1941 Convoy escorts

Pegasus2 · 07-04-15, 09:16 PM

Hey everyone

Played SH2 what seems like ages ago. Anyway, felt like playing U-boats again not too long ago, perhaps after watching Das Boot again haha. Anyway, I found an unused copy of SH3 in my games draw and searched for any mods.

Installed GWX 3.0

As I type this, it's 05:32 and i'm doing 15 knots away from a convoy after two failed surface attacks during the night. It's January 1941, moonless night and rough sea, with 15m/s wind speed (gale force?).

Both attacks I approached ahead of the convoy on the surface at ~90 degrees keeping:

Minimal aspect
Minimal engine speed (ahead slow, with some ahead 1/3)
Once in position i'd drift at all stop and wait for the merchants to hopefully come into view.

Both times the escorts have latched on to me, either in their hydrophone search pattern or actually found me through their hydrophone search pattern before my crew even manged to sight the convoy. (The sort of zig zag closing sweep search)

The first time was the left right search pattern untill he bee lined me from about 3km out. I could just bearly see the merchants but couldn't fire at them (UZO 3 sec unlock feature) and the second was the same search pattern from 3.5km away except I was trying to get close enough after the flank escort had gone past.

This time I ran and he didn't find me but the convoy started zig zagging and some flares went up so I retreated.

Being detected so readily is kind of annoying. They don't have radar yet (end of 1942 right?) and I attacked from different sides of the convoy in very rough seas. Yet they STILL suspect my approach (flares) and are already closing on my position before I can even see the merchants, what gives?!

It's not as if I haven't sucessfully attacked convoys before but these guys seem to have 6th sense or somthing

. It is a large convoy and through the binocs I can only JUST see the outlines of large fat funnels against the horizon (absolute max player view range).

U boats were able to enter convoys in 1941, presumably on diesels and not be detected.

I should add I never make radio transmissions.

I'm going to shadow for 24h and try again.

Any advice on tactics would be cool

Thanks, Peg

07-04-15, 09:16 PM	#1
Pegasus2 Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 12 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	1941 Convoy escorts Hey everyone Played SH2 what seems like ages ago. Anyway, felt like playing U-boats again not too long ago, perhaps after watching Das Boot again haha. Anyway, I found an unused copy of SH3 in my games draw and searched for any mods. Installed GWX 3.0 As I type this, it's 05:32 and i'm doing 15 knots away from a convoy after two failed surface attacks during the night. It's January 1941, moonless night and rough sea, with 15m/s wind speed (gale force?). Both attacks I approached ahead of the convoy on the surface at ~90 degrees keeping: Minimal aspect Minimal engine speed (ahead slow, with some ahead 1/3) Once in position i'd drift at all stop and wait for the merchants to hopefully come into view. Both times the escorts have latched on to me, either in their hydrophone search pattern or actually found me through their hydrophone search pattern before my crew even manged to sight the convoy. (The sort of zig zag closing sweep search) The first time was the left right search pattern untill he bee lined me from about 3km out. I could just bearly see the merchants but couldn't fire at them (UZO 3 sec unlock feature) and the second was the same search pattern from 3.5km away except I was trying to get close enough after the flank escort had gone past. This time I ran and he didn't find me but the convoy started zig zagging and some flares went up so I retreated. Being detected so readily is kind of annoying. They don't have radar yet (end of 1942 right?) and I attacked from different sides of the convoy in very rough seas. Yet they STILL suspect my approach (flares) and are already closing on my position before I can even see the merchants, what gives?! It's not as if I haven't sucessfully attacked convoys before but these guys seem to have 6th sense or somthing . It is a large convoy and through the binocs I can only JUST see the outlines of large fat funnels against the horizon (absolute max player view range). U boats were able to enter convoys in 1941, presumably on diesels and not be detected. I should add I never make radio transmissions. I'm going to shadow for 24h and try again. Any advice on tactics would be cool Thanks, Peg Last edited by Pegasus2; 07-04-15 at 09:24 PM.