Anti aircraft tactics?

[MegaMads]

Firstly I am new to the whole subsim thing. I have had successful missions where i sunk several ships, But whenever i encounter an aircraft they have already spotted me ages ago an are coming to ♥♥♥♥ me up. Me being the noob that I am, I dive immediately..... and die within seconds. Is the correct method to stay on top and use the MG?

[TJ]

With the starter LMG i would not recommend it. A small surveillance Airplane maybe, but a bomber hits you for sure, giving your hull at least two lecks. Try upgrading your tower. until that, immediat alarmidiving is your best option. Also level up your commanding officers, they will get a perk to more precisision in AA Combat.

[Ruby]

Hi,


1) press break immediately
2) the nearest officer to the valves, give the order "open valves".
3.) Full speed. Officer and sailors to the diesel
4.) Kaleun to the periscope. When he is on the tower

!!! Dont dive over the depth gauge. !!! This takes too long

Then continue and wait until the boat dives.
If the boat changes to e-motor strong course change and down into the depth


Cheers Ruby

[Seuli]

Diving is the key to surviving, engaging a plane is usually a bad idea and you end up badly damaged or sinking. My routine for evading plane attacks is always the same:
1) PAUSE the game immediately upon spotting a plane or contrails
2) Hit the Alarm Dive Button
3) go to AK (full speed), man the engines with an engineer if needed
4) sharp turn to the full rudder left or right
5) UNPAUSE
6) pray :)

[ждун]

sharp turn? realy?

to me it seems turning waaay to slow, id expect real VII boat to be more manouverable.

[Attack Chicken]

There is a spreadsheet that can be modified for the turning radius.

Various turning radii are listed in the Typ VII Manual on UBoat Archive website.

[CellNav]

My AA tactics ... If visibility warrants a defense :

1. research Ammunition (to get AA shells)
2. Officer with Gunner "skill" on small AA guns (best if Turm IV tower)
3. Manual 88 deck gun with AA shells

When the aircraft is on final approach, I have about 3 attempts at hitting him with an AA shell from the deck gun, but ... It's like playing the game "Chicken" with two cars on a head-on collision with only one winner ... :)

Screenshot below is a typical 3rd shot at aircraft with an AA shell, the shell has a proximity fuse (verified in data sheets as a value of 30). You can see the shell in flight as well, and I'm zoomed in to give an idea where to aim (slightly above) :
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1807750923

[Seuli]

Originally posted by ждун:

sharp turn? realy?

to me it seems turning waaay to slow, id expect real VII boat to be more manouverable.

Sharp turn -> maximum rudder :-)

I haven't done any measurements but according to the WWII VIIC manual:
Rudder 32 Degrees, Speed AK -> turning circle diameter 270m
Rudder 32 Degrees, Half Speed -> turning circle diameter 370m

Time it takes to do a 180 degree turn:
AK: 1 min 10 seconds

And also: time to put in and take effect:
7 seconds

So after giving the rudder command it takes about 7 seconds before the boat starts turning

http://www.uboatarchive.net/Manual/Manual.htm
Pages 17, 18, 10

It's not exactly a nimble boat ...

[CellNav]

This is another screenshot moments after hitting the aircraft with the AA shell. This attack was separate from my other screenshot ...
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1807761557

[Wolfschadow]

Originally posted by Seuli:

Diving is the key to surviving, engaging a plane is usually a bad idea and you end up badly damaged or sinking. My routine for evading plane attacks is always the same:
1) PAUSE the game immediately upon spotting a plane or contrails
2) Hit the Alarm Dive Button
3) go to AK (full speed), man the engines with an engineer if needed
4) sharp turn to the full rudder left or right
5) UNPAUSE
6) pray :)

What is the alarm dive button?

[Ruby]

HI,

You dive faster when you send the nearest officer to the valves instead hit the alarm dive button.
Because any officer opens the valves. He has to go there first.

If you have an officer in the tower command him to thrPeri. Otherwise the sailors will not leave the tower until the dive order has been executed. And that also takes time.

Change course only after you have dived.


You will find the buttons right next to the depth gauge.The bottom

Cheers Ruby

[Seuli]

Originally posted by Wolfschadow:

Originally posted by Seuli:

Diving is the key to surviving, engaging a plane is usually a bad idea and you end up badly damaged or sinking. My routine for evading plane attacks is always the same:
1) PAUSE the game immediately upon spotting a plane or contrails
2) Hit the Alarm Dive Button
3) go to AK (full speed), man the engines with an engineer if needed
4) sharp turn to the full rudder left or right
5) UNPAUSE
6) pray :)

What is the alarm dive button?

The lowest of the 4 buttons to the right of the depth gauge.

[wolf310ii]

Originally posted by CellNav:

3. Manual 88 deck gun with AA shells

AA shells for the 88 on a u-boat? Lol, U-Boat becomes more and more fantasy

[Wolfschadow]

Originally posted by Seuli:

Originally posted by Wolfschadow:

What is the alarm dive button?

The lowest of the 4 buttons to the right of the depth gauge.

Oh thanks

[Wolfschadow]

Originally posted by wolf310ii:

Originally posted by CellNav:

3. Manual 88 deck gun with AA shells

AA shells for the 88 on a u-boat? Lol, U-Boat becomes more and more fantasy

They sometimes actualy were substituted with high angle versions of the naval gun for AA purposes. Not often but it seems to be the case here in the game. This here is the gun used on our submarines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_SK_C/35_naval_gun

[CellNav]

Originally posted by wolf310ii:

Originally posted by CellNav:

3. Manual 88 deck gun with AA shells

AA shells for the 88 on a u-boat? Lol, U-Boat becomes more and more fantasy

Yeah Wolf, that needs to change ... :(
I prefer the quad-20mm instead of the fantasy "88-Flak", under the same attack conditions (aircraft on final approach).