Noob here, I have some questions. for Silent Hunter 4.

[kslewein]

1. How should i attack a Convoy? and Avoid the Escorts? I just Hold steady at about 90 degrees relative to their path and wait until they are at front (without being caught) and fire torpedoes (Along with Calculations ofc) and get out of there. Is this right? or is this wrong? I should get out if i'm already caught by escorts right?
2. Regarding Convoys, How about applinked Task Forces? How do i deal with them? Same Tactic?
3. Are the lights coming from Destroyers (I bet in Morse Code) Legit? Like if we decipher it does it actually mean something?
4. Which Sub Class is the Best?

Thanks for any Answer!

[fireftr18]

Can you repost? The font is so dark it blends with the background and is difficult to read.
Welcome to Subsim.

[Mad Mardigan]

1. How should I attack a Convoy? and Avoid the Escorts? I just Hold steady at about 90 degrees relative to their path and wait until they are at front (without being caught) and fire torpedoes (Along with Calculations ofc) and get out of there. Is this right? or is this wrong? I should get out if I'm already caught by escorts right?

2. Regarding Convoys, How about Task Forces? How do i deal with them? Same Tactic?

3. Are the lights coming from Destroyers (I bet in Morse Code) Legit? Like if we decipher it does it actually mean something?

4. Which Sub Class is the Best?

Thanks for any Answer!

[Zero Niner]

I'm nowhere near the best sub captain on this board, but here's what I think:

1. Ideally you should get ahead of the convoy, submerge and wait for the ships to come to you. I like to pick one or two targets and manoeuvre my sub so that the range, when it comes time to launch the torpedoes, is 1000 yards or so.

Convoys are typically escorted by 3-4 destroyers (DDs) - one in front, one each on either side of the convoy, and if there's a fourth, one more bringing up the rear. Occasionally they will break station to investigate a particular spot in the ocean, then return to station.

Once I've launched my torpedoes I go deep and manoeuvre away from the convoy. Then depending on the situation I will either break off (if I've sunk my target) or reposition to attack again. This may involve sailing away and getting ahead of the convoy again - what's called an "end around".

For example, I'm currently on patrol in the Bismarck Sea. Radar picks up a large convoy and I am able to intercept. I make out two tankers (10,000t ea) amongst the ships in the convoy and pick one as my target. Using the map I chart its course and position my sub, submerged, off its port bow and about 1200 yds away when it comes into firing range.

In due course the tanker arrives, I fire two torpedoes. I swing the scope around to check the area for additional targets and spot another tanker astern, 600 yards away. I fire two fish from the stern tubes, then dive deep (300') and creep away at 3 knots underwater. I receive notice that the two targets have been hit and sunk, and I decide rather than re-engage the convoy, to resume patrol as the 4 DDs are now hunting for me.

2. Same tactic for TFs but you need to be in a position to intercept the TF since they travel much faster than merchant convoys. If they are headed away from you it will be difficult to catch up with them, let alone overtake them, due to their faster speed.

3. I doubt it, but I honestly have no idea.

4. The Gato class (which happened to be the mainstay of the US sub fleet in the Pacific) is generally considered to be quite good. The Balao class (essentially an improved Gato) is even better but they appear relatively late in the war.

[Ludwig van Hursh]

Originally Posted by kslewein

1. How should i attack a Convoy? and Avoid the Escorts? I just Hold steady at about 90 degrees relative to their path and wait until they are at front (without being caught) and fire torpedoes (Along with Calculations ofc) and get out of there. Is this right? or is this wrong? I should get out if i'm already caught by escorts right?
2. Regarding Convoys, How about Task Forces? How do i deal with them? Same Tactic?
3. Are the lights coming from Destroyers (I bet in Morse Code) Legit? Like if we decipher it does it actually mean something?
4. Which Sub Class is the Best?

Thanks for any Answer!

1. I'm also not the top amazing captain on here but I've been successful. Typically I'm rather aggressive and prefer to make surface attacks at night, kind of a holdover from playing SH3, so I tend to let the escorts pass over me and then surface within the convoy. If there is a heavy escort I will sneak underwater to get close but if there is no escorts at all I will go in and engage with my deck gun instead. Something that helps is manually plotting the movements of the convoy on your map so you can intercept at the most opportune angles.

2. As mentioned they are very fast so you generally will not have a prayer of catching them in something like a S-Boat, any of the fleet boats you might might be able to but you will most likely get spotted before you get into a good firing angle. Best thing is to see if you are able to intercept the task force ahead of it which again can be helped by plotting its movements on the map.

3. As mentioned by others I agree it is most likely gibberish just to have the effect in the game.

4. Yep Gato and Balao are the best but really all the boats are fun in their own way. S-Boats are not very good but really it just adds to the challenge, you will get a real rush from a successful attack in a S-Boat. Honestly I like all the subs in the game.

I would also recommend watching some documentaries on US Navy submarines on YouTube to get an idea of the tactics used and how the fleet boats tended to operate.

GOOD HUNTING!

[fireftr18]

Thanks for reposting. Strange enough, the original post, the font color changed and is readable.

1. Like others have said, plot ahead and sit and wait. Try to get your boat in position so that it will be inside the convoy when it arrives. Don't wait until your target is 90 degrees to you to fire. Fire when the target is still about 20 to 30 degrees before reaching your 90 degree mark. Line up, fire, then quickly turn your periscope to fire behind you. Early war, you'll want to fire 4 mark 14 torpedoes at one target, because of the chance of duds. Later war and Mark 18s, you can fire two or three per target. Once you're through firing, crash dive, very deep and get out of there.

2. Don't bother with task forces unless you can accurately line up ahead of time. Pick one capital ship and unload on her. If you get all cruisers, then you can try two or three at once. Again after firing, go deep, and get out of there. Although difficult, a task force can be a lot of fun.

3. I think the lights are search lights.

4. I like the Gato and Balao class. I start with an S-boat and upgrade as the new boats come available to me.

[l02turner]

re Attacking convoys - I've had good luck diving deep and waiting until the covoy is all around me based on sonar. Then I pop up to periscope depth and start shooting. Also, be sure to open the torp doors "Q" and I set the speed to Fast if available and set the depth of the torp to the appropriate amount which can be found in the Manual. Opening the doors allows the fish to fire much more quickly. After firing at as many targets as possible, go deep (250-300) and creep away keeping an eye on the electricity, Oxy and CO2 levels ...
Ditto on voting the Gato as the best all around Sub.

Good Hunting!