North Sea merchant route map.

[flag4]

hello hunters

Dec/1939/3rd patrol/Type 11-A.

i'm wondering if there is a north sea merchant map with routes on. or, if anyone has recommended hot spots, along the western AN grid.
i'm on my way up to an41 at the moment and am bubbling north along the coast, diving for hydrophones, low speed, low TC's - 32- 128.
i get the occasional small merchant and small hunter class but not much else.

i could imagine at this time in the war there was not a lot of activity along this part of the coast - i could be wrong though, but it's all rather quiet and calm.

i have the stock sh3 map and other than 'high naval traffic' there does'nt look much about, any ideas...

cheers
flag4

[blue3golf]

I'm now in a IID just crossed into Jan1940. Last patrol grid was just outside Hartepool and my next one is AN41. Ain't much in the way of traffic other than what you described. I found a pyro ship last patrol, other than that some traffic from Denmark and Norway, but that's about it. Seems like the coastal area is your best bet though. Maybe my luck will change soon.

[PapaG39]

The regular map that came with the CD shows a grayed area along the East coast of GReat Britain as being quite busy. Also if you have gwx you can pull down a map from the top left had corner of the monitor. you may have to have the english version mod enabled for that though.

In the North Sea go to the An81 AN 73 area around the SE tip of English channel & you will find all the traffic that you want...

[PapaG39]

The regular map that came with the CD shows a grayed area along the East coast of GReat Britain as being quite busy. Also if you have gwx you can pull down a map from the top left had corner of the monitor. you may have to have the english version mod enabled for that though.

In the North Sea go to the An81 AN 73 area around the SE tip of English channel & you will find all the traffic that you want...
You have to go slow though. If you just fast forward through everything you will miss a lot,.
spend most of your time submerged & listening. pop up...go a bit & submerge again & spend a few hours in one spot just listening. It works..

have fun...

[KeptinCranky]

my favorite spot: about 50 to 100 km east of Aberdeen, lots of british traffic north south and vice versa, there is also a route from Bergen to Inverness and one from Bergen to Edinburgh, if you draw lines between these ports and sort of zigzag along them you'll run into something substantial after a few days, this is before Germany occupies Norway of course. after that the Merchies will hug the coast mostly.

[Jimbuna]

Lie 100 or so km off one of the large east coast estuaries and get aquainted with the convoy traffic :arrgh!:

[flag4]

thanks hunters, once again

for the tips and advice.
all are appreciated.

ironically enough i've just misssed two escorts and a destroyer, i was too far away !! they were doing 23 knots - i just could'nt get close enough, bubbling along at 7...

flag4

[PapaG39]

In that area with the shallow water you must be very careful about taking a shot at those DD's. Even using 1m depth setting you can still bounce off the bottom as they raise in a swell. You miss or it doesn't explode on target...either way...they gotcha. I just leave them alone unless the conditions are almost perfect.
lol...I may be overly cautious, but I'm still sailen along...

[papa_smurf]

I find AN14 is a good spot for single mercahnt traffic (Thats between Lerwick and Scapa Flow).I always go throught there in my Type VII/B, and usually sink about
2-4 ships there.

[Kpt, Otto]

AN76 Near Lowerstoft, and further south near Harwich is a good spot for coastal traffic, often submerging there and listening will pick something up. Just got to make sure it doesnt have depth charges on it, in that depth it could be fatal!!

Its defended reasonably well there in that area, the further south you go. But I have sunk several lone merchant ships there between Sept 39 and Jan 1940. :yep: :D

In a type II where fuel is something to worry about AN76 is not far away and you can remain on station for longer. Because I have SH3 Commander I can often pick my patrol square after I have put into any port such as Wilhelmshaven and then move back out to sea within 24hrs after resupply.