getting away from the escorts. I have devloped a tactic that is both effective and highly dangerous which is to approch a convoy and destract the escorts on one side of the convoy by running at a speed that they can hear. When they turn and start towards you go slient and deep FAST!! When the escorts are destracted move in and make your kill. Then go back down and make your escape. This does work well on the early convoys on '39 and '40. Another thing to try is to go and use a ship as a hat like in Down Periscope, it does seem rather silly but it does in fact work. I did use this very successfuly in sinking a RN Battleship that was in the middle of a convoy and eluded the escorts long enough to fire three torps into the ship at it keel depth. Try them some time and see how it works. And it helps to have an outside view to see whats in the convoy. Remember the bigger the better!!! __________________ "When you're born into this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show. If you're born in America you get a front row seat." - George Carlin

07-10-08, 07:42 AM	#1
pensfan Bilge Rat Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	UnderseaLcpl, Great response! I'm a newbie on my second patrol and find your info most useful. I hate to admit this but I did not even fire a torpedo on my first patrol. Al

07-10-08, 08:17 AM	#2
predavolk Weps Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 369 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	That's a good summary Undersea. I would add a couple of things. 1- Don't worry about their arrival time to the intercept point. Get there yourself ASAP. Then turn towards the convoy and head towards it 1/3 ahead on the surface. If you have radar detection (later in the war), dive once you pick up a radar signal. If it's earlier in the war, go in with decks awash (depth 7M) and dive when you get a visual contact (preferably with your own eyes before your watch spots the ship). This helps solve the problem of convoys changing course as you are reducing the amount of time they have to make one. 2- If you have to chase a convoy from the side or stern, make sure you swing at least 15K away from its outer escorts. This is generally the outer range of their radar or vision. Radar can be a little farther, like 17-18K. So 20K is probably a safe bet. Make a course that looks like this "[" where you angle out, run parallel, then angle back in. All done Ahead Full or Flank on the surface. 3- Adjust all your torpedoes on the way in. This reduces last minute snags. 4- Do not let the front escort get within 1 km of you if possible. 500M is certain detection. You then have to run and gun, or dive and hide. Try to use the sonar contacts to determine what side of the convoy the front escort is leaning towards, then try to attack the opposite side. The front escort is really your biggest challenge in penetrating the convoy unnoticed. 5- BdU gives you the speed of the convoy in the convoy report, so if it's a reported convoy, you've got that work done for you. Good luck hunting!

07-13-08, 10:44 PM	#11
Kptlt. Neuerburg Admiral Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 2,279 Downloads: 54 Uploads: 0	Ok I will say that the ship hat trick still works even if the DDs are still pinging you. Just concentrate on what ever ship it is your trying to sink. Sink it, dive and run like hell man!! __________________ "When you're born into this world, you're given a ticket to the freak show. If you're born in America you get a front row seat." - George Carlin