Convoy Spacing

[dmlavan]

Is there a "standard" convoy spacing in stock SH3 and/or GWX? From my observations, it looks like approx 1km between columns, and possibly the same between ships in a column. I found an old (2005) thread that talked about 500m in the original SH3, but it seems that it's more than that. Or... is convoy spacing not standard and can change?

[bigboywooly]

Convoy spacing has been increased in GWX to allow warships easier entry amongst the merchants

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

bah. they didnt drop DC's near merchie's in RL

if a U-boat got in a convoy then the escorts couldnt do znything except sail above them. they didnt fire for fear they would hit one of the merchie's

[Foghladh_mhara]

If I recall though even in GWX the spacings can differ. My favoured technique is to get between columns and lie doggo at periscope depth. The usual spacing is 1000m so I try to put myself in between so I can fire the stern and bow torps at targets. I tried this tactic with a convoy in '43 once and was very disturbed to see the spacings were down to 500m. Nearly got run over. Had no option but to dive down and fast. This of course brought the escorts onto me.

Very unfair I thought.

[mowgli99]

if i'm inside i always fear being rammed. Dangerous stuff you know.

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

Originally Posted by mowgli99

if i'm inside i always fear being rammed. Dangerous stuff you know.

I take 2 or 3 aob readings before I camp out at periscope depth for the attack. I try to park exactly in the middle of the 1 km spacing so I get a stern shot and a bow shot.
Granted I am in early 1940 right now, so I can get away with it, plus early I have to go with impact detonators so this sets me up for some nice 90 degree aob shots. Later, as ASW gets better and my magnetic arming is more reliable. I will have to revise my tactics.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Originally Posted by Kaleu. Jochen Mohr

bah. they didnt drop DC's near merchie's in RL

if a U-boat got in a convoy then the escorts couldnt do znything except sail above them. they didnt fire for fear they would hit one of the merchie's

BULL COOKIES!!!

If you think for one moment that an escort group commodore would just sit on the outside of the convoy and simply observe while a U-boat merrily sinks all his charges...

Your are dead wrong!!!

<...and that's a fact Jack>

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Kpt. Lehmann

BULL COOKIES!!!

If you think for one moment that an escort group commodore would just sit on the outside of the convoy and simply observe while a U-boat merrily sinks all his charges...

Your are dead wrong!!!

<...and that's a fact Jack>

BULL COOKIES!!!....INDEED!!!
This is from the proverbial horses mouth (my 84 year old father....a veteran of WWII merchant navy....and still around to tell me of his dismay at my choice of side in this subsim)
An escort commanders absolute priority on gaining a positive detection of a sub was.....DESTROY AT WHATEVER COST AND MEANS AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
What my father witnessed in the way of seamen being run down by boats (merchant and warship) whilst trying to stay afloat in lifejackets in pursuit of a contact I would not like to recount on this forum, purely out of respect for the families of those brave souls. (the British seamen)

Can someone jog my memory but wasn't there a B&W war movie (The Cruel Sea or In which We Serve) perhaps...I'm not 100% certain but I think the escort commander was played by Jack Hawkins....and it clearly depicted depth charging an area where British seamen were floating in the water, then running them down, all in the cause of prosecuting a sub contact ?
IIRC there was an outcry by the public because up to then it was never wideaspread knowledge.
Or how about this (forgive the OT rant).....Murmansk convoys equipped with CAM ships whose sole fighter had only a small fuel tank to make it lighter and therefore easier to catapult off a very short gantry. Life expectancy in the water 2 mins max. Escorts orders... NOT TO STOP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES...therefore it has been known for the pilot to ditch beyond the horizon saving morale sapping experiences for those who might witness it.

I feel quite fortunate....not only have I read the books but I also have my father around to further educate me.......LEST WE FORGET

As so aptly put before me "....and that's a fact Jack"

[IrischKapitan]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Murmansk convoys equipped with CAM ships whose sole fighter had only a small fuel tank to make it lighter and therefore easier to catapult off a very short gantry. Life expectancy in the water 2 mins max. Escorts orders... NOT TO STOP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES...therefore it has been known for the pilot to ditch beyond the horizon saving morale sapping experiences for those who might witness it.

I feel quite fortunate....not only have I read the books but I also have my father around to further educate me.......LEST WE FORGET

As so aptly put before me "....and that's a fact Jack"

They must have being brave buggers knowing once they ran out of juice there was only one way to go......

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

Originally Posted by Kpt. Lehmann

BULL COOKIES!!!

If you think for one moment that an escort group commodore would just sit on the outside of the convoy and simply observe while a U-boat merrily sinks all his charges...

Your are dead wrong!!!

<...and that's a fact Jack>

im gonna stop reading books then, seems like they are always wrong
and you GWX guy's may teach me about U-boat warfare

[melnibonian]

Originally Posted by Kaleu. Jochen Mohr

bah. they didnt drop DC's near merchie's in RL

if a U-boat got in a convoy then the escorts couldnt do znything except sail above them. they didnt fire for fear they would hit one of the merchie's

According to Clay Blair Jr when a U-Boat was inside the convoy the standard precedure was
1. Locate the Submarine via star shells or radar
2. Bring every possible gun to fire on the submarine (that included both merchant and escort ships) to sink it or keep it down to avoid more attacks.