When can you report a convoy?

dcb · 01-29-07, 06:48 AM

Hi everybody

I have a question, maybe some fellow Kaleun can help me. Under what conditions can you report a convoy by radio? That kind of "Large convoy heading SSE, medium speed" or similar report.
I am asking this because last night I was shadowing a large convoy, I was clearly seeing the merchants and the tail escort, while the watch crew reported seeing the escort but not the merchies. I ordered the radioman to "send contact report", he said okay, but no report was written into the message log (M key). Yet I remember that in the past I was able to send convoy reports and I even received something like a "Good job" answer.
Now I am playing GWX with a few graphic and keyboard tweaks - nothing that would alter the core files of the mod.
Thanks in advance for the answers.

melnibonian · 01-29-07, 06:52 AM

If you send contact reports they don't apear in the report menu in the Radio Screen. The only ones that apear are the patrol reports and the messages from BdU. Actually sending contact reports is good, as you can get help from other U-Boats or the Luftwaffe. I was chacing once a Norwigean Cargo ship outside Narvik and I sent a contact report. About 10 minutes later 4 Ju-87 stoped by to give me a hand in sending it to the bottom of the sea

danlisa · 01-29-07, 06:52 AM

IIRC a successful convoy report must contain all the ships visually identified & in sight when the report is made.

If this is true then it's going to be a lot harder to send successful reports in GWX unless in early war, due to the visual capabilities of the escorts.

Jimbuna · 01-29-07, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danlisa

IIRC a successful convoy report must contain all the ships visually identified & in sight when the report is made.

If this is true then it's going to be a lot harder to send successful reports in GWX unless in early war, due to the visual capabilities of the escorts.

My understanding is that ALL the merchants have to be within visual range

But either way if you can see them then I'm sure as Dan has pointed out it's highly likely the escorts will have spotted you

mookiemookie · 01-29-07, 09:23 AM

A couple things...

Outgoing contact reports DO appear in your radio logs. They appear in a second section at the bottom, under the incoming messages. Click them and in the data you sent BdU you can even see what numerical course the convoy you just reported is on. Sweet!

I've reported many convoys where I haven't seen all the ships. I thought you had to go to the nav screen and zoom out a couple layers. If the convoy appears as the convoy symbol (the large square) then you can report it in. That's always been my rule of thumb anyways.

I could be wrong on this, but I think some of it has to do with the efficiency of your radio operator as well. I.e. more efficent operators actually send the reports out.

dcb · 01-29-07, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Outgoing contact reports DO appear in your radio logs. They appear in a second section at the bottom, under the incoming messages. Click them and in the data you sent BdU you can even see what numerical course the convoy you just reported is on.

This is also what I can recall from some time long ago, when I actually saw such a report in the "sent items" part of the radiolog. So, what I understand is that you must see at least some of the merchants, in order to successfully send a convoy report and see it written in the log.
There is still the second part of the problem. If you can see them they should certainly see you as well. This only makes me think I will send very few convoy reports in my career.
Just to do a little experiment, I will suicidarily surface in the middle of the convoy, see the ships and send the report, to find out if the report really gets written in the radiolog. Thanks everybody for your answers.

Brag · 01-29-07, 09:45 AM

Yeah, I had this happen yesterday: I was shadowing a convoy (trying to get into attack position. Lookouts would call: "Shiff gesichted" and convoy symbol would appear on the chart (no individual ships).

GT182 · 01-29-07, 10:06 AM

Try sending the contact report with deck awash. You might be less likely to be seen by the escorts, especially at night. But as Danlisa says, it'll be much harder later on in the war. Especially after Dec 8th of '41 I'd think.

01-29-07, 06:48 AM	#1
dcb Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 845 Downloads: 544 Uploads: 0	When can you report a convoy? Hi everybody I have a question, maybe some fellow Kaleun can help me. Under what conditions can you report a convoy by radio? That kind of "Large convoy heading SSE, medium speed" or similar report. I am asking this because last night I was shadowing a large convoy, I was clearly seeing the merchants and the tail escort, while the watch crew reported seeing the escort but not the merchies. I ordered the radioman to "send contact report", he said okay, but no report was written into the message log (M key). Yet I remember that in the past I was able to send convoy reports and I even received something like a "Good job" answer. Now I am playing GWX with a few graphic and keyboard tweaks - nothing that would alter the core files of the mod. Thanks in advance for the answers.

01-29-07, 06:52 AM	#2
melnibonian Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Reading UK Posts: 3,473 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	If you send contact reports they don't apear in the report menu in the Radio Screen. The only ones that apear are the patrol reports and the messages from BdU. Actually sending contact reports is good, as you can get help from other U-Boats or the Luftwaffe. I was chacing once a Norwigean Cargo ship outside Narvik and I sent a contact report. About 10 minutes later 4 Ju-87 stoped by to give me a hand in sending it to the bottom of the sea __________________ http://www.thegreywolves.com/ http://wolvesatwar.com/ Download GWX and other goodies: http://hosted.filefront.com/melnibonian

01-29-07, 06:52 AM	#3
danlisa Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 5,499 Downloads: 45 Uploads: 1	IIRC a successful convoy report must contain all the ships visually identified & in sight when the report is made. If this is true then it's going to be a lot harder to send successful reports in GWX unless in early war, due to the visual capabilities of the escorts. __________________

01-29-07, 09:23 AM	#5
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	A couple things... Outgoing contact reports DO appear in your radio logs. They appear in a second section at the bottom, under the incoming messages. Click them and in the data you sent BdU you can even see what numerical course the convoy you just reported is on. Sweet! I've reported many convoys where I haven't seen all the ships. I thought you had to go to the nav screen and zoom out a couple layers. If the convoy appears as the convoy symbol (the large square) then you can report it in. That's always been my rule of thumb anyways. I could be wrong on this, but I think some of it has to do with the efficiency of your radio operator as well. I.e. more efficent operators actually send the reports out. __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

01-29-07, 09:45 AM	#7
Brag Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Docked on a Russian pond Posts: 7,072 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	Yeah, I had this happen yesterday: I was shadowing a convoy (trying to get into attack position. Lookouts would call: "Shiff gesichted" and convoy symbol would appear on the chart (no individual ships). __________________ Espionage, adventure, suspense, are just a click away Click here to look inside Brag's book: Amazon.com: Kingmaker: Alexey Braguine: Books Order Kingmaker here: http://www.subsim.com/store.html For Tactics visit:http://www.freewebs.com/kielman/

01-29-07, 10:06 AM	#8
GT182 Ocean Warrior Join Date: May 2005 Location: New Castle of Delaware Posts: 3,231 Downloads: 658 Uploads: 0	Try sending the contact report with deck awash. You might be less likely to be seen by the escorts, especially at night. But as Danlisa says, it'll be much harder later on in the war. Especially after Dec 8th of '41 I'd think. __________________ Gary No Borders, No Language, No Culture =s No Country I'm a Deplorable, and proud of it.