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- Aces of the Deep
-
- ** Convoys **
-
- 1. Convoys change course often to confuse attackers, so practice
- convoy hunting with "Convoy Encounters" from "Single Missions" menu
- 2. set realism easy at first until you gain experience
- 3. Convoy traffic is high on the southwest coast of England, a
- drawback is that escape routes are limited and water is not very deep
-
- ** Navigation **
-
- 1. Two main navigational tools, top-down display and the chart
- top-down display is the close range navigational tool
- 2. The chart provides information on the convoy once it is discovered
- 3. The chart shows the Atlantic Ocean and symbols which denote U-boat
- position, convoy position and heading, bases and other U-boats when
- operating within a wolfpack
- 4. Top-down display is best for discovering convoys
- 5. Top-down display enables you to spot targets before your lookouts
- do
- 6. Learning to use the top-down display is a very important skill in
- this game the chart displays convoy information as long as contact is
- steadily maintained
- 7. Convoys appear as black squares with white lines, indicating the
- direction of travel if contact is lost in one view, a switch to the chart will
- reestablish contact
-
- ** Time Compression **
-
- 1. If time compression is above 16X or when patrolling and
- transiting, keep one finger on <ENTER> while you watch the top-down
- display
- 2. pressing <ENTER> will slow time compression to 1X allowing you
- time to react
- 3. shadowing and evaluating a convoy can be done at around 16X time
- compression
- 4. While maneuvering out of sight of a convoy, compression can be set
- at 64X, but when visibility is low, don't exceed 8X time compression
-
- ** Destroying Convoys **
-
- 1. If an escort is encountered, the convoy will not be far away
- 2. Keep the escort at outer edge of the red ring of the top-down
- display
- 3. You can see the escort in the top-down display well before the
- escort spots your U-boat
- 4. Designate escort as target, to check its speed
- 5. If escort is traveling faster than the U-boats top speed and is
- heading directly for the U-boat, you can either dive or run in the
- opposite direction
- 6. If the escort is slower than U-boat, go the opposite direction
- until escort turns around
- 7. If escort is faster, dive to periscope depth and wait until the
- escort turns away
- 8. The best way to locate convoys is by watching the edge of the
- visibility ring of the top-down display for ship tracks running
- closely together
- 9. When at least three merchants are visible, a look at the chart
- will indicate the direction the convoy is heading
- 10. It is important to radio the location of the convoy immediately
- 11. The radio report will tell you the quality of the escort
- 12. With a light escort, there is a good chance that it is made up of
- a fast mover, up to 24 knots and a slow mover, which is about 12
- knots
- 13. Determine which side of the convoy is being stationed by the slow
- mover, as well as the general pattern the escorts follow
- 14. After the radio report has been made, you will probably be
- ordered to shadow the convoy
- 15. On the chart, yellow squares will be moving in, signifying other
- U-boats
- 16. When shadowing, make as many sightings of the convoy as possible,
- then send those reports by radio to the wolfpack and BdU
- 17. Also, while shadowing, evaluate it's defensive screen and decide
- on an approach
-
- ** Realism Options **
-
- 1. If you are playing with "dud torpedoes", assume that at least one
- of the torpedoes you fire in a series will not explode
- 2. For a target over 10 000 tons, send three weapons; if only two of
- the bow tubes are loaded, fire both of them, and maneuver for a stern
- shot on egress
- 3. If you are playing with "realistic reloads" only the weapons
- already in the tubes will be available for attack
- 4. If there is below decks weapons storage space available, load the
- weapons from the deck into these storage spaces
- 5. This will take two hours, but the reloads form the below decks
- will take only 20 minutes, compared to two hours for reloads from the
- deck
- 6. Once the weapons are exhausted, leave the convoy and reload; don't
- wait for a reload from inside the convoy
- 7. At night, reduced visibility becomes a factor in your attack
- strategy
- 8. In Captain's Log, there is a notation for sunrise and sunset
- 9. When shadowing the convoy, establish how long it will take before
- the sun sets
- 10. As visibility decreases, the time for attack grows nearer
- 11. It is a good idea to attack when the visibility drops to the
- point that the 2500 meter range ruler is at the bottom of the
- top-down display, and the visibility ring is not outside the
- boundaries of the top-down display, allowing the visibility ring to
- move outwards
- 12. Wait for the message from BdU to attack; this will only occur if
- the order to shadow the convoy was previously given.
- 13. It is possible to attack before the order is given, and to not
- attack when the order is given with no penalty
- 14. When it is time to attack, check that the speed is set to flank,
- that all tubes are loaded with reloads ready, then check the chart
- 15. The chart shows the black square, and the convoy's heading
- denoted by the white line
- 16. Maneuver so the red square is closing of the convoy's weak spot;
- set up for the attack away from the convoy and close in
- 17. As you approach the convoy, watch out for escorts, when a target
- presents itself, quickly evaluate it with the "I" key; if the target
- is a merchant, then the convoy has been located
- 18. The most valuable target will be in the heart of the convoy, a
- troop ship
- 19. The second most valuable target is a tanker; if it is 5000 tons
- or under, look for a more valuable target
- 20. Get as close to the target as possible when firing torpedoes
- 21. Remember that some of the convoy may be armed; if one of these
- ships opens fire, open the range with that ship or torpedo it
- 22. Once the attack is over, move quickly away and re-evaluate the
- torpedo room
- 23. Check on the reloading, and bring additional weapons down if
- necessary
- 24. Consider attacking the convoy again; attack the convoy at the
- same point as last time
- 25. There is also the submerged attack, but keep the following in
- mind; the speed advantage is gone, and battery life is limited
- 26. Get as close as possible to the convoy before attacking
- 27. The idea of a submerged attack is to hit a lot of ships very
- quickly and then go deep
-