All I want to do is sink your pretty ships...

[frau kaleun]

...why won't you let me do it in peace?

:harumph:

Convoy Attack School sucks, and I am going to be there for a while.

I remember a walkthrough I read somewhere saying just to ignore the escorts and proceed to sinkin' merchants. Well, it would be a lot easier to ignore them if they'd stop chasing me around trying to kill me.

In conclusion, war is hell.

[KL-alfman]

yes, they are annoying!
all those flowers and swans swirling around the fattest vessels intended to be sunk by me make the attacks more and more difficult.
(and it's only 1941 in my first career, what to think about 43/44??)

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by KL-alfman

(and it's only 1941 in my first career, what to think about 43/44??)

Well, the phrase "ALAAAAAAAAAAARM" springs to mind...

Actually I may go back and run through the Torpedo School again, because to be honest I did the whole thing with the periscope up since there were no escorts to cramp my style and I didn't really get as comfortable with using the attack/nav maps to find my way in and out of position as I probably should have done. Mostly I used them and primarily the hydrophone to relocate and chase down any ships that didn't sink after one attack run and managed to get out of periscope range while I was putting a first shot or two into somebody else.

Using it to keep track of escorts that are actively trying to hunt and kill me plus stay in touch with the rest of a convoy is a whole other kettle of fish. And being able to set up decent firing positions without my periscope sticking up screaming "OH ROYAL NAAAAY-VEE, HERE I AM" might be a good thing, doncha think? Lol.

I can see why so many people get addicted to SH3 and have played it for so long. Especially for a seafaring n00b like me, the learning curve looks like the side of Mt Everest as seen from, say, the bottom of a 2 mile deep hole at the foot of the mountain.

And I do really appreciate the Academy part of the game. I'm finding it invaluable. I know me and if I had to start playing "for real" at my level of n00biness, I'd get frustrated very quickly at the fact that I had no clue what to do or how to do it most of the time in such complex, demanding gameplay situations. At the same time the complexity, I think, adds to the potential for longterm repeat enjoyment once the basics have been more or less mastered.

In conclusion: SH3 is the shizzle, yo.

[Dissaray]

This game dose have certan adictive qualities, especialy when you figure out how to aim torpidos so they hit just where you want them to. Or after your first brush with crush depth while Tommy distroyers are droping depth charges on you like they are candy but you still manage to keep from being crushed and manage to escape from the attack zone; that was nearly enuf to replace drinking for me, only nearly though .

If you are looking for a way to get better at attacking convoys short of going into a campain and trying to run them down on the high seas I recomend the single missions. Even in the stock game there are some that are very useful for practise on sneeking up on convoys or millitary task forces, much more dificult if you ask me, and seting your boat in an attack position, fireing and exiting the danger zone. The Grey Wolves Expantion mod makes many aspects of the game more realistic, and difficult, but over all a lot more fun and comes with a bunch of convoy attack single missions.

There are also some other mods that can help you be more leathal at sea, the one that I like the best is the Mai GUI mod. It takes some time to figure out how to use it but once you get the hang of it there is no going back if you ask me.

[psykopatsak]

sometimes i wonder how i survive so well when having my scope up all the time in '44...

though my preferred method is to silently run into a convoy and then start shooting - so escorts are not really present until its escapey time!

[frau kaleun]

thanks for the advice.

i think i will probably do some single missions before going into career mode just to see what it's like out there "for real." i have GWX3 so i should have plenty to choose from.

my first few tries with the convoy attack training i did manage to dive and avoid some depth charges but the last time i got hit near the surface and again on the way down before i could get any real maneuvering done and by the time i tried to pull out of the dive it was too late and there was no shovelful of sand to help me out, lol.

i do have a question, when i go to silent running it automatically slows down to the minimum speed on the dial. but if i order more speed does that kill the silent running even if i don't order the chief to do so? it seems to do so for all practical purposes even if everybody's still whispering and whatnot.

i've been trying to watch the stealth meter but i'm not sure if the changes in it have to do with speed, depth, position, or some combination of all of them that i haven't figured out yet.

[sergei]

Silent running does more than just reduce your speed.
It turns off bilge pumps, trim pumps, any other non essential machinery. Your crew will also put their slippers on.

So - turn on silent running. You can then change speed.
You will still be in silent mode, and quieter than a boat doing the same speed in normal running mode.

Don't forget to turn it off again when you need to reload your tubes.
But if you are being hunted you really don't want to be reloading. It is very noisy.

Hope that helps

[frau kaleun]

yeah, that's what i thought, because even when i'd increase speed all the other changes that came when ordering schleichfahrt stayed as is. then i'd notice the stealth meter going red again and wasn't sure what made the difference. could it change just because an escort just moved into a better position to detect me? or does increasing speed even running silent make that much of a difference?

i have to say though it is quite something to be down there and hear the escort passing overhead. it's starting to give me the willies and it's only a game! can't imagine how awful it must've been in real life.

[sergei]

I'm not exactly sure how the stealth meter works, but I don't think it going red necessarily means the escort has you on its sound equipment. Rather I think it is just an indication of how much noise you are making.

As a good rule of thumb, I like to keep the engine at or below 100 rpm when being hunted. This is just a loose rule and can change depending on circumstances.
eg. Early war you can get away with a bit more due to inexperienced escort crews.
Dead calm weather means the acoustic conditions are great for the escorts hunting you. Attacking in calm seas can be a nightmare.
As the sea condition gets choppier, the acoustic conditions deteriorate, the escorts cannot hear you as well. Rough weather is your friend.

I think your engine noise (ie. speed) is more important than the other noise you are making, but am not 100% sure to be honest.
Try experimenting. Use the knotmeter rather than the engine telegraph to change speed in 1/2 knot increments from 1/2 knots to 3 knots. See what rpm you are making at each setting, and what your stealthmeter does at each setting. This will help you get a good feel for how stealthy your boat is at different speeds.

Rereading this I am not sure I have answered your question
Just some thoughts from one Kauleun to another. This is how I approached the problem when I first started playing, and it gave me a good feel for my boat.

EDIT I have just read a few old posts about the stealth meter, and it seems that it indicates how detectable you are, not that you have been detected

[Dissaray]

Ya, your stelth meter can be light up bright red and you still may go undetected. What it is tell in you is how easy the top side crews will be able to identify you using the noise you are making. Loud or distinct noises, like loading torpido tubes or your electric engens runing faster are two dead give aways; also the faster you are going the more turbulance you are making with your propelers and they can hear that and you can hear them the same way on your hydrophone if you are doing maual checks.

Speed is a big factor but by no meanse the only one to be concerned with. Depth and position relitive to the hunter are also important. The enemy will have a harder time finding you at greater depths. As more water gets in the way it becomes harder to pick out u-boats from every thing else. In realitiy there was also dencity changes in the water that listening harder but that isn't modle in the game I fear. This is why when you ask for evasion advice you will always get back "go deep and go silent" beacouse a u-boat runing deep and silent is damn hard to hear and harder to track.

Relitive position is important too. The general idea here is if you can't get behind the distoryer trying to kill you point your bow directly at him. This minimizes your sound profile and makes you harder to find, depending on distance a u-boat bow on like that can take up as little as one degree mark on a hydraphone reducing the chances that their guy will just stumble apon you. Idealy you will want to point the bow at them beacouse the stern has the screws and ruders and those are easy to hear if you are moving, the bow is the quietest part of the boat so to speek. The best place to be is directly behind the enemy, you can make as much noise as you want back there and they will never find you beacouse the sound of thier own engens and screws drown you out.

That should help you in your endevors to sink their prity ships I think. Good luck, now go forth and kill some one.

[frau kaleun]

Danke for all the tips!

Use the knotmeter rather than the engine telegraph to change speed in 1/2 knot increments from 1/2 knots to 3 knots. See what rpm you are making at each setting, and what your stealthmeter does at each setting. This will help you get a good feel for how stealthy your boat is at different speeds.

*sigh* Yet another option that I am just now finding out about, lol. (Ja ja I know, RTFM!) I'm guessing I can switch back and forth between that and the other less specific speed dial in the same way I can switch between depth meter displays. I do think I would prefer to have more precise control over speed and certainly being able to know the rpms will be very helpful!

The best place to be is directly behind the enemy

Well I know but he won't stand still long enough for me to get there! *grumble grumble*

Diese schweinhunds simply will not cooperate with my nefarious plans for their immediate lack of a future.

Good luck, now go forth and kill some one

Jawohl herr Kaleun!

[sergei]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

I'm guessing I can switch back and forth between that and the other less specific speed dial in the same way I can switch between depth meter displays.

Yep that's spot on.
I'm going to guess from the way you worded your post that you don't know where the rpm gauge is.
Here is a screenshot, apologies if I am telling you something you already know

[frau kaleun]

Lol, uh yeah I was actually looking for that. Found the knotmeter ok though!

Thanks!

So basically I would hang out in the command room, play with the knotmeter, and see what happens on the rpm gauge at different speeds. And try to keep the rpms under 100 for silent running. Got it.

[frau kaleun]

Finally got through Convoy Attack training last night - er, more like early this morning - without losing my skin, my crew, or my boat.

Took out the rear escort and the tanker before having to go deep and silent when the other escort circled back to see what all the fuss was about and proceeded to let me know I'd worn out my welcome in no uncertain terms.

Managed to avoid all but one depth charge run and then took some hits, ended up about 136 m down while waiting for damage repair and flooding control. Then played cat and mouse with the escort again until I got so tired it was either pack it in for the night or come up and try to take her out or hope for a miracle escape-wise.

After several narrow escapes and a couple crash dives, managed to come up to attack depth just as she was for some inexplicable reason turning right across what would in about two seconds be my wake and only a couple hundred meters behind me. Oh, stern torpedo tube, how I love you. And it was the only tube I still had a fish in! Fired my one available torp and then took off, intending to just get the heck out of there until I knew how much damage the hit would cause.

Don't know what I hit on her but it musta been the right spot, cuz she was done. Caught up with the remaining four merchants, now unescorted, with only four eels left. Did as much damage as I could do with those and then finished the job with the deck gun.

If only I'd clicked "Exam" when I started - but at least I got through it and I certainly learned a whole lot about running silent, rpm control, when it's safe to rev it up a little and when to dial it down again.

Feeling a lot better about the prospects of getting the job done in game now - still a lot to learn, but having survived being hunted once and living to tell the tale sure does feel good.

[Sailor Steve]

For convoy attack practice I'm very fond of the 'Happy Times' single mission. I've played that one more than any other.

One warning, though: GWX increases the spotting range of everybody, and the starting range is only 7000 meters. Even if you dive immediately you're sure to be spotted. The good news: there's only one escort...for the time being.