Done It! My first convoy!

Kpt. Weyprecht · 07-20-09, 06:58 PM

That's much more modest than a Nelson Battleship, but for the eternal newbie I am that was still something! I did atacked a convoy and I can call it a (moderate) success.
I was ordered with the U-31 to the CF32 grid, January 1940. A big convoy was reported on WNW heading, 4kts. I managed to get a contact before noon but since the wind was 11 m/s i decided to stay ahead of it and attack only at night.
I was pretty convinced it had his precise course when I lost it. Thes cathced it again using hydrophone - they changed course. I learned from my own Fühlungsmeldung that it's new heading was 11. Well, my first approach wasn't that glorious. I got ahead of them but in the bright night I wasn't sure I could steal unnoticed just in front of a Black Swan sweepind before the convoy... So I submerged and let her go overhead. Of course when I went back to PD the Southampton in the centre already passed through my 0 bearing. I just sent 2 eels after him and had to dive because a cargo was about to ramming me. One dud, but the first torpedo hit. I swung the boat back to the convoy's course, waited for the escorts (they really must be green at that moment!) to leave, surfaced directly behind the convoy and chased them at full speed. Just a little maneuver to get some distance to the rear escort. That time I stayed on surface, swundg to perpendicular couse and for the first time of my short career shot at overlaping targets. Actually, I screwed it up, I should have shot eatlier at the furthest target because the closer ont tended to get more hits that was intended for him... Anyway, I put two more eels in the Southampton, which had enough, and sent a Tramp to the bottom along with her mighty secort. 180 degrees turn at flank speed, launched the rear tube uselessly since I forgot to switch the AOB to opposite 90 (Aaaarrgh), and dived for the escorts. Actually, I could have stayed up... Well, I realized that error fast enough to repeat the attach once again that night, scoring a Medium Freighter and a Large Freighter. The "parthian shot" was well aimed this time, still with a dud torpedo. I stayed on the bridge enjoying the sight of the escorts helplessly scanning the water behind the convoy with their searchlights, then headed for the Corrientes for reload.
All right, scoring below 30k in three attacks on a big convoy is not an achievement (and I was a little decieved to learn that BdU counted just the tonnage... I didn't get any extra renown for the fact that there was a light cruiser among my kills). Yet the hunt feels different now!

Kpt. Weyprecht · 07-20-09, 07:03 PM

Hey, Subsim definitely has a better appreciation of my progress than BdU - I just got promoted to "seaman"!

TigerShark808 · 07-20-09, 07:04 PM

"I just sent 2 eels after him and had to dive because a cargo was about to ramming me."

I have been there in my early years, atleast you were able to sink a "lucky" shot into the escort

07-20-09, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpt. Weyprecht

Hey, Subsim definitely has a better appreciation of my progress than BdU - I just got promoted to "seaman"!

I'm not sure that's a promotion.

Anyone remember the headlines in NewsPapers years ago?
'Captain goes berserk and shoots Seaman'

meduza · 07-20-09, 07:31 PM

Congratulations on your successful attack!

If I may suggest, you should try attacking from the side of convoy, not from the middle of it. That way you have more time to pick you targets and collect data. Also, attacking from perpendicular course will minimize the number of duds.

Before the radar, you could do a surface attack, which gives you more flexibility due to the greater speed. If you attack from greater distance (2-3km) you can escape on surface and enjoy the fireworks.

Rafael · 07-20-09, 07:53 PM

Congratz!

Quote:

Originally Posted by meduza

Before the radar, you could do a surface attack, which gives you more flexibility due to the greater speed. If you attack from greater distance (2-3km) you can escape on surface and enjoy the fireworks.

I agree and set your depth about 8 meters (if possible), in that case there is less visibility to see your U-Boat!

Crécy · 07-21-09, 03:30 AM

Congratulations! In my opinion your succes was more than moderate. For me that would have ended up two ways.

1. The escorts had noticed me.

2. All torpedos missed.

Jimbuna · 07-21-09, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpt. Weyprecht

Hey, Subsim definitely has a better appreciation of my progress than BdU - I just got promoted to "seaman"!

Seaman Staines?

Kpt. Weyprecht · 07-21-09, 06:20 AM

Thank you all for your encouragements!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crécy

Congratulations! In my opinion your succes was more than moderate. For me that would have ended up two ways.

1. The escorts had noticed me.

2. All torpedos missed.

Yeasterday IU would have said the same about myself! That was the first time I got them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Seaman Staines?

That's the guy who got shot by a berserk captain? (sorry for my ignorance if it has nothing to do)

Yes, I noticed I could attack on surface and from aside, that's how I did it in my second and third run.
But I'm still wandering how to work out the convoys heading when my WO is only able to report the closest ship which is likely the front escort? I'm using the OLC gold mod, so no contacts on the map when zoomed in (and only a general mark of the convoy when zoomed out)?

Pisces · 07-21-09, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpt. Weyprecht

...
That's the guy who got shot by a berserk captain? (sorry for my ignorance if it has nothing to do)

Yes, I noticed I could attack on surface and from aside, that's how I did it in my second and third run.
But I'm still wandering how to work out the convoys heading when my WO is only able to report the closest ship which is likely the front escort? I'm using the OLC gold mod, so no contacts on the map when zoomed in (and only a general mark of the convoy when zoomed out)?

Privateer and Jimbuna are in a naughty mood. Replace the 'a' with an 'e''. Though that newspaper thing may have been a real thing. I never heard of it, but I'm not from the states.

Back to convoy business

I noticed the slower torpedo speed setting (about 30kts of the type 1 torpedo, the type 2 can't go any faster) helps prevent those bows from overlapping eachother when you are supposed to fire. It also depends if the nearer target is rather long. Anyway, it's tricky keeping those silhouettes apart in the middle of the night. Good work!

Melonfish · 07-21-09, 10:29 AM

At night when you can't tell em apart oddly you'll get good results hitting from the side at 3000m using a 5° spread or so. its odd how effective it can be

Indiana_Jones · 07-21-09, 08:10 PM

Nice work

I just made my 1st convoy attack last night.

about 8/10 ships with 4 destroyers.

Sneaked into the middle of the group at about 5am, up periscope made some quick as hell shots and dive like a girl, 5 eels, 4 kills and about 3 hours of DC's to repay me (no damage, but some close calls lol)

I was quite happy!

07-20-09, 06:58 PM	#1
Kpt. Weyprecht Gunner Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Paris, France Posts: 97 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	Done It! My first convoy! That's much more modest than a Nelson Battleship, but for the eternal newbie I am that was still something! I did atacked a convoy and I can call it a (moderate) success. I was ordered with the U-31 to the CF32 grid, January 1940. A big convoy was reported on WNW heading, 4kts. I managed to get a contact before noon but since the wind was 11 m/s i decided to stay ahead of it and attack only at night. I was pretty convinced it had his precise course when I lost it. Thes cathced it again using hydrophone - they changed course. I learned from my own Fühlungsmeldung that it's new heading was 11. Well, my first approach wasn't that glorious. I got ahead of them but in the bright night I wasn't sure I could steal unnoticed just in front of a Black Swan sweepind before the convoy... So I submerged and let her go overhead. Of course when I went back to PD the Southampton in the centre already passed through my 0 bearing. I just sent 2 eels after him and had to dive because a cargo was about to ramming me. One dud, but the first torpedo hit. I swung the boat back to the convoy's course, waited for the escorts (they really must be green at that moment!) to leave, surfaced directly behind the convoy and chased them at full speed. Just a little maneuver to get some distance to the rear escort. That time I stayed on surface, swundg to perpendicular couse and for the first time of my short career shot at overlaping targets. Actually, I screwed it up, I should have shot eatlier at the furthest target because the closer ont tended to get more hits that was intended for him... Anyway, I put two more eels in the Southampton, which had enough, and sent a Tramp to the bottom along with her mighty secort. 180 degrees turn at flank speed, launched the rear tube uselessly since I forgot to switch the AOB to opposite 90 (Aaaarrgh), and dived for the escorts. Actually, I could have stayed up... Well, I realized that error fast enough to repeat the attach once again that night, scoring a Medium Freighter and a Large Freighter. The "parthian shot" was well aimed this time, still with a dud torpedo. I stayed on the bridge enjoying the sight of the escorts helplessly scanning the water behind the convoy with their searchlights, then headed for the Corrientes for reload. All right, scoring below 30k in three attacks on a big convoy is not an achievement (and I was a little decieved to learn that BdU counted just the tonnage... I didn't get any extra renown for the fact that there was a light cruiser among my kills). Yet the hunt feels different now!

07-20-09, 07:04 PM	#3
TigerShark808 Engineer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: 2074 nautical miles south west of San Francisco! Posts: 212 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	"I just sent 2 eels after him and had to dive because a cargo was about to ramming me." I have been there in my early years, atleast you were able to sink a "lucky" shot into the escort __________________ GWX3GOLD OLC "Gold" MkIId SH3 Commander D.I.D 100% Realism ! SWCs-AtlanticReaper Skin <---because it is badass!

07-20-09, 07:31 PM	#5
meduza Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: on patrol Posts: 1,035 Downloads: 40 Uploads: 0	Congratulations on your successful attack! If I may suggest, you should try attacking from the side of convoy, not from the middle of it. That way you have more time to pick you targets and collect data. Also, attacking from perpendicular course will minimize the number of duds. Before the radar, you could do a surface attack, which gives you more flexibility due to the greater speed. If you attack from greater distance (2-3km) you can escape on surface and enjoy the fireworks. __________________

07-20-09, 07:03 PM	#2
Kpt. Weyprecht Gunner Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Paris, France Posts: 97 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	Hey, Subsim definitely has a better appreciation of my progress than BdU - I just got promoted to "seaman"!

07-21-09, 03:30 AM	#7
Crécy Grey Wolf Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dark forest Posts: 793 Downloads: 316 Uploads: 0	Congratulations! In my opinion your succes was more than moderate. For me that would have ended up two ways. 1. The escorts had noticed me. 2. All torpedos missed.

07-21-09, 10:29 AM	#11
Melonfish XO Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Warrington, UK Posts: 417 Downloads: 106 Uploads: 0	At night when you can't tell em apart oddly you'll get good results hitting from the side at 3000m using a 5° spread or so. its odd how effective it can be

07-21-09, 08:10 PM	#12
Indiana_Jones Machinist's Mate Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 126 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Nice work I just made my 1st convoy attack last night. about 8/10 ships with 4 destroyers. Sneaked into the middle of the group at about 5am, up periscope made some quick as hell shots and dive like a girl, 5 eels, 4 kills and about 3 hours of DC's to repay me (no damage, but some close calls lol) I was quite happy!