Submarine as convoy escort?

Maraz · 06-21-07, 04:56 AM

Hi, I am playing GWX 1.03, and in May 1940, west of Ireland, I met a convoy with a British S-Class submarine in it. Apparently it was operating as tail escort for the convoy.

Was this a historical practice, having submarines as convoy escort (I doubt it) or simply a bug in the convoy composition?

Cheers

Maraz

06-21-07, 06:34 AM

GWX with 1.03, due west of Biscay Bay in June 1941, and I also ran into a Gilbraltar - UK convoy with a submerged British sub.

Once before I saw a British sub patrolling the shallow area of Biscay Bay but it was surfaced and alone.

I don't believe I've ever read anything about British subs escorting convoys.

PhantomLord · 06-21-07, 06:49 AM

Same here. I´ve met several convoys with submerged or surfaced S-class-boats.

I really want those british batteries! I´ve shadowed a convoy with a submerged S-class in it for 36 hours.....with 8 knots. He never surfaces! Try this with you VII...

siber · 06-21-07, 06:52 AM

I've seen three convoys with surfaced subs escorting, and one of those had HMS Rodney stuffed in the middle!

I'm sure you can guess how I used my last three torps! The first two went off to hole her broadside and knock off her propellers. This stopped her, but I got pounced on by escort DDs. But knowing she was crippled (I admit - used external camera), I went deep and stayed there for half an hour. The only problem was that I only had 1 torp remaining in my stern tube. Thinking this would have to suffice, I set it to run at 12m and enabled the magnetic pistol. Upon firing, it ran straight for the 500m between us and sailed clean under without detonating... I couldn't believe my eyes!!!

I wasn't brave enough to surface and get the deck crew onto the 88mm while facing the huge guns on Rodney. The crew would probably have mutinied if I'd even suggested it... I skulked off submerged to return to base...

PhantomLord · 06-21-07, 07:00 AM

Yeah i had the Rodney too. Aimed i big tanker in the middle of the convoy with 2 torps. The second torp misses and hitted the Rodney (i didn´t saw her before, she was covered by tankers silhouette). Surfaced after 4 hours of DC....and there she was.....laying there without any speed and helping destroyers

3 eels later she was history

There are numerous warships in normal convoys since GWX 1.03. So far i saw Fiji´s, Rodney´s, light cruisers....

Captain Nemo · 06-21-07, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maraz

Was this a historical practice, having submarines as convoy escort (I doubt it) or simply a bug in the convoy composition?

I seem to recall that RN subs were used on occassion to guard against the breakout of Germany's capital ships that were holed up in Norway and in a good position to attack the Arctic convoys, but this wouldn't have required their presence in the convoy itself. Perhaps other can comment.

Nemo

Hitman · 06-21-07, 09:05 AM

Submarines as convoy escorts is historically accurate

bigboywooly · 06-21-07, 09:45 AM

Subs would normally escort a convoy so far then leave for patrol but due to game limitations if a sub starts in a convoy it stays till the very end

ichso · 06-21-07, 01:45 PM

That sounds more reasonable.
The S-Class was a smaller type of submarine as I remember from SH1.
Seems a little strange that a small sub crosses the Atlantik guarding a convoy. Perhaps it could get refuled at sea, but still the above version sounds more realistic. That they escorted the convoy a while and then got off to their own patrol area.

wireman · 06-21-07, 02:02 PM

Yes, I have read that in the early part of the war Brit subs were used to a limited extent as convoy escorts. If I remember correctly, the subs were to remained surfaced and left the convoy at dusk and returned to position after dawn so as to avoid problems as much as possible. I think I read this in " No Place to linger", a Kiwi's naval memoir.

Puster Bill · 06-21-07, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ichso

That sounds more reasonable.
The S-Class was a smaller type of submarine as I remember from SH1.
Seems a little strange that a small sub crosses the Atlantik guarding a convoy. Perhaps it could get refuled at sea, but still the above version sounds more realistic. That they escorted the convoy a while and then got off to their own patrol area.

Well, I think you could cross the Atlantic in a Type IID, you just wouldn't have enough fuel to get home...

I'll have to test that theory sometime.

06-21-07, 04:56 AM	#1
Maraz Navy Dude Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rome, Italy Posts: 177 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Submarine as convoy escort? Hi, I am playing GWX 1.03, and in May 1940, west of Ireland, I met a convoy with a British S-Class submarine in it. Apparently it was operating as tail escort for the convoy. Was this a historical practice, having submarines as convoy escort (I doubt it) or simply a bug in the convoy composition? Cheers Maraz __________________ First career: VIIB U-54 Current career (Black Sea): IID U-24 GWX 2.1, U-Jagd Tools, 100% difficulty, manual targeting, DiD,

06-21-07, 06:49 AM	#3
PhantomLord XO Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 408 Downloads: 124 Uploads: 0	Same here. I´ve met several convoys with submerged or surfaced S-class-boats. I really want those british batteries! I´ve shadowed a convoy with a submerged S-class in it for 36 hours.....with 8 knots. He never surfaces! Try this with you VII... __________________ ~^~ War does not determine who is right - only who is left. ~^~

06-21-07, 06:52 AM	#4
siber Planesman Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Salford, Manchester, UK Posts: 182 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I've seen three convoys with surfaced subs escorting, and one of those had HMS Rodney stuffed in the middle! I'm sure you can guess how I used my last three torps! The first two went off to hole her broadside and knock off her propellers. This stopped her, but I got pounced on by escort DDs. But knowing she was crippled (I admit - used external camera), I went deep and stayed there for half an hour. The only problem was that I only had 1 torp remaining in my stern tube. Thinking this would have to suffice, I set it to run at 12m and enabled the magnetic pistol. Upon firing, it ran straight for the 500m between us and sailed clean under without detonating... I couldn't believe my eyes!!! I wasn't brave enough to surface and get the deck crew onto the 88mm while facing the huge guns on Rodney. The crew would probably have mutinied if I'd even suggested it... I skulked off submerged to return to base... __________________ Using GWX 3.0 at 100% realism, OLC's 'Ubermod' & Torpdamagefinal

06-21-07, 07:00 AM	#5
PhantomLord XO Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 408 Downloads: 124 Uploads: 0	Yeah i had the Rodney too. Aimed i big tanker in the middle of the convoy with 2 torps. The second torp misses and hitted the Rodney (i didn´t saw her before, she was covered by tankers silhouette). Surfaced after 4 hours of DC....and there she was.....laying there without any speed and helping destroyers 3 eels later she was history There are numerous warships in normal convoys since GWX 1.03. So far i saw Fiji´s, Rodney´s, light cruisers.... __________________ ~^~ War does not determine who is right - only who is left. ~^~

06-21-07, 09:05 AM	#7
Hitman Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Spain Posts: 6,109 Downloads: 109 Uploads: 2	Submarines as convoy escorts is historically accurate __________________ One day I will return to sea ...

06-21-07, 06:34 AM	#2
von Zelda Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	GWX with 1.03, due west of Biscay Bay in June 1941, and I also ran into a Gilbraltar - UK convoy with a submerged British sub. Once before I saw a British sub patrolling the shallow area of Biscay Bay but it was surfaced and alone. I don't believe I've ever read anything about British subs escorting convoys.

06-21-07, 09:45 AM	#8
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Subs would normally escort a convoy so far then leave for patrol but due to game limitations if a sub starts in a convoy it stays till the very end __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41

06-21-07, 01:45 PM	#9
ichso Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Germany's oldest city alive Posts: 1,066 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	That sounds more reasonable. The S-Class was a smaller type of submarine as I remember from SH1. Seems a little strange that a small sub crosses the Atlantik guarding a convoy. Perhaps it could get refuled at sea, but still the above version sounds more realistic. That they escorted the convoy a while and then got off to their own patrol area. __________________ My Subskins: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=164169

06-21-07, 02:02 PM	#10
wireman Sparky Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 155 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Yes, I have read that in the early part of the war Brit subs were used to a limited extent as convoy escorts. If I remember correctly, the subs were to remained surfaced and left the convoy at dusk and returned to position after dawn so as to avoid problems as much as possible. I think I read this in " No Place to linger", a Kiwi's naval memoir.