Hunt the Yamato [Archive] - SUBSIM Radio Room Forums

Armistead

10-12-10, 06:28 AM

Did this Patrol with contacts and cams off, so lack good SS, but what a fun, yet difficult patrol.

After my last patrol we crawled into Midway with 80% damage. The mechanics groaned, this boat was done. The Adm. wanted to retire me, but I wanted another patrol. I was shipped back to Mare Island for a new Balao class sub. After a few days with the old lady, I couldn't wait to get back to the Bungo, so off we go.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-11_144420_736.jpg

Went to Attu and sunk 1 ship, what a terrible patrol, but had used a lot of fuel, so docked at Midway. We left in Dec and reached out patrol zone about 100nms SE of the Bungo mid Dec. We patrolled for 4 days and saw nothing. We were sent to another area just 100nms away, again 3 days and saw nothing, not even a plane. Seems my luck had run out. Usually I ignore orders for patrol zones, but this time I tried it. Strange, the two zones were close, so I thought something big may come through. The 3rd zone I didnt do was the same shipping lane, Bungo to Truk. Finally I just decided to sit outside the Bungo.

It wasn't long we got sonar contact. Took awhile for it to come into view, but luck was still with us.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_000803_236.jpg

The Yamato having good radar picked us up, but we were close to it's track. Escorts came searching, so we dived and left them far behind, working into a shooting position. This would be the first attack. I was somewhat off and the shot was longer than I wanted, I shot all bow tubes, hard end around and shot all sterns, 10 torps, no SS's of the hits, but 2 hits reported.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_002936_829.jpg

DD's worked us over for a few hours.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_005019_611.jpg

With cams off I do use a little cheat, not that it would change anything, but will watch the charges through the scope, this way you can watch them fall and see them go behind.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_004651_782.jpg

Finally we surfaced and gave chase. Nothing on radar, but sonar had faint contacts. My special mech tuned the engines, needing speed we put on all engines with no charge. In calm waters we reached a steady 23 kts. Wasn't long smoke on the horizon. We're still in business.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_013129_204.jpg

I then get another radar contact bearing 40. Radar showed it within 10nms, but I saw nothing. A group of 4 ships. I assume a small convoy of fishing boats. Guess it saw me, planes showed up. The same problem, I dive the Yamato escapes, I stay up one bomb could end it.. We stay up through two attacks, but after a close call I dive. Then it was yo yo all day, slowing getting ahead. It was obvious she was headed for Truk.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_011756_361.jpg

Then as I worked to the right flank as it was weaker, I get more radar contacts, a total of 8 ships with many escorts, the pips were huge. The two TFs were stern of me about 17nms apart. I was shocked that the DD's from this TF came chasing me as they were further than the Yamato's escorts. I was able to ID one Shokoku carrier in this group. The DD to the right belongs to the Carrier TF, the two on the left the Y's... . My guess is both groups headed to Truk,
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_021952_892.jpg

I would take the Y first, then go after the carrier. However, the Yamato's escorts joined in, so a total of four DD's were chasing me. I was on a decent track so I stayed surfaced trying to get closer ahead of the Y. I crash dive when the escort was at about 6500 yards, just as we went under he sent shells our way. Two of the Y's DD's here, the Y is way back to the left. The sun is now setting, we want darkness.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_023007_032.jpg

We stay flanked dived and left them searching far behind. We left our radar off and came up decks awash able to make 11 knots on engines. By now I had run my battery low. I could see them searching in the distance.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_023849_892.jpg

I finally got a decent position and got a good look at her. She didn't seem hurt by the two hits. Here's the set up. I shoot all bows again scoring many hits. Bearing about 55, not too bad.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_025534_376.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_025619_236.jpg

The men cheered as most if not all struck home. " This baby gonna sink for sure now".. boasted the men. See here going flank, but only 3kts...I was blessed with the CO2 bug making things worse.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_030250_986.jpg

Then the escorts...attack after attack. I should've tracked longer and put some charge on, but I wanted that carrier. We could only reach 3 kts flank. A toothshaker hits and bust a firing fitting and steam hits melting the skin off my Helmsmen's face, but he sticks to his post. Depth shows us around 550ft, no speed, depths our only hope.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_032736_298.jpg

More damage...we couldn't outrun the charges. I took the Balao deep. I was concerned as we had mild flooding in the aft torp compartment. I went deep as I dare, with 11% damage and leveled off at 500ft. I then went silent. I couldn't count the charges, they shook us, fittings busted, men fell. It went on for 3 hours....deeper..600ft. The pinging finally stopped. I come to scope depth and see nothing....nothing. So we surface and again give chase. All night we chased, doing yet another end around.
I feared morning.

Several hours later, daybreak not far off, it took me three tries to finally get my stern torps into position. Trackings a lot harder without those contacts. I set up a 45 degree attack. I've got 4 sterns left and one forward...She was still making 12 kts with a minor list.

The DD's once again picked me up on sonar, but I was seconds away from attacking. A DD made a pass on me as I was preparing to shoot...BAM..damage, please not the stern tubes. I finally shoot all four. I saw a couple hits and headed for the deep.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_042121_673.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_042251_142.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_042248_923.jpg

I think all four hit. We made it to 200 ft when sonar reported ship breaking up. I tell you nothing beats being stuck in your sub listening to the Yamato going down.

I was able to come up and get one look, all I could get, but she was gone. I nearly paid for this, but I wanted confirmation.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2010-10-12_042555_876.jpg

We got deep, evade again for hours. I surfaced and back to flank speed. I laid a course the Carrier Group probably took, also looked like it was headed to Truk. I ran at flank for two days, but could never find it. Finally had to go back to base.

Only one ship, but a good one..

NoGoodLandLubber

10-12-10, 08:57 AM

That's certainly an impressive account! I LOVE all the pics! How'd you get 'em just hitting the print-screen key or is there some other mod I need to add?

I'm currently working on infiltrating the harbor at Kure where the Yamato is supposedly tied up for repairs! I'm hoping to bag the elephant!!

I passed a smaller harbor with four ships of unknown class. I thought about the possibility of them being escorts and since my primary mission is the Yamato I didn't want to go after them and risk her getting away! At the same time, if I do get lucky and can get in a few shots then run away like a little girl it would be a nasty surprise to find my avenue of egress blocked by four very angry escorts.

Thoughts anyone?

Platapus

10-12-10, 05:42 PM

Man, I have never even seen the Yamato <pout>

Great patrol and story. :yeah:

So how many total hits do you think you got on her?

Armistead

10-12-10, 06:25 PM

Not exactly sure. I tried to keep count. Something went wrong with the first attack. I think the longer distance was the problem. When I finally got my sterns around and shot those he was at 17kts instead of 12. All my sterns missed, dumb shooting away like that.

I think 12 hits. Course he had time to do lots of repairs because of a long chase.

Wish I had a replay feature with cams off so you could at lease see what happened. I may even start running the little movie screen when I do contacts off, maybe that way I could do some SS's when the cams are off, never thought about doing that.

WernherVonTrapp

10-12-10, 10:11 PM

Wow, is that the Golden Gate Bridge? Sure looks like it. Anyway, great account of a great engagement Armistead. Either way, you sank her right?:03: You're a Medal of Honor winner in my book.:up::yep:

Bubblehead1980

10-12-10, 11:59 PM

Armistead

10-13-10, 12:01 AM

What, you don't think that piece showing at the sinking belongs to the Y..?:har:. I don't think you're that good at ID pieces of ship sticking out, but look hard, that's the Y's top radar.

That is the Golden Gate, cool item, but who wants to travel that far to view it. Like the time I went all the way to New York to see that Statue of Liberty, cool, but not that cool for the long trip.

Armistead

10-13-10, 12:06 AM

Nice Armistead.I believe only once in TMO have I sank the Yamato.Only seen her a couple times.She's a tough one to bring down for sure.The time I sank her was in Sibuyan Sea, believe I eventually hit her with 14 torpedos and some US planes also nailed her with bombs.My 14th torpedo took her down though.

I used to run into her in stock all the time lol so sank a bunch of times there.

I know where to run into in several places, but this was just the luck of the patrol. Was much harder with C&C off. When it was done I had only one torp left. With cams on I can usually sink it with 8-10. Don't know what I would've done if I found the carrier, but I probably would've tried it. Hate we don't get renown for reporting targets.

Been getting tired of the same old convoys, so been looking for other stuff in RSRD, like the carrier forays during the invasion of Java and Christmas island.

I never see any of the Corte's. Would love to see one. I know of only one that existed, the one the jp's used to scout Pearl Harbor before the attack. It did travel around the pacific during the war, so hopefully that ones in RSRD. It was sunk..think China Sea, but have the info and will go looking for it when the time is right.

Bubblehead1980

10-13-10, 12:06 AM

What, you don't think that stern showing at the sinking belongs to the Y..?:har:. I don't think you're that good at ID pieces of ship sticking out.

That is the Golden Gate, cool item, but who wants to travel that far to view it. Like the time I went all the way to New York to see that Statue of Liberty, cool, but not that cool for the long trip.

No no man I believe it.Was saying nice job and that Ive only seen it once but I dont find the big naval battles like you do.

Armistead

10-13-10, 12:31 AM

No no man I believe it.Was saying nice job and that Ive only seen it once but I dont find the big naval battles like you do.

I was referring to Wernhers statement in jest, not you, you know what the Y's radar looks like...:haha:

The big battles are easy to find. I hated I never looked for the Nov12-14 battles of Guadalcanel, that's more action anyone can ask for. First time I saw PT Boats attack enemy shipping. I bet in those 3 days 10 large TF are in the area if you run into them all. Loved when the NC BB's got into the fray.

Bubblehead1980

10-13-10, 12:34 AM

I was referring to Wernhers statement in jest, not you, you know what the Y's radar looks like...:haha:

haha ah ok