Visit Bristol...

[Corsair]

I use SH3 Gen and NYGM 2.2. SH3 Gen gives some missions which are a little more interesting than patrol grid XX... Although they don't bring any reward, I usually give them a try.
This time on my first patrol Sept 39 with a VIIB out of Wilhelmshaven, I am kindly asked by BdU to sink the Transsylvania Auxiliary Cruiser anchored in Bristol !!:-?
So early in the war I think I can venture in the Irish sea if remaining careful.
Question is : anybody been visiting Bristol already, tips on depth, minefields, subnets ?
I haven't decided yet if I give it a try, although Sept 39 is probably the only time to try something like this.

[melnibonian]

I have visited Bristol in GW. It is quite easy to get in and out as it is a big harbour with enough room to move around. Usually I try to avoid the coast as there are subnets there. I get in from the left hand side of the main harbour and keep moving and firing clockwise until I'm out again. By that time most of the ships are or fire or sinking :arrgh!:

Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Corsair]

Thks for info, will post later on what happened... for the time being I am still off North Scotland going around.

[melnibonian]

Thks for info, will post later on what happened... for the time being I am still off North Scotland going around.

Plenty of time and oportunities to score some kills before Bristol then:D :D

Good Luck

[Corsair]

Aargh!! During the night I crossed the path of the Illustrious CV on its way to Scapa Flow, escorted by 2 CLs and 3 DDs, unfortunately too fast, too far away from my course and in a too lousy weather to try anything.... just frustrating... lol

[Biggles]

Aargh!! During the night I crossed the path of the Illustrious CV on its way to Scapa Flow, escorted by 2 CLs and 3 DDs, unfortunately too fast, too far away from my course and in a too lousy weather to try anything.... just frustrating... lol


My god.......you'r having some bad luck there! Turn around! If that happens before a harbor attack then it's a sign!!!!

[Corsair]

Update on the trip to Bristol :
I had 2 days of good weather going down towards Northern Ireland, bagged 3 tramp steamers in AM 52 so far, all found from my regular sound checks. They're only 2700t a piece, but only cost me an average of 20 HE shells in the engine room/fuel bunker. It keeps the crew happy and on their toes, makes good practice of sound intercepts as they run 9 knts and anyway have to use these shells sometimes... I am now in the big traffic flow thru AM 52/53 going to the entrance of the Irish Sea, so hope to find bigger game on the way, and that the weather will get worse once I am near the coast...

[Corsair]

New update :
I finally got a little worried about taking the North entrance into the Irish sea (narrow and heavy patroled), and after sinking my 3rd tramp, finally took the decision to go west around Ireland, not much longer and looked safer. Fantastic weather going down, no wind, no rain, nice sunny days and bright moon at night, looking at the stars... One large merchant had the bad idea to come almost directly towards me and was promptly executed. Took advantage of the good weather to bring inside the external torpedoes. Never know how long it lasts in these god forgotten places...
Been running after a couple other merchants to find out it was US boats with all lights on... Went South of Ireland close to the coast to avoid patrols (unfortunately did not take the time to drop in Cork, where I know a few nice pubs...damned wartime...) with the plan to cut across the main traffic lane at the shortest. Heard a couple of distant destroyer patrols but far enough.
Just before the crossing, the weather change I had hoped for... Heavy rain, fog and 7m/s wind... Schnaps for the crew...
At this time am almost across, aiming for a point near the coast on the south tip of Wales, as I am not sure where the minefields are precisely...
To be ctd...

[andy_311]

New update :
I finally got a little worried about taking the North entrance into the Irish sea (narrow and heavy patroled), and after sinking my 3rd tramp, finally took the decision to go west around Ireland, not much longer and looked safer. Fantastic weather going down, no wind, no rain, nice sunny days and bright moon at night, looking at the stars... One large merchant had the bad idea to come almost directly towards me and was promptly executed. Took advantage of the good weather to bring inside the external torpedoes. Never know how long it lasts in these god forgotten places...
Been running after a couple other merchants to find out it was US boats with all lights on... Went South of Ireland close to the coast to avoid patrols (unfortunately did not take the time to drop in Cork, where I know a few nice pubs...damned wartime...) with the plan to cut across the main traffic lane at the shortest. Heard a couple of distant destroyer patrols but far enough.
Just before the crossing, the weather change I had hoped for... Heavy rain, fog and 7m/s wind... Schnaps for the crew...
At this time am almost across, aiming for a point near the coast on the south tip of Wales, as I am not sure where the minefields are precisely...
To be ctd...

I wouldn't bother with small fry like tramp steamers there's quite a few Convoys going through AM52 and all the grids surrounding it and there doing like 9knts+ even in 1940 if your in the right place and the right time "Bingo".DD's I wouldn't bother about there's not that many about in late 40-41 pt boats take em out with you Flak guns Happy hunting.

[Corsair]

Well it's Sept. 39 and there are not that many convoys around yet... these tramp made good deck gun practice as weather was absolutely beautiful... altogether 70 shells for 8400 t is not a bad trade at this state of the war (and thats a few tons more than PT boats...;)) May be I will be luckier on the way back across AM52 ? Anyway we will know later today how went the more tricky part between Wales and Bristol.

[melnibonian]

Just be careful of the patrols in the Bristol Channel. As it is not too deep if they spot you, you can be in real trouble.

[Corsair]

Thks for advice, thats what I figured out as I chose an entrance close to Milford Haven... Will try to stay in the middle as I suppose there might also be minefields/subnets somewhere on the sides when close to the Severn past Swansea. What worries me also it that I wish the thick fog will have lightened when I get to Bristol otherwise might have to get straight inside the harbour to see anything...lol.
If not guess I will have to go up and down the Bristol Channel until it clears up, but wouldnt like to hang on too long in there... Well I guess will have to do with whatever comes...

[TarJak]

Once in a while dope down for a hydrophone sounding to check for patrols. If there is someone close enough, drop to PD and go silent for as long as you have to.

Gute Jagd!

[Corsair]

Here is the report of today :

I got in the Bristol Channel by the North side, close to Milford Haven. Man, lot of traffic in there, here are a few of the nearby contacts I had on the way up (for once I cheated with the boat cam to show a few pics. Had decided anyway to focus on the mission and not to attack anything else than my target in Bristol harbour on the way in, so as to not ring the alarm in the whole region...)

These are only the bigger boats, some coastal vessels and a tug as well...

To start a nice US merchant with all lights on showing the flag...

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8762/gcs0003sl6.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6540/gcs0005md8.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5963/gcs0011lw7.jpg

I was lucky not to meet any warship on the way in, some places make it difficult to escape if detected (here a pic taken south from Cardiff where I am driving 15m deep, not much room left under... At my homeplace when we sail keel close to the bottom we call it "frightening the crabs"...)

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1411/gcs0010or1.jpg

I managed to get 3kms from Bristol harbour around 19h00, where only a PT boat was guarding the place...

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7906/gcs0012ea0.jpg

Unfortunately, the weather has not cleared, here is what it looks like...

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/8775/gcs0013fc5.jpg

I could almost cry...:cry: No chance for a long shot on my docked Auxiliary Cruiser, as if it is where SH3Gen tells me (with a ?) I really have to see it as the torps must pass near to an outside quay, no chance for a sound shot... My plan was to shoot slow torps from 1.5 / 2 klicks away.
Decided to be patient as usual, and turned around. Went down the river at night and am now submerged a little north of Lundy Island waiting for the weather to clear...
At least now I know the way.
Problem is that it took me already 18 days to get there and I have yet to get back to Wilhelmshaven (no teleport, I play 100%).
After talking with the crew, we decided to wait 24hrs to have another go if the weather gets better (specially the heavy fog...) If not, well we will just have to radio to Bdu that God was not on our side this time, and pass our nerves by expanding a few torps on these merchants going up and down the channel, the spot where we are near Lundy Island seems a good place...

[Corsair]

Last report of the mission.
Subtitle : man, this game can drive you nuts !!!

As stated in previous report, been messing around at the entrance of the Bristol Channel north of Lundy Island, waiting for the weather to clear... No hope... Sound contacts everywhere, passing by right, left, behind... While reloading got almost ran over by a big freighter coming out of nowhere and disappearing as fast in the next rain curtain...

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/2347/bris01gh6.jpg

I can imagine the message to the family in Wilhelmshaven : Kapt'n Helmut Höffer has been sunk with all hands in U-56 on his first patrol by a british cargo ship !!!

After 24hours of the game, I call it a "no joy" (can't see any target...) and head on towards the coast of Ireland. Just as we pass by Milford Haven the other way, I hear from the bridge " Schiff gesichtet, grosse Entfernung..." Long distance, with this fog ? Hans, get it easy with the schnaps ! I get up there only to see by myself : miracle... at 4:30 o'clock in the morning, the weather is slowly clearing, the wind dropping a little to 4 m/s, the clouds fade away and the fog is lifting.
OK, BdU won't tell me this time I am not aggressive enough... Turn 180°, we are going back in there...

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/8610/brist02ip7.jpg

Bad thing though, the local flyboys are early out of bed and I get a Hurricane bomb run just as the sun rises, no damage...

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6722/brist03ya8.jpg

Will make the story short, another 2 planes attack at 21:30 (they go to bed late as well...) and that's all...
With the good visibility, I now see that land is close on both sides... I notice on the way a harbour between the real location of Cardiff and Swansea, suppose it must be a wrong placement by a few kms of the Cardiff harbour.
As I get close to Cardiff, my watch officer calls a "land unit spotted, 270, long distance..." A what ? told you to cut it out with the schnaps bottle...
For curiosity, I make a free cam run and get confirmation : it is a land unit and it sure doesn't look good...

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/6052/brist04om4.jpg

I finally get closeto Bristol, where I hear the PT boats running around, but far enough, and just then, suddenly, guess what : dark clouds come over me, lightnings and oh no ! medium fog !!! I am damned...
Ok cool off, we still see enough if it doesn't get worse... 2 klicks from harbour, a periscope check : the Auxiliary Cruiser is gone (bad news) but at her place is a troop transport (good news). It won't be said I did all that for nothing...
Three slow steamers 4 m deep 2 klicks away.... periscope down, turn around. Man it's long for a slow torp to travel 2000m. Then "Torpedo Treffer !" Boom x 3...

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/6472/brist05gf7.jpg

20 mins later during the escape : "She's going down" 9150 tons on the log...

At present am going down towards the sea again, just another couple of weeks ahead to get back to Wilhelmshaven (we are already the 23rd of Sept...) Only problem is the body of Willi Blank starts to smell a lot, wish me a mod to shoot him out through the torpedo tubes...

Many thanks to those who make these great times possible :

Ubisoft and SH3 team for the first half of the game...
NYGM team for their 2.2 supermod...
SH3 Gen to give me missions to accomplish other than patrolling empty grids...
SH3 weather for driving me mad...
Grab Clip Save for the ingame shots.