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Fidd · 05-15-24, 06:29 PM

154. Double-ranked escorts

As the war progressed, circa 1942 onwards, the availability of corvettes. sloops and destroyers improved to the point where escorts could be placed in two concentric circles around the convoy. The inner one consisted of corvettes, and the outer one usually of destroyers and sloops (Tribals and Bitterns). The latter were preferentially sent out to attack located U-boats, either reported positions from aircraft, HFDF bearings or visually seen, or detected by radar. These ships would range out to about 25nm (circa 50 or so km), because they could recover to the convoy at a good speed.

During the day, the function of the outer screen was to frustrate the efforts of U-boats to accelerate past the convoy at a range where they could remain - just about - in visual range of the convoy, and so help prevent their being able to overtake and prosecute a night time attack later.

During the night, dependant on the ranges from the convoy, a U-boat would have to penetrate at least the outer screen, and possibly also the inner screen, in order to have a reasonable prospect of hitting targets. That suggests to me that the inner screen of corvettes was about 1200m distant from the nearest merchant, and the outer screen was circa 3.5km to 5km distant. (A 5km shot would be considered a pretty long low percentage shot at the time.) It was the advent of these double screens that impelled the development of the Lut I and Lut II torpedoes (for which we will need changes to our current TDC) and the acoustic "zaukoenig" (?) types. The latter were swiftly rendered useless to attack destroyers by the use of "Foxer", (essentially a towed clapper that attracted the acoustic torpedo) although I can imagine the latter were not popular with hydrophone operators!

As we move to the type VIIC/41, and from 1941 into later years, it is I think worthwhile considering having some, or most, or all, convoys protected by an inner and outer escort screen. This is I think crucial to being able to extend the difficulty level of play, and variety of game experience and outcome, for experienced players, so that over-repetition and burnout is avoided. Player retention being very nearly as important as acquiring new players?

05-15-24, 06:29 PM	#195
Fidd XO Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Blighty! Posts: 438 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	154. Double-ranked escorts As the war progressed, circa 1942 onwards, the availability of corvettes. sloops and destroyers improved to the point where escorts could be placed in two concentric circles around the convoy. The inner one consisted of corvettes, and the outer one usually of destroyers and sloops (Tribals and Bitterns). The latter were preferentially sent out to attack located U-boats, either reported positions from aircraft, HFDF bearings or visually seen, or detected by radar. These ships would range out to about 25nm (circa 50 or so km), because they could recover to the convoy at a good speed. During the day, the function of the outer screen was to frustrate the efforts of U-boats to accelerate past the convoy at a range where they could remain - just about - in visual range of the convoy, and so help prevent their being able to overtake and prosecute a night time attack later. During the night, dependant on the ranges from the convoy, a U-boat would have to penetrate at least the outer screen, and possibly also the inner screen, in order to have a reasonable prospect of hitting targets. That suggests to me that the inner screen of corvettes was about 1200m distant from the nearest merchant, and the outer screen was circa 3.5km to 5km distant. (A 5km shot would be considered a pretty long low percentage shot at the time.) It was the advent of these double screens that impelled the development of the Lut I and Lut II torpedoes (for which we will need changes to our current TDC) and the acoustic "zaukoenig" (?) types. The latter were swiftly rendered useless to attack destroyers by the use of "Foxer", (essentially a towed clapper that attracted the acoustic torpedo) although I can imagine the latter were not popular with hydrophone operators! As we move to the type VIIC/41, and from 1941 into later years, it is I think worthwhile considering having some, or most, or all, convoys protected by an inner and outer escort screen. This is I think crucial to being able to extend the difficulty level of play, and variety of game experience and outcome, for experienced players, so that over-repetition and burnout is avoided. Player retention being very nearly as important as acquiring new players?