Engaging Convoy

[peabody]

Thanks for all the tips, greatly appreciated!! Since I am new (how long am I allowed to use that excuse?) it wasn't until the other day I realized you could go deeper than 165ft. I didn't know there was another dial. "Read the book stupid, that's what they printed it for" One question on that 'other' dial, the book says the 'operational area is marked in green and the red section is inviting disaster' Since my dial is not colored I assume the red needle is the max depth (assuming of course there is not hull damage, which would make save depth less?)

Peabody

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Ah, Mister Peabody, long time no see. I see you no longer stinky Bilge Rat, you now Stinky Sailor Man. Anyway, how far were you from the convoy? And diving to at least 180-200 feet is ok as long as you go below a thermal layer and move 1/3 speed. Turn off torpedo reload, any repairs and stop gives you a good fighting chance. If you do get DC is either the enemy is fishing you out or they really do have super sensors. One time a DD deliberately sailed over me hoping I'd go fast and the other DDs nearby will pick me up. I held my ground. It took me 4 hours of dodging just to get away. There's no sure method you'd get away scot free.

[peabody]

Originally Posted by DavyJonesFootlocker

Ah, Mister Peabody, long time no see. I see you no longer stinky Bilge Rat, you now Stinky Sailor Man. Anyway, how far were you from the convoy? And diving to at least 180-200 feet is ok as long as you go below a thermal layer and move 1/3 speed. Turn off torpedo reload, any repairs and stop gives you a good fighting chance. If you do get DC is either the enemy is fishing you out or they really do have super sensors. One time a DD deliberately sailed over me hoping I'd go fast and the other DDs nearby will pick me up. I held my ground. It took me 4 hours of dodging just to get away. There's no sure method you'd get away scot free.

DJ
That was my problem, I was everything you stated:
Below thermal
Rig for Silent Running
Stopped
No Repairs
In fact I realized I was going to end up too far away from the convoy, either I miscalculated the course or they changed course, I think I miscalculated cause I still got a bit of Blige Rat in me!! I don't think I was too close. So, I think it was a comment I made above where Quillan said the TC triggers them to attack. I have to admit I got a little impatient, so I sped it up a bit and bang...they were all over me. But I showed them who's boss....I didn't save it!!! I missed my one chance at a Task Force too, only one torpedo, and I had to sit and watch them sail by Scot free. But of course they were Scot free...they were Japanese...no Scots there.
Thanks for the ideas! One question, there is a button for autoload torpedos but they don't load if you are 'silent running', should I turn it off anyway?

Peabody

[-Pv-]

I only turn off the autoload button if I want to control which torp gets loaded where. One reason I do that is so I can force torps in consecutive tubes for faster cycling when shooting at mult targets. Later in the war, I might want a certain mix of torp types always in the tubes.
-Pv-

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Yes, when you turn off Silent Running auto-reload kicks in full swing. But don't use it when the DDs are pinging you. The reloading makes a lot of noise. That's why when I attack a Task Force it's a one time shot. I go the periscope level make sure everything's ok. Set all forward torps to contact only between 7000-8000 yards away and fire all of them. Go to the deepest level I can get on Silent Running and sail away. Usually the DDs get close to me and the cat and mouse game begins. I realize also that Heavy Fog can be your best friend at times. DDs can't seem to find you. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT TC WHEN ENEMY IS CLOSE BY. Made that mistake once and nearly bought the farm when a merchie deck gunned me.

[Nisgeis]

Originally Posted by John Channing

Here is how it worked in real life.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/....html#section4

Works in the game, too!

JCC

One part of that says 'Try to keep own and enemy's wakes between the submarine and her pursuers.' Does your own submarine create a wake when it is submerged, that would interfere with enemy passive and active sonar, or would that piece of advice only apply to surface operations (though I didn't think sound detection worked against subs on the surface)?

[seafarer]

Well, a wake is just the turbulence and disturbance behind anything passing through the water (or air). So yes, a submerged sub has a wake.

[peabody]

Ok, guys (and gals?) I appreciate all the help but you forgot one very important fact. When you are trying to sneak away very quietly MAKE SURE YOU DON'T RUN INTO THE SHIP YOU JUST SANK. I think that is a very important thing to know. I knew the water wasn't very deep where I was so I had to watch my depth, so when I heard the noise I thought I hit bottom, but when I came up a bit, it still was making a racket, so I looked and this is it.



But anyway I did take your suggestions and met a small convoy and sank a 'Large Old Passenger Carrier and a Modern Passenger Liner. This is one of them. Then I went north because I was so embarrased the destroyers couldn't attack me they were laughing too hard.
I ran in to a Task Force in the northern gap going from the Sulu Sea to South China Sea and sank an Ise Battleship and went to 250ft. Ahead 1.3 and watched the map and kept turning away from searchers. I wish the pic was bigger but I was already on my way to 250 ft when I heard 'torpedo impact' so I took a quick look. I shot 6, I remember at least 4 hit but I'm not sure if they all did I was changing direction and depth at the time.


Thanks again for you help and suggestions.

Peabody

[Capn_Sinky]

On several of the quick missions I kept getting busted by the escorts before I could get close enough to fire. I would think I had sliped through the screen only to have them hit me from behind. The old "out of sight, out of mind" trap. Keep in mind that destroyers are deaf to the stern, but so are you. Dont get too comfortable, make a 45 to 90 degree turn every so often to check for destroyers behind you when you are below periscope depth. Haven't read about it that much in WWII references, but during and after the cold war it was refered to it as "clearing the baffles."

The best luck I have had in breaking through screens has been approaching below the thermocline (depends upon water temp, depth to seafloor etc. The guy calling out the depth will let you know when you have passed through it.) while rigged for silent running. Note you can rig for silent running and set your speed to whatever you want, but if you are running faster than ahead one third the chances of them picking you up goes way up. In the control room I have a hard time determining if they are searching in my direction because of the background music. The best thing to do is turn the music off or go to the sonar station every so often to listen for pinging. The louder and closer together the pinging the closer they are to detecting you. Watch the helmsman as well. I have noticed that when they are really close the helmsman starts looking nervious and starts looking up at the celing like he expects to see an ashcan fall out of the celing.

Fighting in the shallows is another thing all together. The chance of being detected actually goes down if you can sit near or on the bottom as long as you are set to silent running. The chance of them hearing you there is low, and since you are sitting close to or on the bottom the chance of them pinging you are reduced as well. The problem with shallow water combat comes in when you fire off that MK XIV and they follow the bubble trail right back to your location. Got to shoot and scoot.

Good Luck and Good Hunting
Capn_ Sinky (aka Stinky)
O.I.C.I.C.
Officer In Charge of Ice Cream
USS Drum