How do I get inside a convoy?

[bsalyers]

I was once waiting in the path of a convoy in - I want to say 1941 - with engines off at periscope depth. As the lead escort drew nearer and nearer, I ordered silence. My hydrophone man whispered that the destroyer was closing at short range. In this game, short range means really close. I knew then we would be killed; I just wanted to watch it happen. On a whim, I put up my scope; not all the way so it broke the surface, just enough to see the cans when they were dropped. Within seconds I actually saw the hull of the destoyer pass over my bow. We were probably less than 2 meters under him. He never detected me. BTW, I was playing at full realism.
I don't know if this is remotely authentic, but in the world of the game, "silent running" seems to make a huge difference. I've used it ever since, not just when evading, but when lying in wait just before my attack, too.

[Heibges]

I agree with Keelbuster. I have had some destoyers pass extremely close to me at PD and not hear me. It's all a matter of nerve. And by observing them you are able to determine instantly if they suddenly steam full speed at you, or steam off full speed in the other direction. A really delightful game of cat and mouse.

One time, on the surface, in the middle of the Atlantic, with medium fog and heavy seas, I had a destroyer cross my stern at 450m. It just came out of nowhere. I sat there watching it, but it just kept right on steaming. We were the proverbial, 2 ships that passed in the night.

[Keelbuster]

Yea - I'm pretty sure that their passive ASDIC sensitivity scales by their level of suspicion - if they know yer about, they'll detect you <1km. If they have no idea, then they're not looking for you and you can get away with some close action.

Kb

Well, I tried the advice listed here and got into position without being detected. I launched four eels at the Southhampton and my aft tube at a large cargo. Three of my four hit the cruiser and it was already sinking before I had a chance to submerge. The large cargo was hit aft but did not cripple her. I submerged and managed to evade two escorts (the other two luckily stayed with the convoy).

When I came back up, the cargo ship was hurt bad but steaming ahead at 4 kts (the rest of the convoy was at 5 kts). I managed to sneak out the back of the convoy then tried to run up along the side, hoping once the convoy finally outdistanced the crippled ship I could come in for another go but to my delight the convoy zagged (which I thought was heading 315° turned out to be heading 360° and was in the zig part of their zig zag). They turned themselves to 45° which put me instantly right in line to submerge and take a second pass.

I'll take another crack at that cargo, and probably another ship before calling this convoy finished (I'll be out of all eels but one in the aft after this attack).

Thanks for the advice, everyone. So far so good.

[Kilamon]

I often hide underneath a crippled boat while reloading, or under one that's moving a la Down Periscope. Works great in the game but I doubt it could be done for a real tactic.

As others have done, I too have sat in the front of the convoy watching that lead destroy zig-zag his way towards me. In one instance, I had a type iv acoustic loaded aft and as soon as he'd gone past me, I started lining him up for a shot. I managed to sink 2 tankers, a liberty and cripple a C2 while the acoustic @^#% DESTROYED the DD (massive explosion! MASSIVE! Must have hit the ammo). Diving down to evade the retaliation, it always seems like it takes forever to reload. Those DDs were pissed at me too because they kept tracking me for 2 hours while I kept popping decoys and moving away.

Don't forget to use your recognition manual! I've only learned of it's importance recently and getting critical hits to a boat can save your neck.

[Ducimus]

>>How do I get inside a convoy?

It's all about accurate plotting, and alot of breif periscope observations, and being able to accuratly place yourself ahead, and just to the side of a convoy.

Dont get DIRECTLY ahead of the convoy. The lead escort has a high likelyhood of detecting you. Try to get yourself about 3000 (give or take) meters ahead and to the side (or less, depending on situation and position of lead escort). Point your bow at aruond a 15 degre angle towards the convoy. Ive found that direct 90 degree shots are hard to make accuratly unless your at an extreme range - but extreme range means you have a high likleyhood of missing.

The reason for angling your bow towards the convoy instead of a stright 90 degree shot against the side of ships is because the gyro angle, and the speed of the targets, its hard to shoot a spread, and have them all impact around the same time frame. A long delay between your first two fish, and your second two fish, means that the second salvo will most likely miss because the targets have changed course when alerted by your first spread. So by angling your boat, you can shoot at two targets much quicker. Beward, too much angle and a contact pistol is useless, and you'll have to use magnetic, and if the seas are rough this isnt desierable, so you'll have to be be careful not to use too much angle.

Anyway, get 3000-4000 (or less, it dpends on the situation) meters from where you expect the convoy to pass, and let the lead escort cross your bow. The instant he's crossed your bow, hes a little more blind to you. Move at 2-3 kt, NOW, before the side escort catches up. You need to move quickly (but not loudly) if you expect to get in between two colums, or at the least, to get some distance from the side guarding escort before he reaches your vacinity.

Getting in the middle of a convoy is hard to do if theres a lead escort, but getting inbetween the first two columns of ships on the side of the convoy is much more feasible.

Angle the bow about 15 degrees (or less, give or take) towards the 2nd inner column, take your bow shots first, by now your stern tube should have a good gyro angle on the outter column, shoot those quickly. You wont have much time becuase your bow spreads are giving you away.

Then set your dive planes to normal dive and change course so you dont go under the ships from your first bow spreads. Avoid crash diving if you can, once escorts get that tip off in late war, its VERY hard to shake them.

On a side note, in a VII boat, i woudlnt try very hard to get inside a convoy if using manual targeting. Primarly because that 1 stern tube, to me, doesnt really make it worth the effort. Its great as a coup de grace shot, but your chances of sinking a ship with it arent as great as if you had two sterm tubes. All depends on you SOP really, i use manual targeting (hence no silver bullet torpedo's) , so my SOP is two fish per target if it's more then 2000-3000 tons. Your milage may vary.

[Dowly]

My method is to get ahead of the convoy and then turn straight towards it. When I reach the convoy, I turn my boat back to the way the convoy is headed.

I tend to go at slow speed and in 100+ depth. As long as I´m not detected before reaching the convoy, I´m safe. When inside of the convoy, you can even reload your external tubes (Works best with the VII boats, as they turn better than IX), without troubles from the DD´s.

Good Hunting!

Originally Posted by Dowly

When inside of the convoy, you can even reload your external tubes (Works best with the VII boats, as they turn better than IX), without troubles from the DD´s.

You surface in a VII inside a convoy and spend an hour loading your external stores into your tubes? I must be mis-reading something, or I'm doing something very wrong, or else you have the largest, brassiest cojones of anyone I've ever encountered.

[Seminole]

Getting in is not that much of a problems as I'm sure has been already explained adequately above.

The big problem is getting out again.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Fab

You surface in a VII inside a convoy and spend an hour loading your external stores into your tubes? I must be mis-reading something, or I'm doing something very wrong, or else you have the largest, brassiest cojones of anyone I've ever encountered.

Before the merchants get guns it´s easy. Just have to maneuver my boat behind merchant, when the DD´s start blasting with their guns.

I rarely do that, but it´s a nice maneuver training. Have to be changing direction all the time. :rotfl:

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Seminole

Getting in is not that much of a problems as I'm sure has been already explained adequately above.

The big problem is getting out again.

You have to resist the urge to crash dive, AND resist the urge to watch your torpedo's hit. Instant you shoot your fish, start going deep.

Originally Posted by Dowly

Before the merchants get guns it´s easy.

I was about to say, you'd HAVE to be doing that early war, no way in hell youd be doing that later on