Cry HAVOK

Longknife · 05-05-15, 11:24 AM

Last night while on patrol in my beloved Pigboat FOX Traffic notified me to shift my base of operations to Dutch Harbor. Irritated at being shipped to the backwaters of the war & on fumes I just barely made it to Midway. Planning to plead my case to COMSUBPAC of the injustice to my valiant crew I was told to "Beat it Mac, that tub is needed in the Aleutians".

After the long ferry to Dutch Harbor I stormed into the office & started to give them what for when they smiled & handed me new orders from Admiral Lockwood assigning me to new construction. The USS Balao, flagship of the series was my new boat.

After flying to meet her I struggled with mixed emotions. She was a beast, larger by a third of my S-Boat & had a queer stink to her. Gone were the honest smells of sweat, adrenaline, steel , oil & the aftermath of the evenings mess; instead was the antiseptic stench of fresh paint.
6 tubes fore & 4 aft this beast was made for killing. What's more I finally get to use the Mk14's & now they even usually work as advertised.

Leaving the berth I confidentially rang up ahead standard. Instead of the familiar slow spooling of the engines Balao practically leapt forward disorienting me for a moment.
Twice as fast, able to dive twice as deep all while carrying twice the torpedoes this was a completely different boat that I would need to learn all over to fully exploit her strengths.

As I approached my patrol area off The Carolinas a lone coastal cruiser was spotted. The setup was perfect & at 1200yds I announced FIRE!
In a Pigboat when launching a torp the whole ship spasms as if vomiting out its deadly spawn. The Balao let out a soft "chug" more felt than heard. Sonar reported the fish running hot, straight & true. Easing back behind the periscope I see the fish impact exactly below the stack. The freighter must have been carrying munitions because she went off like a 4th of July fireworks display. Her back broke & she was below the waves before I could even think to activate the periscope camera.

The S-Boat was a Jackal, picking off the slow, sick & weak. The Balao is a Tiger charging into the herd & pulling down what it chooses.

This is going to be a good patrol..... Cry HAVOK and let slip the dogs of war!

Longknife · 05-07-15, 02:21 PM

No bites on my little bit of prose? Pity...

What I was attempting to get across & wondering if y'all feel the same way was a sense of power. Its kinda like when you win at a game of Monopoly & walk away feeling rich

I was comfortable & confident in the Pigboat. I knew its limits & didn't push my luck when I wasn't sure of the outcome.
Now in the Balao I have heaps of confidence & feel that so long as I avoid the shoal waters the IJN cant touch me.

and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.

TorpX · 05-07-15, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longknife

... I have heaps of confidence ...

That's how I felt back when I upgraded from a S-class to a Porpoise-class in my SHCE days.

Hambone307 · 05-08-15, 06:12 AM

I rode out the IJN storm in a Porpoise, refusing the new subs that came my way until '44. Once I got in that Balao, I felt like the Flying Dutchman himself. Nothing could touch me!

Except some charges in the shoals....

Armistead · 05-08-15, 12:31 PM

Enjoyed seeing people excited with the game.... recently started playing myself after a few years...

05-05-15, 11:24 AM	#1
Longknife A-ganger Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern KY Posts: 80 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	Cry HAVOK Last night while on patrol in my beloved Pigboat FOX Traffic notified me to shift my base of operations to Dutch Harbor. Irritated at being shipped to the backwaters of the war & on fumes I just barely made it to Midway. Planning to plead my case to COMSUBPAC of the injustice to my valiant crew I was told to "Beat it Mac, that tub is needed in the Aleutians". After the long ferry to Dutch Harbor I stormed into the office & started to give them what for when they smiled & handed me new orders from Admiral Lockwood assigning me to new construction. The USS Balao, flagship of the series was my new boat. After flying to meet her I struggled with mixed emotions. She was a beast, larger by a third of my S-Boat & had a queer stink to her. Gone were the honest smells of sweat, adrenaline, steel , oil & the aftermath of the evenings mess; instead was the antiseptic stench of fresh paint. 6 tubes fore & 4 aft this beast was made for killing. What's more I finally get to use the Mk14's & now they even usually work as advertised. Leaving the berth I confidentially rang up ahead standard. Instead of the familiar slow spooling of the engines Balao practically leapt forward disorienting me for a moment. Twice as fast, able to dive twice as deep all while carrying twice the torpedoes this was a completely different boat that I would need to learn all over to fully exploit her strengths. As I approached my patrol area off The Carolinas a lone coastal cruiser was spotted. The setup was perfect & at 1200yds I announced FIRE! In a Pigboat when launching a torp the whole ship spasms as if vomiting out its deadly spawn. The Balao let out a soft "chug" more felt than heard. Sonar reported the fish running hot, straight & true. Easing back behind the periscope I see the fish impact exactly below the stack. The freighter must have been carrying munitions because she went off like a 4th of July fireworks display. Her back broke & she was below the waves before I could even think to activate the periscope camera. The S-Boat was a Jackal, picking off the slow, sick & weak. The Balao is a Tiger charging into the herd & pulling down what it chooses. This is going to be a good patrol..... Cry HAVOK and let slip the dogs of war! __________________ Never argue with an idiot. First they drag you down to there level, then they beat you with experience.

05-07-15, 02:21 PM	#2
Longknife A-ganger Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern KY Posts: 80 Downloads: 59 Uploads: 0	No bites on my little bit of prose? Pity... What I was attempting to get across & wondering if y'all feel the same way was a sense of power. Its kinda like when you win at a game of Monopoly & walk away feeling rich I was comfortable & confident in the Pigboat. I knew its limits & didn't push my luck when I wasn't sure of the outcome. Now in the Balao I have heaps of confidence & feel that so long as I avoid the shoal waters the IJN cant touch me. and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. __________________ Never argue with an idiot. First they drag you down to there level, then they beat you with experience.

05-08-15, 06:12 AM	#4
Hambone307 Planesman Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 188 Downloads: 93 Uploads: 0	I rode out the IJN storm in a Porpoise, refusing the new subs that came my way until '44. Once I got in that Balao, I felt like the Flying Dutchman himself. Nothing could touch me! Except some charges in the shoals.... __________________ ____ I can't tell if I have found a rope or lost my horse.

05-08-15, 12:31 PM	#5
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,864 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Enjoyed seeing people excited with the game.... recently started playing myself after a few years... __________________ You see my dog don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.