Stories and Patrol Logs + Screenshots and Videos (merged) [Archive] - Page 19

joefremont

08-16-13, 12:09 PM

October 25, 1944. On the evening of the 24th I had positioned my boat at the south end of the San Bernardino Strait hoping to intercept the Japanese fleet on its way to the battle off Samar island and hopefully bag my first Yamato class BB. As expected an enemy fleet appeared coming in fast from the west but this was bigger than I expected, had more than 6 BB's including two Yamato's, a Fuso and an Ise.

I lined up to get in front of the fleet and submerged waiting for the lead DD's to pass over me. Once the periscope came up I saw a Yamato coming up in front of me and a CA about to pass behind me. Fired all 6 mk18's at the yamato and 3 at the CA. Unfortunately the CA was too close and the torps failed to arm, but there were six nice explosions along the side of the Yamato and she started to slow down and list to one side. I went as deep as I could to rearm and tried to follow the fleet.

On other task forces I have encountered, if you cripple the capitol ship the others will circle around and you can sneak away, rearm and come back for more, but not this time. They left the Yamato alone and dead in the water and steamed on up the San Bernadino strait. Three more mk18's and the BB sank below the surface and I proceeded to follow the fleet.

I found a Kongo BB at the edge of the shallow water leading to the strait like it was hung up on something. My first salvo went wide to the right, seams the TDC though it was going 4kn when it was stationary. So I got closer, aimed behind her enough so the torps would hit home and dispatched my second BB of the day.

The rest of the task force was way ahead of me and now having only one rear torp left I headed home. I tried to report the contact but of course since a 'convoy' was not in view SH4 would not let me.

Now historically this task force was too big. Musashi was sunk earlier on the 24th so there should not have been two yamato's in admiral Kurita's center force that evening, and there should have been only four battle ships total. I suspect that had an actual sub had the success I did Kurita would have turned around and headed home. Having lost two more of his BB's and having his position discovered would have been too much for him to continue and the battle off Samar would not have happened.

Balao class sub using GFO mod.

Armistead

08-16-13, 12:09 PM

{Here's an old report I posted at Ubi, not sure if I ever did here, but who knows}

My first patrol was to Lingayen, so off we went. I forgot I had added some subkillers patrolling Lingayen, so in an old S boat without radar I go in at high TC....BAM.......escort saw me and scored a hit before crew got a visual. Didn't get a SS of the hit, but he got one good
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_195627_156.jpg

One hit dang near destroyed my sub right off. My stern engine room was flooded, the sub took a terrible down stern angle, maybe worse one I've had. The escort was still far, but coming.. If I used any speed, because of the angle, I just popped up out of the water.

At 1/3, I was able to hold it still, but wasn't going anywhere. Only way to gain some depth was to cut engines and in seconds I was heading to the bottom at 7kts before I could use tactics to pull out of the dive...Seems all I could do is bob up and down with my nose almost out of the water.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_200919_375.jpg

Escort came on , actually rammed my nose doing damage to himself and dropped a pattern, but due to angle missed me.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_201304_390.jpg

Since he had only bow guns I blew tanks and came up behind him and started shooting, keeping my nose to his stern so he couldn't aim. After several rounds he sunk, never got a shot off.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_202306_093.jpg

So we escaped that one, but stern engine bulkhead destroyed

I then notice smoke on the horizon, guess this is another one I added and his buddy had called in, He was coming full speed.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_202510_312.jpg

I had some distance, so I turned south away hoping to escape on surface, making 8kts best speed due to damage with battery charge off. I hadn't got far when I saw flashes....with my mod setup your lucky to survive one shell, two is bad, but he scored before I could get under, not as bad, mostly deck damge on that last shot. You can barely see escorts smoke on the horizon, left to the sunk ship smoke, about 6nms away.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_203127_453.jpg

So I'm back to bobbing like a cork being teased by a well fed fish...can't get anywhere. I would cut speed to dive down, blow tanks, flank to pull out, but the S boat rockets in either direction. I knew I wouldn't survive if he made some good runs and knew he would find me. I decided to try same tactics, let his make a run, pop out and take him out or at least blow his charge racks off so he couldn't use them. However, getting careless I let my boat get out of control, waited a lil too long to pull out, did all I could to save her, but she hit speeds of 12 kts going down, I couldn't pull
out...

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-16_203705_000.jpg

As we were headed to the depths, my Exec Wernher looked at me with one last word of encouragement.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2011-04-10_140209_693-1.jpg

.

GavJam

08-16-13, 01:35 PM

thats a great story hahahah and that last screenshot is hilarious. I created a twitter account tonight to log my travels, I play at 1x so it's all in real time too. If anyone is interested check out @sh_captinsLog

CalolinaCoyote

08-16-13, 02:10 PM

LCDR Taffy Owain
USS Sealion (SS-195)
December 26, 1941

We drew blood for the first time, ran into a enemy convoy off Saigon. One sub chaser and a Kuma cruiser with transports. We got two ships, medium and large composite freighters with a tally of about 4900 tons. I tried to get the Kuma but the torpedoes missed, also I did not suffer any failures with the fish, must've had a good batch. We were ordered to Java, the Japs are pushing on Manila, and we are now operating from some dump in the Dutch East Indies. Our next departure is Jan 12, 1942. I suspect we will find more targets, and maybe some very good ones.

Armistead

08-16-13, 10:05 PM

This is testing for Bubble,

Bubble this is what I mean by moonlight, not to be confused with halo. Now this is rather extreme, but you get the point.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-03-02_224519_234.jpg

If you have a good video card, the light looks fairly good, cheaper system and video card, the moon light will get some banding effect. This amount of light greatly increase visuals. I don't think you would see hardly any light where we are now, but may add some. Only downside is certain things really reflect, clothes, flags, etc.

Again, this is extreme, but to get the point. Notice reflection going to the horizon? Are you getting that or is the water only reflecting in the sub circle?
I can make the reflection wider, but keep light down, that may give a better chance of attacking with enemy behind moon.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2012-07-23_222239_031.jpg

I think this is where we are now. Little light on clouds. I attacked two ships, one about 2000 yards, another about 800, scoring hits on both. Closet escort about 1500 yards away.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2013-07-29_141608_279_zps4530c375.png

I also don't like the clouds, er, that we're using at moment. I think clouds in game spawn almost like they're going in a circle over the horizon, instead of coming at you more flat like sh5....if that makes sense. You can spawn them where you want above the horizon. Now these are too high, but think something like about half way in between.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2012-07-26_104913_031.jpg

Anyway, I'm gonna do something like above, just lower and bigger more blurred clouds.

This is one of my old env mods, I liked these clouds, so will aim for this, but I'll leave sunset colors TMO.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2012-07-25_170232_625.jpg

Let me know about reflection and please post SS so I can see and what video card you have. I don't trust mine now.

Bubblehead1980

08-17-13, 01:47 PM

Armistead

08-17-13, 01:53 PM

Ok, your reflection seems to be rendering OK, just need a tad more light and that will give reflection as well, give enemy a tad better visuals

grislyatoms

08-18-13, 09:02 AM

grislyatoms

08-18-13, 09:19 AM

ComSubPac from Trout 8/20/1942
Wind speed 9 weather clear

2 Torpedoes remain, 100 rounds 4"

2x Kasagisan Maru for 5K tons south of Hokkaido
1x Akita Maru 4K tons off Tokyo Bay
1x Kuma class light cruiser 5K tons due south of Bungo Strait
1x Biyo Maru 5.4K tons south east of Okinawa

Cruiser action inexplicable. Closed to 5nm, Kuma spotted Trout and headed for us, firing forward batteries. Went to periscope depth. Kuma returned to original course/speed. Double checked plot. No evasive manuevers. Inexplicable. This action by Kuma got us several hundred yards closer to her track. At 2000 yards, launched 6 bow mk. XIV. minimal depth contact exploder high speed. 1 hit forward, 3 hit in engineering spaces, 2 dud. Massive explosion and fire. Kuma sank within minutes, her stern pointing at the sky with half her length out of the water. Would like to thank skipper Daffy Duck of the Kuma for such a nice gift.

grislyatoms

08-18-13, 01:26 PM

Tough old tub. One fish right under the funnel at 08:02.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/grislyatoms/SH4Img2013-08-18_114748_765_zpsf4d50737.png (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/grislyatoms/media/SH4Img2013-08-18_114748_765_zpsf4d50737.png.html)

After nearly 3 hours waiting for her to sink, 9 rounds of 5 inch finished the job.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/grislyatoms/SH4Img2013-08-18_120227_176_zps80373097.png (http://s12.photobucket.com/user/grislyatoms/media/SH4Img2013-08-18_120227_176_zps80373097.png.html)

grislyatoms

08-18-13, 02:03 PM

Great story and pics, Armistead!

Caustic

08-20-13, 02:43 PM

My attempt at creating a realistic night-time environment, it's a tough balance of reflections and sunlight (or moonlight). Some of this work will be included into my in-dev environmental mod.

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/656/htyj.png

Some historical concept art i have been using as a reference.

"Battle of Empress Augusta Bay"
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/206/e/c/battle_of_empress_augusta_bay_by_u_joe-d6f3nzo.png

c13Garrison

08-24-13, 08:17 AM

I do intend to write more patrol stories, but I'm struggling to overcome some authorial inertia. I don't want to write a new personality to life only to see him die just as myself (and others ppresumably) are getting to like him. Of my current career 2 patrols are so far noteworthy.

I could just report them in classic message traffic format of course, but I enjoy the full stories more.

Bubblehead1980

08-27-13, 10:46 AM

TMO RSRD

USS Sand Lance(Balao Class) Pearl Harbor November 17, 1943-January 4, 1944

Departed Pearl Harbor for patrol area in Philippine Sea(VESTIBLE) , refueled at Midway and arrived area on December 2, 1943.

Patrolling likely lanes from Japan to Palau Islands in open ocean, did not spot much, not even patrol planes way out here, must be a gap in air coverage.December 9, 1943 at 1800 hours, submarine spotted on surface, immediately put her astern and ordered a dive, went to GQ and began an approach at 100 feet, once close, had a surface japanese submarine making 12 knots.Closed to 1400 yards and fired four mark 14 torpedoes.Two hit, the sub exploded and quickly sunk.A large secondary explosion was felt and heard just after the japanese sub's conning tower slipped under the waves.

December 10, 1943-0400 hours, radar contact made at bearing 330, soon developed into a convoy, 6 ships, one escort. Night surface attack was out due to full moon so decided on night scope attack.0500, dove 1200 yards off convoys track.Forced to go 100 feet when the escort(a minesweeper) came too close while making sweeps.Back at scope depth, convoy was making 12 knots heading south towards Palau Islands.

Could clearly see targets in moonlit scope, visibility was excellent. Fired 3 torpedoes at a biyo Maru and 3 at a Zinbu Maru.Targets were 800 yards apart in the port column.Five of six torpedoes hit.The Biyo caught fire and sunk quickly. The Zinbu listed and slowed, mortally wounded it appeared.Endured 2 hour depth charge attack forcing boat to 600 feet.This escort was skilled but lost contact after a large pattern and a high speed run we made.Leveling off at 645 feet enabled an escape.

Surfaced and began end around when double back down projected path, could not make contact, convoy made a course change and slipped away despite running down all possibe courses, could not make contact within patrol area, resumed search.

December 10, 1943-1900 hours...RADAR contact made on south bound convoy.One escort, 5 ships. Night surface attack conditions were favorable due to light fog. Closed in 2500 yards off track and played chicken momentarily with a Minekaze Destroyer protecting her, once it passed, closed to 2000 yards off track and fired stern tubes, 2 at a nagara maru and 2 at a zinbu maru class merchant.All hit, zinbu sunk 10 minutes later a burning wreck.Nagara Maru listed and slowed, apparently mortally wounded.We moved out to 8000 yards, escort moved in postion where we were, star shells were illuminating area, DD was making high speed searchs coming too close, we zipped off at flank speed.Finally DD went back and became stationary, listening for targets.We closed in and fired one torpedo at the crippled nagara maru from 4500 yards, but it missed just ahead, target speed change during torpedo run.Now with target at 0 knots, fired one more torpedo from stern tubes(reloads) which hit.The ships burned and began to sink.The DD rushed in out way but we cleared out before he saw us, he soon began dropping depth charges.

Moved ahead to attack convoy again after sunrise but storms rolled in preventing attack in our area, contact report sent.With less than ten days in area, had four ships down, one submarine down and eight torpedoes left(6 forward, two aft.

December 11-Deember 21: No contacts made at all, open ocean.Drills and trim dives made daily.Patroled all sectors of area Vestible.

December 22, 0700-Radar contact on south bound convoy. By dawn was 1800 yards off trck, closed on this 6 ship, one escort convoy.Seems to be the standard in late 43.

Dawn-Using the rising sun to aid in use of attack scope, fired on two large nagara maru class freighters with tanks and truck on their decks, using three fish each.Forced to fire later than planed due to possible speed error(had speed at 10 knots, targets speed appeared to increase according to visual sighting by scope and sound confirmed increasing speed.Targets replotted at 12 knots.Fired on both, two hit the lead freighter, two hit the second in line while the third fish missed her but hit the small Kagasian Maru, which destroyed her as she exploded and quickly took a down angle by her bow.The escort, a full fledged destroyer of possible the Fubuki class began to make a run at us, went deep and quite.

The attack was determined but not skillful as only one charge came close at 500 feet, we leveled off at 600 feet.After 3 hours, we came to scope depth, both large freighters had sunk.We had just taken out three ships in one attack.Soon another merchant could be heard, had seen this on radar but assumed it was trailing escort.This was a mid sized freighter, making slow zigs, attached to convoy but apparently damaged somehow.We had two fish remaining in stern tubes so closed carefully avoiding the DD at 6000 yards while she continued to murder fish with depth charges.

At 1200 yards from the now identified Zinbu Maru Class freighter, we fired.Both hit, the freighter slipped beneath waves 20 minutes later.The DD closed in and pinged but never located us, we headed for Midway to refuel then home to Pearl Harbor with 49, 750 tons down(8 merchants, one submarine) Outstanding first patrol.

The real life Sand Lance earned a PUC for her first patrol as it was highly successful as well.Enduring a 16 hour depth charge attack.:arrgh!:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sand_Lance_%28SS-381%29

c13Garrison

08-27-13, 12:13 PM

Excellent patrol! I love those unintended hits, feels like you found a 5 in your pocket.

in_vino_vomitus

08-27-13, 02:04 PM

Nice Work :salute:

Bubblehead1980

08-27-13, 07:36 PM

Excellent patrol! I love those unintended hits, feels like you found a 5 in your pocket.

Thanks. I agree, especially when unintended target sinks.

Armistead

08-29-13, 01:36 AM

Escort dead head, fire and dive dive..
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2013-08-28_210052_390_zps8dd53764.png

Night attack
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2013-08-27_131047_000_zps89d5f4a9.png

Night attack, two down, let's get out of here.
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2013-08-17_023139_453_zps38171e3c.png

in_vino_vomitus

08-29-13, 02:38 AM

That looks really good - Is that a hole I see in your boat, below the conning tower?

in_vino_vomitus

08-29-13, 06:54 AM

Lieutenant Commander the Hon. Tarquin Horatio Thatsall-ffoulkes walked out of the radio room in deep thought. The news was bad. He didn't want to break it to his Number one on the eve of a patrol, but the man had a right to know about his brother. It was a shame about the whole crew, but he knew how hard this was going to be for his second in command. Roger had always spoken of his younger brother with thinly disguised pride, and the boy had certainly seemed determined to follow in his elders footsteps. Whatever Roger had done, Peter would emulate, as soon as his age allowed. Peter was preordained a place on that boat, in virtue of his brother having been there. No - this wasn't going to be easy at all......

ffoulkes knew where he'd find Roger. On a promontory, overlooking the bay, watching the sun as it set and smoking that awful pipe of his. Lord only knew what was in it. his Aunt Jemima, a missionary in Chitral, sent it over apparently - Ah well, ruminated ffoulkes, a man needs at least one vice, especially in these times.

His reverie was interrupted by a cheerful greeting from his first Lieutenant as he walked up the dusty track to the clifftop. "Evening sir! just the chap I was looking for - Any news......" Seeing the look on his Captain's face, he faltered. "I see. Bad news then sir?"

"I'm afraid so Roger" admitted ffoulkes. "I really don't know what to say. If you'd prefer to be left alone for a while...."

Roger nodded. he sat down heavily on a rock by the path and buried his head in his hands. ".......Lost....." He looked up, his eyes shimmering, "I'll be fine in a moment sir - It's just..... It's just a damned shame sir - It's going to destroy Father."

ffoulkes turned away to allow his number one a moment of private grief. he felt a twinge of shame that the same event that had felled his brother officer, should be a source of joy for him, but that was the nature of the unspoken rivalry between them. And in any case Cambridge had won the damn boat race five years running, this time Oxford had the better team.

Better not mention that just yet though.......

c13Garrison

08-29-13, 09:22 AM

Riveted. Mas! Mas! :D

Gryffon300

08-30-13, 06:13 AM

Better not mention that just yet though.......

Ah, Vino, they'll have to drink it to the bitter dregs.
Well done, Sweep. :rock:
(In case you are wondering, I should explain that's what we call the 'Cox' on an Aussie Surf Lifesaving Boat.)

c13Garrison

08-30-13, 09:37 AM

By the way Vino, kudos on generating perhaps the most ostentatious name I've ever contemplated! :up:

...and always pull for Oxford.

in_vino_vomitus

08-30-13, 11:07 AM

Thanks guys :) - as for the name I had several ideas - but I thought it would be good to sign off as T.H. Thatsall-ffoulkes - Probably watched too many cartoons a a kid....

c13Garrison

08-30-13, 12:07 PM

LOL oh man I Missed that! Lol. Brilliant!

Armistead

08-31-13, 05:52 AM

For Bubble. I sent you two night envs, I like the last one better, here some SS.

Dark, no moon, taking out Kongo at about 1700 yards

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2013-08-30_163600_285_zps57dcc458.png

Escort screen wide here, shot at 1600 yards, actually had shot with sterns and was turning around to use bow torps, as one hit, I noticed something....lucky me, that circle runner missed by a foot. Here moon is just rising. You'll notice clouds only light near moon. Never like consistant cloud color at night.

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2013-08-31_061235_567_zps34b8911b.png

Lil later
http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/Armistead1424003/SH4Img2013-08-31_062052_442_zps69ad1b9f.png

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/Armistead1424004/SH4Img2013-08-31_042835_676_zps2a9bb222.png

Anyway, sent you two versions by email, the first one a lil darker, the second a lil brighter. Playing second one, if you don't make mistakes, you can get by a competent escort at about 1300 yards, vets....be more careful. Do think I'll change water to more black/green, looks too blue when moon is high.

fireftr18

08-31-13, 09:20 AM

Thanks guys :) - as for the name I had several ideas - but I thought it would be good to sign off as T.H. Thatsall-ffoulkes - Probably watched too many cartoons a a kid....
You could not have possibly watched too many cartoons. :D

c13Garrison

09-02-13, 05:40 PM

"Come on in and have a seat Solomon. I guess we won't be having dinner like we planned."

"No Sir, I don't suppose we will. I'll eat when I get to the boat."

"We're lucky submarines aren't high on the Japs' target list. And You're lucky your plane wasn't shot down."

"Yes Admiral, a the air is no place for a Navy man to die."

"Well its the ground that would've killed you son. ...now, the Narwhal's liberties have all been canceled and she's taking on provisions as we speak. You've read the docs on the crew?"

"Yes Sir, I'm thoroughly familiar with them. I can't wait to meet them."

"Good. Lieutenant Ryan is a great Exec, he'll have his own boat someday. You're in good hands."

"Actually Sir I've made the decision to transfer Lt. Ryan ashore."

"You've what?"

"Ryan deserves his own boat sir, and you can't tell me that in the next 5 weeks you wouldn't have a command to offer him."

The Admiral leveled his practiced 'are you giving me **** son?' gaze at Solomon for the space of 4 chews on his cigar.

"...you're just like your old man Solomon, but you know better than anyone if you sit in your own **** you're the one who'll have to clean it up. Alright, who's your XO then?"

"Digby Sir."

"Digby? A Limey?"

"He's made Olympia his home since 1934 Admiral Withers, and served underneath Ryan on the Narwhal for 15 months. The crew trusts him I'm sure, judging from what I've heard he's been popular at every post he's had."

The Admiral snorted.

"Alright. There's no safety net underneath you if this one falls through Solomon. I'm washing my hands of it."

"Yes Sir."

"Now, you'd better get going. You'll have orders cut by 1000 tomorrow. And adhere to my standing orders; Commanders are ordered to remain submerged during daylight hours when within 500 miles of a Japanese airbase, and you may not use more than two torpedoes against merchant ships. Save them for bigger whales."

"Yes Sir. And, thank you for the leg up, Sir. I appreciate it."

Admiral Withers snorted in derision. "You'd damn well better Solomon, I'll be around here a hell-uv-a-lot longer than you will be."

"Yes Sir", said Solomon, rising and snapping a sharp salute before exiting.

He'd known that wasn't going to go well, but it went better than he expected. His father had been Wither's first commander in the Navy, and getting this command was essentially cashing in all the chips his family had earned over 30 years. That, and bypassing a certain regulation.

He made his way towards the pier where Narwhal was tied up, frenzied emergency activity still going on at full speed all over the harbor despite the late hour. He rounded a corner and his first command hove into view. He was about 500 yards away yet, and saw there was some kind of gathering breaking up at the gangway, and then a duffel was tossed into a waiting jeep followed by its owner. The jeep soon raced by him in the dark, but he wasn't looking at it. That no longer had anything to do with him. He arrived at the gangway, a single sailor waiting for him, saluting smartly.

"Sir! Chief Petty Officer Hull Sir! Welcome aboard."

He returned the salute.

"Hull, you're my new Chief of the Boat. Kindly see that the crew is informed of your station and of Lieutenant Digby's promotion to Executive Officer. Where can I find him?"

"He's right here Sir, thank you Sir! Yes Sir!", and Hull turned to dart across the gangway, shouting down the hatch, and waiting for Digby to ascend before before he dropped down himself. Digby approached crisply and saluted, speaking with the unmistakably merry lilt of the Queen's English.

"Lieutenant Jr.Grade Benjamin Roderick P. Digby III, Sir. Welcome aboard."

"Digby, at ease. You're my new XO. I know everyone liked Ryan, but he needs to spread his wings and I need a clean slate. How's the boat?"

"We'll be ready to sail by dawn Sir."

"Digby, unless its a situation where you think chain of command needs to be reinforced, call me by name. We'll all be smelling pretty ripe by the end of the tour, and I don't think a commander should smell bad", and he cracked an easy smile and shook his hand.

"Yes Sir. Thank you, Solomon."

"Actually, I go by my middle name. Thor. Solomon is a bit ostentatious, don't you think?"

"Oh, of course Sir, clearly an Old Testament king is more ostentatious than a Norse god", he said with a chuckle, as they turned to board the boat.

Thor laughed, then asked, "So what does the 'P.' stand for? Its even just 'p.' in your file."

"Percival sir."

"Of course it does...", and with a wry smirk Lt.Cmndr Solomon Thor Hardin stepped onto his first command, the U.S.S. Narwhal.

in_vino_vomitus

09-03-13, 02:56 AM

Good stuff - Looking forward to reading more :)

p.s. just seen the post number - guess that confirms what every one of my exes says......

c13Garrison

09-03-13, 01:37 PM

The first patrol orders came in. We were to sail straight to Japan and seek out IJN targets off of the Bungo straits. I checked the charts and decided to make for the Kii Straits instead, thinking our best chance for traffic would require established shipping lanes. We cast off and started to make way, and I saw how irked the Admiral was with me. The band was three docks down, playing off newly promoted Lieutenant Commander Ryan. We circled Ford Island on the way out, checking out the wreck that had been made of the fleet.

The outbound was uneventful, fueling at Midway and then arriving on station on December 28th. We parked about 25 miles out to sea and waited, surfaced at night & periscope depth during the day.

Early on New Year's Day lookouts spotted sails to the south coming north, a line of 3 sampans. We submerged and went astride their line of travel, surfacing and engaging them with guns. They were destroyed with no complaint.

Two days later at 2130 on the 3rd sonar reported a merchant approaching from the north, and a quick plot showed it was bearing right down on us. I ordered back 2/3's and right rudder to set up a shot. It hove into view, a Hakusika Maru, on perfectly calm seas and with light fog. I opened tubes 1 & 2, setting the first for magnetic and the second for contact. At 1900 yards I fired both. The first blew premature, but the second ran true...

"500 yards...400...300...Impact, ...now!"

Thud.

Digby looked up over his glasses from the stop-watch he held.

"Bugger."

I looked at him deadpan.

"Alright. Surface the boat, stand by guns, independent fire & fire at will."

The boat surfaced and we swiftly began our robust engagement. They replied with AA guns only, and our hits came fast and sure at 1000 yards. She went down swiftly.

We were just restoring our station after the sinking when sonar reported a warship contact approaching at long range and medium speed.

"Periscope depth! Prepare tubes 3 & 4."

We waited until the small shadowy shape revealed itself, a patrol boat of some kind.

"Set 3 & 4 for magnetic detonation and running shallow...."

I watched the ship approach on a constant heading slightly to port, and fired both tubes at about 2200 yards. This time the first torpedo allowed me to believe in it for a full 12 seconds before it blew premature. ...I took a deep breath and watched the second fish continue to bear. The target didn't change course, so I thought I had a chance...but it ran through on past the target, too deep to trigger.

I looked at Digby and frowned.

"Digs, that thing's got a single 3" gun and a couple machine guns. We've got two 6"'ers and are four times her mass."

"Yes Sir, though we are a bit far from home to handle damage if things go awry."

"They won't go awry. Battle surface, stand by all weapons!"

We surfaced turning to starboard, both guns turning promptly into action. At about 1200 yards the minelayer started zigzagging and closing the range on a constant bearing. We were suddenly having a much tougher time on this small target pointing towards us than we did on the big freighter 20 minutes ago. It started scoring hits before we did, and soon Cob shouted up the hatch-

"Sir, forward bulkheads destroyed and the torpedo room is flooding!"

I frowned and watched the hits starting to fall for us, but she was still charging us down and now at 700 yards.

"All ahead Flank!"

There were now 3 large holes at our bows, and we'd hit the thing 5 or 6 times to no apparent effect, despite one of them clearly blowing up right in their bridge. The range was down to 400 yards.

"Crash dive!"

I cursed as we plummeted to the conning tower. How could that thing be so durable?

"Make your depth 150 feet, come left to 270 ahead 1/3."

"Aye Sir!"

The Jap was turning away to port as we too were going to starboard, so at least we didn't need to worry about depth charges as we dove for safety. We were turning through to our heading when Hull shouted out-

"The boat's not trimming Sir! Depth 160!"

"20 degree angle on forward planes."

Ordering to make for a shallower depth stopped our descent, but we were not rising. I ran forward to to the torpedo room, and it was a frightful mess. Killpatrick's party was desperately at work trying to shore up the bulkhead and there was a frightful amount of water standing as we were slightly bow-down, but it looked like given time they could manage it.

We made a large circle through 270 to 180, and held on at slow for about 20 minutes. Sonar had the Jap still circling where we dove, so I ordered periscope depth to see how she was faring.

"The damn thing's on an even keel and making 12 knots Digs, despite a good 10 percent of her hull missing and no bridge. ...we'd better let her go. We took a lot more damage than I wanted to. For the rest of the patrol our diving limit is 150 feet."

Digs looked at me with a quizzical spark in his eye.

"I'll change my definition of 'awry' accordingly Sir."

I smirked a bit and shook my head.

We started heading east, but in time we recovered from our damage and were navigable, so I took us up the coast towards Tokyo since we'd only fired 4 torps. We took station off Tokyo Bay on January 6th, and listened for traffic. There was none.

"Digs, Tokyo seems very sleepy. I don't think we can let a chance like that pass. I think we're going to push in tonight and look at Yokohama's anchorage."

Digby looked at me with hesitation.

"We can't dive past 150 feet sir. We'd be hard pressed to evade a dedicated attack."

"Well the harbor is only 120 feet deep, so that won't matter will it?", I said with a wry smile.

"Very good sir, with some due caution though" he chuckled.

That evening as dusk fell we headed into Tokyo Bay. The plot was 4 hours, and it was entirely unremarkable. Not a single contact on the way in, only a distant merchant as we took station.

"Alrighty, up scope depth 65, lets have a look."

I was shocked by what I saw. Dead ahead was a Fuso class battleship, and turning through 360 revealed an Ise class dead astern.

"Bingo Digs. ...set tubes 5 & 6 for magnetic and 20 feet."

We fired both tubes astern at about 1100 yards, and for once they worked perfectly. So perfectly in fact that the second torp was wasted. #5 detonated right underneath B turret and within 4 seconds a massive explosion ripped through the whole ship. Every porthole and hatch licked flames from inside, and the second torp probably combusted the only combustibles left as the after magazine blew.

Smiling to myself I circled round to consider the bow target. However, our torpedo performance was to regress to the mean.

#1; premature.
#2; detonated under after magazine, no relic fire, slight list to starboard and stern begun.
#3; premature.
#4; premature.

I was fuming silently as we waited for reloads. When #5 was ready I lined it up and fired.

"Circle runner!"

"All back depth 90!"

The fish was set for magnetic, so we had no idea if we could get far enough away before it passed. Sonar listened with riveted consternation on his face as it circled back...and missed our bows by about 30 yards. If we'd had forward momentum, we would have been sunk.

"Digby get these damn torpedoes torn apart before we kill ourselves!"

Digby glanced at me and made his way forward. We had a final moment of worry as the torpedo expended its propulsion and started to sink down towards us, but it exploded about 150 yards forward on the bottom and caused no damage. We went back up to 65 feet and lined up the next torpedo...

#6; premature.
#7; hit forward, but it must have been deep for only a small fire showed.

I was waiting for #8 to load, and contemplating my next shot, when the ship started listing noticeably faster to starboard and taking water by the bows. Before #8 was loaded she heeled over completely and started to settle to the bottom.

I was thinking about what next to shoot at when Sonar reminded me we had a merchant passing slowly astern. Tubes 5 & 6 were up, so I decided to fire. They were both premature.

With disgust I lined up on a Takao class cruiser anchored to the WSW. Turning the boat twice to use all remaining torps we had 4 more prematures and a single hit. It must have been deep though because it only started a small fire beneath the forward turret, though I doubt it was small to the folks in the turret. With our last torpedo's detonation on the way to target I cursed and lowered the scope.

"Set course for open ocean, depth 100 & ahead slow."

On the way out we finally did detect a warship under power, but it was moving slow and away from us, and no matter how hard it was listening it wasn't going to hear us. We made open ocean just as dawn was breaking, but with depleted batteries we could only wait for nightfall due to Admiral Wither's orders. Mid morning however sonar detected a merchant approaching from the south, so with no other contacts I used what battery power we had left to close to about 1800 yards, then ordered Battle Surface. It was a Hakusika Maru, and went down after about 20 rounds. We returned to periscope depth, and at nightfall surfaced to make our escape.

The return to Pearl via Midway was uneventful if lengthy, due to the requirement to run submerged during the day until we were 500 miles from Japan. Upon returning to Pearl I instructed Digby to load the stern tubes with Mk10s before we put to sea again, and both he & Chief Madison assured me they would get to the bottom of the torpedo issue. I frowned unhappily, but finally had my smile when I found out that Admiral Withers was finally actually having me over for dinner. I guess 85,000 tons paid the price of forgiveness.

in_vino_vomitus

09-03-13, 02:33 PM

Nice work, and well told :)

c13Garrison

09-03-13, 11:24 PM

"Maggie, would you get me a cup of coffee?"

"Yes Sir" replied the curvacious WAC as she got up from her desk.

Thor looked back down at the blank action report, and noticed his hand holding the pen trembling.

He looked out the window at the beautiful scenery of Hawaii, remembering how alien a thought that had so recently been. He took a breath and started to write as the clock struck 0900.
________________________
2nd War Patrol, USS Narwhal

Departed Pearl February 14, 1942, with orders for Bungo Straits again. Requested to watch the straits.

March 7, close to arriving on station, sighted convoy of junks and sampans heading south. Engaged on the surface at long range, action took 40 minutes and was successful but used most of our ammo. 6 ships sunk.

Arrived on station early morning of March 7, 15 miles south of southern narrows of Bungo Straits.
------------------------

He paused, looking out the window as the coffee was delivered. He didn't watch Maggie turn back towards her desk.

_________________
March 8, 1230 hours.
Sonar reports warships approaching at long range, bearing 330 at NW, heading ESE. At 8500 yards periscope sight shows a destroyer escorting a small old freighter. Concluding it must be a high value target, I decide to fire 3 at the freighter followed by one at the destroyer. Settings were shallow and magnetic.

As firing bearing approached noted many small guns on the freighter.

1302 at a range of 1800 yards fired a spread of three then slewed to shoot #4 at the destroyer. I immediately called downscope and set a heading of 240 & 200 feet at 1/3. 2 torpedoes exploded premature, 3rd ran deep of freighter and 4th ran astern of accelerating destroyer. Both ships began maneuvering, and destroyer started echo ranging at 1500 yards.

1308 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges, & sonar reports freighter Also closing. I reverse our turn, getting a bad feeling, and order 090 to make for the shallower shelf to our east in case depth control became an issue.

1310 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. I call battle-stations.
1312 destroyer lays a pattern of 12 depth charges. I order 220 feet, finding the thermal layer at 205.
1316 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1317 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges.
1321 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1323 destroyer drops a single depth charge.
1326 freighter lays a pattern of 6 depth charges.
1329 destroyer lays a pattern of 8 depth charges. We arrive over the shelf, I order a course of 155.
1332 destroyer lays a pattern of 12 depth charges. I order 250 feet, feeling for the bottom. Sonar reports floor close at 230 feet. I order 230.
1336 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1337 destroyer lays a pattern of 16 depth charges. Heavy damage forward, deck guns and periscopes destroyed. Forced deep to 247 feet.
1341 freighter lays a pattern of 8 depth charges.
1344 destroyer lays a pattern of 14 depth charges. Heavy damage forward and aft, bulkheads destroyed, diesels destroyed, batteries damaged, heavy flooding. Boat forced to the bottom at 255 feet, further damage from sea floor. At this point everyone stopped writing anything down, all hands were needed.

Many further attacks occur, then after 3 hours cease all together. Bulkhead repairs are made, and we are able to lift the boat from the sea floor. I order ahead at 1 knot, and we proceed ahead for the remainder of the day and into the night until batteries exhausted. We then wait until just before dawn and surface. There are no ships in sight. We set course for Midway, at our maximum economical speed of 4 knots after waiting out the bulk of the day submerged. I will not take the boat below 70 feet.

March 11th, mid afternoon, Sonar reports a merchant closing from the NE to the SW. It will pass close, so I conclude we will engage if it is unescorted. Periscope confirms it is solo, Kinposan Maru. I set all 4 tubes for shallow and contact and fire at 1800 yards. All 4 hit, all are duds. We turn through the east and south to bring stern tubes to bear. I fire 2 Mk10 torpedoes at 700 yards, both run true and detonate. The ship begins listing and slowing, turning away. Bringing bow tubes to bear, I fire our first reload when target is nearly stationary at 1000 yards. Set for contact, the torpedo strikes and explodes, causing a cargo explosion that destroys the ship. We resume course for Midway, arriving Pearl on April 19th.

Request additional liberty for all crew.
S.Thor Hardin
-------------

Thor looked up, finishing just as Digby entered the office. Maggie looked up with a smile and immediately asked if he'd like some tea. That damned Digby was all charm. He watched her exit and turn down the hall.

"That Maggie, she sure is Celtic United..."

"Hm?"

"Nothing Sir" Digby chuckled. "Here are the master casualty reports for you to sign off on."

Thor looked at the list of 30 names who would receive the Purple Heart, and signed as he said, "Digby, not another Mk14 ever gets loaded on my boat. Understood?"

"Understood, Sir."

Digby saluted crisply and turned just as Maggie brought him his tea. ...damn Mk14s.

(( In a curious note, after this mission where we barely survive, 2 of my engineers picked up the 'Damage Control' special ability, and my torpedo chief became a 'Torpedo Expert', all three abilities appropriate considering what the boat had been through.))

in_vino_vomitus

09-04-13, 02:44 AM

I suspect you have a Time Lord in your crew...........

Nicely told as usual - Congrats on passing the DYSHAP test

[The DYSHAP test is a test I apply when climbing, to see if my tactics for dealing with a particular problem are correct - it's an acronym for Do You Still Have A Pulse?]

c13Garrison

09-04-13, 04:51 AM

DYSHAP will become an acronym I use often, thank you- and thank you, though I think my two tales about penetrating Truk were rather more exciting. Patrols where either too much or nothing happened will most likely get dealt with by action report. I think I will log them all though, at least as long as I last.

I'm certainly not going up against Bungo Pete again, at least not without first class torpedoes.

in_vino_vomitus

09-04-13, 06:10 AM

It's not so much what happens as the style in which the tale is told - Joni Mitchell could sing you her laundry list and have you in tears.....

c13Garrison

09-04-13, 08:19 AM

"This is... small."

"Yes Sir. Too small."

July 19, 1942, they are close to pulling alongside the submarine tender at Midway. Digby and Thor stand at the rail on the bridge. Sailors are in the midst of deck preparations, and 2/3's the crew had found an excuse to be on the hull. He glances at the patrol report, which had just been typed up before coming topside.

______
Patrol 3

Depart May 8
May 14 join submarine cordon off Midway
June 6th depart for Tokyo
June 20 Kiposan Maru by torpedo
June 22 Heito Maru by guns @0400
June 22 Kasagian Maru by torpedo @1423
June 22 Kasusika Maru by guns @1600
June 23 Akira Maru by torpedo @0500
June 23 Heito Maru by torpedo @0530
June 24 Zinbu Maru by guns @0200
June 24 Nagara Maru by torpedo @1020
Rebase to Midway on July 15
Arrive Midway July 19
--------------------

"I hope we can have more patrols like this. ...the crew needed this one after Bungo."

"True sir, but Midway can't quite serve as a proper surrogate for Hawaii."

"No argument there."

Thor and Digby watched the approach resignedly.

"...Rotten luck getting the rebase order as we were about to tie up at Pearl sir."

"Yeah, somebody somewhere could have managed that better."

They listened disinterestedly to the seagulls as the engines were killed and lines began to be tossed.

"Maggie works at Pearl", Digby stated obviously.

Thor sighed. "Yup. Maggie does."

JoeCorrado

09-14-13, 09:17 AM

Contact! Warship moving slow, closing!

Near Marcus Island on the morning of March 1, 1942 - I wasn't expecting this. The Flying Dutchman! :) I tried to get closer, maybe even along side- she simply disappeared as I just did come into visual range of her, only to reappear a short time later in a new position. I took it as a good omen!

http://webpages.charter.net/joecorrado1/JollyRoger.jpg

fireftr18

09-14-13, 08:54 PM

Contact! Warship moving slow, closing!

Near Marcus Island on the morning of March 1, 1942 - I wasn't expecting this. The Jolly Roger! I tried to get closer, maybe even along side- she simply disappeared as I just did come into visual range of her, only to reappear a short time later in a new position. I took it as a good omen!

http://webpages.charter.net/joecorrado1/JollyRoger.jpg

Arrrh! So ye found ye old Flying Dutchman! Now ye have a ghost of a tale for the kiddies! :arrgh!:

Bubblehead1980

09-16-13, 11:47 PM

TMO RSRD USS Tirante-Tench class. 100 realism, contacts on, cams off.

First patrol, assigned to the Area 12- Yellow Sea...which means littoral operations as Japanese avoid deep waters now.

While in extreme southern part of Area 12 West of Quelpart Island on March 2, 1945, convoy shows up on radar.After tracking into deeper waters and with convoy being out of area at nightfall and moderately choppy seas, decided on a submerged attack.Dove off the projected path on the 3 ship, 4 escort convoy.Soon I had 3 small HARUNA MARU tankers with a DE, two Type C escorts and an aux subchaser escorting.I fired 6 Mark 18's from 3,000 yards, three each to the leading tankers.4 hits, one tankers exploded in a fireball, obviously full of fuel, the other listed and was burning, the aux subchaser was on me, I went "deep" to 290 feet, dropping decoys along the way.

The aux subchaser attacked decoys, as did two others escorts but the DD(judging by sound, external cam was off) made an accurate run, but charges were set too shallow, they exploded above, causing minor damage to deck area and conning tower(sonar stack) . The DE then made a follow up run which was much more accurate, caused minor damage in engine rooms but damaged after torpedo room, causing mild flooding, forcing us to use more speed to stay off bottom.Making noise, the others came in.

dropping several sets of decoys at 200 feet, I then went back to 270 while DC party when to work.They began to launch an intense assault on the noise makers while I departed area at flank speed.Using the decoys and disturbances of depth charge explosions(thank you thedarkwraith for this excellent mod) to slip away.Making maybe 7,000 yards, attempted to slow but not enough water pumped out yet, still had to keep speed up, apparently this helped the DE find me again, as closed in and launched an attack but used my final set of decoys at 220 feet to fool him and went back deep, managed to slip away again, shaken, some damage but nothing too major.spent rest of day evading persistent escorts and planes, surfaced after dark, one tanker sunk, other possibly sunk(it later went down but did not get credit as it was well out of contact but a grey "ship sunk": marker appeared along its path about 100 miles away)

tirante then darted across the Yellow Sea to the coast of China since other side was stirred up.Soon learned 3 stern torpedo tubes were not repairable at sea, down to just one stern tube , but plenty of stern torpedoes in reserve.

After a few days of nothing but planes off the coast of China, headed to coast of Korea, dodged a few planes and began running into fishing ships and sampans.Used the Tirante's twin 5 inch deck guns and 40 MM to sink 16 of them in 3 attacks.Encountered a patrol of armed tug and aux subchaser, attempted to attack but Mark 18 missed due to target slowing during the torpedo run.

Moved back to China coast, further north of Qingdao when detected a convoy. Four ships, 5 escorts running maybe 5,000 yards off the coast, would have to wait until night to attack.One escort has radar, could get tricky.Tracked convoy from 10 miles throughout day, as it rounded the shantung promotory(think thats it) and headed for Darien.Attacked after moonset. Fired six Mark 18's from 2100 yards, while turning away, escorts spotted me, all missed as we ran under fire.Soon lost the escorts in the dark, except the radar equipped one who closed in fast and kept track of me, tried a Mark 28 homing fish out the stern tube, it tracked but even at 19 knots couldnt catch the subchaser making 19. Soon managed to pulled away, then using cover of night, headed back to the convoy while the SC dropped depth charges, guess he lost contact and though we pulled the plug.

Back in, I fired last six forward Mark 18's at a large troopship and medium merchant, troopships took 3 hits, 3 others missed the zigging merchant as it slowed.Then a spotlight, an escort standing guard on opposite side spotted me, the pursuit was on again and I fired a Mark 28 homing fish out at the escort, it bypassed it but locked onto the medium merchant I just missed, hitting her stern.0550-the large troopship-KITRUIN MARU sank. outran the Type C escort and avoided the radar equipped SC, now back on scene hunting for me.

What to do? Out of bow torpedoes with one working external tube but plenty of torpedoes, I doubled back to finish off the medium merchant, dodging escorts and backed down to 2000 yards on an AKITA MARU.Fired one Mark 18, which finished off the ship, which went under at 0610. Two ships left, escorts hunting, ordered single tube reloaded, we had a chance to get one more before dawn and convoy reached port.

Trouble though, we soon had an SD contact flying in.only 70 feet below keels, we chose to go all stop and keep slim profile to the radar equipped night flier.Plane circled in but was not aware of us, then left area.Soon we noticed an escort was stationary, listening and was standing in our way to the convoy, so we backed down on the Type C escort to 3,000 yards, fired one Mark 18, which hit and caused a massive explosion, we then sped to other side of convoy while an escort arrived on scene to investigate. Backing down on the last merchants,we now had one more Mark 28 homer loaded in tube.Fired at the lead ship, torpedo hit and ship quickly began to sink the small troopships, TYOHEI MARU(looked larger in TBT in the dark), torpedo being reloaded and knowing wouldnt have time to get in another torpedo attack before final ship reached port and with escorts scattered hunting me, we turned and for a broadside shot from the twin 5 inch deck guns and 40 MM.The 5 inch guns scored immediately hits with first salvo, starting a fire, more hits, 40 MM scored hits then.The freighter returned fire with light machine guns, scored few hits, one crewmen on watch wounded.Soon though shell splashes, the radar equipped escort was back! AHEAD EMERGENCY we ran away, showed him our stern and lobbed few more rounds at the merchant, setting it afire.

After a long chase, we lost the escort and soon the merchant exploded, just 10 miiles from port! An entire convoy sunk, we were a proud ship.

Sailed south to the coast of Korea for some more hunting, still had a few fish left in stern, fuel at 45 percent.Next few days were nothing but a few planes.Ran into a convoy of sampans, went for Battle Surface.To my surprise, they opened fire with machine guns. Closed in and made quick work of them with 40 MM guns(seas were too rough for deck guns) .Back to the coast of the china, radar contact made at 1800, smoke on horizon, ordered ahead flank and closed to investigate, soon we had a small coastal freighter with 4 small patrol boats as escorts, maybe 4,000 yards off the coast, we were tracking and pulling ahead when an SD contact forced us to dive in the shallows.Plane spotted us at scope depth and dropped some close bombs, we surfaced to find one pip closing fast and his radar trained on us, ahead flank we went, outran the escort, forced to dive briefly for the plane again.Surfaced attempting end around, a patrol arrived and forced us to take long way around.The convoy made a sharp turn and entered port at Qingdao, we lost this one.Clearing the area, heading back to extreme southern end of patrol area to finish off last few days of patrol(fuel was getting low and been at sea for 40 days now, time to head home soon. On the final night, planning to leave area at midnight, radar contact, we had a westbound convoy running north of quelpart island. Two contacts with 5 escorts, two of which had radar.Decided to take out one escort, then go after one of the merchants with remaining Mark 18 torpedoes(down to four I believe, one in tube, three reserve) .Closing in on radar signal expecting to get close like did on last radar escort(adjusted radar so its possible sometimes, releasing it as a mod soon) at 5000 yards of so, the escort detected me, here we go again! Problem is, this was not just a escort, this was a DE or DD, it was closing at 30 knots or so for at 20 I was not pulling away, it was overtaking me.Time for a down the throat shot.Also, being in shallow waters, ordered aft deck gun and 40 MM manned in case we were in a bind.

The escort began to zig at 3,000 yards making a down the throat shot difficult but after plotting him at 26.5 knots, the pursuer(now identified an Otori/Tomozuru torpedo Boat) continued to overtake him, firing star shells and machine guns in my area.Deciding to chance it, I timed the shot and fired Mark 18 at 1,500 yards while gun crews stood by.The ship's spotlight came on, illuminating the Tirante, just then Mark 18 hit the escort broadside as it turned to adjust.I ordered the aft five inch gun to open fire and 40 MM opened fire.The ship exploded and caught fire from bow to stern, she was finished. What a close one!

The other escorts rushed and slowed to investigate their burning friend, in but Tirante was long gone.Reloading the tube, closed in on the now lightly protected merchants(port side was left open, on escort aft, one on starboard side) we back down to 1800 yards, we have TWO large tankers, NIPPON MARU class.Set one mark 18 for 12 feet and would aim under her stack, hopefully she is full fuel and will blow up easily.Fired Mark 18, missed ahead. Pulled away to reload and plotted speed again, we had speed correct, mustve been a gyro error.Backed down again, fired once more, missed.Speed changed during the run, ah! Final torpedo, backed down on target again and fired.Torpedo took a hard jog to port, CIRCLE RUN! Ahead flank, we sped away just barely avoiding the torpedo.Sent a last contact report and left area, then headed for Guam with 21,000+ tons down.

This was an exciting fun patrol and was also testing out some mods. One is a rework of enemy radar.I adjusted the minimum height for the Type 21 and 22 radars so that they dont automatically pick you up.Profile has a lot to do with it, as I found out, sometimes can get extremely close, sometimes can not, all depends on your angle as well as skill of the enemy.Noticed once alerted by others, their radar does help them locate you.May try adjusting couple more things before release.Of course, Armistead's darker nights is a vital role in this also, the darker nights with TMO visuals by tater for RSRD makes for a challenging yet realistic simulation of night surface attacks.

I also adjusted depth charges so they damage in a manner more consistent with history.No more death blows from far away as in RL they had to be fairly close to cause a "death blow" but they will cause damage to build up, leading to sub becoming a true death trap.

Also adjusted my torpedo mod as be more accurate for late war torpedoes.While the major problems were solved in 43(duds ,prematures and always running deep) US submarine torpedoes still had issues such as running deeper than set(Mark 18 and 14 but not usually by much as opposed to the minimum 10-12 feet by early Mark 14's in 42) gyro errors and circle runs.The Mark 18 seemed to be the most prone to gyro errors and circle runs in later war, this mod reflects it.Still a low chance but it does happen as it did in RL.All these changes are meant to create a challenge via some realism but also give player a chance.

c13Garrison

09-23-13, 07:39 PM

The previous 3 patrols had been a mixed bag, low risk low reward, some time on station off Japan as well as down in the slot. We'd sunk a few destroyers, been first hand wittness to the annihilation of Scott's squadron, and seen the demise of a battleship and a cruiser. Unfortunately that encounter had lost us most all our gun crews. Now with replacement and resupply, we head out to patrol between Davao & Tulagi.

Just about to pass south of Tulagi on March 16, flash traffic informs us of a convoy inbound from Rabaul. We elect to divert and lay in wait for it.

With only 5 hours to arrive on station, we spent all day of the 17th & 18th watching Mobi patrol boats fruitlessly guard Tulagi. With sunset on the 18th we began to realize we'd missed yet another convoy intercept. At 2230 a patrol appeared on radar, so we elected to engage given we'd been in the blind so long anyway. I fired 2 torpedoes at 4000 closing yards with a 1 degree starboard offset, bracketing the target so if it accelerated slow or fast I should get a hit. The ship must've been asleep though for it barely accelerated at all. #1 struck it in the bows, removing everything but the railings. We set course south and deep to be clear of the zone before more help came to look.

Sonar kept tracking the target though, and after a single zig-zag it seemed to stay on course to the SW. I decided to return to periscope and finish her. An awful waste, 3 torps for a boat less than half my tonnage, but it looked to be another dead quiet cruise. Plus, it was the completeness of the thing. I fired 1 more at 3000 trailing yards, and this one barely hit as well, right in the fantail. For all I know the Mobi's wake had set it off. It did do some damage though for she slowed to 6 knots and stayed there. She must have had no hint of us, for she stayed on course.

I figured she'd sink eventually, so when she slipped from sonar I raised speed to 2/3s and came to radar depth to track her. We'd engaged in this for about 5 minutes, the Mobi limping SW (drawing due S of Tulagi) while we held on south. It was 2310.

"Con! Radar surface contacts bearing 306! Many vessels heading 270!"

I looked at Digsby, slightly surprised.

"Even a blind squirrel can find its nuts?", he opined with sublime humor.

"Indeed so. Helm surface and ahead full, plot a track and submerge at 1500 yards on track. Battlestations torpedo."

The boat bustled into activity as we closed the range. We submerged and came all stop to 45* off their track. As the convoy hove into view we saw there were 2 columns of merchants bearing east, apparently escorted only by 2 minesweepers. One was returning from a probe out to the north, the other was on a constant heading west passing us 1500 yards to the south.

I took bearings on 4 merchants, marking their range, and decided to try one fish at each. As the firing bearings came on, I shot at the most distant targets first. When the 4th fish was away the range was 1200 yards.

"Downscope! Make your depth 300 feet ahead slow set course 180."

We listened as we gained depth...

As the chronometer ticked off the seconds, the satisfying and unprecedented sound of 4 torpedo impacts echoed through the boat over the course of 25 seconds. Digby echoed my smug look.

"At 300 feet come right to 270. We'll want to be in position to pick off stragglers."

The lead minesweeper made a half-hearted attempt at finding us, but never came closer than 1500 yards. Slow and quiet had won again. Over the next 15 minutes we heard 2 of the ships break up and sink, meaning 2 others were limping along above.

"Digby, all stop and make your depth 65 feet. Those escorts are way off base, and there were sonar tracks that we're not seeing anymore- let's give the stern tubes some work."

As the boat came up I swept through 140-220. There, 3900 yards behind us was a maru dead in the water, heading 190 and listing to starboard. I continued my sweep, looking for other contacts-

-and realized we were alongside the 4th maru now 120 yards off our beam!

"Flood 5 & 6! Fire 5! Fire 6-"

I was barely able to get the two fish off at the distant contact before the periscope was blasted all to hell. Small caliber rounds amazingly found the conning tower 25 feet under the water causing casualties and damage.

"Depth 250 course 315 ahead slow!"

We slowly descended, but we could hear the minesweepers barrelling in. Over the next 90 minutes they were tenacious, forcing the boat up and down between 200 & 250 feet. Two sets were terribly close, and for the second time our gun crews were hammered. I had the gunners themselves moved to the after battery for treatment, but the 8 loaders...there was nothing to do.

Eventually we shook them, by slowly drawing away. When we were able to surface I plotted an end-around to try to get in front of the convoy as it turned north around Tulagi making for the anchorage. However they continued on 270, apparently heading for Davao. I got in position to fire 4 fish at long range, as frequent air search was hampering my efforts. Unfortunately all 4 missed, though we were able to escape detection entirely. After 3 days on station to satisfy HQ we headed back to Midway, finally no longer Convoy-virgins.

"Its going to be hard to find volunteers to service our guns Captain."

"Well Digby, its a good thing we don't have a volunteer Navy then."

"Indeed sir. Oh, you might be interested in the berthing asignment memo for our docking today- it ends, 'New paperwork waiting your signature - M.'

"M?"

"M Sir."

Digby smiled, and for a short moment I allowed myself to as well.

Sturmvogel

10-10-13, 10:27 PM

i had feeling that i must share these old pics from my patrols :ping:
Playing v1.4 with mod goodies

http://imageshack.us/a/img43/8509/sz9s.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img89/9854/qno5.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img853/9449/mszj.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img13/7393/endp.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img690/1289/7gl3.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img29/2552/x78w.jpg
Enjoy :D

ETR3(SS)

10-18-13, 08:47 AM

What's a short range fighter doing all the way out here?

SnipersHunter

10-18-13, 10:31 AM

@Sturmvogel with which mods do you play ?:06:

fireftr18

10-18-13, 06:28 PM

ETR, I think it came from a small island, er large aircraft carrier. :haha:

Just don't follow it. You'll sucked right in and have to escape. :O:

Sturmvogel

10-19-13, 04:56 AM

@Sturmvogel with which mods do you play ?:06:

I just noticed it was v1.5 and some cwss stuff... + few standalones...

i really like to play us mission with old uss seawolf http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/USS_Seawolf_(SSN-575).jpg

kinda wicked looking sub...

soviet Hotel class is beatiful too :D

just now im playing with v1.5 with omegu etc and with VIIC

v1.4 enviromental mods are better looking like the water, i like it more... but i now like to play with germany

Sandeu

10-19-13, 05:43 PM

A long time SH3 player, I have just recently took the plunge into the Pacific. This is a quick pic taken during my first mission in a Narwhal.

:Kaleun_Wink:Resupply at sea.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii284/Sacktime/c485af6a-f338-45b9-b368-97e18a72e0e7.jpg (http://s267.photobucket.com/user/Sacktime/media/c485af6a-f338-45b9-b368-97e18a72e0e7.jpg.html)

ZAGOR64BZ

10-22-13, 12:12 PM

I ask forgiveness for posting this here(was made with Sh3) but before attempting to do one with Sh4 I wanna know what you old sea rats think of it....keep in mind that was my first try and I'm italian..so be nice:salute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JQRYvqB07Pw

Armistead

10-26-13, 12:20 AM

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-19_225209_937.jpg

Admiral Halsey

11-09-13, 07:14 PM

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-19_225209_937.jpg

Did someone set off the Baker Test a few years early?

merc4ulfate

12-18-13, 08:47 PM

February 1942

Position:
300 miles North by North-East of the Gilbert islands.

Plane spotted, crash dive. I stay outside on the bridge watching as the plane comes in. It is a Kawanishi H6K Mavis. The aircraft is coming at me low and level. It can not be more than 100 feet off the surface of the ocean. At an estimated 500 yards the Mavis suddenly pulls up and away from us and a curious splash is observed in the water.

We are heading down I grab the hatch on my way below and dog her down.

The Mavis. It didn't shoot at us with any guns. It was too far away for any sort of bombing run when she pulled up and besides what hit the water did not explode. What came off the aircraft??:timeout:

In a odd panicked hunch I head for the sonar and grab the head phones. Turning the direction I point the heads on the bearing of the air craft.

I could not believe what I heard. High speed screws bearing 270.

That wonderfully curious splash had been a torpedo the Mavis had sent my way. Panic increased within me knowing the speed of the incoming fish. Was it set for contact detonation? Magnetic? How deep was it set?

Dive ... come on dive faster. I listened. Turning the heads to follow my predator. 280 ... 290 ... 300 The Mavis tried leading me ... will it hit the bow? Am I deep enough to be under it?

I lost it!

No sound.

I spin the heads around and pick it up on the other side.

We dodged under it.

What a sigh of relief. I did not surface again until later that evening. Since then I have had four more Mavis's come at me all lunching torpedoes at me all giving me a rush as we dove not know if we would get under fast enough.

It is easy enough being the one who fires torpedoes. It is all together different when the fish are on their way to my dwelling under the sea.

:lurk:

================

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
1_TriggerMaru_Overhaul_2-5
1_TMO_25_small_patch
RSRDC_TMO_V502
RSRDC_V5xx_Patch1
Traveller Mod v2.6 TMO
#1 Real Environment mod install
Traveller Mod 2.6 Patch 1 - ISE v3 Patch
#4 Warships retextured
Traveller Mod 2.6 No Midway Transfer
Traveller Mod 2.6 No DC Camera Shake
Traveller Mod 2.6 Larger Search Patterns
Traveller Mod 2.6 Harder Enemy AI Escorts
Traveller Mod 2.6 Automatic Ship ID
Traveller Alternate Main Loading Screens
Convoy Routes TMO+RSRD
tambor198's TMO+RSRDC missions pack

=================

Paladin132

01-04-14, 12:15 AM

August 1942

After a successful command of the USS Gar I was transferred to bring a new boat up to speed - the USS Triton. My first patrol is up in the north east Pacific with orders to go there and standby for orders. I figure this has something with the Aleutian campaign that recently completed but I am a bit miffed. I had four good patrols, with my last one culminating in stumbling into the IJN Kido Butai on its way into Midway after a emergency resupply at Midway when I thought my patrol was over and I was on my way back to Pearl.

Put back to sea and went directly to the area and received a radio message to engage enemy merchant shipping. I set a course north and began patrolling the southern part of the islands. All the way to Dutch, where I refueled and came back down then patrolled eastern EURASIA and down into Japan, with no contact. Finally arriving outside of the Uraga Channel where I begin patrolling.

Luckily I arrive as a convoy has formed up and is traveling south, just at daybreak. I am in perfect position and set up an attack on a tanker and a mid-sized freighter.

Up to this point I have not had many problems with the Mk 14 and have managed to swing having mostly Mk 10s onboard. Karma caught up with me this trip though. I fired four torpedoes at the tanker and two at the freighter and then punched it up to standard speed and threw in full right rudder to bring the stern tubes to bear to finish off the freighter.

KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM! Way to early. Nothing I can do so I save exposing the scope until I am nearly on my new heading and then look. Sure enough, two torpedoes detonated prematurely on the way to the tanker, one went deep under it and another was a dud! One detonated on the freighter and the other blew right out of the tube! I spin the scope and line up the tanker and put four fish out the stern tubes at her (COMSUBPAC has stressed tankers need priority) and order a dive and standard speed for crush depth. As the scope goes under I see the destroyer heading straight in with a doggone for me.

I rig for silent running once I pass the thermal layer and drop down to two knots. I thought she had us with echo ranging but she broke off to our port beam and finally I hear a detonation from the tanker. Just one. Sonar thinks two others were duds and one just dropped off (another deep runner I think).

An hour passes and I hear nothing finally so I creep up to periscope depth. Sure enough, that tanker is still there, creeping along with a small fire on deck. I have reloaded two tubes so I close to within 800 yards and let her have both of those tubes and a third that was reloaded while maneuvering.

One detonated. It was enough.

Returned to Pearl and while I was talking it over with the skipper of another boat one of the "investigators" from BuOrd was there... Good thing I am going back to see tomorrow... I broke the @%$@%'s jaw I think.

Admiral Halsey

01-04-14, 12:47 AM

Returned to Pearl and while I was talking it over with the skipper of another boat one of the "investigators" from BuOrd was there... Good thing I am going back to see tomorrow... I broke the @%$@%'s jaw I think.

We've all wanted to do that more then once. Those supposedly "perfect" torps once gave me a dry patrol when not a single one worked.

merc4ulfate

01-13-14, 09:22 PM

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/SH4Img2004-02-19_225209_937.jpg

Oh hell and I thought it was bad the other day when the waves were crashing over the periscope ... this has that beat by a mile. I was just reading yesterday about the Barb having her 20mm sheilding blown off the boat in a storm. She could not even keep her depth at 120 feet the waves were so bad.

Armistead

01-13-14, 11:15 PM

Well, you can make them big as you want, but you have to find balance within reason or it effects too many aspects of game play. Wish there was a way to connect large wave patterns to storms only....

Sailor Steve

01-13-14, 11:33 PM

It would be greatly appreciated if in the future you would edit out the picture when quoting, especially when yours is the very next post. There is really no reason to have the same picture three posts in a row.

Cybermat47

01-14-14, 02:24 PM

Japanese Submarine I-15, Batavia Harbour, 3rd of June 1943
http://cloud-4.steampowered.com/ugc/685971940344221047/DCD51FCCA9E9FC98BE8F16CEE95668FB98D0AD13/

fireftr18

01-14-14, 09:33 PM

Nice screen shot!:up:

OldWulf85

01-15-14, 08:37 AM

Nice ! :up:

HertogJan

01-19-14, 06:05 PM

Got bombed 250Nm south of Wake, planes never made it home tho :arrgh!:

Hanging over railling to check the damage. O.M.G :nope:
Had to rotated crew's to keep repairs going, flodding in torpedo room was still 80% when I docked at Pearl.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1337x836q90/706/k7u7.jpg

Almost there, just a few hours more :yeah:

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1338x836q90/827/gy7m.jpg

Love the sunrise over Hawaii, very clear skies :sunny:
Only which I didn't have the same weather near Wake :shifty:

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1336x836q90/812/pke0.jpg

So glad I made it.... :woot:

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1339x836q90/89/q1zj.jpg

Gonna buy a round or two for the guy's :Kaleun_Cheers:

fireftr18

01-19-14, 07:38 PM

Pictures didn't open. :wah:

HertogJan

01-20-14, 04:42 AM

Pictures didn't open. :wah:

Do you mean mine?

fireftr18

01-20-14, 09:18 AM

Do you mean mine?
Yes, and I didn't know what you did. They show up now. :salute:

HertogJan

01-20-14, 11:41 AM

:o I didn't do anything :D

Admiral Lutjens

01-23-14, 12:05 PM

July, 1943. Operation 'Monsun' has begun.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRoJ0QzVpBym1qjTu9uOKNTW0HoSSNbA QZQe3X1OcC9-Jf1Vgpt

My name is Oberleutnant zur See Karl Junack. I have just been placed in command of Type IXC/40 U-Boat U188.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg223/satrack/perfiles/u-178.jpg

High Command has ordered myself and other U-Boats to Penang in the Far East to assist our Japanese allies in the current struggle. This war has been taking a toll on myself, and my family. In May of 1941, my brother Heinz served aboard the great battleship Bismarck and was killed when the British overwhelmed her. I have never been able to get over this as Heinz and I were not only brothers, but best friends as well.

I have vowed revenge. I have been allowed to hand-pick my crew, and I know that they would stand with me until the end. I will not rest until I find the the HMS King George V, and the HMS Rodney. Our comrades in U81 sank HMS Ark Royal and the Japanese sank HMS Dorsetshire. I will follow my orders to the fullest, but shall I have the opportunity to encounter these ships...I will do whatever it takes to destroy them.

Now it's time to take matters into my own hands, and we will succeed or die trying.

fireftr18

01-23-14, 05:05 PM

Admiral Lutjens, nice intro. I'm looking forward to reading your patrol reports. :salute:

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 07:32 PM

Post edited for updated story.

1 July, 1943

We depart Lorient, France en route to Penang via refueling in the Indian Ocean.

http://i41.tinypic.com/oi50zm.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 07:56 PM

Traversing the Bay of Biscay is always a harrowing affair for any U-boat coming out of her pen. At 18:12 hours, a Bristol Beaufighter caught us completely by surprise and we were damaged from a couple of near-misses, and injuries sustained. Thankfully, no major injuries and the damage is repairable.

http://i39.tinypic.com/10gad88.jpg

At 18:14, the Beaufighter perhaps thought he'd try to finish us off with some small-arms fire by swinging around and making another run at us. Again, a few hits were scored but nothing major and no injuries. My brave men stood tall in this hail of fire and and unleashed a furious barrage and made him pay....

http://i41.tinypic.com/2s8few0.jpg

.....the ultimate price.

http://i42.tinypic.com/kb3toh.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 08:15 PM

I decided it would be safer to submerge until nightfall, when we could surface once again and get away from those ever-deadly British air patrols. Where is our air cover?

http://i43.tinypic.com/2eg8c20.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 08:30 PM

Just after dawn the men, including myself, were awoke from sleep with the battle stations bell sounding. Radar picked up another aircraft on the horizon. This time, it's a Short Sunderland flying boat. We scored several hits on this low, slow flying aircraft that I witnessed personally. Yet, as our Luftwaffe brethren have - somewhat appropriately - dubbed this aircraft the 'flying porcupine' for it's notorious difficulty to bring down even after suffering tremendous damage. Regardless, she was brought down and crashed right into our bow! Unfortunately, two of our bow tubes were completely destroyed in this action and many man below deck injured. It's a long way to Penang.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2jeyeme.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/2mr6udi.jpg

I've decided that enough is enough, and that we are going to get out of this God-forsaken bay at top speed. I ordered the engines to flank speed and we are going to make a run for our first navigational point. Let's hope that we're able to find our milch cow as petrol is as precious as blood...

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 08:58 PM

We are inching closer to Cape Ortegal, Spain, and run into a rain squall. We are making good progress until we suddenly find ourselves in the midst of an allied task force supported by air cover! The aircraft, I know not how many, seemed to be attacking us in waves. One can hardly see 100 meters in these conditions, yet somehow there was a furious exchange of fire. The U-boat was again riddled with bullets, and we were at least able to hit a few aircraft because I saw smoke from one that passed over us. I do not know if we brought him down, but I'm not in a position to care about that right now. My focus is getting my U-boat and most importantly my men.....my brethren....to Penang. What a black day - literally. Men, including myself, were wounded. I took shrapnel in the side, but the medics say we will be all right. It's time to submerge and see how far our batteries can take us....

http://oi41.tinypic.com/2zq61wy.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 09:11 PM

Once again, we submerge until nightfall. When we resurface, we see the storm clouds behind us and a bright crescent moon. We are now 188km due north of Cape Ortegal. 1144km to our first navigational point in the Mid Atlantic. It seems like we've only just begun...

http://i42.tinypic.com/2v1p55x.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 09:54 PM

8 July, 1943

We have reached the first task of our mission, and that was to poise for our breakout into the Atlantic between the Azores and the Canary Islands. Now, we are proceeding to the mid-Atlantic to rendezvous with our milch cow. Let's hope he's still there...

http://i42.tinypic.com/2na7ccg.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 10:17 PM

Around midday, radar and lookouts spotted a torpedo bomber on the far distant southern horizon. He had to have seen us, since the weather conditions and visibility were absolutely perfect. One of the lookouts mentioned that it didn't look like any British torpedo bomber he'd ever seen and suggested that it might be an American Grumman TBF Avenger. How could it be?

Well, a short time later we got our answer. We were pounced on by two low-flying American F4F Wildcat fighter-bombers, coming from the northeast low and fast. We were strafed with minor damage, but we brought one of those bastards down. If there's American aircraft prowling about these waters, no doubt there's a carrier nearby. A so-called 'hunter/killer' group. No injuries to report. It's time to submerge again.

http://i44.tinypic.com/oqlmvb.jpg

On to the milch cow..

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 10:38 PM

11 July, 1943

It's a beautiful morning and by the grace of God, we've reached our milch cow in the mid-Atlantic and were able to take on fuel and provisions, as well as treat some of the wounded. The first - and probably most dangerous - part of our journey is over. Now it's time to turn southeast towards the Cape of Good Hope, and hope that it stays true to its word....

http://i41.tinypic.com/357rdj7.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-25-14, 11:40 PM

17 August, 1943

It's been a long, stinky, harrowing month-and-a-half at sea. No sooner do we pass the Cape of Good Hope do we spot a PBY Catalina.

Battle stations......!

http://i43.tinypic.com/25pojnb.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 12:05 AM

We are ready, and well aware of the Catalina's lack of speed. Besides that, Catalinas are absolutely deadly to a U-boat. The flying boat came in with guns blazing, but to our amazement, missed with every shot! However...the same could not be said about our brave, young gunners...the oldest of whom is a mere 19 years old. We scored some hits and watched as the Catalina flew out of gun range.

http://i44.tinypic.com/25k0xh4.jpg

No sooner do I retire back to the command room, than one of the gunners bursts down the ladder and says "Captain, Captain...he went down! The Catalina went down!" and everybody in the command room and top deck cheered wildly as for the first time I can remember, a smile slowly creeped onto my face. This is our fourth aircraft victory. The hunters have become the hunted. I will plead with High Command that my crew be heavily decorated for their bravery. I don't care about receiving awards. My crew are the ones that deserve them.

http://i40.tinypic.com/2zxxezd.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 12:22 AM

Once again, first thing in the morning, many of us are awoke to the battle stations announcement and ringing bells. Oh, what I'd give to be back in my quiet little Bavarian town right now! But I don't have time to think about fantasies right now, just reality. By the time I gave the order to proceed at flank speed, the attacker was already upon us. Another Catalina, and our bridge got shot up but fortunately, we brought him down. Unfortunately, my watch officer Leutnant zur See Heinz-Deiter Glockner - whom is also my Executive Officer - was seriously wounded....as was a few of my very important Seamen. I am not going to smile for the rest of this trip...I'm not certain how much my boat or my men can take....

http://i44.tinypic.com/eu3s7p.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 12:37 AM

19 August, 1943

We've recently passed our final navigational point en route to rendezvous with our tanker, the Brake, to refuel some 2000km distant and some 900km ESE of Madagascar.

http://i41.tinypic.com/nnpu1d.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 01:00 AM

8 September, 1943

We rendezvoused with the Brake, as promised. Now, High Command has instructed us to patrol off of the East African coast of Kenya and spend a given amount of time there before we are to proceed to Penang. My men are growing tired and want to get out of this deathtrap as do I, but duty calls. In order for my men to be strong, I have to be strong.

http://i40.tinypic.com/301dm6g.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 01:18 AM

22 September, 1943

Off of the northern tip of Madagascar, we encounter yet another Catalina. Once again, we are ready for him. While he scored some hits on us, there is some damage to a bulhead, but that should be easily fixed, no injuries and my boys chalk up another one. Leutnant zur See Glockner is back on station and will be fine, as will the other men that have been injured. Miraculously, we haven't lost a soul yet. We may be beat up, but we are certainly not beat down. Then men's spirits are high. This isn't over yet.

http://i40.tinypic.com/dczxqd.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 01:51 AM

7 October, 1943

We've reached our patrol area, and must remain here for a few weeks. Yet another Catalina has tracked us down, this time causing moderate damage especially to the attack periscope. Scratch one more Catalina, and thankfully nobody was injured.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2wclmxc.jpg

Admiral Lutjens

01-26-14, 02:27 AM

31 October, 1943

None of us thought that this day would ever come....we made it! All without firing a single torpedo. High Command should be most pleased. These men, and myself, welcome the thought of real beds to sleep in, chances to bath regularly, and and warm, real food and coffee. This is the defining moment of my life.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o95/tsubame1/U_178_zzz3.jpg

http://www.u-boot-archiv-cuxhaven.de/lang1/images/p112_1_00.png

fireftr18

01-26-14, 04:57 PM

Nice ending. Well done with the old photo. :salute:

Go on over to General Topics and get in on the shenanigans that go on there. :D

Overkill

01-28-14, 11:21 PM

Admiral Lutjens

01-29-14, 09:27 PM

1 December, 1943

Since our arrival in Penang on 31 October, myself and my men have enjoyed some much-needed time away from the boat. What they do not know is that prior to our departure from Lorient, Korvettenkapitan Walther Ludde-Neurath - our Grossadmiral and BdU Karl Donitz' adjutant, personally gave me an envelope with sealed orders to be opened upon arrival to Penang.

These orders, typed by and signed by the BdU himself, are as follows:

1 JULY 1943

TO: U188/KAPITANLEUTNANT KARL JUNACK
FROM: BDU GR. ADM. KARL DONITZ
SUBJ: OPERATION 'TORNADO'

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, MY WARMEST THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ARRIVAL TO PENANG TO ASSIST OUR JAPANESE ALLIES IN THIS CURRENT STRUGGLE. AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU ARE NOW HEREBY PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF KAPITANLEUTNANT.

THE FUHRER WISHES TO DELIVER A SHOCKING BLOW TO THE AMERICANS NOT SEEN SINCE PEARL HARBOR. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE HAVE DISPATCHED OUR BEST CREWS TO THE FAR EAST AND THIS IS WHY I HAVE PERSONALLY SELECTED YOU TO SPEARHEAD THIS OPERATION.

ADDITIONALLY, YOUR UBOAT HAS BEEN OUTFITTED WITH THE LATEST IN GERMAN RADAR AND TORPEDO TECHNOLOGY. THE ZAUNKONIG V TORPEDO IS CAPABLE OF HOMING IN ON THE ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE OF ENEMY SHIPS, ESPECIALLY DESTROYERS AND ESCORTS.

THIS IS YOUR MISSION: YOU WILL LEAVE PENANG ONE MONTHS TIME FROM ARRIVAL, AND MAKE WAY TO WAKE ISLAND VIA SURABAYA, DAVAO, AND TRUK AS REFUELING POINTS. AFTER REFUELING AND TAKING ON PROVISIONS AT WAKE, YOUR MISSION WILL BE TO SCOUT AND IF POSSIBLE ATTACK THE HARBORS OF MIDWAY ISLAND AND PEARL HARBOR. JAPANESE SUBMARINES AND FLYING BOATS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO REFUEL IF NEEDED.

PRIMARY TARGETS ARE ENEMY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS. IF NONE AVAILABLE, SECONDARY TARGETS INCLUDE ENEMY BATTLESHIPS, CRUISERS, AND SUCH SMALLER SHIPS. IF NO CAPITAL SHIPS ARE AVAILABLE, DO NOT ENGAGE AND MAKE THE ENEMY AWARE OF OUR PRESENCE.

THE FAITH AND HOPE OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE LAY IN YOUR HANDS. ALL OF GERMANY AND THE FUHRER ARE WITH YOU. GOOD LUCK. FOR THE GLORY OF THE FATHERLAND!

GR. ADM. KARL DONITZ

As I read this letter, I started to tremble. I placed the letter back in the envelope and set it on the table. I took a look at myself in the mirror and mouthed what the Grossadmiral told me. The faith and hope of the German people lay in your hands.

MY hands.

I'm but one man. What about my men? They know not the emotions I am feeling at this point....and they won't. It is my job to lead them, and keep them alive.

I put my hat on, and the envelope under my arm, and walked out.

"Chief, gather the men. It is time."

"Jawhol, mein Kapitan!"

Our destiny has begun.

SubSydney

02-01-14, 06:57 PM

We and you and your shipmates are lucky you made it and us to read about it.

Jimbuna

02-02-14, 06:38 AM

Welcome Aboard SubSydney :salute:

TG626

02-04-14, 03:11 AM

FF12-10/A16-3
16 MAR 1942

CONFIDENTIAL
COMSUBPAC PATROL REPORT, SUPPLEMENTAL
U.S.S. POLLACK (SS180) - FIFTH WAR PATROL.

Subject: EVENTS OF NOTE
Enclosure: (A) Copy of Subject War Patrol.

** DATE: 26 JAN 1942
** POS: 18° 59' 51'' N, 121° 42' 5'' E
** INITIAL EVENT: 1328 hrs, encountered convoy consisting of 4 or 5 cargo ships and 3 destroyers.

"...satisfied that the freighter was on it's way down we closed on the next nearest ship as the escorts were still well out of range.

Once we had closed the distance, I ordered the observation scope lowered and switched to the attack scope, whereupon I saw open seas. Sonar confirmed that all audible traces which had been strong suddenly stopped. Crewman on the sonar stated it was as if someone had unplugged his headset.

I scanned the horizon 3 times with both scopes but the convoy was simply gone. I ordered the boat to the surface and again scanned the horizon. Neither I, nor any member of the watch could find any trace of near 50,000 tons of shipping traffic that had just been there moments before.

Sonar equipment was tested and found to be in fully working order. We are returning to our original course..."

** DATE: 28 JAN 1942
** POS: 17° 19' 49" N, 122° 46' 57'' E
** INITIAL EVENT: Encountered 2 sonar signals, found one Small Split Freighter sinking and one IJN Small Gun Boat departing.

"Though still making repairs to damage sustained from our attack on the [aforementioned] convoy we dived to periscope depth and prepared to make an attack run.

As we closed on the small gun boat previously patched leaks in the forward torpedo room ruptured flooding the compartment. The sudden flooding immediately began to drag us down by the head. By the time we had regained depth control we had blown the ballast at a depth of 340'.

At this point I expected we were done, but I was damned if they'd take us without a fight. The crew stood ready to man the deck gun as SOON as we broke the surface.

It was at this point that we were suddenly and violently thrown to the deck. Amid the sounds of screeching steel and explosions the dive officer pronounced that we had surfaced and we manned the bridge.

It was in this moment that I saw the most incredible thing I think I've ever seen, and that I came to realize the fantastic work done not only by the men in my crew this boat but by the men who built her. We had surfaced directly below the gunboat and all but split her in two while taking only cosmetic damage to the hull.

As I looked to port I was nearly eye to eye with the sailors of the IJN Small Gun Boat. One of whom, in a panic, actually leapt onto our main deck aft of the deck gun before realizing where he was and throwing himself into the sea.

Suddenly concerned that it might still take us down with it if it were to explode, I ordered full astern and watched the IJN move away and finally sink in two parts. No survivors were sighted.

In addition to the minor hull damage, the dive plane transmissions are wrecked, we are therefore setting course for Savabaya."

--------------------------------------------------------------
END REPORT

TorpX

02-04-14, 11:46 PM

You must have had an extra horseshoe in your pocket. :)

Too bad you didn't get any screenshots of this one.

TG626

02-11-14, 03:44 AM

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Fun%20with%20Submarines/2014-01-27_00243_zps7f4d7cf3.jpg

TG626

02-12-14, 01:38 AM

FF12-10/A16-3

CONFIDENTIAL
050502 NOV 1942
From : CDR T. E. Thompson
To : ComSubPac
Report from USS Drum (SS228)
Patrol area : East China Sea

The following ships/aircraft have been destroyed
Number of Warships sunk : 2
Number of Merchants sunk : 3

Total Warship tonnage : 5402
Total Merchant tonnage : 30773

Total Gross tonnage : 36175

271359 OCT 1942
Aircraft destroyed! G4M Betty
Long 162° 10' E, Lat 22° 10' N

292026 OCT 1942
Ship sunk! Small Old Split Freighter, 2429 tons
Long 146° 53' E, Lat 22° 32' N

301007 OCT 1942
Ship sunk! Akizuki Destroyer, 2701 tons
Long 143° 23' E, Lat 22° 53' N

301018 OCT 1942
Ship sunk! Akizuki Destroyer, 2701 tons
Long 143° 23' E, Lat 22° 53' N

301023 OCT 1942
Ship sunk! Large Old Passenger Carrier, 9579 tons
Long 143° 24' E, Lat 22° 53' N

301039 OCT 1942
Ship sunk! Huge European Liner, 18765 tons
Long 143° 24' E, Lat 22° 54' N

Torpedoes fired : 15
Torpedo impacts : 11
Torpedo misses : 2
Torpedo duds : 0
Torpedo premature explosions : 2

Patrol narrative:

While enroute to our patrol station we encountered a lone Betty. While I am generally hesitant to engage air targets, this one made an unexpected change in course which brought it directly over head. The gunnery crew made short work of it, and it never even had a chance to drop any ordinance.

Our next encounter was a sonar contact to the northeast. We dove to periscope depth and moved to intercept. Upon finding a lone old split freighter, we positioned ourselves for an attack.

The first torpedo detonated prematurely, while the second found its mark. With the freighter now crippled, we surfaced and finished her off with the deck gun. Again, my gun crew displayed exemplary performance.

It was at this point in the patrol that the new radar proved its worth. We dected several returns to the northwest. As it was foggy with limited visibility I elected to move to intercept on the surface.

This was a mistake as we soon found ourselves taking fire from a destroyer. I cannot entirely fault the radar operator, or equipment, as it seemed to appear out of nowhere.

I ordered a crash dive and evasive maneuvers. Is short order we found ourselves in position to fire and sank the destroyer.

This attracted another destroyer, which were also able to strike as it rushed to the scene.

At this point the third destroyer cut and ran, abandoning it's charges. The we surfaced and transmitted a report, an upon receiving orders to sink the transports we did so in textbook fashion.

We are now returning to Midway to refit.

TG626

02-12-14, 09:56 PM

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Fun%20with%20Submarines/SH4Img2014-02-11_222159_298_zpsbf48a602.png

Down she goes...

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Fun%20with%20Submarines/SH4Img2014-02-04_181106_029_zps450a4a45.png

Ah HA! That's how the IJN finds you so easily, they follow that arrow! (One time bug, external marker got "stuck on")

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Fun%20with%20Submarines/SH4Img2014-02-06_132532_554_zps6b596828.png

Click on your exec in the Gato, then again, and again, it infinitly zooms in on this face (bug)

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Fun%20with%20Submarines/SH4Img2014-02-09_182002_116_zps063b17ae.png

What did we hit!!?! Oh.... There it was stuck in the bottom like a lawn dart...

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Fun%20with%20Submarines/SH4Img2014-02-12_172848_607_zpsdc3b633f.png

My crew are ghosts!!

(Seriously, what's with this whenever it's foggy?)

HertogJan

02-16-14, 08:36 AM

:o Thats a first for me

http://imageshack.com/a/img835/4779/zdz3.png

Up close

http://imageshack.com/a/img822/417/l7p4.png

Coulden't resist

http://imageshack.com/a/img545/6539/w8sz.png

Didn't get the kill points though :shifty:

(Notice the sea changing from rough seas to calm seas in picture 1)

merc4ulfate

02-16-14, 04:00 PM

I have noticed the only time I have ever recieved points for sinking a submarines is when I play as a U-Boat. I couldn't tell you how many Russians subs I have sunk.

Admiral Halsey

02-16-14, 04:18 PM

I have noticed the only time I have ever recieved points for sinking a submarines is when I play as a U-Boat. I couldn't tell you how many Russians subs I have sunk.

Strange as I do get the points for sinking them.

auricom

02-26-14, 12:12 PM

I feel the need to write a battle report for last nights patrol, as it was my most successful in Silent Hunter IV, and also marked the passing of 300 logged hours in what is, without a doubt my favorite simulator/game :) .. Since I don't have the sim in front of me, and can't remember the sub designation or the specific class designations of some of the ships sunk, I have taken a few liberties so please excuse any historical innacurracies.

Software used: SH4, Operation Monsun (latest version), OMEGU, Enemies of Germany MOD

---

The Torpedo that may change the war, Patrol Report, U-2202
Commanding Officer Oberleutnant Kasey von Johan
January 24th 1945, Nazair, France

We set sail aboard the pride of Germany, our new type XXI U-boat in mid-December from our base in Norway with orders to circle north of England to a grid several hundred kilometers south west of Cornwall and intercept allied shipping.

We had on board a compliment of 1/2 load standard straight run torpedoes, as well as a half load of two experimental torpedo types. 6 'homing' torpedos which the lads from ordanence inform me can track both merchants and escorts, as well as 6 of these newfangled 'ladder formation' torpedos they want us to try. Apparently if I can master these, a comfortable desk top training future U-boat captains awaits me in Berlin.

We spent the 3.5 weeks transiting to our patrol grid surface running at night, and snorkelling by day. As we approached England, allied air patrols increased forcing us to run submerged and on battery during the day. No shipping was spotted en route but many planes. The allies seem to be dropping seeker torpedos during the day near us, leading me to believe we may have a spy on board or an intelligence leak back home. Thankfully these attempts were futile, as the torpedos cannot track us submerged and running silent. No night time patrols were spotted, thankfully, allowing us to make good progress to our target grid.

A large convoy was reported 1000km west of us. 10 days before arrival, tracking towards our destination. I decided to proceed with the mission, in the hopes command wished us to intercept this convoy at our expected arrival position. We risked a few hours of surface travel during twilight hours to ensure we arrived well ahead of the convoy. A few aircraft spootted, in all cases we dove to avoid. Depth charges and homing torpedos did no damage.

Upon arrival to our destination grid, we patrolled for three uneventful days. At dusk of the third day Sonar reported a warship sound contact 25 NM north east. we snorkelled to a closer position.

We discovered a group of 6 British Corvettes. Normally, I would avoid these but I saw an opportunity to test the Fuhrer's newest weapons. From a depth of 40 feet I lined up two firing solutions, one for two of the homing torpedos and one for two of the ladder type that would take them on a route that should pass most of the Corvette convoy.

Four fish fired. One homing torpedo misguided, the other hit and destroyed a corvette. 1 minute later both ladder torpedos made contact with targets. All 3 enemy ships sunk.

the remaining corvettes immediately started depth charging, but their sonar procedures seemed poor and we were able to move to about 1 mile separation. I ordered secure from silent running and a reload of the same torpedo types. This boat is so quick to reload her torpedos, we were ready to fire all four within 10 minutes. My commendations to my torpedo crew.

With our second attack we dispatched two more corvettes with single hits from the homing torpedos. I fired two more ladder torps at the remaining corvette as she ran. Both missed. We remain on station.

2 days later more warships on contact. 6 american frigates and a flat top in the middle heading south west - straight for us. Daylight hours and 15m/sec winds make a periscope attack impossible ..I fired all 6 torpedos on sonar bearings. 2 homers, 2 ladders, 2 standard. All miss except one ladder which makes contact with the american carrier. Again, poor ASW tactics mean we were able to exit the depth charging zone and reload.

We have now only standard torpedos remaining. We have been ordered to sink the carrier at all cost before we dove.

I order the boat to run silent into a good firing position. As luck would have it, the american convoy passes near us and the flat top directly overhead.

I order a 180 degree turn, increase to flank speed and an immediate blow ballast. Now is not the time for caution. We halt the boat at persicope depth and put up two scopes for a quick view of the field. The american carrier and two frigates are lined up right in front of us. We mark bearings and distance, scope down, and immediately dive to 55 meters. Some light machine gun fire damage to our observation scope as we dove. It could have been much worse.

At depth, all 6 tubes fired towards the last known position of the cluster of ships. Two contact the carrier, one contacts a frigate. Both ships destroyed. Glory to Germany.

Many hours of depth charging follow. Some light damage to a few compartments but we are able to escape. Empty of torpedos we now head to Nazaire, France to resupply.

En route we find a single, lone british merchant. A small vessel with a coal powered prop and two sails heading south towards france. At night, weather conditions poor but we are able to man the AA guns. I order the crew to fire upon her with both high explosive and armor piercing rounds. Several exposions aboard and crew killed. Pilothouse destroyed but her engines would not quit nor would she sink. at 25% remaining ammunition we broke off our attack and returned to course.

Many aircraft in the area en route to france, but all clear at night. Weather has improved the closer we sail to shore. We wait at the shallows for the cover of night to make our final run to the Nazair Port.

Report ends

Oberleutnant, Casey Von Johann
U-2202

flusi737

02-28-14, 09:51 AM

Finally got back into SH4 and installed everything again...:salute:

http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/f13bc7166935ebe03dcfb4a9f757cd5c.jpg (http://hostthenpost.org)http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/6571ee16f78e9879a257cddcfbb3f681.jpg (http://hostthenpost.org)http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/7b76dc7b7cc6817fac61334fd480b800.jpg (http://hostthenpost.org)http://hostthenpost.org/uploads/b22a742292b4cfc60d9d7caaaeba0673.jpg (http://hostthenpost.org)

Hitchens

03-03-14, 06:34 AM

The first battleship I've sunk so far on my U-boat is a US New Mexico class.

Was night time, s-w of Australia. I managed to position my U-boat in front of the line of approach of a large US-task force I held position while submerged. Waited for the destroyer at the lead to pass, thankfully without detection. The New Mexico ship was the first BB in the main column. I fired my 4 forward torpedoes, all hit.

It wasn't enough to sink her, she was on her side a like 2Ks. Then the escorts moved in. I manouvered myself to the limping BB on her 9 so that I would overtake her on her 11 o'clock and used one of my aft-torpedoes as a final blow. Succeeded. However first I it took like 10 minutes of traveling side-by-side with the BB before she slowed to 1k so I could overtake her and fire a clear aft-shot.

Then I had to travel south for like 2 hours with 3 destroyers on my back. Eventually gave up.

My biggest kill yet, and made me sweat trying to lose the DDs ;)

TG626

03-04-14, 04:04 AM

[confidential]
FF12-10/A16-3

CONFIDENTIAL
191520 JUN 1943
From : CAPT T. E. Thompson

Cycle : 6

To : ComSubPac
Patrol 12 Summary Report from USS BALAO (SS285)
Patrol area : Yellow Sea

The following ships/aircraft have been destroyed
Number of Warships sunk : 1
Number of Merchants sunk : 21

Total Warship tonnage : 2701
Total Merchant tonnage : 68709

Total Gross tonnage : 71410

172259 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Junk, 80 tons
Long 125° 01' E, Lat 10° 16' S

172259 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 tons
Long 125° 01' E, Lat 10° 16' S

172259 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 tons
Long 125° 02' E, Lat 10° 16' S

172301 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Liferaft, 0 tons
Long 125° 02' E, Lat 10° 16' S

181137 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 tons
Long 127° 21' E, Lat 8° 16' S

190540 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Composite Freighter, 7175 tons
Long 127° 19' E, Lat 3° 44' S

192246 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Tanker, 10016 tons
Long 126° 53' E, Lat 0° 38' S

240351 MAY 1943
Ship sunk! Large Old Split Freighter, 8328 tons
Long 120° 51' E, Lat 3° 55' N

260918 MAY 1943
Aircraft destroyed! G4M Betty
Long 126° 29' E, Lat 1° 22' S

261149 MAY 1943
Aircraft destroyed! A6M2 Zero Fighter
Long 126° 30' E, Lat 2° 02' S

261150 MAY 1943
Aircraft destroyed! A6M2 Zero Fighter
Long 126° 29' E, Lat 2° 01' S

261406 MAY 1943
Aircraft destroyed! G4M Betty
Long 126° 11' E, Lat 2° 33' S

011502 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 tons
Long 123° 56' E, Lat 10° 47' S

011502 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 tons
Long 123° 56' E, Lat 10° 47' S

011503 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Junk, 80 tons
Long 123° 56' E, Lat 10° 48' S

012013 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 tons
Long 125° 11' E, Lat 10° 08' S

012015 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Junk, 80 tons
Long 125° 11' E, Lat 10° 08' S

012015 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 tons
Long 125° 12' E, Lat 10° 08' S

030859 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Tanker, 5092 tons
Long 127° 18' E, Lat 4° 09' S

031024 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Modern Passenger Liner, 6875 tons
Long 127° 21' E, Lat 4° 04' S

041637 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Split Freighter, 5458 tons
Long 125° 09' E, Lat 2° 04' N

062016 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Large Old Passenger Carrier, 9626 tons
Long 116° 24' E, Lat 8° 27' N

062134 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Tanker, 10018 tons
Long 116° 27' E, Lat 8° 26' N

062135 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Akizuki Destroyer, 2701 tons
Long 116° 27' E, Lat 8° 26' N

110635 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Tanker, 4881 tons
Long 115° 54' E, Lat 8° 37' N

141923 JUN 1943
Ship sunk! Junk, 80 tons
Long 119° 42' E, Lat 7° 09' S

Torpedoes fired : 44
Torpedo impacts : 28
Torpedo misses : 9
Torpedo duds : 1
Torpedo premature explosions : 6

Weather data:
131843 MAY 1943
Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None
Wind Speed 5 meters per second, direction 0.
192156 MAY 1943
Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None
Wind Speed 11 meters per second, direction 55.
192221 MAY 1943
Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None
Wind Speed 11 meters per second, direction 55.
250050 MAY 1943
Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None
Wind Speed 4 meters per second, direction 191.
030838 JUN 1943
Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None
Wind Speed 1 meters per second, direction 174.
191520 JUN 1943
Clouds Clear, Precipitations None, Fog None
Wind Speed 12 meters per second, direction 154.
[Patrol End]

Sniper297

03-04-14, 05:56 AM

Okay I'll try this, still running tests and killing bugs on my Asiatic career start mod so I'll do one of those.

Career start Manila, USS SCORPION, a SARGO class with an experimental conning tower which was adopted by all fleet boats later in the war. Cast off all lines 0800 DEC 10, 1941, orders to patrol Celebes Sea.

Turned out the first problem was gonna be getting there, or even getting out of Manila Bay. SD radar picked up unidentified aircraft from the south, 51 feet under the keel here so diving wouldn't help. NOW SET AIR DEFENSE CONDITION ONE, ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS. Zeros, half a dozen coming in to shoot up the docks. Didn't have to fight them off alone, a SOMERS class destroyer and a NORTHHAMPTON class cruiser were departing at the same time to investigate some wild report about Japanese ships sighted coming into Manila Bay (some coastal battery lookout had a few too many).

0810 it was all over, all the zeros shot down or departed for the city of Manila.

0815 sighted a cruiser group of 1 CA and 2 CLs from the north heading the same way, went to all ahead full to see where everyone was going.

0825 passing Cavite, US tanker on fire in the docks.

0840 another SD contact coming from Manila up our fantail.
0845 CHECK FIRE, those are friendlies, a pair of Wildcats heading the same direction as everyone else. Radio, you got anything? What's going on?

0850 sighted two more cruiser groups, and another SD contact heading toward Manila from the bay entrance. Turned out to be a VAL dive bomber, shot down by the SOMERS ahead of us.

0900 another VAL, where did he come from? Fathometer reading 70 feet, fuggedaboudit. Ordered the lower sound heads rigged in and told them to check they're all the way up. If we do have to dive there's a good chance we'll scrape the bottom, no sense wiping off the sound heads. Changed course to 270 to head for the deepest water there is here, I'm actually starting to hate Manila Bay.
0907 Got the bastard,nice shooting, Chief! Sierra Hotel! This crazy flyboy was already burning after passing over the cruiser group to the north, made three bomb runs on us while trailing fire and smoke, near misses astern and to port. Last run he was out of bombs and I think he was coming back just to be obnoxious, was actually flying off to the south when the forward 40 got him.

0912 another SD contact from astern, another pair of wildcats.

0915 another SD contact astern, one TBD Devastator followed by two more. Heading same as everyone else. Radio, see if you can raise command. Flags, query that OMAHA cruiser on the starboard bow. Maneuvering, all head flank. I'm gonna get out of the Navy and become a sewer worker, nobody tells me nothing. :-?

0920 guess that guy wasn't drunk after all, either a BB or CA steaming slowly toward Corregidor. Looks too BIG to be a cruiser, and if it's a battlewagon it ain't one of ours cause we don't have any.

0925: Cripes, it's a BB all right, KONGO class. I guess it's not a drill this time. :o

0940 back to logging this, had to change my shorts. :oops: Evil murdering monster opened fire at an impossible range, but I canceled the order to dive when I realized he was shooting at something, but not us. I swear I saw a torpedo explosion on his side, and he's smoking now, could one of those TBDs actually have HIT him?! :up:
0935 range about 12 Kyards, he's still firing, caught a glimpse of an aircraft flying over him. Saw at least one, possibly two, smoke trails go down like meteors into the water. Flooded down to decks awash.
Around 0930 starboard lookout reported a US tanker on fire but still underway about 14000 yards north. Didn't see it, I was "adjusting my uniform to present a proper military appearance". :hmmm:

0940 range 8500 yards, ordered periscope depth because it seemed less cowardly than going back to Manila and catching a train to anywhere this unholy demon wasn't.:timeout: Gotta boogie though, no way to contact them but that SOMERS and NORTHHAMPTON are only a few miles astern, they're toast if I don't get some fish into this horror before they come in range of his guns and for some reason they're not seeing our signal light, they didn't acknowledge the blinker messages before we pulled the plug.
0953 range 5500. Set 1 and 2 for low speed 25 foot depth, aimed at the tip of the bow (because I suspect he'll see the wakes and speed up) and fired. He's doing about 1 knot, dunno if he's damaged or just not in a hurry to get to Corregidor. 5 minute run time but I can't wait, that tin can coming up behind me is almost in his range.
0955 range 4800, he's opened fire on the US DD 3000 yards behind me.
0958 got lucky, first fish hit under one of the forward turrets setting off a secondary and chain reaction, second torpedo also hit but turned out to be a wasted shot.
1000 cripes, was so busy watching that Kongo blow up and sink I didn't notice more coming up - 2 CLs, one CA, one CV. The CA is closest at 3500 yards, he woke me up when he started firing on the destroyer, now 2700 yards astern therefore only 6200 yards from this enemy cruiser group.
1004 TAKAO heavy cruiser and 2 KUMA light cruisers, carrier looks like a HIRYU. Tin can getting some good hits on the TAKAO, and a US heavy just came within range and opened fire on him too.
1005 fired one fish at each of the enemy cruisers, bad angle but the TAKAO is really hammering the NORTHHAMPTON. Hits on all three, sunk one CL and stopped the CA dead in the water, but the other CL shrugged it off and kept going.
1010 KUMA and a destroyer sunk by US surface ships, and I think I saw a Dauntless dive bombing the HIRYU. TAKAO being hammered by that destroyer (he's still alive?!) and about 6 US heavy and light cruisers now. Fired one from the stern tubes at the TAKAO, kicked another hole in his side. But with 2 fish and all the pounding he's still firing back like a demon, so sent another one at him. Saw a huge splash alongide just after firing, another SBD zoomed overhead. I think I saw another VAL about the same time shot down by the SOMERS, I gave up trying to log all these flying machines.
1012 TAKAO blew up and went down, didn't get credit for the sinking because credit goes to whoever gets in the last hit. Some disadvantages to this mod. Collided with the masts of a sunken KUMA (water still only 100 feet deep here).
1015 still heading southwest toward bay exit, two destroyers heading my way. Got a whole 40 feet under the keel at periscope depth, so headed west toward "deeper" water. Less shallow is more accurate.
1035 reached a less shallow part, went down to 100 feet and turned north since I had sound contacts closing from the north. Both destroyers destroyed (HA!) by US cruisers, new sound contacts southwest so turned that way and came back to persicope depth. More big superstructures on the southwest horizon bows on.
1036 US cruiser group bearing 200 to 230 ranges 300 to 400 yards, surfaced to make more speed towards new contacts southwest. One really really tall superstructure, please tell me that's not another battleship. Two others have to be heavy cruisers, all three are firing at something. Pretty sure that's an airplane making a dive bombing run on the really big possible (hope not) BB.
1040 BB alright, two CAs, one smoking. Thought the BB was smoking too, but not now, apparently a plane crashed near her.
1045 Fired two at damaged heavy cruiser, both hits, sunk since she was under fire from 3 OMAHA class light cruisers and a Dauntless dive bomber. Continued closing second CA and BB, more ships off to the northwest, CA and another CV - Shokaku? with one or two escorts.
1055 Fired two remaining loaded bow tubes, one at cruiser the other at an ISE battleship, hit both. Turned west to bring stern tubes to bear.
1105 Cruiser blew up, so fired four stern tubes at BB, 3 hits. One forward tube reloaded so swung around north to fire that at the BB, but she sank so I checked the swing pointing at the Shokaku to the northwest. No credit for either, since there were three US CLs and one CA firing at both of them while I was shooting. One US OMAHA class CL sank, not sure if it was the cruiser or battleship that sank her.
1120 fired one each remaining tube at SHOKAKU class carrier and MAYA class heavy cruiser, hit both, got credit for the MAYA but not the carrier. Three US CLs to the north snak both destroyers, one US light cruiser was sunk. Surfaced, at the bay exit now with Corregidor bearing 025 true 10 miles. One US CA on fire 4000 yards northeast but still making 2 knots. Contact to the south, looks like ANOTHER BB. 5 fish left and battery down to 50% with all this high speed running at periscope depth, so headed toward him on the surface at standard speed.
1150 closed to 1200 yards of BB, fired four fish, four hits. No credit since again she was under fire from 2 US CAs, dirty bums stole my thunder by getting in a few hits as she was starting to roll over.

Total score;
3 aircraft
KONGO BB 30000
TAKAO CA 12500
KUMA CL 5170
MAYA CA 12500
Not much for 21 torpedoes and 3 hours at GQ because I was robbed by them cruiser guys, who are probably all bragging about their kills. That's OK, crew of the SCORPION knows who the real heroes were. :salute:

k-dillo

03-08-14, 02:06 AM

May 12, 1942 "Told ya, XO! Told ya they'd try to run in this storm!" The Cap'n was triumphantly angry pounding his fist rhythmically on his thigh, stalking the control room, impatient for the tracking party to develop the new sound contact. Convoy, 12 merchants.

We had left Pearl by way of Johnston Island bound for the South China Sea, running roughly due west. Somewhere SE of Iwo Jima the mercury plummeted as we ran into the back end of a nasty, brutish storm. At ahead 2/3 we couldn't make 8 knots. East gale winds, a following sea rudely lifted our skirts, shoved our nose into the deep swells. Green water rose over the bow, ran the length of our fordeck, shuddering against the tower and shooting in solid spumes, up, up, to be snatched forward by the gale. Storm rinsed, wind dried, repeat the cycle. For 36 hours.

The mostly green crew was bumped, bruised and battered. Sullen. Except for the Chief, wedged into a corner, something steaming, dark, swirling in his mug. "Boat a-pitchin', men a-bitchin', this is a real man-o-war now." He smiled over the lip of his mug, nary spilling a drop.

Man-o-war? With the Cap'n having batted 0 for 20 something last trip out not many agreed. The NavBu of Gossip, Half-truths and Drunken Rumors issued a story that he was a ring-knocker, a fair haired Academy grad seeking adventure, who too quickly grew bored with the "polish brass, kiss ..." routine that was the peacetime Navy. As if it could be anything else but attention to detail, building command relationships. He was getting out when the war came on. Another darker story suggested that he ran afoul of an Admiral's wife/daughter. Maybe it was sexual, depending on the teller, but certainly unforgivable. The Powers That Be suggested a severe penance served in the silent service. Whatever the truth, and it probably lay between the two narratives, all agreed this was his last patrol unless he got results. Big results.

Admiral Halsey

03-08-14, 04:54 PM

See that hole in the middle of her? That's what a Fubuki that can fire torpedoes will do to a BB. I'm lucky I didn't get hit by anymore of them.

Snarf

03-15-14, 02:07 PM

The torpedo launched the thing about 5000 feet in the air, it tumbled and tumbled for about a minute (you can see by the timestamp) and landed over a mile and a half away!!!:har::rotfl2::haha::rock:

TG626

03-17-14, 01:46 PM

FF12-10/A4-1(11)

S-E-C-R-E-T

082343 OCT 1943

From: VIRTSUBPAC
To : DISTLIST

Subject: U.S.S. BALAO (SS285) - Loss of.

1. It is with deep regret that the Virtual Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet, reports that the U.S.S. BALAO has not been heard from since her last refit at Darwin on 29 September 1943, and is presumed lost.

2. In accordance with operational orders, the U.S.S. BALAO, in the command of Captain Theodore E. Thompson, departed Fremantle on 1 September 1943 for an offensive patrol of approximately one month's duration in the South China Sea. As with previous patrols she demonstrated difficulty in arriving on station as a result of agressive prosecution of any and all targets of opportunity while en-route.

3. The last confirmed communication with the U.S.S. BALAO was on 5 October 1943 where she reported the discovery of, and was order to inflict losses upon, a convoy south of Mindoro Strait.

4. Intercepted communications of the IJN indicate on 8 October 1943 a submarine was discovered in the South China Sea. This was presumably the U.S.S. BALAO on station. The IJN intelligence further indicates that the submarine was engaged and sunk, with the loss of one Shiratsuyu destroyer.

5. In view of the above evidence, the U.S.S. Balao is presumed to have been lost while on war patrol in the South China Sea.

6. Via direct reporting from the U.S.S. BALAO and IJN radio intercepts, the results of her 14th war patrol have been determined to be as follows:

Number of Warships sunk : 13
Number of Merchants sunk : 37

Total Warship tonnage : 15085
Total Merchant tonnage : 68856

Total Gross tonnage : 83941

051500 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 125° 48' E, Lat 3° 26' S

051500 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 125° 48' E, Lat 3° 25' S

051501 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Lifeboat, 1 ton
Long 125° 48' E, Lat 3° 25' S

061024 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Split Freighter, 5462 ton
Long 127° 05' E, Lat 1° 19' N

061926 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Modern Split Freighter, 3281 ton
Long 127° 17' E, Lat 3° 25' N

070832 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Split Freighter, 5462 ton
Long 127° 18' E, Lat 3° 24' N

071601 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Composite Freighter, 4081 ton
Long 127° 17' E, Lat 3° 25' N

071603 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Small Modern Composite Freighter, 1859 ton
Long 127° 16' E, Lat 3° 25' N

110935 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Subchaser, 438 ton
Long 129° 41' E, Lat 9° 55' S

110935 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Lifeboat, 1 ton
Long 129° 40' E, Lat 9° 56' S

110943 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Mutsuki Destroyer, 1772 ton
Long 129° 41' E, Lat 9° 55' S

121114 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Subchaser, 438 ton
Long 129° 43' E, Lat 9° 22' S

121126 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Asashio Destroyer, 2370 ton
Long 129° 43' E, Lat 9° 21' S

122132 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 ton
Long 129° 01' E, Lat 7° 06' S

122132 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 129° 01' E, Lat 7° 06' S

122139 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Minekaze Destroyer, 1215 ton
Long 129° 02' E, Lat 7° 06' S

122201 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Subchaser, 438 ton
Long 129° 02' E, Lat 7° 06' S

141223 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 ton
Long 129° 21' E, Lat 8° 13' S

151729 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 126° 58' E, Lat 0° 39' S

151730 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 126° 58' E, Lat 0° 39' S

151731 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Lifeboat, 1 ton
Long 126° 58' E, Lat 0° 39' S

160500 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Fubuki Destroyer, 1680 ton
Long 127° 12' E, Lat 2° 19' N

160505 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Small Gun Boat, 900 ton
Long 127° 12' E, Lat 2° 19' N

160510 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Subchaser, 438 ton
Long 127° 12' E, Lat 2° 19' N

161857 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Gun Boat, 903 ton
Long 127° 06' E, Lat 5° 44' N

162203 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Subchaser, 438 ton
Long 127° 07' E, Lat 6° 26' N

171021 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 ton
Long 126° 29' E, Lat 9° 47' N

171022 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Junk, 80 ton
Long 126° 29' E, Lat 9° 47' N

172124 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 ton
Long 125° 32' E, Lat 12° 40' N

172125 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 ton
Long 125° 32' E, Lat 12° 40' N

182242 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Composite Freighter, 7151 ton
Long 124° 54' E, Lat 17° 21' N

200502 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Tanker, 4812 ton
Long 123° 37' E, Lat 18° 03' N

200503 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Lifeboat, 1 ton
Long 123° 37' E, Lat 18° 03' N

211300 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Composite Freighter, 4083 ton
Long 121° 41' E, Lat 20° 00' N

261255 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Junk, 80 ton
Long 125° 35' E, Lat 1° 34' N

261255 SEP 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 ton
Long 125° 35' E, Lat 1° 35' N

011346 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 128° 53' E, Lat 7° 04' S

011347 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Large Sampan, 80 ton
Long 128° 53' E, Lat 7° 03' S

021602 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 125° 53' E, Lat 3° 32' S

021603 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Sampan, 80 ton
Long 125° 53' E, Lat 3° 32' S

021606 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Liferaft, 0 ton
Long 125° 53' E, Lat 3° 32' S

041708 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 ton
Long 122° 13' E, Lat 6° 48' N

041715 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Fishing boat, 200 ton
Long 122° 13' E, Lat 6° 48' N

050020 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Composite Freighter, 3947 ton
Long 121° 34' E, Lat 8° 05' N

052028 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Asashio Destroyer, 2370 ton
Long 121° 09' E, Lat 11° 46' N

052040 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Medium Old Tanker, 4965 ton
Long 121° 08' E, Lat 11° 46' N

052041 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Small Old Engine Aft, 1602 ton
Long 121° 08' E, Lat 11° 46' N

052045 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Tanker, 10026 ton
Long 121° 08' E, Lat 11° 46' N

052132 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Large Modern Tanker, 10001 ton
Long 121° 07' E, Lat 11° 48' N

082340 OCT 1943
Ship sunk! Shiratsuyu Destroyer, 1685 ton
Long 115° 16' E, Lat 13° 12' N
Further, we are aware of the following ordinance performance:

Torpedoes fired : 89
Torpedo impacts : 53
Torpedo misses : 29
Torpedo duds : 0
Torpedo premature explosions : 7
VIRTSUBPAC,
Fremantle

PATROL MAP (https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z7ydWdjavAls.kVtfVRPnWpOU)

Snarf

03-17-14, 04:34 PM

Too bad I've reached my limit, I wanted to post the map view showing where the H6K started and finished

TG626

03-21-14, 07:44 PM

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/PA626/Assorted%20Screenshots/SH4Img2014-03-21_173813_039_zpsc55a7c75.png

Downloaded this off killflags.us

Is this really S40's emblem? Did they really drive around with this on the tower - seems like it would be a bad idea from a camouflage standpoint...

Can't find info on either on the net. :-?

ReallyDedPoet

03-21-14, 08:48 PM

Send sqk ( mod author ) message, I am sure he would be happy to answer. Or a bit of research would do the trick.

mobucks

03-21-14, 09:16 PM

My guess is it would be much smaller than that. You can modify these skins with DXTBMP pretty easily.

TG626

03-21-14, 10:13 PM

Send sqk ( mod author ) message, I am sure he would be happy to answer. Or a bit of research would do the trick.

I'd expect that since its his mod the author would say yes, and if you read the last sentence, I said I had no luck finding any info on it...

All I've seen are undated photos showing nothing on the hull, or ones shown a large 40 on either the hull, just forward of the conning tower and just below the deck and/or on the conning tower its self which are dated 1930 something or earlier.

Sailor Steve

03-22-14, 12:58 AM

I'm reasonably certain that no US submarine had emblems apart from pre-war numbers and squadron markings. I've seen a couple of photos of subs with battle-flags painted on the tower, but I'm pretty sure they were post-war.

TG626

03-22-14, 01:22 AM

That was my thinking...

Snarf

03-24-14, 10:07 PM

General quarters set, Sir!http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads/general%20quarters%20set_QkD.jpg

OldWulf85

03-25-14, 07:36 AM

Cool Pic ! :up:

CapnDon

03-25-14, 03:07 PM

I started a new campaign operating out of Manila in a Sargo. I started before the war and had a routine patrol on the northwest coast of Luzon. I was attacked by a Japanese patrol plane on December 5, 1941, which was a surprise. I returned fire with the AA battery, but no damage, either to Sargo or to the Japanese airplane.

I returned to Manila on Dec 6.

I was then sent out on a second patrol in the same boat to Lingayen Gulf. Enroute, I discovered a large merchant convoy of at least a dozen ship escorted by several DDs. I manage to get into position ahead of the convoy and was able to sink two ships. Then, as the convoy ran overhead, I popped up in the middle and sank two more.

Then, we came under a withering depth charge attack that messed the boat up pretty badly. I managed to slip out to the south after 8 hours of pounding (and no oxygen left). By then, I received orders to bypass Manila and head for Surabaya for refit.

After refit and refueling in in Surabaya, I was ordered on a third patrol off the west coast of Borneo. A lone merchant was heard on sonar. We increased speed and chased it down to discover that it was an Australian merchant. The visibility was bad and we had to close to under 500 yards to identify it. We almost attacked, but given the proximity to other allied bases, we are glad we held the trigger.

After no other luck, we were then ordered back to the waters north of Surabaya to set up a barrier patrol. Not long after arriving, we heard multiple warships approaching. After maneuvering into position, we located a column of Japanese cruisers and destroyers heading into the Java Sea. We set up on the first two in the column, heavy cruisers, and fired four torpedoes from the front tubes. Two hit but did not explode and the other two went wide. I attempted to set up to fire the aft tubes, but the cruisers were moving too fast and it became impossible. The destroyers then pounced and it was difficult to escape given the very shallow waters in the area. At times, while at periscope depth, there as only 30 or 40 feet beneath the keel.

We pushed further north into the Makassar Strait and quickly found a huge convoy heading south. It consisted of at least eight large merchants escorted by two minesweepers and two destroyers.

Visibility was terrible, but we gained visual contact at about 800 yards and manage to quickly sink three of the merchants. The, the DDs pounced and got lucky. We were quickly heavily damaged and one crewman was killed with several injured. Our battery was damaged and it was all we could do but to slip out of there as quietly as possible. We actually ran the battery to zero and then, just bobbed to the surface hoping the distant DDs would not spot us. Fortunately, the sun went down and we sped south to home.

By then, Surabaya had fallen to the Japanese, so we headed for Darwin to refuel, not wanting to go all the way to Fremantle. After refueling and rearming, we headed back into the Makassar Strait to see what may be left.

Another (or the same?) convoy was there and in a heavy storm we attempted two attacks. Visibility was worse than before and we could only gain visual contact at under 200 yards, way too close for torpedoes. I attempted to fire a few shots at shadows in the distance based on sonar calculations, but my solutions were not good and all torpedoes went wide. Finally, I was able to get directly astern of one merchant and match speed and course. They could not see me, so I got about 600 yards astern and fired two torpedoes with zero gyro angle. Both hit and she went down. I was unable to do the same to any others, so, with tubes empty, we headed to Fremantle.

In Fremantle, I was assigned to USS Tambor, a new boat. We took her north to the Celebes Sea. There, we found a lone merchant cruising northwest. Something did not seem right about her, so, again in poor visibilty, we closed until we identified her as an American merchant. I don't know what she was doing there, but she had a long way to go to safety. I wished the Captain good luck and we headed back to see what else we could find.

Four days later two merchants, steaming together, appeared. This time visibility was good and we were able to make a normal approach. We identified them as Japanese merchants with no escorts, so we made a submerged approach from in front and fired three torpedoes at each. Both went down quickly. Surfacing, we sped out of the area as we had already been harassed by Japanese air patrols at least twice a day.

We developed a standard operating procedure to observe the radar track. If the aircraft made any movement toward us we submerged immediately. If we gained visual contact on an aircraft, we crash dived, and then immediately ordered 100 feet once under water. In general, we found we needed to remain submerged for at least a half hour to an hour to avoid detection by the aircraft.

We had no further contacts that patrol and returned to Fremantle with most of our torpedoes aboard. Now standing by waiting for our next orders, but we expect to be sent to the Japanese coast.

Sniper297

03-25-14, 07:38 PM

3rd patrol USS S-35, stock S class except for early SJ radar installed. Departed 20 March 1942 from PHANTOM 42 with orders to patrol Java Sea. Radar contact, one of them stupid troopship "task force" madhouses, with the usual skittering about like waterbugs and colliding with each other. Wasn't in the mood to deal with that nonsense so I turned south to avoid contact. And picked up another one on radar to the south. Turned west to go between them (since they weren't actually going anywhere, just milling around in circles) and found myself flanked by two more of those abortions heading the same direction.

Turned around and headed back toward PHANTOM 42, once I was out of the Celebes Sea stopped engines and drifted for 48 hours to let all them idiots disappear.

Tried again, on entering Celebes Sea picked up another task force on radar - this one turned out to be a real task force with 4 battlewagon shapes in column. 12 torpedoes in an S-boat but what the hell, might as well see if I can sink one or two.

Escort cooperated by getting stupid, at 15000 yards the screen unscreened and started running search patterns to the rear, while the lead escort wove in and out of the BB column until the predictable happened, he got run over. No screen in front, so approached from head on until sighting the first BB, a FUSO, then submerged.

Went deep and found the layer was at 150, came back up to periscope depth.

Waited until FUSO was within 800 yards and fired one at the 3rd BB, waited a 10 count and fired the second at the number 2 BB, then two high gyro angle shots at the leading FUSO. Dove for 200 feet and reversed course to head the same way as the task force, heard 4 hits within a few seconds of each other.

Even with nothing but rated torpedomen for some reason it takes a long long time to reload tubes on an S class, fortunately the escorts were so far behind the task force I had a lot of time. After the first tube was (FINALLY!) reloaded came back up to periscope depth, FUSO sinking, 3rd ship was an ISE who was smoking while ramming a light cruiser, and I almost got run over by a YAMATO with a big hole in her side - hadn't noticed the second BB I fired a single shot at was bigger than the others. Let her have the one loaded fish in the rudder as she passed by to slow her down, fired the second at the ISE and went deep again. Came back up into a ramming party, the destroyers had arrived and were colliding with each other while getting run over by light and heavy cruisers plus the one undamaged BB who was running the other way. YAMATO still running at 4 knots while ISE was DIW, so I fired two more at YAMATO which stopped DIW, then sank half an hour later while I was deep reloading tubes again.

Came back up into a destroyer convention, hit the ISE with two more, kicked out a decoy and went back to 200 feet while running full speed under a MAYA heavy cruiser to give the destroyers something to run into. Which they did. :up:

Dark out now, reloaded the last fish and came back up to fire another into the ISE while dodging destroyers (fortunately there were so many of them they kept getting in each other's way, but I did get one close depth charge which damaged the deck gun) but he just settled a little further without sinking. Eventually had to fire all remaining fish at that ISE before she went down, so total score was 2 fish to sink FUSO, 4 fish to sink YAMATO, six to put that dogged ISE down.

The enemy's score was higher than mine, I sank 3 ships and counted 8 wrecks on the map, so they sank five of their own ships with all the panicky running around.

Real task forces are fun. :arrgh!:

ReallyDedPoet

03-25-14, 11:13 PM

Nice :yep:

Sniper297

03-26-14, 04:09 PM

Well, that was apparently a successful patrol, since I was offered "new construction" at the end of it. Since the whole point of the test was to find out if my default bow deck gun mod would work for changing boats during a campaign, I accepted. Got a Porpoise, which ain't actually "new construction" in 1942, but it's an improvement over the Sugar boat.

When testing the "Gone Asiatic" mod I saw that random Japanese planes were occasionally sinking the tenders in my "secret" resupply bases. Doesn't actually affect anything, you can still resupply, but it annoyed me. So I stuck a heavy cruiser in there anchored next to the tender, then added an air patrol with a couple wildcats and some TBD and SBD to deal with party crashers.

So after getting my new Porpoise (which did indeed have a bow deck gun by default) I set out on my 4th patrol, second from PHANTOM 42. Immediately picked up a convoy on radar just north of the base, so I wondered if I could have some fun - run up on the surface and start banging away with the deck gun, can I get the destroyers to chase me 10 miles south into the guns of the Northhampton and under the US air patrol? :arrgh!: Nope.

They did chase south for a while, but apparently these guys were dedicated to the convoy, and wouldn't go more than a few miles from their charges, and would break off and return to the convoy. Tried firing some fish at the convoy ships from long range, but same thing, destroyers turn south to chase me, fire deck guns and 40mm at them while running south, they break off and return to the convoy. Gotta admire professional sailors, enemy or not. :salute:

After 5 repeated attempts I had sunk all three of the escorts with the deck gun even though I wasn't trying to sink them, just piss them off enough to get them to chase me. So I went in and sunk the 11 merchies with deck gun and BOFORS HE shells, running full tilt boogie and weaving around to avoid return fire from the armed merchants with their stubby 5 inch 25s and whatever that honking monster is that looks like a 6 inch 53 from a light cruiser. Obviously the best tactic is to sink whatever has guns first and let the unarmed merchies run off in all directions, with anything better than an S-boat I can chase them down later. Worked, sank all 11 freighters so 14 ships sunk in one three hour battle with 6 torpedoes (all misses!) and a few hundred rounds of 4 inch 50 and 40mm HE. :up:

depthtok33l

03-29-14, 07:37 AM

My first contact after a few days of patrolling off the coast of Formosa near a port, this could be a big ship, I was so excited!
http://i.imgur.com/4aGp4Vn.jpg
=====
Turns out to be a bloody fishing boat.....:shifty:
http://i.imgur.com/10WiQDr.jpg
=====
I was going to surface and engage with my deck gun but I was such in a near perfect position for a fish attack, oh well :hmmm:
http://i.imgur.com/smkcQuk.jpg
=====
He wanted fishes, I gave him one, he's a fishing boat after all :O:
http://i.imgur.com/SPBy3mC.jpg
=====
After he received my precious fish, he somehow broke the laws of physics :o
http://i.imgur.com/DLcLJ7k.jpg
=====
Sayōnara
http://i.imgur.com/trUFk76.jpg

ReallyDedPoet

03-29-14, 07:45 AM

Nice.

Admiral Halsey

03-29-14, 11:25 AM

I just love giving the fishing boats the occasional torp. Just make sure you saved before launching it so that way one you had your fun you can reload and blast the thing to smithereens.

Snarf

03-29-14, 02:03 PM

Oh boy I've just hit the motherlode! As I arrived on station I came across a Nippon Maru, sent one Snarf cutie into her, then battle surfaced to put 10 more holes in her side, Sunk. A few hours later another Nippon Maru. One more Snarf cutie, one more battle surface and she's on the bottom too. Then I get a radio report of a large convoy coming my way south of Formosa, so I plot a rough course based on the info and head that way. A few hours later my radar screen lights up like Christmas! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, FOURTEEN freighters, and six escorts! This is IT! I've used 2 super cuties and I have 22 left, better make every one of these count so I fire one per ship, one at a time. The third (of the patrol) Nippon Maru took two, as did one other ship.

Arrival on station:
Long 124° 08' E, Lat 25° 37' N|Ship sunk! NIPPON MARU, 10006 tons
September 2, 1944, 11:53

Shortly after:
Long 123° 07' E, Lat 24° 23' N|Ship sunk! NIPPON MARU, 10006 tons
September 2, 1944, 04:12

The mega-convoy:
Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! Kisaragi Destroyer, 1772 tons
September 4, 1944, 07:55

Long 125° 08' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! AKITA MARU, 3946 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:00

Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! Auxilary Subchaser, 680 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:02

Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! Etorofu Escort, 860 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:02

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! KASAGISAN MARU, 2432 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:07

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! Momi Destroyer, 1215 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:11

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 23' N|Ship sunk! Wakatake Destroyer, 1215 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:12

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! Wakatake Destroyer, 1215 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:17

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! AKITA MARU, 3946 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:20

Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! BUZYUN MARU, 4974 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:27

Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! BUZYUN MARU, 4974 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:28

Long 125° 08' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! TYOHEI MARU, 1721 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:33

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! BUZYUN MARU, 4824 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:35

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! NIPPON MARU, 10003 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:39

Long 125° 09' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! TYOHEI MARU, 1746 tons
September 4, 1944, 08:54

Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 23' N|Ship sunk! ZINBU MARU, 5203 tons
September 4, 1944, 09:09

Long 125° 10' E, Lat 22° 23' N|Ship sunk! MOMOYAMA MARU, 4054 tons
September 4, 1944, 09:09

Long 125° 11' E, Lat 22° 22' N|Ship sunk! AKITA MARU, 4021 tons
September 4, 1944, 09:17

Long 125° 12' E, Lat 22° 21' N|Ship sunk! HAKUSIKA MARU, 8292 tons
September 4, 1944, 09:34

Long 125° 14' E, Lat 22° 21' N|Ship sunk! AKITA MARU, 4021 tons
September 4, 1944, 09:50

The last three I had to carefully finish off with the deck gun after I crippled them.

merc4ulfate

03-29-14, 11:12 PM

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o49/borschwanger/SH4Img27-3-2007_4-1.jpg
flank speed in 15 meters per second?(modded weather report) of wind. yea theys on the deck guns

OH SNAP!!!!

merc4ulfate

03-29-14, 11:16 PM

depthtok33l

03-30-14, 04:55 PM

I already posted screenshots of this but anyways, I thought you'd want to see the whole thing in "moving pictures w/ sound". :D

Here you go: http://youtu.be/0Kkiknc__S8

TG626

03-30-14, 06:03 PM

[Painted emblems on the conning tower] were not allowed. Even paint with any gloss at all was not allowed. Haze gray and under way meant flat paint.

That's what I thought too... :up:

merc4ulfate

03-30-14, 09:28 PM

I was on ship once and the Captain loved to have the brass shined and I was like ?????

We had brass turnbuckles for the safty lines and so we greased the lines(steel cables) ... I guess so you can slip off easily into the water when trying hard not to die and then spot your ship in the moonlight with all that shiney brass as it sails out of sight.

I always though that was really really wrong but hey ... he was the captain.

Admiral8Q

03-30-14, 09:38 PM

TG626

03-30-14, 10:14 PM

There's a difference between war time and peace time. S40 and her sisters all had huge white numbers on their conning towers before the war. (40 in the case of s-40, despite being ss-145)

jpm1

04-01-14, 07:25 AM

purchased IV 3 days ago and for my first patrol i came across a gigantic convoy in the east China sea . first i detected a tremendous number of warships echos in rough weather . then when i came close i spotted 5 or 6 carriers and 2 heavy cruisers . i closed as much as i could and let the convoy slowly pass . then when the escort has gone away i sent 4 torpedoes to the bottom Maya cruiser and immediatly dived and escaped . the cruiser took all the stuff and sank in minutes . it was cool :smug:

Mike Abberton

04-01-14, 10:28 AM

Hello all,

I’ve lurking around here for quite a while, but this may be my first real post. Been playing SHIII and SHIV off and on for a few years, and recently had probably my most interesting patrol yet, including help from some friendlies.

I’m running TMO 2.5 and RSRDC. Manual TDC, but I do use Map Contacts and the External Cam.

After 4 patrols in S-18 and an relatively dull 5th patrol in my brand new, to me at least, SS-192 Sailfish (snuck into Lae harbor for some small fry), I set out on my 6th patrol from Brisbane. Was ordered to the Shortlands/Rabaul area to patrol, but en route got a message about convoys due at Truk over the next few weeks (this is early December 1942). We make a full speed run but find nothing.

On the way back south, we get another message of a possible task force due to be off Madang in a few days. It’s a stretch but another full-speed run gets us there in time to see a Kuma Class, two DDs (Asashios, iirc), and two juicy 14+K ton AMCs. The range is long and opening, but I set up a solution on the trailing AMC. Of a four torpedo spread, three premature but the 4th tags the AMC. She slows down, but doesn’t sink. The two DDs were somewhat slow to react, and we were able to get away without much trouble. The Task Force appears to be heading towards Rabaul, so we sprint ahead keeping the TF intermittently on radar and/or the hydrophones to make sure they are still there.

North of New Britain, we finally get in position and set up an ambush. Along comes the Kuma, the two DDs and the undamaged AMC (the damaged AMC presumably can’t maintain the TF’s 15-knot speed). Shoot 2 fish apiece at the AMC and the Kuma from the stern tubes. Two hit the AMC and she starts to sink, one hit (aft of the last stack) and one miss on the Kuma. She’s slowed but not out. The two DDs react quicker this time, and start the hunt. I’m down deep at 320 feet. They seem to know where I am, but can’t seem to hit me. Suddenly I notice that they’re giving up the hunt. A quick hydrophone check and I can hear guns firing. Suddenly the popup camera comes up and shows P-38s diving on the DDs. Nice! While they are distracted, it's up to periscope depth and notice that the Kuma, which had dropped off the hydrophone, is low in the stern and not moving. Three fish later and she’s on the way down. The first wave of P-38s are gone, and the DDs come after me again. Dive deep and headed out of the area when another pair of P-38s arrive to distract them again. I slip away. Unfortunately I think most of those P-38s were shot down or heavily damaged in the attacks.

We head to Tulagi for some fuel and more torpedoes and then head up the Slot. We get a message of a resupply effort to Munda Point which is right around the corner. We get to the Munda area ahead of the convoy, which ends up being a Nagara Maru (7K tons) and a Mutsuki DD. I set up a nice ambush shot on the AK only to see all 4 fish pass ahead as she slows down coming into the harbor. D’oh. We start to reload the bow tubes while the DD swoops in and the Maru heads on past. The escort keeps me down until what do I hear but guns again. US aircraft are attacking again. They manage to hit the AK with at least one bomb (she’s on fire when I see her next). I try the same tactic as before, but get a little careless. While setting up the shot on the AK with my one reloaded bow tube, the DD rams me. D’oh again.

Proving that fortune sometimes favors the stupid as well as the bold, she hits us in the AA mount and that’s the only damage we suffer (my poor AA gunner was apparently in scuba gear because he dies during the ramming). As we’re diving back down, I notice the DD is circling to my starboard. A little peeved and embarrassed, I zoom back to periscope depth and unload the stern tubes at the DD as she crosses behind me. One hits in the engine room and she starts to drift. With no fire coming in from the DD, I swap the scope around and start to line up a shot on the AK. She has decided this area is a little too hot and is setting out to sea again, straight towards me. I fire two torps about 30 seconds apart. The first passes in front of her, but the second hits and I get an immediate “She’s going down” message. Meanwhile, the DD is going down as well, so we decide it’s time to head out.

Needless to say those were some of the more tense moments I’ve had in the game. Awesome game.

Mike

chrysanthos

04-01-14, 10:50 AM

me and IJN Haruna on a ride...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xx05kw_a-free-ride-on-ijn-haruna-battleship_videogames

Snarf

04-01-14, 12:14 PM

Nice one, I had a full on carrier strike attacking a 4 BB convoy as I was pluggin fish into their hulls I managed to take down all 4 BB's plus a couple cruisers and their tanker support. Being the gentleman that I am, I made sure and picked up the downed aviators who helped me so dearly. What a fun attack that was.

Mike Abberton

04-01-14, 12:49 PM

I love that the game (or at least RSRDC) has lots of things going on in the background that have nothing to do with you. The night I was leaving Tulagi up the Slot, I picked up an air contact headed NW. No big deal I figured, he won't see me. Then I saw another, and another, and another, maybe 20-25 in all. I don't know who they were or where they were going, but somebody was going to have a rough night.

Mike

depthtok33l

04-08-14, 03:02 AM

me and IJN Haruna on a ride...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xx05kw_a-free-ride-on-ijn-haruna-battleship_videogames

Nice vid! Calming music. By the way, try to upload on Youtube next time, I think more people will see it if its there.

captgeo

04-17-14, 09:32 AM

took this screen shot not long after I started this Sim , still my favorite

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp200/captgeo2703/SH4Img2009-01-15_122322_344.jpg (http://s411.photobucket.com/user/captgeo2703/media/SH4Img2009-01-15_122322_344.jpg.html)

Admiral8Q

04-17-14, 12:06 PM

Nice!

Armistead

04-17-14, 03:57 PM

Capt. didn't that one win one of the contest...

captgeo

04-18-14, 08:32 PM

yes, I think that was the one that you said you modified or something, cant remember what you said to me at the time....

depthtok33l

04-23-14, 04:04 AM

http://youtu.be/s86R80xqVCw

Something I made - took me 5 hours for the entire thing including rendering.

Hope you enjoy.

P.S. Don't read the description/about of the video until the very end.

captgeo

04-23-14, 06:19 PM

great video, been there a few time's myself.....:yep:

depthtok33l

04-23-14, 07:19 PM

great video, been there a few time's myself.....:yep:

Hehe thanks. :)

jpm1

04-24-14, 10:27 AM

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0323-23-33-59_zps9dddfbe7.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0323-23-33-59_zps9dddfbe7.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0520-58-54-91_zpsc023b485.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0520-58-54-91_zpsc023b485.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0521-00-17-97_zps0697cbaf.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0521-00-17-97_zps0697cbaf.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0521-36-32-06_zps5da943ee.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0521-36-32-06_zps5da943ee.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0521-37-07-81_zps9719d399.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0521-37-07-81_zps9719d399.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0521-37-48-39_zps7961e03d.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0521-37-48-39_zps7961e03d.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0521-38-34-38_zpse747a426.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0521-38-34-38_zpse747a426.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-0521-45-34-28_zpsbb589384.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-0521-45-34-28_zpsbb589384.jpg.html)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b264/jpm1/sh42014-04-2116-06-07-96_zps03cab93f.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/jpm1/media/sh42014-04-2116-06-07-96_zps03cab93f.jpg.html)

captgeo

04-25-14, 06:38 PM

great screenshot's:yeah:

Warren Peace

04-25-14, 09:40 PM

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/842/bn7p.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nebn7pj)

I call this one 'Dedication'.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/835/afsp.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/n7afspj)

And this one I have entitled 'I think we did it wrong'.

depthtok33l

04-25-14, 10:32 PM

:rock: ♬ I sunk a U-Boat ♬, ♬ I sunk a U-Boat ♬, ♬ I sunk a U-Boat ♬ :rock:

Flounder sinks U-537 '44

Watch it here: http://youtu.be/F-ZiTCxZA1E

Skip to time 7:20 for the exciting part.

Preview :D
http://i.imgur.com/e8MHn1P.png

TG626

04-26-14, 01:31 AM

Dayuuuummm... Never had a chance!

Smoshy

06-05-14, 09:13 PM

That is a fantastic shot, captgeo!

cdrsubron7

06-06-14, 07:44 PM

merc4ulfate

06-10-14, 09:38 PM

HMS Thule (A/Lt.Cdr. A.C.G. Mars, DSO, DSC, RN):

Departed from Trincomalee for her 2nd war patrol (1st in the Far East). She is to perform a special operation in the Seto Inland Sea.

7 NOV 1944

Time 1955

Arrived Bungo Suido Straits

5 Dec 1944

===========================

Weather: Extreme overcast sky with a moderate fog.

Entered Bungo Suido undetected and traversed North through the narrow slot and then North East. Under orders governing Operation Sea Snake we are to enter the Seto Inland Sea and patrol in hopes of sighting capital Japanese Naval vessels and radio position and attack if within range.

Course 270, 25 NM South East of Hiroshima detected using Type 286W radar Task Force coming from astern to our South East at high speed .

Changed course 090 ahead flank and plotted an intercept course. At 5 NM from lead target of 8 ships ordered ahead slow and periscope depth.

Sonar loud and steady. Task Force changed course from 000 to 315. Thunderbolt changed course 180 all ahead flank to reposition a better AOB.

Sonar lead target within 1500 yards set Mark VIII torpedoes to run fast with contact detonators. Opened all outer doors and and trimmed the boat at periscope depth.

Raised the scope at 2030, Yamato Class Battleship at 800 yards speed 15 knots and moving from our port to starboard.

Scope set at ZERO,
AOB ZERO,
Order Hard to Starboard
Battleship at 350 degrees FIRED 1,2,3,4,5,6,7.

http://www.designcowboys.net/Yamato/Images/yamato_iso.jpg

Seven Explosions heard as we turned hard to port ... 45 seconds later the sound of a huge explosion filled the water and the boat shook violently. Minor damage to the engine room.

Ordered rudder amidships and raised the scope to see the burning ship and more secondary explosions from the dieing battleship. Turned the scope to check for escorts and sighted a Heavy Cruiser at 300 degrees, range 1200 yards.

At 950 yards AOB ZERO, target at 340 fired 8,9,10. Cruiser changed course hard to port and evaded two from the salvo. Third Mark VIII hit forward of the superstructure.

No return fire from the ship indicated our scope had not been spotted. Set course 140 to evacuate the area. Identified 2 Heavy Cruisers (1 Furutaka and 1 Mogami class), One additional Yamato Battleship, 4 Light Cruisers (2 Sendai, 2 Kuma class).

Sighted two additional Task Forces upon leaving Bungo Suido along a 14 NM stretch from AO Island North East to the North West passage between Gogo Island and Nakajima Island.

Task Forces consisted of:

4 carriers
5 Heavy Cruisers
6 Light Cruisers
2 Kongo Battleships
2 Ise Battleships
1 Nagato Battleship
15 destroyers

Exited Bungo Suido and returned to Trincomalee

============================

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/HMS_Thule_2.jpg

.
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Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
1WDAD_v100
2WDAD_V100_Patch1
3WDAD_V100_Patch k
4WDAD-HMS Triton refit 1.1
5WDAD missions 1940
EAXsoundsim_without_WebstersManeuver_STOCK_GFO_OM
creaksNgroans
SH4 British Dive Klaxon v1-1
BBC World

merc4ulfate

06-25-14, 07:24 PM

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=546&pictureid=7546

HMS THUNDERBOLT

The killing seas of Malaysia

World_Devastator

06-25-14, 07:47 PM

Great screenshot!

Pooch

07-05-14, 10:43 AM

I've come back to this terrific game after being away for years. Believe it or not it's because I've been playing Asssisins Creed, Black Flag. The old ship battles are great and it got me wanting to get out on the high seas with my sub, again. You guys just have to tell what mods you're using in those screen shots. I'm going to grab all the best stuff.

merc4ulfate

07-06-14, 10:14 PM

I was using We Dive at Dawn. Your a British Submarine patrolling the Atlantic and Mediterranean. It is a real challenge since the British torpedo can only track ten degrees port or starboard so you better get it lined up or you miss like a mad dog.

World_Devastator

07-08-14, 02:12 PM

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o54/mustangman9812/Silent%20Hunter%204/sh42014-07-0600-31-19-411_zps34883ad1.png (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/mustangman9812/media/Silent%20Hunter%204/sh42014-07-0600-31-19-411_zps34883ad1.png.html)

Got a little to close in this past weekend's multiplayer session :o

fireftr18

07-08-14, 04:12 PM

Got a little to close in this past weekend's multiplayer session :o

More or less. :D

captgeo

07-11-14, 02:27 PM

Jap Revenge on a S 18

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp200/captgeo2703/SH4Img2009-02-11_225316_431.jpg (http://s411.photobucket.com/user/captgeo2703/media/SH4Img2009-02-11_225316_431.jpg.html)

World_Devastator

07-11-14, 04:47 PM

Very nice screenshot :salute:

fireftr18

07-11-14, 07:15 PM

Cool shot! :salute:

I don't think your crew is going to be very happy. :dead:

in_vino_vomitus

07-15-14, 08:44 AM

Excellent report, even better photos :)

captgeo

07-16-14, 07:57 AM

Red sky in the morning , sailor's warning ?

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp200/captgeo2703/SH4Img2014-07-14_205043_456_zps192b17f3.png (http://s411.photobucket.com/user/captgeo2703/media/SH4Img2014-07-14_205043_456_zps192b17f3.png.html)

Surfing S-18 style.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp200/captgeo2703/SH4Img2014-07-12_193653_192_zps81ab2a72.png (http://s411.photobucket.com/user/captgeo2703/media/SH4Img2014-07-12_193653_192_zps81ab2a72.png.html)

Armistead

07-16-14, 05:41 PM

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/5e3405ed-1949-4484-8edb-103d6bc759c7_zpsb7592048.jpg

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu235/Armistead1424/5fc6a68d-07da-4861-839f-6ee22eb6a5aa_zps9553fac0.jpg

Armistead

07-16-14, 05:43 PM

Nice shot Capt...Like the second one. I just looking through some of my old ones and decided to post one....Good to see you posting some of yours again.

captgeo

07-16-14, 06:49 PM

lol, thanks, yes the urge has hit me to do some SS on my attempt at TMO, and yes I remember the second shot of your's.....still great

Armistead

07-16-14, 07:32 PM

Yea, I really have the urge to play, just gotta get my pc fixed. Just got use to this notebook and haven't taken the time...Did you find taters fixes..

captgeo

07-16-14, 09:06 PM

Yea, I really have the urge to play, just gotta get my pc fixed. Just got use to this notebook and haven't taken the time...Did you find taters fixes..

found them ,just have not installed them yet, this career wont last long, damn I am rusty.......:arrgh!:

Harmsway!

08-08-14, 04:24 PM

http://youtu.be/1hGxva-L7_Q

My first Silent Hunter series video. For first time simmers and those totally unfamiliar with submarines. Whereas so many SH videos are Let's Play or advance tactics this one is simplistic.

Enjoy, comment.

fitzcarraldo

08-10-14, 08:11 PM

A nice introductory video. Harnsway: you use RFB true? I would to know where you obtained the compass textures on the bridge. Many thanks!

Fitzcarraldo :salute:

Sailor Steve

08-10-14, 08:48 PM

Very nice! I hadn't planned on "wasting" ten minutes, but I ended up watching the whole thing and thoroughly enjoyed your walkthrough. :sunny:

merc4ulfate

08-11-14, 04:04 PM

I got a message about a convoy around the west side of Truk and I was a bit North so I went down to investigate. I sat near the entrance of the west side of the lagoon for a while when I picked up high speed screws.

I raised the scope and saw one destroyer, two Kongo Battleships and one Chitose Seaplane Tender with a Japanese mini-sub on board leaving the lagoon. I plotted their exit course and they would have gone within 2000 yards of me if not closer.

I monitored their progress a bit and noticed the DD at about 2000 yards became a constant bearing and closing. I checked in the scope and he was coming for me.

Knowing I could not out run him I went all ahead flank and left full rudder. He was at 270 of me and would have came across in the area of the CONN so my tactic was to move ahead and left as he was coming in ahead and left towards me. At about 50 yards and still at periscope depth I heard the Y-Launchers go off and zeroed my rudder.

He went right over the last 20 feet of the stern but since I had zeroed the steering the launchers missed me deep. His roll off also missed me deep and aft since I had gone ahead flank.

Meanwhile the other three ships steered away at course 270 while mine was 030. I stayed ahead flank. The DD made another pass and missed and fired at my periodic scope appearance. My plan was to attack the large ships and get as close as I could before firing while the DD came around.

After the second pass from the DD I raised scope and fired two magnetic detonator set fish at their shallowest setting. Both hit causing the DD to stop in her tracks and sink quickly. This was the only escort. I got within 2500 years of the other three and fearing I would only get one shot I fired all 6 forward tubes at the lead BB. I had one premature detonation, two dudes, two misses and one hit on her stern.

I cussed.

I had reloaded one in the aft tubes so now I had three and turned hard left in their course to bring around the rear tubes. I fired all three at the second BB at 1500 yards. I had two dudes and one explosion under the main superstructure.

The lead BB began to rest to the rear while the second had flames and began to list to port after at ten minutes.

Reload, reload, reload. Still at flank speed I chased them. They were doing around 18 knots but had slowed to 8 after being hit.

As soon as I had a reload I fired. Both BB were now in a zig zag leap frogging each other. The ship most to the read would cross behind the other ship as it sailed on. The second ship would slow down to 3 knots or so directly behind the other BB. It was guarding the lead against torpedoes.

The second ship would then speed up move in front while the other played guard behind her. I kept course 270 and did not move the rudder to keep my speed at maximum. Their maneuvers kept me close enough by their zig zag and guarding maneuvers to get off 5 more torpedoes with only one striking the one aflame at about 4000 yards.

My speed began to drop and I knew I could not do much more to them. The Chitose was close enough in the chase being to the rear of the BB's that I fire three fish at her and sank her.

The second strike on the BB did little to slow them down. I ceased my attack thankful I had two ships but would have loved to have had them all finding myself in such a lucky spot.

This guarding tactic by both BB's I found completely fascinating. I have never seen ships under AI control pull such a maneuver in hope of protecting each other.

Their tactics, while not being able to sink the BB's, made that whole attack worth playing and most enjoyable.

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157
RFB_2.0
RFB_2.0_Patch_23April2010
RSRDC_RFB_V575
RSRDC_V5xx_Patch1
Improved Ship Physics_1.1
Real Subs
EAXsoundsim_without_WebstersManeuver_STOCK_GFO_OM

Harmsway!

08-15-14, 07:37 AM

Thanks for the comments fellows. The compass is my own mod. I think I'm happy with it enough to make it available soon. Yes, RFB.

adrians69

08-15-14, 02:27 PM

Spotted about 35nm NNW of Truk Lagoon, in the Carolinas. This must be Japan's new war winning super radar of death!:rotfl2: Has anyone else seen this while cruising??

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh73/adrians69/Silent%20Hunter%20series/SecretWeapon.jpg

adrians69

Armistead

08-15-14, 04:30 PM

We call it the beanstalk...some messed up coded sphere.

fireftr18

08-15-14, 09:43 PM

adrians69, you're only the second person I know of that found it, and posted a screen shot on it. And yeah, what Armistead said.

adrians69

08-16-14, 01:36 PM

Glad it's not just me then! :) It has a reflection on the sea and everything. I sailed right up to it and thought it looked rather cool like something out of a science fantasy pic!

Adrian

Armistead

08-16-14, 02:19 PM

a few have found it, not hard once u know where it is....think when I found it I ran into it by accident, but that was years ago. The land mass, the lil dot that it is won't show on the map unless you zoom view....may be an easter egg of sorts, but my guess is just a screwed up sphere

adrians69

08-17-14, 05:29 AM

I found it by accident. I was patrolling off the Carolinas when it appeared over the horizon!! :D

Armistead

08-17-14, 10:28 AM

wait until you find the tribe of women.....

adrians69

08-17-14, 04:02 PM

wait until you find the tribe of women.....

Look forward to it!! :D

merc4ulfate

08-18-14, 03:12 PM

Gee I thought everyone knew about he spire.

It isn't round ... it has a larger base the midsection and one direction of it get elongated. It is also invisible underwater and from inside it and it hurts to run into it.

fitzcarraldo

08-18-14, 06:07 PM

I see it in some patrols. I think a Nikola Tesla invention.

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo :salute:

Lexandro

08-19-14, 07:23 PM

To; Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine Erich Raeder
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Raeder)Regarding; Korvettenkapitän Franz Faquer Commander U-boat 42 (IX).

I am sad to report that U-boat 42 was today listed as lost at sea with all hands during patrols on the northern Norwegian shoreline. Reports from Franz stated he was attempting to intercept a British task force consisting of 1 BB and 4 DD class vessels. No radio reports have been had from the boat in over 2 weeks and overflights of the area by recon aircraft in that time were hampered by bad weather and a high concentration of enemy AA fire in U-boat 42's last known position. We did confirm that one BB class ship was badly damaged and barely aloat in the area, but appears to be under tow back to port for repair.

I am left with no alternative than to assume that the U-boat went down with all hands, and that one of our best captains with over 200,000 tonnes to his credit has perished. It is highly unfortunate that this has happened on the ships maiden patrol, after the esteemed captain came over from 7th fleet in Kiel to take command of U-42.

Regrettably yours;

Konteradmiral Karl Dönitz

captcrane

08-25-14, 10:53 AM

What a game!

captcrane

08-25-14, 10:56 AM

Love this Mod

Kermit the Frog

08-25-14, 02:33 PM

Sorry to hear that mate. It must be one hard battle of survival, but I believe that Royal Navy paid a price?

I was playing SHIII, GWX, GWX gold, NYGM ~10years. Now (with pleasure) I'm part of US Navy :-)

Since start of this game I've been sending to bottom of the ocean Battleschips, Cruisers, Destroyers, but this Roadrunner (or Searunner) I've met first time

http://www.bilder-upload.eu/upload/b96c91-1408994603.jpg

God bless USS Salmon (God She's large) and her unexperienced crew :-)

http://www.bilder-upload.eu/upload/b47a78-1408995151.jpg

Lexandro

09-02-14, 12:24 AM

̶C̶a̶p̶t̶a̶i̶n̶'̶s̶ ̶l̶o̶g̶,̶ ̶S̶t̶a̶r̶d̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶2̶1̶4̶3̶5̶.̶6̶1̶2̶.̶ ̶W̶e̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶d̶i̶n̶g̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶.̶. ̶.̶ woops.

Patrol Log,
USS Silversides SS236,
Captain Charles MacDuffer commanding officer,
September 2nd 1942
--------------------

Its now four months since I was given command of USS Silversides, the shakedown went well and our subsequent first patrol netted 25k tonnes of enemy merchant shipping sunk off the coast of mainland Japan. The crew performed admirably and have gotten used to the new boat in short order. Command has now given me the task of patrolling around the Truk atoll, which is not a great place for a submarine to be with all the hazards to navigation and small islands in the area. I will be running drills every day to ensure the crew are fully prepared for action.

September 12th, 1942, 08.50 hrs
--------------------------------
We have reached Truk without any enemy contact thus far. The crew have drilled hard and my 1st officer and I agree that they are as sharp as they can be for now. There is some room for improvement but that will come with more time sailing in Silversides and learning her quirks. The navigator has plotted a tight search pattern to the east of truk, but the weather reports and not looking good at the minute. Seems like there is a helluva storm on its way and we could be smack bang in its path.

September 12th 19.20 hrs
-------------------------
The weather reports didn't do this thing justice, its not a squall its near typhoon conditions. The sky is black as the eye can see, the rain is lashing down, and with the strong gusts there are thirty foot troughs which are making the crew highly nauseous. I have had to increase speed just to keep us on course.

September 13th, 06.30 hrs
--------------------------
If the weather wasn't bad enough already, visibility is now at zero thanks to a thick fog bank that's whipped up overnight with the storm. If it wasn't for the fact that our navigator is a maths genius I am not sure we would be able to navigate in this. This new "radar" unit we had installed at last layover hasn't done much for us yet. But the chief and my first have a daring idea they have just come to me with. A raid in to the atoll itself. Number 1 has a plan of action and the navigator has plotted a course right in the front door. With the weather this bad.........it could just work IF this radar isn't a pig in a poke.

September 13th, 08.45 hrs
--------------------------
Were in! The maps were accurate, and the course was bang on.

"RADAR CONTACT!, bearing 325!"

Number one and I look at one another, and I just give him a nod of approval. Zero visibility, jet black sky, yet we have a target, its range, its bearing and its stopped dead in the atoll. This could be good.

"SIR! Multiple radar contacts! bearing 325, 300, 010, 090,.......". God this thing is great! I sure as hell hope the Japs cant detect it, if they see us or can see our signals we are in trouble. The XO and I work up firing solutions for the targets we have in the first batch, but they keep coming. I don't have the torpedoes to sink everything! The ship count is at 12 so far, with only one moving. It must be a harbour patrol, he would be the only one crazy enough to try and make way in this.....well apart from us that is.

Radar calls up again that the signals are extremely strong, so much so he is sure that one is a carrier or battleship such is the size of the return. A carrier or a battleship means a taskforce! They must have laid up here due to the weather reports the day before. Radar then reports the island is blocking his returns and he has lost most of the signals but for those to the fore. I tell the XO to pass the word to the hands for battlestations. The first three tracks the XO has plotted are dead ahead in the harbour. I order periscope depth for the shot, since in these sea's with no visibility I want the most stable shot I can get on this "blind track".

"Flood tubes 1 through 6! Open tube doors 1 through 6!"

The seconds tick away as the crew get the tubes ready to fire.

"Target bearing 010, FIRE TUBE ONE!.............FIRE TUBE TWO!"
"Torpedoes in the water"
"Target bearing 000, FIRE TUBE THREE! ..............FIRE TUBE FOUR!"
"Torpedoes in the water"
"Target bearing 025, FIRE TUBE FIVE!.........FIRE TUBE SIX!"
"Torpedoes in the water"

Time seems to slowdown.......the sound of the clock hands ticking around my stopwatch feel like they are hammers striking on some great anvil somewhere.

"Torpedo Impact!", the crew and I breath out a little. Then the rest of the detonations can be heard on the hydro's. Six torps out, six hits! I cant be sure if the torps did the damage, so I risk a look with the periscope. Then there is two huge flashes of orange through the fog at what seems like extremely close range. Our Sonar operator says he can hear hissing as the boilers are drowned and breaking up noises on two vectors. Thats two on the bottom! But the third one refuses to sink, and in this murk im not about to go spinning around for a tail shot at this close a range. I order a course to the east around the harbour and in to the main channel for the atoll. I'm thinking of making my escape out the north east passage.

Then it dawns on me.....the japs in the northern bay didn't see the flash as the island obscured it. And with the racket the storms making I don't they they heard it either, and if they did they may well have confused it with the storm. I order us back to the surface and get another sweep with the radar. That big return is still there, and with us manoeuvring in to the channel three more returns have shown up nearby it. They are all at a dead stop! Its now or never.

"Set course 265. Get those tubes loaded on the double!".

It seems like an eternity to close to 3000 yards, but I dare not go any faster than 7 knots for fear that our wake might be spotted or we clatter in to someone in the fog, even with our radar. I call for one last sweep then order the radar off, I still don't know if it can be detected or not and I cant take the chance of it setting off an alarm somewhere close by, not with us this far in to Truk. The boys in the forward torpedo room work like madmen with a plan. Finally the torpedoes are loaded and primed. The tracks are all set, the maths is all done. I just need to get us in to a firing position.

We trundle on westward and with the radar off we are completely blind. But I trust my navigator, and his maths is never wrong. The XO is sharp as a razor when it comes to torpedo tracks so when both of them agree on our position, I don't argue. Two thousand yards off the bow is a carrier or a battleship and either side of him is two other smaller targets, and one directly behind. Four in all, but can I possibly afford to NOT target all four? What if they get under way while I'm here in the bay? What if they have crews at the ready, even in this weather? What if......... No, now is not the time for what ifs. The enemy is ahead, torpedoes are ready.......its time for action not indecision and second guessing.

Number One leans over to me, "Lined up on the big one captain, just say the word sir and we will let rip. I ready my stopwatch and say a quick prayer. I wedge myself firmly behind the TBT and use it to steady myself in the bucking waves and to ensure we are tracking true.

""Tube one FIRE!..........Tube two FIRE!.......Tube three FIRE!.......Tube four FIRE!". I start the count on the first torpedo and realign the TBT to the left most target bearing.
"Tube five FIRE!.......Tube six FIRE!"
"Torpedoes in the water"
"HARD A'STARBOARD, ALL AHEAD FLANK!" I shout down the voice pipes, hoping like hell the chief is ready for the increase in speed. Slowly we start to turn, one degree, two.....then four....then 10...now she is healing hard over and coming around to the east.

"Torpedo Impact!" sonar shouts out, 5 of the 6 have hit home, and one seems to have missed all together. I fear our luck might be starting to run out.
"Steer course 090, speed 2 knots", I call out down the pipes. Shortly we are on course and going slow. I ring down for all back standard. The watch crew are worried, im worried, jimmy the one is worried, the XO is worred, But these japs still haven't got steam up yet, and I am not going anywhere until I know we have hit this taskforce hard. If this is a carrier and I let it slip away to wreak havok on our shipping I wont be able to sleep at night knowing its my fault.

Then a klaxon sounds from dead astern, but its cut short as the ear splitting sound of rending metal can be heard clear as a bell. There are several large splashes along with screeching noises. It must have been a carrier and its the sound of the airplanes coming off the deck we can hear. And there is STILL no sign of a response from the japs.

"Tube seven FIRE!............ Tube eight FIRE!" that's one more target, "Tube nine FIRE!........Tube one zero FIRE!" All tubes empty, a handful of torpedoes left, and we have only been in the area for........ 26hours? Its only just gone 10 AM, it feels like its been three times more than that at least. All stern torpedoes strike their marks with unnerving accuracy, and two jap cruisers are heading to the bottom. The third was definitely hit twice, but wont she go down. I'm sure she wont be going anywhere soon, if at all.

"All ahead flank! Steer course 340 Number one, get us the hell out of here! Navigator plot us a path out of the atoll to the north west through this narrow gap in the corral , and be sharpish about it!" In less than one minute he has us a course plotted out of the area safely. I order another sweep of the radar, and we pick up two ships moving at speed down the channel from the north. Time to beat a retreat back to Midway! If we make it home in one piece, this is medals all round for the crew!

captcrane

09-06-14, 08:32 PM

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah12/captcrane1/SH4Img2014-08-01_124211_877_zpscb015469.jpg

merc4ulfate

09-07-14, 04:57 PM

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE FOUND ON JAPANESE BEACH:

Circular running torpedo ... USS Balao struck forward of the Conn. Sinking rapidly ... basturd BuOrds.

Shooter7

09-08-14, 11:51 AM

I'm new back playing this game after a couple year hiatus while not having a machine that could run it adequately. Using it on a new gaming laptop and just running it straight out of the box right now, no mods. Had a pretty fun weekend with it and decided to share.

It was my 3rd or 4th patrol out in my Gato class sub and I had been instructed to patrol an area between the Honshu and Shikoku islands of Japan and engage merchant shipping. I sailed there uneventfully and set up a search pattern staying out mainly in deep water. I sank a few smaller merchants using the deck gun and was then told to patrol for merchants in the area west of Iwo Jima. The first evening there, on the surface in the middle of the night, I'm told there is contact with a merchant southwest of the island. I head that direction at flank speed, planning on submerging once I was closer. As I came up closer to the target, it comes back that it's a large convoy being escorted by at least 3 destroyers. And unfortunately for me, it appeared that I had already been sighted as the destroyer to the left rear of the group was already headed my direction. Being that it seems like it takes half a day for my sub to submerge, I decided I would try to slug it out on the surface. I got behind my battle sites to see just what was coming at me and found two destroyers making bee lines straight for me, the one from the rear of the convoy coming at me at about 25 degrees to starboard and the other from the front of the group at probably about 40 degrees to port. Giving myself a "here goes nothing", a trained my sites on the much closer destroyer to starboard, as he had spotted me first and was quicker to start my way. I fired one fish straight on his bow, then disengaged sites on him and swung around to the port side, once again training my site straight on the bow of this one coming at me and fired one fish towards him. By the time I swung back around to look at the first destroyer again, it was just in time for the torpedo to impact and impact it did. The destroyer blew up! I got an immediate message of enemy unit destroyed and it went down fast in flames. Swung back around to the second destroyer and apparently neither of these guys had expected me to send fish their way and the second torpedo impacted this one. This one didn't blow up, but went dead in the water right away. Holy cow, did I just knock out both of these guys?!

Ahead of me lay the convoy of 8 merchants that had already all diverted course together away from me. I hit flank speed again to go after them. A previously unseen destroyer, also from the head of the group turned back to come after me, firing guns. I exchanged many shots with this one, luckily only sustained minor damage, and had him smoking. He peeled away and went back out towards the front of the convoy again. Again turning my attention towards the bulk of the convoy, I noted the last destroyer from the far rear of the convoy who had also turned to come towards me, had found himself slowed and caught up in the mass of all the merchants who had turned his direction to get away from me. I began pouring shells into him, quickly had him blazing and he sped away the opposite direction. Finally, the merchants were at my mercy and I went about sinking 5 of them until I had but one torpedo left and was low on deck gun shells. The other 3 merchants had scattered in all directions, it was almost light, and I was very low on ammo. However, as I decided to turn and head for Hawaii base, between there and me laid the destroyer I had left dead in the water. Who better to save that last fish for. As I closed back on his position I slowed to 1/3, took quick aim, and fired my last fish at him sitting there. Split him in the middle and he went down quickly. Excited and happy, I made my way back to Hawaii. Once there, I was surprisingly awarded the Medal of Honor for what I had done on that patrol! Awesome! :sunny:

I would leave it at that, but the fun continued as I went out on my next patrol. I was assigned to the same area off Japan as I had started the previous mission. As I just got there in the middle of the night, on the surface, I got word that there was contact with a warship off the port bow. I quickly gave the order to submerge as, on a previous mission, we had been surprised when we came upon 2 destroyers out by themselves causing trouble and had almost got me. Didn't want to deal with that again. However, couldn't resist taking a look at this seemingly solo warship that contact said was moving slowly just offshore of the city of Tanabe. To my utter surprise, it was a Shokaku class aircraft carrier sailing along alone!! Needless to say, I made quick work of catching up to it and feeding it 4 torpedos, to which it quickly fell over on its side and sunk.

What fun this weekend was! lol :D

AngryHatter

09-11-14, 04:09 AM

Completed my first assignment December 23rd 1941 with three ships for 14k tons.

I am heading south from coastal Japanese waters in half moonlight when I stumble upon a large piece of the IJN.

What I can see through the periscope:

Two Carriers

One Plane Tender

Two Destroyers

One Heavy Cruiser

One Fuel tanker

I am 7k yards from the nearest carrier. Closing fast.
Haven't decided how to play this out.
:lurk:
But I suspect I have found a portion of the Pearl Harbor strike fleet.
:o:huh:

Pooch

09-13-14, 11:09 PM

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1280x1024q90/912/pFQYcQ.jpg (http://imageshack.com/f/pcpFQYcQj)

Nothing special. Just thought it was pretty. Made it my screensaver.

AngryHatter

09-16-14, 01:08 AM

I fired four torpedoes at the nearest carrier.

Three struck the carrier in the aft section. It went down rather fast. 20k tons.

I had to run from the destroyers and the cruiser. I took the boat to 150 feet and slowed to 1/3.
Plotted a course to Java for refit.

Currently I am dodging aircraft from the Philippines.

When I sent as dispatch to COMSUBPAC I got as reply,
"Good work. No Patrol set, pick your own or head to port."

Found a fat freighter on the way and sent her to the bottom with my last two torpedoes.

43k in three days of non stop action.:up:

Aktungbby

09-16-14, 04:16 PM

AngryHatter! :salute: in honor of your successful patrol "Splice the mainbrace" ...well, get hold of the 'medicinal brandy' from the corpsman's supply.:D

depthtok33l

09-23-14, 02:38 AM

Marshall Islands 1943 - always the worst place for me.

Everytime I go there something bad happens.

Just surfaced after suffering a ferocious depth charge attack, batteries are slightly damaged and has been juiced out. I was recharging when these pesky things showed up in the horizon.

It was either him or us.
http://i.imgur.com/bQhAzkD.png

Hambone307

10-12-14, 04:46 AM

Today we mourn the loss of the USS Grenadier. Due to the drunken nature of her skipper, the Grenadier was detected by carrier escorts and sunken after 5 hours of being depth charged. The Grenadier did not die in vain, however. She successfully sunk 1 Flat top and 1 cruiser before falling prey to circling destroyers.

*Just happened an hour ago* :wah:

Aktungbby

10-12-14, 02:14 PM

Hambone307! :Kaleun_Salute: A steep learning curve!

fireftr18

10-12-14, 05:07 PM

Let that be lesson for you Hambone. Don't drink sub sim. Boating and alcohol don't mix.
:Kaleun_Cheers:

Jimbuna

10-13-14, 05:26 AM

Admiral Alloy

10-15-14, 01:14 AM

Two Merchant ships have been slain and laid to rest eternally in the abyss! I left the survivors to float there and think about it.

Sniper297

10-24-14, 12:28 AM

This is about the weirdest one I've had yet. South China Sea in a SARGO class with a full load of 22 Mark 14s, got a contact report task force 200 miles east of Saigon and I was close. Two ISE battlewagons, 3 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, two fat tankers. Went to 220 feet and waited under the layer until the lead escort passed over, came up to periscope depth and fired all 8, sank 2 heavy cruisers and one BB, damaged the second BB. Flank speed, kicked out a decoy, dove under the layer, reversed course and slowed down.

While waiting for the reload the second BB sank, so now comes the time of diminishing returns, principle of calculated risk, discretion is the better part of valor, all that other stuff you think about when you've kicked a hornets' nest and the bees are buzzing around looking for something to sting. He who chickens and runs away lives to chicken another day, is it worth the risk now that they're all stirred up and there's only one heavy cruiser, 2 large tankers, and 3 light cruisers left?

Before I could decide I get another radio contact report - ANOTHER task force heading the same direction only 20 miles east! :ping:

Snuck out to the east, surfaced and went to full tilt boogie trying to steer between the two task forces and get ahead of the second one. Made it. Result, 2 fleet carriers, 2 escort carriers, 2 more heavy cruisers and one large tanker added to the total for the day.

Only damper on the whole thing was that mysterious glitch I sometimes get where the sea is flat calm and the visibility is clear but the scope won't keep a lock on a target even within 1000 yards, so I ended up with 4 undeserved misses due to the auto targeting losing the target at the moment of firing. Never did figure out the cause of that one, I get it every once in a while and it's maddening.

Tromp

10-30-14, 08:11 AM

After patrolling the Solomon Islands and finding nothing but Sampans and Junks, I decided to spend my last fuel travelling to the port of Lae. When I entered the bay it was storming outside. Winds blazing, downpoor and mist, I couldn't see anything. The only thing I could see were the the fainth lights of the two lighthouses.

I kept closing at 1/3, anxiously looking for ships docked for the storm. As it probably was my last action before returning to port, I got hasty and messed up bigtime. I didn't check my map or I would have seen I was no 200 meters away from the harbor. Out of nowhere 2 big fat merchants popped out of the mist and instantly started firing into my sub. I backed up full and dove to periscope dept, but not before sustaining major damage.:dead:

Remembering at which docks the merchants were tied up, I fired 2 torpedoes at each dock using only the map as I couldn't see anything. I hit the left one but couldn't hit the right. So I made a second, rather stupid, move and surfaced the boat. Using the map I could quite accurately figger out at what position and range the remaining ship would be, and started blasting away with the deck gun. I hit her a dozen times before more bad luck.

Out of nowhere, literally in one second, the weahter changed. It stopped raining and visibility became normal. Now the last ship is firing back at me as I have my boat in a 90 degrees angle towards here, a perfect target. Flank speed down again, now I can finally get a good look and sink her with 2 more torpedoes.

After that I had enough and went back to port with about 80% hull damage. The fleet commander wasn't to happy with these results, probably because I just got the sub brandnew of the warf. :yeah:
He proposed I get an honorary discharge and put an end to my carreer and save us all a lot of trouble.

I had to decline, so he trasferred me to Pearl Harbor. Out of the Asiatic Fleet, I am now somebody elses problem. :lost:

Ghost Dog

11-03-14, 02:05 PM

I'm a fart stinker and a ship sinker. ;)

http://s3.postimg.org/6f67kub9v/sh41.jpg (http://postimg.org/image/tgmsqlaxb/full/)
image uploading (http://postimage.org/)

Leandros

11-10-14, 06:42 PM

Hi all,

here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5g37KpjSk5w

is a little video i made as promotion for our Aces of the Deep-Mod "Fall of the rising sun!" and our upcoming online-campaign. Have fun watching. I hope you like it!

So long. :salute:

Great video! I plan to use the mission editor in SH4, and other games, to make illustrations for a new counter-factual book I am writing about the Philippines/Dutch East Indies campaign 1941/42. This looks promising.

I just need to upgrade my computer a little. I used SH3 to make some illustrations for my first book.

Fred

Hambone307

11-10-14, 11:19 PM

Just got done with submarine school and was granted command of the USS Narwhal. Shakedown patrol went perfect and the crew performed their duties flawlessly. Our first mission was to do a recon of Honshu. Made it into the bay with no issues except for the occasional air patrol forcing us to submerge. As we were finishing our final approach to the docks my sonar man calls out an approaching warship contact. I raised the attack scope and spotted an auxiliary sub chaser. We were still in 500' of water so I dropped down below the thermal layer. I ordered my sonar man to follow the contact while I worked with my helmsman to maneuver closer to the docks. Last update from my sonar man indicated that the sub chaser was closing slow at medium range. The crew grew deathly silent when we were suddenly pinged by him. Before we knew it, we were getting DC'ed to hell. First run took out our diesel engines, aft tubes, bow tubes, radio, pumps, and destroyed the aft bulkhead. Second run took out my attack scope, tore the crew quarters to pieces, destroyed the starboard electric engine, crippled the port electric, destroyed the starboard drive shaft and propeller. My 2nd advised of severe flooding in the aft torpedo room, crew quarters, bow torpedo room and engine room. Assessing the situation while we dropped past 350' I ordered to blow main ballast. I directed the gunnery crews to their stations and once we were surfaced, blow him to kingdom come. As we broached the surface, the gun crews jumped to their task without hesitation while the repair crews attempted to get our engines running. Our gunnery crews got off two shots into the sub chaser when we were hit hard by his gun. "Men down on deck!" was screamed through the hatch as our bow gun was ripped from its mounting. Two more shots from our aft gun sent him to Davy Jone's locker. I turned to my navigator and had him plot a course out of this darn bay. We got our port diesel in operating condition and made fast to safer waters. Assessing our damage I felt it to be reckless to attempt another infiltration into the bay. We repaired what we could and loitered outside of the bay to hopefully bring home some tonnage. After picking off 13,000 tons of merchant shipping and 1 Betty, we returned home with our torpedo reserves exhausted. The Admiral was less than satisfied when he saw the condition of the boat and the kill list. He court marshaled me on the spot, stripped me of my command, and threw me in the brig to think about my failure while I await my court hearing.

AndyJWest

11-14-14, 01:58 PM

Running through the Luzon Strait.

http://i958.photobucket.com/albums/ae65/ajv00987k/SH4Img2014-11-13_164122_812_zps780b675e.png

captcrane

11-17-14, 12:48 PM

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah12/captcrane1/newres_zpscb336ba0.jpg

Spraug

12-16-14, 07:34 PM

Since all of this is still in my first war career, I'll take some time to introduce. The career started in Manila with an old boat (Salmon, Narwhale,…?) which was sent North the Luzon at the outbreak of hostilities. In the first sorties, I only encounter small game: freighters and maybe small convoys. Then I am ordered South of Kyushu, where I almost run over by a task force, I can just dive quickly enough not to get converted to fish food, when the boat comes up again in the task force, we are in heaven: Shikaku-class carrier, a Chitose-class seaplane tender, a CVE and several cruisers. It's close range so four bow torpedo tubes sink the Shikaku and the four stern ones the CVE. after that our trusty iron coffin dives for our lives. The beginning of a wonderful friendship.

Our base gets shifted to Surabaya (lovely port), then to Fremantle and the boat manages couple of patrols - mostly Celebes Sea - including a lovely and uneventful trip South of Australia to get into the action around the Solomons. All attempts to intercept the IJN Carrier Task Force before it enters the Coral Sea fail and they get into position and launch their airplanes. However, as they turn North to retreat (before the US strike arrives), I find them . They are fast and I barely manage to break in from the West, but the reward is another Shikaku-class carrier and a Mogami-class cruiser becoming coral real estate. We return to Fremantle and - surprise - I am offered a new boat: USS Drum. Of course I accept the upgrade to a Gato-class, who wouldn't want six bow tubes?

During the First patrol I miss the battle of Midway and on the second patrol with the new boat we are expected to bring home pictures of Osaka harbour. So we steam full throttle to Midway, refuel and then start the long journey across the Pacific at 9.5 knots when suddenly, only around 1'000km West of Midway we have a sound contact of a warship. Curious, but expecting a friendly I order the course adapted to investigate and with every meter we crawl onwards, there's another sound contact. Going fast, nearly all warships, all coming straight East and no friendlies are reported in the area.

MY FINEST HOUR

The task force is spread far and wide, so I try my usual dive-and-let-them-run-you-over approach, because I couldn't avoid it if I tried. they are going at 15 knots or something. It works and we pass the Destroyer screen, so I order the boat up to periscope depth. The enemy is organized in (at least) two lines, no idea about either so let's have a look at the Southern. We approach the first contact, which suddenly turns out to be another DD: They have two screens - this is definitely serious business. Dive, evade, circle behind it, second screen passed. We are directly north of the next one in line, turning South and then East to go along with them. Again the periscope goes up and this time it's pay day: The Southern line is led by a Kongo-class battleship, then an Ise-class, followed by a Shikaku-class carrier and another Ise-class! Hell yes, is this serious: The IJN obviously want a re-match of Midway.

The boat is still turning we are around 400 meters away from the Kongo-class: no duds will save you! We launch four torpedoes at point blank range and as we finish the turn East all four of them hit close to each other, just 1m above the keel. She immediately starts to list and while she starts to capsize - still outracing me, I turn the periscope around to make best use of the stern tubes. The Ise-class is right next to me, also racing at 15 knots, so the obvious target is the carrier. Short range again, almost straight on, four fish launch at least three hit and explode near the bow and she literally crash-dives. I've never seen such a big ship sink so quickly.

But no time to waste, as the Ise-class Battleship is now directly ahead of me, dodging the sinking hulk of the Kongo-class, and just far enough to try: The two remaining bow torpedoes just need to swim straight ahead. Our luck holds: both hit, both explode and obviously take out most of the screws or engines. Her stern immediately starts to sag as she takes water and she slows to a crawl. So at least she won't outrun us. The last Ise-class approaches from astern and half the Destroyers of the IJN are now coming for us. I order her down and the boat quickly passes the thermal layer.

Only now do I call off the silent running and ring the alarm for battle stations. We need new torpedoes. While the crew loads like maniacs, we dodge some destroyers (diving under the remaining Ise-class helped more than a little) and pass under their keel line and then "race" straight East after our prey. This throws them off and I keep track of the limping battleship. It takes forever to load four tubes and there is no time for a full reload, so up to periscope depth again (in silent mode of course). The battleship made good use of the time and is now around 1,5km ahead of us, and zig-zagging (helming?). But at 5 knots, that's not gonna save her, as we launch a tight spread of four torpedoes before crash-diding below the thermocline again. And again our daring is rewarded with two explosions. Running deep the crew loads fresh fish while I hope she will sink on her own, but she doesn't. We have to dodge the destroyers again, so I decide to try our luck more from the South to get her broadsides for a change. Up to periscope depth again and yes, she's not running anywhere anymore but only manages a single knot. Two torpedoes are ready, both are launched and one hits about one third her length from the bow and finishes her off.

Most of the torpedoes are spent, the crew is tired, the batteries have seen better days, the main fleet is over the horizon and the destroyers are taking the score personally, so I decide to break it off. Before going on the photo tour, we returned to Midway for refit.

Before even reached striking distance, the Japanese task force was not only located but also lost over 98'000 tons of their finest warships. Definitely NOT the re-match they were looking for. Definitely my finest hour (so far).

P.S.: After a long time of not encountering anything but merchants and destroyers - with a troop transport group from time to time - I had another encounter with a carrier task force today and continued the tradition: in a crazy battle I sank first a Taiho-class fleet carrier, then, by accident, a destroyer and finally an Accost-class escort carrier. The CVE will be in my memory for the time being, because I spent my last two torpedoes on it, without sinking it. So again we dodged destroyers to shadow it and then, when the two destroyers had no line of sight, we surfaced and actually sank it with gun fire at 50m. Boy those survivors will have a story to tell of crazy American submariners.

Spraug

12-16-14, 07:34 PM

Sorry for the long post.

MY DARKEST HOUR

Around two patrols later, my stupidity and arrogance led to my darkest hour. Patrolling the Solomons and the Bismarck-Sea, we made good progress with lots of merchants going to Davy Jones' Locker. So much so that even before reaching my deployment point all the ammo except 20mm AA was spent. Not only not a single torpedo or shot 4 50 left, but of course we also sustained damage that meant any dive below 25m would be our last. Despite this, I wanted to get to the Deployment Point, so we could end the patrol with another objective achieved. So instead of turning around like a reasonable man, I ordered her further North. Just as the objective was reached, our sonar picked up a task force. Again, the reasonable man would have left, but curiosity killed not just the cat, right? The force was obviously sailing for Rabaul, so I set an approach course from the South where we would come at them at around 80-90° and went to periscope depth. When we approached visual range, I nearly started crying: A circle of destroyers, two tankers, two fleet carriers (Shikaku-class, I believe), two escort carriers, something like three mixed cruisers and BOTH Yamato and Musashi!

And the worst I could throw at them was bad language. The reasonable man would have sailed away, but at least I wanted to send a contact report to fleet command so that they would know what was afoot. Cautiously we edged closer, but unfortunately not cautiously enough: suddenly the three closest destroyers turned towards us as one and I don't have to elaborate what happens when three destroyers go after a sub without ammo that can't dive deeper than 25m.

Due to the hull damage, I sustained in a much earlier duel, I couldn'T load another save and have another attempt at the force, because the time difference was so large that it wouldn't spawn anymore. So there was nothing I could do to change the outcome. And this dark day was the only time I ever encountered a Yamato-class battleship.

Well, I'm in early 1944 now, preparing for Leyte. You have not seen the last of me, Yamato!

Spraug

12-18-14, 05:47 AM

… Truk ... I sat near the entrance of the west side of the lagoon for a while when I picked up high speed screws.

I raised the scope and saw one destroyer, two Kongo Battleships and one Chitose Seaplane Tender with a Japanese mini-sub on board leaving the lagoon.

Hmmm, this is very interesting: how far were you from the lagoon when they spawned? In another thread someone explained that camping doesn't work, because they don't spawn when you're too close…

P.S.: Nice catch, by the way. I really like the Seaplane Tender, but so far I've only encountered it once. It was travelling with a Shokaku-class and a Hiryu-class carrier, so I went for different targets. But I'd so much like to get back at them for supporting these pesky seaplanes.

Harmsway!

12-21-14, 08:03 PM

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1dO3FHbCrWw

A short SHIV movie I put together. Not a lot of action in this one but a small victory non the less.

Havan_IronOak

12-22-14, 12:51 PM

Finally settled on using the following mods for this campaign.

Improved Stock Environmentv2
Dark Recognitionmanual
Max Optics IV for SH4 1.5
OM_SH3_Command_Keys (from the OpMun mega mod)
3000 Meter Bearing Tool (1920x)

It all seemed to work great in a mini-test, so i started a real u-boat campaign.
First T3 Tanker I encountered I got to within 1000 Meters and couldn't lock on target - too foggy!
Even though I'd opted for assisted-targeting I adjusted using manual controls and got 2 for 2 hits.
Of course, being that close it was easier.

Next contact, another T3 Tanker still too foggy, 2 misses outta 2 surfaced and gunned em down.
If I couldn't see them, they couldn't see me well enough to target guns. Not a single shot returned.

Third contact two large freighters.
Set up on auto (lock worked fine once the fog cleared) fired on first and set up a solution on second.
As I was finishing set up for second, planes dove in and sank both ships! I was robbed!

I'm STILL not sure that my assisted targeting is working as planned but... on with the voyage.
Gives a whole new meaning to "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead"

btw... the u-boat captain's name is Alex T Sinkstöff

Spraug

12-28-14, 03:13 PM

After picking off 13,000 tons of merchant shipping and 1 Betty, we returned home with our torpedo reserves exhausted. The Admiral was less than satisfied when he saw the condition of the boat and the kill list. He court marshaled me on the spot, stripped me of my command, and threw me in the brig to think about my failure while I await my court hearing.

Not that that helps, but I thought you did quite well. No idea what the brass expected, though. Maybe you got too familiar with someone's daughter in your career before you got that command and they wanted to get rid of you. So they give you a suicide mission and when you still come back, they kick you out.

Sniper297

12-28-14, 10:38 PM

Second patrol out of Manila in a Sargo class ran across a task force 250 miles east of Saigon;

Starboard column 1 FUSO BB 1 ISE BB 1 medium tanker
Center column 1 FUSO BB 2 SHOKAKU CVs
Port column 1 large tanker 1 MOGAMI CA 1 FURUTAKA CA

Maneuvered between center and starboard tracks facing about 45 degrees off course to fire stern tubes first, the escorts had decided to do sweeps instead of doing their job screening the task force, so the front was wide open - no destroyers even in sight. Game plan was to fire one stern tube each at the two SHOKAKU carriers then two at the center FUSO, shift to bow tubes hanging a hard right to fire two at each of the starboard column BBs. FUSO leading the center column saw my periscope and turned on a searchlight so there went the plan.

Fired one at the first SHOKAKU anyway, then three at the center FUSO, then followed the rest of the plan and fired two each at the FUSO and ISE in the starboard column. Went deep to reload. Two hits on the center FUSO, third fish missed astern and hit the first SHOKAKU instead. Meanwhile the one I fired at the first SHOKAKU missed her astern and hit the second SHOKAKU instead. I think I got at least one hit on each of the two BBs in the starboard column, but in all the confusion it could have been two on each, three on one and one on the other, or two on one, one on the other, and the fourth missing both and hitting a tanker or something instead.

After reloading came back up and fired at a FUSO, missed and hit a MOGAMI instead. Fired another at a FURUTAKA and missed, that one hit a SHOKAKU and sank it. Fired a second at the FURUTAKA and hit, stern tubes at another SHOKAKU and another FUSO.

Eventually fired 20 of 22 fish, 21 hits and one miss if you don't count the misses that got lucky and hit something that was overlapping behind the actual missed target. Sank 2 FUSO, 1 ISE, 2 SHOKAKU, 1 FURUTAKA, 1 MOGAMI, and apparently somehow sank a FUBUKI destroyer in the process. Nearly 40 minutes running around the middle of this task force before the first destroyers showed up so not many depth charges and only light damage.

I'd rather be lucky than good. :arrgh!:

Hambone307

12-30-14, 07:46 PM

Not that that helps, but I thought you did quite well. No idea what the brass expected, though. Maybe you got too familiar with someone's daughter in your career before you got that command and they wanted to get rid of you. So they give you a suicide mission and when you still come back, they kick you out.

Well, after the admiral caught me with his daughter and I got my mission orders, I figured that he was punishing me in the worst way possible. I had hoped the tonnage I brought back would be the ticket I needed, but after scrapping my boat, not completing my mission, and losing so many crew, court martialing me was a much sweeter revenge than simply writing "KIA" in my profile! :arrgh!:

Spraug

01-02-15, 07:20 AM

Well, after the admiral caught me with his daughter and I got my mission orders, I figured that he was punishing me in the worst way possible. I had hoped the tonnage I brought back would be the ticket I needed, but after scrapping my boat, not completing my mission, and losing so many crew, court martialing me was a much sweeter revenge than simply writing "KIA" in my profile! :arrgh!:

I knew it! :03:

LUKNER

01-02-15, 07:58 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHQ9KA-G_po

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkWFDdvZfAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxNow9mwjZw

-----------------------------------------------------------------

http://lukner.mybb.ru/viewforum.php?id=3

Leandros

01-11-15, 04:41 PM

I'm new to SH4 - I have played SHIII for some years. I'm mainly interested in using the ME to create some particular pictures and scenarios. What I found interesting was that there are torpedo planes - never found that in SHIII.

I wasn't sure if they actually worked but I've had it confirmed now after a lot of trial and error. A couple of Pictures below:

Hit:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort1_zpsdf21e530.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort1_zpsdf21e530.jpg.html)

Going down:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort2_zps2000b2c9.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort2_zps2000b2c9.jpg.html)

It was a torpedo hit - not a bomb!:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort3_zps00a9dbff.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort3_zps00a9dbff.jpg.html)

I wasn't aware that the USAF flew Lancasters in the Pacific.....:hmmm:.....Which amplifies my disappointment on the relatively sparse aircraft inventory in SH4. This one ditched:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/DitchedBomberDavo_zps712b68ce.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/DitchedBomberDavo_zps712b68ce.jpg.html)

Fred

Crannogman

01-11-15, 05:42 PM

TorpX

01-11-15, 06:27 PM

I wasn't aware that the USAF flew Lancasters in the Pacific.....:hmmm:.....Which amplifies my disappointment on the relatively sparse aircraft inventory in SH4.

RSRDC adds a number of aircraft models to the game.

Leandros

01-11-15, 07:21 PM

RSRDC adds a number of aircraft models to the game.

Thank you - what is RSRDC, please?

Fred

Leandros

01-11-15, 07:26 PM

Nice! But that's probably a B-24 Liberator - with the horizontal stabilizer lowered, dorsal gunner moved aft... I'm afraid it's not. It's a Lancaster - nice, too. With its typical raised cockpit, Merlin inline V-engines and the horizontal stabilizer well forward of the B-24's. Not so easy to see in the picture but quite clear in the air.

Fred

Leandros

01-11-15, 07:33 PM

More on the plane types: I Believe they use the Vindicator as dive bomber and torpedo plane. More correct would have been the Dauntless and Devastator. This scenario was in January '42.

I have version 1.4.0

Fred

TorpX

01-11-15, 07:48 PM

Thank you - what is RSRDC, please?

Fred

RSRDC is Run Silent Run Deep Campaign. There are separate versions for stock, RFB, and TMO mods. I don't know if it can be used with v1.4, though.

Armistead

01-11-15, 08:34 PM

should be a version of rsrd for 1.4 in the mods dl. Was also TMO 1.4 there as well....

depthtok33l

01-11-15, 11:20 PM

Sōryū Carrier docked in Hiroshima
http://i.imgur.com/rQRnShP.jpg

Torpedoed!
http://i.imgur.com/45P0Dxg.jpg

Goodnight Irene!
http://i.imgur.com/8YC7d6g.jpg

depthtok33l

01-11-15, 11:23 PM

Fusō docked in the same port. Torpedoes on the way!
http://i.imgur.com/crJd8tZ.jpg

Hit!
http://i.imgur.com/mytwTSj.jpg

Finishing her off! (It was a long night, New Years Day)
http://i.imgur.com/8TwasLC.jpg

depthtok33l

01-11-15, 11:24 PM

Movie Poster? :rotfl2:
http://i.imgur.com/1yaAJEn.jpg

Leandros

01-14-15, 07:56 AM

I have done some more aircraft experiments after getting the B-24 and PBY. As you may know there are no way to control the aircraft other than to put in parameters on agility, course, speed, altitude and weapons load. No targets can be assigned. The only way is how you route the aircraft over the targets. Still, there seem to be variations as to what target it picks. It is interesting to see how the same mission scenario give different results each time.

To get a reasonably correct loss/hit rate the aircraft need to be set at "elite" with enemy ships below "veteran". Otherwise, the AA is simply too effective. Particularly in the beginning of the war. Just my opinion. In my "Sink Chitose" scenario the planes are going in at 50 m. Funny enough, the most aggressive are the PBY's, they dive in low and hit the most. The B-24's fly in level and hit better the lower they fly. The torpedo plane has a very good hit rate. Approximately every second launch is a hit. Much better than the Devastators in the beginning of the war.

The bomber complement is 16 four-engine bombers, 4 PBY's and 4 torpedo planes. All set to attack at 50 meter (skip-bombing....:hmmm:...?).

First picture: This first wave give very good results, better than most others:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/FirstWave_zps484ad779.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/FirstWave_zps484ad779.jpg.html)

This B-24 has had it:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/B24GoingDown_zps4a9ab172.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/B24GoingDown_zps4a9ab172.jpg.html)

Second air-launched torpedo hit - see the other one in the aft:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort4_zps1dc47268.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/CitoseAirTorpedoedDavaoPort4_zps1dc47268.jpg.html)

Torpedo plane probably meant to be a Vindicator:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/TorpedoPlane_zps744ace66.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/TorpedoPlane_zps744ace66.jpg.html)

PBY pulling up after a low-pass drop:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/PBYbombing_zps1c6aa7db.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/PBYbombing_zps1c6aa7db.jpg.html)

Fred

merc4ulfate

01-14-15, 03:45 PM

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=544&pictureid=4854

This was one I made of Tokyo with nothing but dive bombers and torpedo planes. It was nice to sit back and watch it.

Tokyo Harbor after two sorties of dive bombers and one sortie of torpedo bombers got done with her. This was a mission to get sit back and watch ... the bombing began at 7:30am 12-8 to commemorate Pearl ... it lasted 4 hours.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/album.php?albumid=544

Leandros

01-14-15, 06:40 PM

Cool - which US airplane versions do you have in your game?

Fred

TorpX

01-14-15, 10:51 PM

Did you have the PBY's use torpedoes, or bombs?

Leandros

01-15-15, 04:45 AM

Did you have the PBY's use torpedoes, or bombs?

I wasn't given a choice - no torpedoes on the menu of the PBY. So, I Believe it was 8x500 lbs bombs.

Fred

captcrane

01-16-15, 09:12 AM

http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah12/captcrane1/biggamehunting_zps9ec6fec2.jpg

Hambone307

01-28-15, 02:12 AM

USS Plunger:
Leaving Surabaya Naval Base to patrol north of Manila.

We had been underway for approximately 2 hours when my WO called out contacts. I climbed the tower to see what was going on and found that he had picked up a friendly task force coming into port southwest of us. I told him to quit being so jumpy and then I got back to the control room.
After another two hours, my WO called out ship sighted again. Exasperated, I started to climb the tower when, suddenly, my sonar operator called out contacts. No sooner do those words come out of his mouth, our boat was rocked by two explosions. I called for battle stations, ahead flank, and a knuckle to port. As I reached the deck I could see three destroyers north-east of us about 8000yds out firing madly. At first I thought it was a friendly patrol who got jumpy, but as I brought up my binoculars, I could see the rising sun flying from their mast.
I asked my navigator to sound the depth, knowing that we were in shallow water. He replied that we had 170' below our keel. I knew that staying on the surface and trying to run to deeper water would get us nowhere but sunk, so I ordered our boat to periscope depth, changed course to 205, and opened the after torpedo tubes.
I raised the attack periscope to see all three DDs hot on our tail, quick range estimation showed they were still 2000yds out. I adjusted the torpedoes to run as shallow as possible and, against better judgement, set them to magnetic detonation.
I fired both after tubes as the lead DD came within 800yds. The torpedoes ran straight and true, but at the last second, the DD made a hard turn to starboard. Both missed, but the trailing destroyers had to make evasive maneuvers themselves to avoid colliding with the lead.
Taking this opportunity, I ordered our depth to 150', silent running, and set electric rpms to 50 with a change of course to 355. Within a few minutes we could hear sonar pings. One of the destroyers got lucky and started to ping us. Soon we could hear the three of them bearing down on our position. Two of the destroyers dropped charges in an X pattern, while the third kept his distance to listen. I had never seen anything like this until this point, and obviously had no idea how to counter the move.
We took major damage on those first two runs. Three bulkheads damaged, flooding throughout the boat, port diesel destroyed, both electrics damaged, 3/4 of the bow torpedo tubes were jammed, the after tubes were destroyed, and bow batteries destroyed. Our damage control team gained control of the flooding in the bow torpedo room as we settled on the ocean floor, just 170' below the circling destroyers.
Thinking this was the end, most of the crew began to pray while going about their tasks. I guess our prayers were answered because the destroyers made three more runs on us. The next two they only dropped a few charges causing minor damage compared to the first salvo. The third run was dry, causing us to pause from our tasks to question our sonar man. after what seemed like an eternity, everything grew silent and our sonar man reported two of the three contacts fading into the distance. The crew worked as quietly as they could and managed to get all flooding under control. After what seemed like decades, but was only realistically about three hours, we heard the third destroyer start her engines and fade away. I can only guess that the destroyers thought they had finished us off.
I waited another hour and a half before we made any attempt to surface. I ordered to blow ballast, and found us to be "stuck" to the sea floor. Pouring almost all of what remained of our compressed air into the ballast tanks, we heard the mud breaking away from our boat, and soon saw the depth gauges start to rise.
As we broached the surface I had the watch and gun crews man their stations, just in case we encountered trouble. Nothing was sighted upon surfacing by the watch crew, but my gun crew came back down with a look of disdain. Our 3"50 that we just got mounted before the patrol had been blown off its mount, as well as a majority of the bow deck plating, the periscopes, and our after twin 20mm.
I contacted Freemantle to advise of the situation, was informed that Surabaya had fallen, and made best sail to Australia to get repairs.

Leandros

01-28-15, 04:45 PM

Bangka Sound, Northern Celebes - morning of Jan. 5th 1942 - USS Gridley passing the sinking IJN Nagara. Following Gridley is USS Maury and USS Northampton:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/GridleyPassingNagara_zpsma9x7dti.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/GridleyPassingNagara_zpsma9x7dti.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/GridleyMauryAndNorthampton_zpso5gdwfkp.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/GridleyMauryAndNorthampton_zpso5gdwfkp.jpg.html)

Leandros

01-29-15, 04:18 AM

Japanese sailors on a US Somers destroyer......

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/JapaneseSailorsOnSomersDestroyer_zpshck7xpoz.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/JapaneseSailorsOnSomersDestroyer_zpshck7xpoz.jpg.h tml)

Fred

Benti

01-29-15, 02:55 PM

USS Trout, 9th Patrol in early 1943 close to the salomons.

Again I have to praise the good mods for SH 4. I added the traveller mod to my already existing game with TMO and RSRD.

I was patroling close to the salomon Islands and was surprised by two H6Ks, the odd thing about it was that, after I immediately started to order the crash dive and cancelled the order because the approach way of these bombers seemed to be kind of weird or lets say different. They didnt dive from above but instead they approached the sub on a 90° angle on my port side. So I grabed my binoculars and watched the aproaching planes. (I know way too curious, but I just started with SH 4 and I am eager to experience the good and bad things :P)
So as the planes were about 2000 yards away from the good ol trout, I ordered my watchmen to man the deckguns and start blazing. A few hits were seen, but the aircraft didn't stop their approach, instead I watched in horror that they launched torpedos!! I am on the one hand shocked and on the other amazed about this awesome feature! I was able to dodge them and dive down after this. So I wasn't sunk but I won't try that again! :D

benti

Leandros

01-31-15, 06:27 AM

....about this, guys....

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/YouCantDoAnythingWithThat2_zpssnzyuxkq.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/YouCantDoAnythingWithThat2_zpssnzyuxkq.jpg.html)

The Japanese were rather p***** off after we had damaged two Ise-class battleships, sunk and damaged two heavy cruisers and sunk one destroyer. Finally, we were forced up to the surface to a warm welcome.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/SH4/TheJapsWerePissed_zpsvwfe5zik.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/SH4/TheJapsWerePissed_zpsvwfe5zik.jpg.html)

Fred

ssjtoma

02-01-15, 03:25 PM

USS Seadragon

Captain Vlad Lawless

departed Cavite on December 10th 1941 to patrol off the coast of Luzon. I took a different route heading for the South China Sea. I encountered my first enemy force on December 14th off the coast of French Indochina. I encountered a Japanese task force of 3 destroyers and 5 Merchants moving at medium speed.
I approached this task force from the south east attacking at the starboard side of the task force. I waited for one of the flanking DDs to turn its search pattern away from my sub and moved in for the kill.
Having only 4 torpedoes ready I adjusted my attack to compensate for the speed of the merchants. I adjusted my torpedo spread and and calculated the attack angle. I fired all four tubes in quick succession about 3000 meters off. I dropped the periscope and turned south to get out of the area.
After turning and heading at flank away from the Task Force, I got the messages of torpedo impacts.
I raised the attack scope and observed 2 merchants afire and sinking. I adjusted my position and tracked the rest of the task force. I calculated the trajectory of the rear tubes and adjusted my position on the TO. I was a little farther this time trying to calculate the angle of attack.
I fired my 4 rear tubes after getting a good angle on 2 of the remaining vessels. 2 missed and 2 hit one of the merchants sending it to the bottom of the South China Sea.
Nothing but whiskey and celebrating as I got my Sub out of the area and the tubes reloaded for my next encounter!!

would love it if the ship had a wog-day!

ssjtoma

02-15-15, 01:30 PM

I had just finished my patrol near Luzon and was returning to base for refit. At Longitude 126 degrees 20' E, Latitude 5 degrees 10' N at 4:07 AM on March 21st 1942 I came across a taskforce moving east out of the Celebes Sea near Mindanao. It had 3 main columns including 5 battleships, 4 cruisers, 4 tankers, roughly 6 destroyers.....JUST MY LUCK....I only had 4 rear torpedoes left from my patrol SMH!!!!!
Reported contact and moved on!!!!!
Would have been a nice dream to line up on at least two of the battleships!!

Crannogman

02-17-15, 09:29 PM

Scouting ahead of Adm Scott's blocking force, USS Drum's hydrophone picked up a large force moving down the Slot at speed. They turned North at full speed to intercept, and, in the last reflections of the setting sun, the lookouts were able to make out 2 large seaplane tenders leading a column of destroyers. A quick wireless report was sent, but Henderson called back that it was too late for another sortie. The officers huddled, and decided on an all-tube abeam spread at at long range targetting the tenders. Thus, running a parallel course with convoy, Drum launched 10 fish from 6000 yards and turned Southwest at flank speed. Minutes later, flashes on the horizon and a pillar of darkness blocking out the stars informed the crew of their success. A brief chase ensued, but the Gato's new radar helped it stay out of view of the suspicious but clueless destroyers.
The spotlights and star shells failed to find the escorts' prey; they did, however, reveal the fantail of one tender slipping beneath the waves, while the other listed dead in the water. The tubes were about reloaded, and Scott's cruisers were still hours away; Cmdr Supplies decided to bring his boat around for another run to finish off the tender and her heavy equipment bound for the Japs on Guadalcanal.
But even as Drum was coming about, her hydrophones picked up another line of warships coming down the Slot, this time even faster and en route to collide with Scott near Savo. The earlier, northern squadron had been stalled and stripped of its capital ships; Cmdr Supplies turned west, hunting more dangerous game. Ominous returns appeared on the radar scope, and all crew were called to general quarters as Drum closed on the new force at a combined speed of 50 knots.
Hours had passed since the first torpedoes had struck the Chitose, when Drum's lookouts spotted one, then another, and yet a third pagoda on the forward horizon. She again assumed a parrallel course as the periscope was raised for a peek over the horizon. Not battleships but heavy cruisers led this column, again with destroyers in the rear. Drum set up for another long-range spread, but lady luck was feeling less charitable. Two hits sent one Takao to the bottom, but the other 8 fish were gone without a trace.
These destroyers were more cautious, being fewer in number, but still made it tough for Drum to set up for another shot. A desperate last salvo of her 4 remaining torpedoes went hitless in the ninth, as the Scott's 9 ships approached the Japs' remaining 2.
Drum had been put to bay by the escorts, and was well out of range to join the engagement with her deck gun. Nonetheless, her crew was treated to a fearsome show of fireworks as Scott's ships came alongside the enemy. The outnumbered Takao's made Scott's small fleet pay dearly. Even with theirlisting decks awash and water seeming ready to pour into the turrets, their 8" broadsides wrought fearsome carnage, setting USS Boise alight and sinking all 5 destroyers.
Drum turned for home. 24 torpedoes spent for 30,000 tons of Japanese warships, with another 26,000 tons sunk by Scott's cruisers at a cost of 5 tin cans totalling almost 10,000 tons and a thousand men. It had not been pretty, but the Tokyo Express had suffered a serious derailment.

PS - I guess the Takao's are thrown in (instead of the more historical Furutaka's) so their gun weight can make up for the absence of long lance torpedoes. Still, when these bad boys have a 20-degree list with water lapping at their gunports and are still firing full broadsides, the word "overpowered " comes to mind

FredMSloniker

02-22-15, 01:28 AM

I'm getting things in order to stream myself playing Silent Hunter 4. This should be an educational experience, since, outside of the tutorial, I haven't sunk anything yet. http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-downs.gif

If you're interested in dropping in and giving me some pointers, it's going to be at my Hitbox channel (http://www.hitbox.tv/FredMSloniker), starting at 4 PM PST, Sunday the 22nd. The first stream is going to be a shakedown cruise of sorts, heading out of port, making sure the stream works okay, and playing some music.

FredMSloniker

02-22-15, 04:01 PM

December 7, 1941

FROM: Commander Submarine Force, Task Force 3/51/71
Cavite Naval Base, Manila, Philippines

TO: Lieutenant Commander Fred Sloniker
Commanding Officer, USS S-38 (SS-143) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_S-38_%28SS-143%29)

Your boat and crew have completed training and are now ready for combat operations. Review your enclosed operation order, and make your boat and crew ready for sea.

As a side note, my grandfather, after whom I was named, served in World War II and was a Marine for 20 years. Hopefully I won't embarrass the family name.

http://i.imgur.com/ho592ke.png

Operational Order
December 7, 1941

TO: Fred Sloniker, USS S-38 (SS-143)
DEPART ON: December 8, 1941

Proceed at best speed to Vigan via Lingayen Gulf and conduct combat patrol and reconnaissance. Remain on station for 12 hours in the Lingayen Gulf and within 40nm of its center point. Make daily reports as necessary to TF3

OBJECTIVE:
Recon of Lingayen Gulf

http://fi.somethingawful.com/images/smilies/emot-911.gif Stream starts 4 PM PST (http://www.hitbox.tv/FredMSloniker)!

FredMSloniker

02-23-15, 12:32 AM

1941, December 8, 0800: USS S-38, captained by Lieutenant Commander Fred Sloniker, sets off from Cavite Naval Base, Manila, Philippines, with orders to survey Lingayen Gulf and Vigan. Boat leaves port at standard speed.

0819: S-38, now clear of the docks, accelerates to flank speed. Routine exercises confirm seaworthiness.

2015: S-38 enters patrol zone, 40 nm radius around Lingayen Gulf. Reduces speed to ahead standard.

December 9, 0017: S-38 reaches mouth of Lingayen Gulf, establishes patrol pattern across mouth. LtCdr Sloniker reports ship status and position.

Two news messages received:

Monday, December 8th, 1941, the United States and Great Britain declare war on Japan. President Roosevelt called December 7, quote: a date which will live in infamy.

The casualty list after the attack on Pearl Harbor includes 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians killed, with a further 1,178 wounded. This includes the 1,104 men aboard the battleship USS Arizona, killed after a bomb penetrated the forward magazine, causing catastrophic explosions.

0658: Lingayen Gulf patrol is complete. New orders received from COMSUBPAC:

Deploy to position 2430N 12530E by 150nm (215nm SW of Okinawa). Conduct anti-shipping operations along the Japan-Luzon Straits-Singapore shipping lanes for a period of 96hours. Make reports to higher authority as necessary.

S-38 changes course to complete patrol of Vigan, accelerates to flank speed.

0841: S-38 enters patrol zone, 40 nm radius around Vigan. Reduces speed to ahead standard and establishes patrol pattern around the city at a distance of 20 nm.

1300: LtCdr Sloniker makes routine report. New orders received from COMSUBPAC:

Deploy to position 29N 12330E by 150nm. Conduct anti-shipping operations in the East China Sea shipping lanes. Make reports to higher authority as necessary.

S-38 continues on patrol.

2149: LtCdr Sloniker makes routine report. New orders received from COMSUBPAC:

Deploy to position 125nm NNE of Cape Engano, Luzon (2000N 12330E by 100nm) and conduct anti-shipping operations. Remain on station for 72hrs, however if IJN units are detected outside of the Patrol area, proceed at your discretion to intercept and destroy. Make reports to higher authority as necessary.

S-38 continues on patrol.

2207: Vigan patrol is complete. New orders received from COMSUBPAC:

Proceed to Coastal town of Aparri, remain on station for 12 hours, and within 20nm of the center of the patrol area.

As Aparri is nearest of current objectives, LtCdr Sloniker orders course set and ahead flank. Estimated time to patrol area: 12 hours, 30 minutes.

December 10, 0727: S-38 enters patrol zone, 20 nm around Aparri. Patrol course plotted 15 nm from the city. Speed reduced to ahead standard.

1031: http://fi.somethingawful.com/images/smilies/emot-siren.gif Large convoy spotted! http://fi.somethingawful.com/images/smilies/emot-siren.gif Immediate dive to periscope depth ordered.
http://i.imgur.com/atGjNgV.png

What happens next? Find out on Tuesday, February 24, at 5 PM PST!

FredMSloniker

02-24-15, 06:51 PM

As a reminder, today's stream starts at 5 PM PST. Check it out here (http://www.hitbox.tv/FredMSloniker)!

(Also, let me know if there's a better venue for these posts! I don't want to annoy.)

FredMSloniker

02-25-15, 05:21 PM

1941, December 10, 1031: S-38 sights large convoy off the coast of Luzon. Lieutenant Commander Fred Sloniker orders immediate dive to periscope depth and course change to location of convoy.

1034: one ship verified through periscope: minesweeper, headed toward S-38. LtCdr Sloniker orders course change to avoid minesweeper.

1038: two additional minesweepers spotted, also headed toward S-38, as well as a freighter closer to shore. LtCdr Sloniker believes minesweepers are headed toward S-38's pre-dive location. S-38 continues on course.

1040: minesweeper course corrections suggest they have spotted S-38's periscope. LtCdr Sloniker orders dive to 150 feet, use of sonar to track warships, and course change to place S-38 ahead of convoy based on freighter movements.

1050: S-38 rigged for silent running.

1105: based on passive and active sonar signals, LtCdr Sloniker decides convoy is not moving along shore as earlier believed but is making for open sea. S-38 changes course to cut them off.

1120: S-38 is now believed to be between minesweepers and convoy. LtCdr Sloniker orders direct convoy intercept course.

1130: Multiple freighter sonar contacts are confirmed. Convoy contains at least four freighters.

1136: range to nearest freighter is 2640; range to nearest warship is 4310. LtCrd Sloniker orders ship to periscope depth, ahead flank.

1140: S-38 at periscope depth. 20 ships in convoy in all, including at least three minesweepers, at least two large modern composite freighters, at least one small modern composite freighter, at least one medium modern composite freighter, and at least one subchaser. Nearest ship, large freighter, selected as target.
http://i.imgur.com/B6UGZtL.png
Pictured: the good kind of 'target rich environment'.
1146: Escort ships have spotted S-38. Ordered to surface to improve speed.

1148: S-38 fires four torpedoes at target large freighter, then performs immediate crash dive.

1150: Two confirmed hits on target, two duds. The event cam indicates both hits were in the stern of the freighter. S-38 turns bearing 090, rigs for silent running.

1155: S-38 maneuvers away from convoy. Depth charges are heard, but only one is anywhere near boat, and no damage is done.

1217: Confirmed kill of Japanese large freighter, 7,170 tons. This happened the moment I reloaded the save. The Real Fleet Boat mod attempts to delay the message that a boat is doomed until it's actually sinking, in order to encourage uncertainty about whether to put another eel in it or not, but I suspect saving and loading broke this. S-38 continues to move away from convoy. Escorts use active sonar without success.

1324: no sound contacts on sonar.

http://i.imgur.com/CiYWmVS.png

Shall we surface the boat and have another look around for targets, or will we sit in the deep for a few more hours just to make sure? Find out on Hitbox (http://www.hitbox.tv/FredMSloniker) Wednesday, February 25, at 5 PM PST! Stream over.