Kaleun in need of advice: forge ahead?

[Keelbuster]

So I'm a VIIC, 29th flotilla, and I'm at grid CN26 (east of pantelleria and west of valetta - south of sicily), August 22 1943. I have orders to patrol CO41 which is east of valetta, and quite a bit south - maybe a day's drive on the surface. The thing is, sicily just fell to the allies, and this area is a HELL for air cover. I can only stay up for a minute or two. Just getting this far down the Med has brought a bunch of close calls. I just hit a military convoy and got lucky sinking a Passenger Liner and a Cunard Liner:rock:. I also hit a small convoy on the way and took a large merchant down. So I've got some great tonnage this patrol. As I fired the final kill shot on the crippled Cunard, from the surface, I had to crash dive as a bunch of planes showed up and bombed the area _hard_. Right now I'm at 70m, leaning over the map with my navigator, exchanging glances and trying to second-guess each other.

I'm all out of torpedoes except for my external stores - one T1 Fat1 in the front, and a TIV in the back. Technically I still have striking power, so I feel obliged to continue on to the patrol area. On the other hand, given the air cover situation, I have no idea how I'm going to get the external fish into the boat. I can't imagine getting a half hour of free time up there. Plus, in trying to do so I will probably have a bunch of close shaves, maybe get blooded. Keep in mind that this is patrol 17 with these boys. We started the 29th and I want to make the gibraltar run someday. Is it worth the risk to carry out the patrol order? I can probably use those fish on the way back, anyhow, if I manage to get them inside.

What would you do - forge ahead and try to fullfill my orders, or head back?

P.S. Anyone know exactly when I will get base-switched from Spezia to the French bases? I want to be at sea when it happens so I will get to do the gibraltar run.

[Ducimus]

Your only chance of getting that fish in the boat, is at night when airstrikes are the lowest. However, your visual ability isnt exactly the greatest at night either. So that transfer is inheirantly very risky. If you can't get that fish into that boat at night. Head home, your done. Even if you can get that fish in the boat, head home your done.

1 torpedo is not enough operational capablity to jepordize what is so far a sucessful patrol given the ASW your facing.

[GoldenRivet]

Your only chance of getting that fish in the boat, is at night when airstrikes are the lowest. However, your visual ability isnt exactly the greatest at night either. So that transfer is inheirantly very risky. If you can't get that fish into that boat at night. Head home, your done. Even if you can get that fish in the boat, head home your done.

1 torpedo is not enough operational capablity to jepordize what is so far a sucessful patrol given the ASW your facing.

exactly as i was going to suggest.

Return to base... "he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day", in other words, you did increadibly well in the face of severe air threats, given the allied radar capability you will likely not be able to stay surfaced long enough to load either torpedo , and even if you manage to get one on board it may be only enough to damage a passing ship.

pat yourself on the back, look at the eyes of your young crewman as they stare at you asking for guidance...

... then plot a course home.

[Keelbuster]

Hmm - thanks for the advice. I sort of expected to get a gung-ho! But i think you're right - the conservative option is probably the best one. The air cover is just stifling. Still, with a TIV and a T1, you stand a good chance of dropping even a large ship - use the TIV to gimp the boat and lower the stern, then while she's dead in the water go for a breach amidships with the remaining torp. All with a pint of luck.

I plotted a course for home, and kept trying to surface. Eventually there was a weird lull in the air patrols and I went for it - double loading, front&back. I got them in. Soon after the air cover was back in full - like 5 minutes up, 5 hours down. On the way home, no hydrophone contacts. They kept me under most of the way - just popping up for short flank runs. As I was pulling in to Spezia, I got a contact report about an enemy warship moving at 14kts, headed west htrough the med. If I had continued my patrol, maybe those two torps would have found him. Never know. Safe now, with 77k more tons to my name...and back out on patrol 18:)

I just got switched to Toulon, but i'm wondering when I'll go through the gap. I must survive until then!

[johan_d]

I love to hate thos damn planes, they are the plague, now I enter 1943, i wonder how to continue, they seem to be too many.
To the fireing squad who put those many in! :smug:

[SmokinTep]

I'd head home to fight another day.

[Spytrx]

I agree with the other Kommandanten here - You've done your duty, now bring the Boot and crew safely home...

[ReallyDedPoet]

Nice patrol, good advice as far as going home. Live to fight another day:up:

RDP

[Jimbuna]

Home it should be :yep:

[danlisa]

What does BDU say, have you reported your status?:88)

Argh, be more agressive.:arrgh!:

If one torpedo won't do it, use the DG & then the flaks.:dead:

:rotfl::rotfl:

Or just find something to sink on the way home. <shrug>

[Brag]

Good judgement. To die with guns blazing is heroic kid stuff.:rock:

[Avatar]

Yeah, man. On the way home you might find a loner and be able to use the extra eel.

[Hitman]

We started the 29th and I want to make the gibraltar run someday

Do you mean you are thinking about exiting the Mediterranean :huh: ?

SINK 'EM ALL! Surface!Man the Deck Gun! Take on anything that comes your way!!!KILL!

No, wait a moment...

Better go home, collect your medals, live to fight another day!:roll:

[johan_d]

Keelbuster, I am too in 1943, and it isnt fun anymore.. the feeling says go home, but you are now that far.. I would say set slowly course ahead base, but keep on the routes, and use your last torpedo.
After that, one click and you are returning to base, if you wanna drive all the way home, well maybe shoot a plane or two, or a loner with the deckgun.

Make the most of it! You didnt sail all the way to get home with one left!

[Ducimus]

>>Keelbuster, I am too in 1943, and it isnt fun anymore..

Wait tell you get into 44 and early 45. Forget about sinking ships, just try and survive.

[johan_d]

hehe, decimus, that sub in your plan is it possible in SH3, with the water streams on the site?

[Keelbuster]

Ok boys - your advice helped me through patrol 18.

Patrol 19 was different. I traded in my VIIC for a new VIIC/'41, after reading that it had a deeper crush depth. Well, I unfortunately I found the crush depth. A lone River Class detected me at the Mediterranean intersection, in perfectly clear weather. On his first run he hit me with a hedgehog, which flooded the bow, forward quarters, and radio room. I got that under control and went down to 160. His second run he hit me again with a hedgehog. I started getting crushed, so I blew ballast and tried to power my way up about 50m. As I broke 100m, the death-flicker stopped, and I thought I was ok. Then I get a stream of reports about propellors, engines, and equipment being destroyed. I flip to the damage control screen and the electric engine room is red, and then suddenly everyone inside is dead. One second later the death spreads forward and it's over. U-953 was sunk with all hands on her maiden voyage. Say goodbye to Ernst Sperling and his ~elite~ crew. -gasp-....:nope:

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6371/ernstsperlingur9.th.jpg (http://img72.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ernstsperlingur9.jpg)

[johan_d]

Playing Deutchland Uber Alles now, and we will inform the wifes.. :(

[Reverie]

Realistic decisions with a u-boat career of seventeen missions ? :o
Those German sailors really are obermensch !
Oh well, as long as you have fun. But definitely head for the nearest friendly port. You've risked enough. And if you want a touch of reality before you leave on patrol, load a steam powered torpedo on the outside to replace the Falcon, or any other electric eel that wouldn't have been stored externally. The maintenance requirements dictated this.
Reverie :up:

[Keelbuster]

And if you want a touch of reality before you leave on patrol, load a steam powered torpedo on the outside to replace the Falcon, or any other electric eel that wouldn't have been stored externally. The maintenance requirements dictated this.

Cool - didnt' know that. Actually, I've just recently upped my personal realism to the point where I only load external stores in calm weather, and all-stop. I assume that's how they had to do it in real life. Though I'm not sure if it produces a real experience because the weather cycles in Sh3 are supernatural.

[Reverie]

And because they're not wearing securing harness, if only the bridge crews could risk washing away when inundated by waves. That was also a reality :o
Reverie