operational question

[GoldenRivet]

As i begin my patrol toward the United States East Coast again i find myself wondering about an operational consideration for U-boats in my position.

Assume your orders are to head to the US east coast to take part in paukenschlag.

but en route you stumble across a juicy convoy... lets say middle of the pack are 3 large tankers, a few troop ships and some ammo carriers.

does attacking this convoy with full force (therby seriuously depleting your armament stores) take precedence over the standing orders to voyage to the USA? Or would you simply radio in the contact report and proceed undetected without firing a shot?

My thinking is that you would radio BdU something like "U-35 currently en route to paukenshchlag area... we have sighted massive convoy with multiple high value targets urgently request permission to engage"

or would that even be necessary... i would assume that if a u-boat skipper encountered such a target he would be expected to attack it.

next question... if the attack was successful, and only 3 or 4 torpedoes remain aboard, would the skipper be expected to continue his patrol to the USA... or would he return to base... or would he be routed to a resupply boat somewhere.

for example, turn back and dock at Max Albrecht supply ship, rearm and continue patrol or stop in and pay a visit to a milk cow.

i have never really been sure myself.