Question on Escorting Convoys

[gsmart04]

Hey, guys, I've tried to figure this out and just looked at the manual (again) but I'm not having any luck.
Is there any way to escort a convoy along its whole route to its destination with a DD? If so, can someone tell me how they do it?
Thanks!

[richardsd]

nope!

its just not possible with the game engine

[gsmart04]

Thanks for the quick reply! I guess I'll have to provide escort at their end points.

Another question that would impact this: are convoy's paths fixed via the Northern, Central, and Southern route or do they vary.

[richardsd]

Thanks for the quick reply! I guess I'll have to provide escort at their end points.

Another question that would impact this: are convoy's paths fixed via the Northern, Central, and Southern route or do they vary.

the three zones are fixed, but movement of each convoy is random including backwards so you have to be pretty lucky or have a line of Uboats to 'block' a convoy

[gsmart04]

Interesting. I wish there was some way to provide DD cover for the convoys. Oh well...

[Peter Stauffenberg]

The convoys move at the end of the Axis game turn. So escorting DD's can then sail to the hexes adjacent to the convoys to protect them from sub attacks the following Axis turn.

If the convoys run over a sub while moving then the sub will get a free attack on the convoy. Since units can only attack subs if they haven't moved it means the subs might get away with such attacks. This is one reason why the airbases in Iceland, Greenland and Azores are so important. Placing strategic bombers here means you can retaliate against such subs.

At least only one sub can attack each moving convoy because the convoy stops after it's attacked.

If you want to prevent your convoys or transports from being attacked while moving you can send DD's ahead along it's path to the destination to sweep for lurking subs. Sometimes you find a sub and you can then use strategic bombers within range to hurt the sub further.

So getting rid of the sub menace can be a pain, but if you invest in strategic bombers and DD's you will eventually get the upper hand. I also think building some CV's to sail close to the convoys is smart. The CV's will often be within attack range of a sub if a sub is detected. CV's can hit subs very hard.

[gsmart04]

[quote="Stauffenberg"
If you want to prevent your convoys or transports from being attacked while moving you can send DD's ahead along it's path to the destination to sweep for lurking subs. Sometimes you find a sub and you can then use strategic bombers within range to hurt the sub further.
[/quote]

This may sound stupid (I've only played the Axis in the past) but how do you now what path the convoy is going to take? Is that documented anywhere?

[Peter Stauffenberg]

You don't know exactly, but you can guess.

All convoys will normally go to the Glasgow port. Once Russia joins the Allies the northern convoy will go to the to Murmansk port on the map near Norway. Once USA joins the Allies the southern convoy will go to New York. If London is captured the convoys will instead go to Halifax in Canada.

The convoy will move from 1-5 hexes from it's current location in ANY direction and then 12 hexes in a direct line towards the destination port.

That means you can guess pretty well how the convoy will move.

[gsmart04]

OK, got it and many thanks.