SHCE shallow water tips?

[MarkShot]

These days I am playing AOD, SHCE, and SH3/GWX2 in a rotation (one patrol in each game). I'll probably install SH4 and get started with that soon.

In all of these games, I have done most of my hunting in blue water. However, SHCE includes lots of shallow maps. I don't have much shallow experience and haven't really developed effective techniques. Here is an excerpt from a patrol I was playing tonight. Can anyone offer some tips for attacking in the shallows and surviving? Thanks.

Henry, you still diving these days?

I just started a new patrol in the Yellow Sea. I don't really have too much shallow water experience, but that was the map SHCE dealt me. Perhaps, the deepest spot on the map is 150' deep. It's nothing but a pond!!! I prefer blue water myself.

Well, I ran across a really big convoy heading down towards Shanghai. My plan was to shoot from afar and disengage without the escorts ever having my position. There was no chance to break contact if they found me as the water was only about 100' deep or so. So, I set my fish to run slow and fired upon two merchants at 6,000 yards with two spreads of three.

I don't know what happened. The fish ran for about five minutes and I was hoping to hear some impacts, but perhaps there was only one explosion. Maybe only a dud, but the escorts went active.

As soon as I launched, I went to flank, came hard about, and began to exit an fast as I could. I ran at about 8kts for 5 minutes. When the escorts went active, I dropped to about 3kts and turned my stern profile to the loudest pinger. I disengaged without any real threat.

I wish I knew what happened to my fish.

I have to say shallow water is very, very tense. It's this incredible gamble when you shoot.

Any tips?

Thanks.

[ChristopherT]

Originally Posted by MarkShot

Well, I ran across a really big convoy heading down towards Shanghai. My plan was to shoot from afar and disengage without the escorts ever having my position. There was no chance to break contact if they found me as the water was only about 100' deep or so. So, I set my fish to run slow and fired upon two merchants at 6,000 yards with two spreads of three.

IAny tips?

Thanks.

The Yellow Sea and the areas around it can be very treacherous. When attacking ships in these areas, stealth is the biggest advantage you have. I recall one incident leaving the Inland Sea, when I had to surface the sub during broad daylight to go over a reef so I could escape a patrol that was just out of visual range to my west.

When attacking ships in this area, I generally try to get as close as possible. If the ships are in convoy with escort, then I'll evaluate how many escorts are there and where are they in the convoy. I'm not above putting one shot into each ship and going after some escorts if it helps even the odds. Sometimes there is an advantage to popping off all the escorts with your bow tubes, then swinging around and hitting the merchants with your aft tubes.

When trying evade IJN ASW ships in SHCE, it is possible to put an island between you and the ships to reduce your noise levels on thier sonars. You just need a sufficient lead so you can head to the shallower water safely.

Christopher

[nikimcbee]

I play much more conservative when I'm in shallow water. Be prepared to shoot it out with escorts.