Newbie wants advice on convoy attack (also to waffle)

mike2R · 07-18-12, 07:11 AM

tl;dr - This turned into an essay, sorry. Turns out I didn't want to just ask a question, but rather tell everyone about my experiences in the game to date. Anyone who does plough through it has my sincere thanks

I've had this game for ages, but I've always kind of bounced off it. This time I think I'm getting over the learning curve - I've actually hit something with a torpedo on manual targeting!

Ok I've fired a lot of torpedoes... and I still haven't sunk anything without finishing it off with my deck gun. But I'm getting there, and let me tell you, there isn't a sampan within 5000nm that feels safe when I'm at sea

Anyway, my situation is that I spotted a convoy. I've been steering well clear of things that actually shoot back, so I planned to let it go on its way but I radioed in a contact report in the hope that a more competent skipper might take it on. However the message I got back cheerfully told me to go right ahead and aim for the tankers...

I know I can just ignore missions, but I'm kind of trying to role play and while my guy is the cautious type, I don't think he'd ignore that kind of order. So I spent all day overhauling and getting ahead of them, sticking a little over 5nm away. I'm pretty sure I've not been spotted (on the basis that no destroyer has come to kill me) and, despite the fact the sneaky sods changed course on me I am now about 5nm ahead of them with night fallen.

This was actually really quite fun. I'm decidedly nervous about the engagement ahead, so I was running on low time compression, and frequently going up on deck to peer at the smokestacks on the horizon like a cat at a goldfish bowl. Tension has been building - the atmosphere of this game is amazing.

But time has run on, and I can't put it off any longer. I'm playing 1.4, with the 1.4 compatible versions of TMO and RSRDC (I'll upgrade if I end up properly getting into the game, feels very polished as it is though) Hard Realism apart form external camera is on, but I'm trying not to abuse that. The convoy seems a very small one with only 2 escorts, one ahead and one behind, with 6 or 8 merchant ships in 2 columns with about 600yds separation (I try not to abuse the external camera, but have not always succeeded). Speed (according to the contact report I sent) 11 knots. This is my first patrol (I restarted after installing RSRDC), I have a full load of torpedoes due to my preference for the deck gun with 4 front and 4 rear tubes. It is a flat calm with no cloud and visibility is excellent even though night has fallen.

So I want advice on my attack. I'm really quite nervous about it - I'll reload if I die, but I won't try the attack again, and the amount of real time I spent setting this up means I feel I've got a lot invested in this working... I probably won't get a chance to play until tomorrow evening, so any advice will be taken on board.

My tentative plan is to set up shop about 500 - 800yds from the nearest column's projected course and feed the TDC with range, AOB and speed manually for my pre-planned firing position with PK off. Dive below the layer (I can dive and surface stationary right?) with silent running, and let the lead escort get beyond me (how far?). Then surface to periscope depth, send the men to quarters, and id ships as they approach until I spot a tanker.

Once I find one, wait until it gets to the pre-planned position, then salvo all 4 torpedoes (fast, shallow, contact only) over a spread of either 4 or 8 degrees (so 1 or 2 degree intervals) as quickly as possible - I don't want to faff around and be economical, I want to very definitely kill at least one ship. Then (and this may be a BAD idea) surface and charge through the 2 columns at flank speed and get some hits in with my deck gun, and try and to set up a snap shot with my rear tubes once I'm beyond 300yds of the far side. Then crash dive, drop a decoy, engage silent running and creep away - with the hopeful intention of being able to surface reasonably quickly and get ahead of them again for another run at them before morning.

So comments? Refinements? Totally different plans because mine sucks? Sarcastic comments about this huge wall of text? All gratefully received

07-18-12, 07:11 AM	#1
mike2R Swabbie Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 12 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Newbie wants advice on convoy attack (also to waffle) tl;dr - This turned into an essay, sorry. Turns out I didn't want to just ask a question, but rather tell everyone about my experiences in the game to date. Anyone who does plough through it has my sincere thanks I've had this game for ages, but I've always kind of bounced off it. This time I think I'm getting over the learning curve - I've actually hit something with a torpedo on manual targeting! Ok I've fired a lot of torpedoes... and I still haven't sunk anything without finishing it off with my deck gun. But I'm getting there, and let me tell you, there isn't a sampan within 5000nm that feels safe when I'm at sea Anyway, my situation is that I spotted a convoy. I've been steering well clear of things that actually shoot back, so I planned to let it go on its way but I radioed in a contact report in the hope that a more competent skipper might take it on. However the message I got back cheerfully told me to go right ahead and aim for the tankers... I know I can just ignore missions, but I'm kind of trying to role play and while my guy is the cautious type, I don't think he'd ignore that kind of order. So I spent all day overhauling and getting ahead of them, sticking a little over 5nm away. I'm pretty sure I've not been spotted (on the basis that no destroyer has come to kill me) and, despite the fact the sneaky sods changed course on me I am now about 5nm ahead of them with night fallen. This was actually really quite fun. I'm decidedly nervous about the engagement ahead, so I was running on low time compression, and frequently going up on deck to peer at the smokestacks on the horizon like a cat at a goldfish bowl. Tension has been building - the atmosphere of this game is amazing. But time has run on, and I can't put it off any longer. I'm playing 1.4, with the 1.4 compatible versions of TMO and RSRDC (I'll upgrade if I end up properly getting into the game, feels very polished as it is though) Hard Realism apart form external camera is on, but I'm trying not to abuse that. The convoy seems a very small one with only 2 escorts, one ahead and one behind, with 6 or 8 merchant ships in 2 columns with about 600yds separation (I try not to abuse the external camera, but have not always succeeded). Speed (according to the contact report I sent) 11 knots. This is my first patrol (I restarted after installing RSRDC), I have a full load of torpedoes due to my preference for the deck gun with 4 front and 4 rear tubes. It is a flat calm with no cloud and visibility is excellent even though night has fallen. So I want advice on my attack. I'm really quite nervous about it - I'll reload if I die, but I won't try the attack again, and the amount of real time I spent setting this up means I feel I've got a lot invested in this working... I probably won't get a chance to play until tomorrow evening, so any advice will be taken on board. My tentative plan is to set up shop about 500 - 800yds from the nearest column's projected course and feed the TDC with range, AOB and speed manually for my pre-planned firing position with PK off. Dive below the layer (I can dive and surface stationary right?) with silent running, and let the lead escort get beyond me (how far?). Then surface to periscope depth, send the men to quarters, and id ships as they approach until I spot a tanker. Once I find one, wait until it gets to the pre-planned position, then salvo all 4 torpedoes (fast, shallow, contact only) over a spread of either 4 or 8 degrees (so 1 or 2 degree intervals) as quickly as possible - I don't want to faff around and be economical, I want to very definitely kill at least one ship. Then (and this may be a BAD idea) surface and charge through the 2 columns at flank speed and get some hits in with my deck gun, and try and to set up a snap shot with my rear tubes once I'm beyond 300yds of the far side. Then crash dive, drop a decoy, engage silent running and creep away - with the hopeful intention of being able to surface reasonably quickly and get ahead of them again for another run at them before morning. So comments? Refinements? Totally different plans because mine sucks? Sarcastic comments about this huge wall of text? All gratefully received Last edited by mike2R; 07-18-12 at 07:25 AM.