Tom
08-04-07, 03:06 AM
U-99 under command of Oberleutnant z. S. Günther Pflock has been taking part in operation Hartmut during the past days, doing her best (and actually succeeding pretty well) to intercept enemy task forces on the norwegian coast. The weather has been good for attacking task forces, with 15 m/s wind, overcast, no rain, light fog. Well, a bit too rough for magnetic detonators, but good for evading destroyers.
Which brings me to a couple of cases of destroyer behavior:
Case 1: Enemy task force with 5 destroyers, all in a single line, steaming towards Narvik at 34 knots.
U-99 fires 2 electric torpedoes from about 1500 meters off the track of the destroyers, aiming at the last and second last destroyers. One of the torpedoes explodes prematurely, the other hits the second last destroyer.
As the torpedo hits, the first three destroyers start zigzagging but continue towards their destination at full speed. The last destroyer slows down and tries to find U-99. After failing to do so, it leaves the area at full speed, in pursuit of the other three remaining destroyers.
This seemed realistic behavior to me. The destroyers were on orders to attack the german fleet at Narvik, so most of them continued. One of them stayed behind to try to destroy the u-boat in the area, or at least harass it so that it couldn't shoot any of the other destroyers. (Of course, due to the task force speed, that wasn't possible in any case.)
Case 2: Task force with Nelson battleship and 6 or 7 destroyers (honestly, I didn't count them, I focused on the Nelson), heading NEE at 20 knots, about 200 km north of Alesund.
U-99 fires a salvo of 4 torpedoes (2 steam, 2 electric, all at slow speed using impact detonators) at the Nelson, from a range of 1000 meters. Immediately after firing, she starts drifting deeper to avoid the inevitable counter attack.
The steam torpedoes are spotted, of course, and the Nelson changes course, causing 2 of the torpedoes to miss. The other two hit on the port side, one just behind the smoke stack and one just beneath the rear mast. The port screw of the Nelson stops turning, she takes a slight list, but manages to continue on one screw, zigzagging forward at about 4 knots, stern heavy in the water.
The escorting destroyers fail to find U-99 in the weather. After searching the area she was in for about 30 minutes, they continue on their original course, passing the crippled Nelson and leaving her behind!
This is what I find odd. Would destroyers really have done that, leaving a wounded battleship only able to make 4 or 5 knots alone in an area known to have an u-boat? I would've thought at least a few of them would stay with the Nelson and protect her from further attack.
Well, since they didn't, I caught up with the Nelson under water and fired a single torpedo at its starboard side, aiming between the smoke stack and rear mast. The working screw stopped, and 40 minutes later the Nelson had disappeared beneath the waves, stern first. All the while U-99 waited under water nearby, and none of the escorting destroyers returned to investigate.
Due to odd destroyer behavior, the admirality is now short one battleship. I won't complain, but am wondering if this could have really happened.
Which brings me to a couple of cases of destroyer behavior:
Case 1: Enemy task force with 5 destroyers, all in a single line, steaming towards Narvik at 34 knots.
U-99 fires 2 electric torpedoes from about 1500 meters off the track of the destroyers, aiming at the last and second last destroyers. One of the torpedoes explodes prematurely, the other hits the second last destroyer.
As the torpedo hits, the first three destroyers start zigzagging but continue towards their destination at full speed. The last destroyer slows down and tries to find U-99. After failing to do so, it leaves the area at full speed, in pursuit of the other three remaining destroyers.
This seemed realistic behavior to me. The destroyers were on orders to attack the german fleet at Narvik, so most of them continued. One of them stayed behind to try to destroy the u-boat in the area, or at least harass it so that it couldn't shoot any of the other destroyers. (Of course, due to the task force speed, that wasn't possible in any case.)
Case 2: Task force with Nelson battleship and 6 or 7 destroyers (honestly, I didn't count them, I focused on the Nelson), heading NEE at 20 knots, about 200 km north of Alesund.
U-99 fires a salvo of 4 torpedoes (2 steam, 2 electric, all at slow speed using impact detonators) at the Nelson, from a range of 1000 meters. Immediately after firing, she starts drifting deeper to avoid the inevitable counter attack.
The steam torpedoes are spotted, of course, and the Nelson changes course, causing 2 of the torpedoes to miss. The other two hit on the port side, one just behind the smoke stack and one just beneath the rear mast. The port screw of the Nelson stops turning, she takes a slight list, but manages to continue on one screw, zigzagging forward at about 4 knots, stern heavy in the water.
The escorting destroyers fail to find U-99 in the weather. After searching the area she was in for about 30 minutes, they continue on their original course, passing the crippled Nelson and leaving her behind!
This is what I find odd. Would destroyers really have done that, leaving a wounded battleship only able to make 4 or 5 knots alone in an area known to have an u-boat? I would've thought at least a few of them would stay with the Nelson and protect her from further attack.
Well, since they didn't, I caught up with the Nelson under water and fired a single torpedo at its starboard side, aiming between the smoke stack and rear mast. The working screw stopped, and 40 minutes later the Nelson had disappeared beneath the waves, stern first. All the while U-99 waited under water nearby, and none of the escorting destroyers returned to investigate.
Due to odd destroyer behavior, the admirality is now short one battleship. I won't complain, but am wondering if this could have really happened.