Yet another way to do night surface attacks.

[Leoz]

The following is a simple surface attack method I have been using which appears successful and consistent. Have fun with it. I find this useful or interesting.

Assumptions.

1. Early war; 1939-40.
2. Manual attack settings.
3. Surface attack at night.



Setup.

1. After intercepting a convoy take time to observe it from a distance. Take the time for most of the ships to appear in the convoy.
2. After a period of time send off a contact report. Note, in the game, this doesn't always work. Although I have noticed it has a better chance of working after observing the convoy for a while.
3. This contact report you sent can be seen by hitting the "M" key; then find what should be the latest entry called a "Contact Report." It should say something to the effect of having a more detailed course and speed of the convoy. Example: Course 267 at 7 knots.
4. If you are approaching the convoy from it's left side, this will be a port angle on the bow attack for you.
5. Using the example above with the convoy moving on a course of 267 and with a port angle-on the bow setup. You want to make your final attack course, 357 degrees. That is, 90 degrees to the movement of the convoy as they pass moving right to left.
6. It depends on how many escorts there are and where they are placed but let us assume you want to attack in the left front quarter of the convoy.
7. As you setup for your final run in moving at a course of 357, start to get a feel of two ships you think you can attack. Where you may attack your ship as it is 90 degrees port angle on the bow to you and another to the right which could be a 70 degree port angle on the bow to you. These are loose examples that depend on range to the target.
8. Commit to whatever attack you will perform. In this case I will commit to attacking two ships with two torpedoes each. On the escape, I will try for stern torpedo attacks only if it is convenient and safe.
9. Moving on the attack course, put your UZO on a zero heading (bow). Go to the torpedo page (F6) set depth for 3 meters on torpedoes. Contact pistols. Set speed of target. If all you have are 30 knot torpedoes, that is OK. I will assume 30 knots for my torpedoes. Set the angle of the bow to 90 degrees to port. Range 1000 meters for now, lock the settings to the torpedo computer. From now on I will only be unlocking the torpedo computer briefly to change range and then relock it.
10. Approaching the target, I see a 150 meter long ship, the first target of interest for this attack. It is near broadside to me and filling half of the length of the field of view in my UZO. From that it is about 3000 meters away (see toward the end: UZO field of view and range). I unlock the torpedo computer and set the range for 3000 meters then relock it. I go back to the UZO, open torpedo tube 1 (Q key). Lock the UZO on the ship. It is showing 85 degrees angle on the bow. Good enough: fire one. Open tube two: fire two. For this example I am firing two torpedoes only in case one fails. I want a middle point of aim for a better margin of error.
11. Unlock, move right to my next ship in the line. And notice it is showing a 65 degree port angle on the bow. Will wait until it gets to at least 70 degrees port angle on the bow.
12. It is a 140 meter long ship and a slight angle and also filling about half the field of view of my UZO. 2600 meters range? Guess? OK. Might not be perfect. Unlock the torpedo computer and set the range to 2600 meters range. Lock it again. Open tube 3. Put the UZO on the target. Lock it. Now showing 70 degrees port angle on the bow. Fire 3, open tube 4, fire 4.
13. Hard to port or starboard depending on what will get you out of their faster. Flank speed.


The technique described above has produced good tonnage on night convoy attacks.

In summary:

1. Early war where escorts don't have radar; escorts are not as formidable in their composition and setup.
2. Locking up a 90 degree angle of attack along with other target settings based on a firm known attack course and course of the convoy.
3. Dynamic stressful environment where a lot of things are happening that you have to keep aware of.
4. UZO when moved over the targets you pick; within limitations will already have the right angle on the bow settings as it is locked to the torpedo computer. Then lock UZO to target.
5. Assumes range by how things look in the field of view of the UZO. A 78 meter ship that is broadside to you which fills the field of view of the UZO is roughly 780 meters away.
6. Several variations on this technique to suit your advanced needs. For example if you are really good and not task overloaded, you can move the UZO over the part of the ship for torpedo impact if you feel you can do it without locking the UZO to target. However for this and all the dynamics (including trying to keep your own boat from getting shot from under you) I prefer the middle of ship and lock the UZO to target for the purpose of margin of error.


None of this is perfect; it takes practice and it may not be for you. However for my surface attacks, this is what I use to put some numbers on the board.

[PapaSmurf]

I enjoyed reading this. Thanks for taking the time to write all this down. I'm always a bit shaky on my UZO range guestimates during night surface attacks. I'm going to try this next time I play.

[Mariner1]

Thanks for the detailed instructions, especially on range-finding.

[bstanko6]

Just to put in my perspective. A 90deg attack is not optimal for a convoy, unless you are inside the convoy. As the ships pass by, your torpedoes will be inadvertently intercepted by passing ships on the outside columns... which are usually smaller less important ships.

If you want to attack a convoy efficiently then you need to get far ahead of it and attack at a 33deg or smaller angle.

[Benzin1973]

Originally Posted by bstanko6

Just to put in my perspective. A 90deg attack is not optimal for a convoy, unless you are inside the convoy. As the ships pass by, your torpedoes will be inadvertently intercepted by passing ships on the outside columns... which are usually smaller less important ships.

If you want to attack a convoy efficiently then you need to get far ahead of it and attack at a 33deg or smaller angle.

I know what you mean!
I dont recall how many times i launched my eels at that juicy tanker/large cargo/liner, only to see those pesky little freighters take the shots as they came between me & the intended target.

Personally, i now use a 60° angle for convoys. I find its enough to hit the fat ships in center columns, but not so small that my eels will bounce off.

I once tried a smaller 40° angle, but then i had a problem, if using impact pistols, the eels sometimes bounced off. Changed to magnetic ones, and those defective things would blow up prematurely and mess up the attack!

Originally Posted by Benzin1973

I know what you mean!
I dont recall how many times i launched my eels at that juicy tanker/large cargo/liner, only to see those pesky little freighters take the shots as they came between me & the intended target.

Personally, i now use a 60° angle for convoys. I find its enough to hit the fat ships in center columns, but not so small that my eels will bounce off.

I once tried a smaller 40° angle, but then i had a problem, if using impact pistols, the eels sometimes bounced off. Changed to magnetic ones, and those defective things would blow up prematurely and mess up the attack!

[Obltn Strand]

There is always an alternative. A Schepke style attack. Very difficult and daring but highly rewarding when executed perfectly.

On first run pick three ships from outer column and sink them. Aft torpedo acts as back up while you turn away from convoy. Then high speed retreat and swing around for another attack. Hopefully you managed to elude escorts while executing "needle eye" maneuver. Also remember to reload torps before 2nd attack.

Now you should have two to three ship wide gap where to sneak in. If not you still have third run.

Works best during early war as we all know what radar did to Schepke and those trawlers and corvettes are easy to outrun.

I've managed to pull this trick off in 1941