E&E tactics

[Muto]

Man, I need some help from SHIII vets at 100% Realism settings on how to Evade & Escape from, or engage, those dreaded Destroyers.

I am using the RealUBoat mod, which means that unless I'm willing to go into patrolled, high-traffic areas or along patrolled convoy routes, I'm very lucky if I see more than 12,000 tons of unescorted shipping on the entire patrol. And every time I pass through the Straits of Dover to go after some enemy convoys, I am constantly dodging deadly DDs, and when they find me (usually at night when surfaced), they are kicking my butt. Part of the problem is that a good chunk of the English channel is only 25-40 meters deep, so running deep to evade is not an option.

So I need advice from the pros ... how to maneuver, how to listen on the hydrophone to determine when I'm in the DD's baffle and can go Flank submerged, when to go all stop and just sit (I'm learning that doesn't work at depths of less than 40 meters...), when to surface and engage, how to engage, etc, all at 100% Realism settings.

I wish there was a DD training mission at the Naval Academy, cuz I need more confidence in my abilities to handle them at 100% before I can reach the next level of U-boat Captaindom.

Thanks in advance,
Muto

[faamecanic]

I agree Muto.... those DD's around Dover are a real pain. I usually get spotted at night by a torpedo boat...then have 2 or 3 DD's converge on my last location pinging away with ASDIC. And it 30m or less of water it isnt long before they find me.

For now I avoid the channel for this reason... and Im not even using the Real Uboat mod!! Cant imagine what you are going through.

Any hints would be appreciated by me as well!

[Dominico Baggio]

Quick advice on going through the channel would be dont !! Lol its not worth the saving in fuel.

Early war you can go through, the best way to do this is at night, time your run through to be near midnight when you go through the narrowest part, and then stay near the middle of the channel. You can do this on the surface to get the higher speed, but is a risk. Obviously terrible weather is a bonus. On clear cloudless days be carefull. With a good watch up on the conning tower you should be ok. You can spot destroyers far before they see you. When your men spot one, just sail 90 degrees to him, and make sure he isnt closing on you. Keep an eye with the binoculars.

Then you should be ready to continue on your course. If spotted dive to 20 metres and then after a couple of minutes set silent running, you should get away before he is near but you could be in trouble.

Finally the best way is to go through submerged. At the slowest (with silent running) or second slowest speed. Then surface once a fair way through. Listen on hydrophones or the easier (more realistic way) just keep checking with your operator. Once a contact is picked up keep it 90 degrees like on the surface. If they come near silent running or stop will save you.


The channel wasnt/isnt impossible to get through but late war when they have radar you will be in trouble so should go round unless you have to.

For escaping enemy ships did you read the section on the website? Was it no good?

[Muto]

Dominico, your Tutorial was very good. It helped me go from dying in a IIa in 10 minutes to dying in a VIIb in 75 minutes....

I guess I'm looking for both specific SHIII anecdotes of successful engagements versus DDs, i.e. how the Captain handled the situation to make it successful, how to make a successful stern torpedo shot, etc., as well as more specific detail on evasion tactics.

I'm good at avoiding detection in the first place, but in the few cases where I am detected, I can never seem to avoid the pings, and once the pinging starts, I am as good as dead. The other night, I managed to avoid the depth charges for over an hour despite constant pinging, but they finally nailed me. On a previous patrol in a IIa, the second I started taking depth charge damage I ordered emergency blow, surfaced rapidly, then quickly got blown out of the water by the DD's gunners.

Your tutorial is an excellent starting point and provides great guidelines ... I was just hoping you or some of the other pros might provide some specific examples of engagements you've had where you came out on top.

[faamecanic]

Agreed...the tutorial you did is GREAT. But I was looking for tactics to get through the channel (being as diving deep is NOT an option).... and your right Dom, I avoid the channel like the plauge!! Besides I get a good deal of kills while going around Ireland on my way to patrol the east coast of the UK from my base in Lorient.

[Dom not signed in]

Just found this today

24th October 1939

- The third U-boat sunk in the Strait of Dover is "U-16" on the 24th. No more attempts are made to pass through the English Channel and U-boats are forced to sail around the north of Scotland to reach the Atlantic.