seafarer
01-12-08, 09:48 PM
So I decided to start my 2nd GWX2.0 career in the Med, taking command of U371 (type VIIC) out of Salamis (my first career is still alive too, now in a IXC and 1943, but I know the Atlantic well and haven't played the Med much).
We have 4 patrols thus far that have gone quite well, sunk a couple of cruisers (Dido and Southampton), several Black Swans, some DD's (Hunt's, V&W and one Tribal) and an assortment of merchants from 4K to 7K+ tons.
But Valletta has always attracted me, despite nearly dying off there last patrol (took considerable damage, and 1 crew member killed). So we are back, despite the fact that half the entire allied escort fleet seems to hang out off the harbor approaches there!
Being ever so clever - :roll: - we got into position during a clear sky day, but with massive seas and high wind. Creeping in, staying near the bottom, we track multiple warship contacts, as well as several merchant sounds.
By miracles of miracles, we get within periscope sighting distance of the harbor outer anchorage (and at night and submerged, so those dang guns on the pylon thingy's cannot engage us). With my usual deadly aim - :p I have been at this since the original SHI days, give me some credit - we nail a big ore carrier, a troop carrier, then a reload! and we take out a big four stack liner :arrgh!: (btw, there was also an LST or some similar thing, but it seemed to be sinking fine on its own at anchor in the heavy seas, so I didn't waste any shots at it). The heavy seas meant our steam eels would have never been noticed, unlike the usual calm and blue sky Med weather.
Time to, as they say, get they heck outa' Dodge! Of course there are warship sounds galore all around us, it is Valletta afterall. As we try to crash our way out, we take out a Black Swan, and a Hunt I - nothing really skillful on my part at all, they just came charging straight at us (zero gyro at less then 650m, aim with the rudders, and shoot). Loosed off the stern tube at a V&W, but missed as it veered to port :x
Finally, the water depth is over 50m, and we can go deep and silent. The only eel we have left is the aft tube, until we can surface and move the externals. There are at least 6 warships near us, and we have limited water to move around in (water depth is now 451m, so getting deeper, but the pocket outside of Valetta is narrow for a bit yet), so this still may not come out well.
We are at 135m depth, silent running, and fingers crossed (so to speak, I'd never show such a sign of doubt in front of the crew). Trying to keep a narrow sound profile is kinda' difficult with warship sound contacts literally all around you :damn: I actually took a peek with the God Cam and the whole surface is lit up with star shells and search lights by with 6 ships in view, and others out of view - I took some screenies for later.
Oh well, stick your hand in a wasps nest, ya' gotta expect to get stung :p Seriously though, there is an amazing number of warships at Valletta - I know Malta was Churchill's personal hard stand, but shouldn't some of these be out patrolling the Island, not sitting at the front of the harbor?? We currently have 11 warship sound contacts around the dial (3 faint, thank goodness for small favors).
Anybody else try raiding Valletta in 1942 (February for U371)?
We have 4 patrols thus far that have gone quite well, sunk a couple of cruisers (Dido and Southampton), several Black Swans, some DD's (Hunt's, V&W and one Tribal) and an assortment of merchants from 4K to 7K+ tons.
But Valletta has always attracted me, despite nearly dying off there last patrol (took considerable damage, and 1 crew member killed). So we are back, despite the fact that half the entire allied escort fleet seems to hang out off the harbor approaches there!
Being ever so clever - :roll: - we got into position during a clear sky day, but with massive seas and high wind. Creeping in, staying near the bottom, we track multiple warship contacts, as well as several merchant sounds.
By miracles of miracles, we get within periscope sighting distance of the harbor outer anchorage (and at night and submerged, so those dang guns on the pylon thingy's cannot engage us). With my usual deadly aim - :p I have been at this since the original SHI days, give me some credit - we nail a big ore carrier, a troop carrier, then a reload! and we take out a big four stack liner :arrgh!: (btw, there was also an LST or some similar thing, but it seemed to be sinking fine on its own at anchor in the heavy seas, so I didn't waste any shots at it). The heavy seas meant our steam eels would have never been noticed, unlike the usual calm and blue sky Med weather.
Time to, as they say, get they heck outa' Dodge! Of course there are warship sounds galore all around us, it is Valletta afterall. As we try to crash our way out, we take out a Black Swan, and a Hunt I - nothing really skillful on my part at all, they just came charging straight at us (zero gyro at less then 650m, aim with the rudders, and shoot). Loosed off the stern tube at a V&W, but missed as it veered to port :x
Finally, the water depth is over 50m, and we can go deep and silent. The only eel we have left is the aft tube, until we can surface and move the externals. There are at least 6 warships near us, and we have limited water to move around in (water depth is now 451m, so getting deeper, but the pocket outside of Valetta is narrow for a bit yet), so this still may not come out well.
We are at 135m depth, silent running, and fingers crossed (so to speak, I'd never show such a sign of doubt in front of the crew). Trying to keep a narrow sound profile is kinda' difficult with warship sound contacts literally all around you :damn: I actually took a peek with the God Cam and the whole surface is lit up with star shells and search lights by with 6 ships in view, and others out of view - I took some screenies for later.
Oh well, stick your hand in a wasps nest, ya' gotta expect to get stung :p Seriously though, there is an amazing number of warships at Valletta - I know Malta was Churchill's personal hard stand, but shouldn't some of these be out patrolling the Island, not sitting at the front of the harbor?? We currently have 11 warship sound contacts around the dial (3 faint, thank goodness for small favors).
Anybody else try raiding Valletta in 1942 (February for U371)?