Another great book; "The U-Boat War In The Atlantic"

[John Pancoast]

Written shortly after the war with original documents by Gunther Hessler who was a u-boat skipper and then held BdU staff positions. Three volumes, on the first currently.
Few interesting items:
- Operations didn't go past 15 degrees west until 11/1940.
- Every night attack was to be done on the surface. No scope attacks.
- U-boats "never employed the tactics of approaching the enemy half-submerged, with tanks already flooded" aka decks awash.
- If a convoy was thought able to be attacked two nights in a row, u-boats were forbidden to attack during the day.

I suspect there will be many other items for anyone interested as I've barely started reading it !

[Fifi]

Originally Posted by John Pancoast

- Every night attack was to be done on the surface. No scope attacks.

Just finished Kretschmer biography, and was surprised about this point too.
But more of the visibility distances at night...he could penetrate convoy surfaced, stand between rows up to 200m to cargos staying invisible...escape escorts quite easily 500m away still invisible!
His favorite tactic was to stand at the rear of convoy, sail up in a row, sink 1 or 2 ships, let the convoy pass his boat until he could sail in other row and rince and repeat!
Many times he didn’t even have to dive for escape. Escorts were almost completely ineffective at this time.
He was just using his U-Boat like a torpedo boat, and was the only one doing like this.
He tried to convert others friends (like Prien and Schepke) to this very successful tactic, but they were not enthusiastic.
Even though it was not recommended tactic, Doenitz was ok with it, as far as results were there.

No need to say it’s not doable in game...unless giving a hard visibility handicap at night to AIs

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Fifi

Just finished Kretschmer biography, and was surprised about this point too.
But more of the visibility distances at night...he could penetrate convoy surfaced, stand between rows up to 200m to cargos staying invisible...escape escorts quite easily 500m away still invisible!
His favorite tactic was to stand at the rear of convoy, sail up in a row, sink 1 or 2 ships, let the convoy pass his boat until he could sail in other row and rince and repeat!
Many times he didn’t even have to dive for escape. Escorts were almost completely ineffective at this time.
He was just using his U-Boat like a torpedo boat, and was the only one doing like this.
He tried to convert others friends (like Prien and Schepke) to this very successful tactic, but they were not enthusiastic.
Even though it was not recommended tactic, Doenitz was ok with it, as far as results were there.

No need to say it’s not doable in game...unless giving a hard visibility handicap at night to AIs

Yes, it is remarkable ! The dive that lead to his capture (asdic found him right away) wasn't his order and he wasn't happy about it.
Also, that battle that led to his capture and the deaths of Prien and Schepke was the first in which radar was involved.

[Fifi]

[Rhodes]

Yes, but to simulate the same thing in the game, we have to attack with decks awash, until late 40/early 41.


I also read Kretschmer biography, a bit of bad luck also involving his capture. The deck officer (can not remember if was a new IWO) didn't carry out his normal order when detecting a destroyer and the destroyer (the one that attacked him or one of) was picking up the survivors of Schepke boat.



Kretschmer IWO, A. Schnee also did similar night attack tactic, attacking the last ships of a convoy, allowing the escort to pass by them, shooting the torpedoes at target (close range, possible 1,5 km and less) and turning the boat a parallel course and exiting the convoy on a opposite course.

There is a collection of book about famous u-boat commanders, hard cover, A4 or more in size (a tall book) with their biography and war patrols. I have the one about Schnee and there is a image from the log book drawing of the attack.

[John Pancoast]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Yes, but to simulate the same thing in the game, we have to attack with decks awash, until late 40/early 41.

Not necessarily, if you're meaning to make it harder for an escort to see you. It provides no help in that regard in the game, at least in my experience.